Viewing His Trials

by DestinyTheWriter

Nobody deserves to be alone. To change the fate of the world, and to forever change Natsuki Subaru's fate, everyone will see just what he has suffered. They will finally see his trials, and many will finally learn just what the true essence of their hero is. What will happen? What will change? Let's find those answers for ourselves. Spoilers for EVERYTHING ahead.

3. Director's Cut Episode 2

A/N: Spoilers for LN, Webnovel and Anime content ahead. Actually, this entire story is spoilers. If you aren't sure how far, I'd say that this spoiler warning extends up to Arc 6 of the Web Novel. This is far past the current end of the anime, for anime-only watchers. Now then, let us continue on, dear guests.

Symbol Explanation:

[[ Example ]] - Words encased in the [[ ]] symbols implies information added from the light novels or web novels that have been mixed into the anime, along with me fine-tuning some details, to make added content flow properly.

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Episode 2: The Suffering Temporarily Concludes

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Once more, before the episode began, there was an odd moment of pause.

The episode did not start immediately. However, the 'technical difficulties' message that had previously appeared did not show up to explain this pause, either.

"I swear t'god if this' s'another one a 'them long-ass 'technical difficulties' pauses…! I just want t'hurry up n'get this shit viewin' over with, so Cap'n c'n wake up n'explain all this shit!" Garfiel was the first to voice his complaints with a growl, fists shaking in both anticipation and rage. He was somewhat calmed as Otto placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

The gray-haired merchant looked at the young demihuman with a dry smile. "I know, I know, Garfiel-san. But considering that we have the time...I do believe that it would be remiss of us to not use it wisely."

"Eh?" The sharp-toothed boy's fury was fully converted into confusion at his close friend's words. "What th' hell do ya' mean, Otto-bro? You sayin' there's somethin' more important than this viewin'?!" Garfiel pointed his thumb at the now blank screen.

Rather than Otto having the chance to explain, Anastasia interrupted their conversation, a glum look within her usual mischievous blue-green eyes as she gave the answer in a low voice.

"It's obvious what gray-hair's talkin' bout if ya' think for a sec, ain't it? Obviously...he's talking 'bout the 'power' that tha' down there has." Her words caused Garfiel to go stiff and gulp, left silent at the thought.

Just like everyone else in the theater, he had avoided talking about it after finally being able to raise their morale back up, but it was inevitable for the topic to come up. Even for a headstrong, thoughts-later kid like him, it was impossible for him to just casually talk about his Captain's horrific experiences, and his even more dreadful ability.

Therefore, it was up to the more strong-willed leaders within the room to push forth the near-unspeakably terrifying conversation.

"That's right...Subaru has that sort of ability…" Emilia managed to continue the topic, shifting in her seat uncomfortably as she looked to her knight with an unreadable expression. "And all of that stuff we saw happen to him...it was undoubtedly real."

Crusch nodded slowly, almost hesitantly to the half-elf's conclusion. "It is...somewhat difficult to believe...and even more regretful that it is true...but even if we are not to believe our own words, the Host's words confirmed it."

"Right. By confirming our feelings towards what we had seen on screen, it became that much more real." Reinhard had his eyes closed in meditation, focused entirely on keeping his own composure.

Felt stared up at her focused knight with more than a bit of concern in her crimson-eyes, before looking ahead with a sigh, letting out all of her balled up emotions in that one exhale. "Well…" She began uncertainly, but her expression and her tone hardened as she continued. "I don't think we should keep destroying ourselves over it. That isn't the point."

"How can you say that? We just watched Subaru-kun die twice, in horrific ways...and then we had to watch Emilia, you, and the man who was like a grandfather to you die, all one after the other." Rem asked almost indignantly, giving the little girl an accusatory gaze. The blue-haired Oni felt like Felt was just trying to skip directly over the problem.

"Sister…" Ram muttered under her breath, staring at her sister with pity. She knew, regretfully, just how deep her sister's love for the unconscious boy over there ran.

Even she, herself respected him to a certain degree, and the viewing had indeed left her reeling as much as any other viewer...yet she didn't want to see her sister crumble apart because of it.

"Don't take it like that, sis." Felt replied with a dismissive waving of her hand. "Besides…" Her eyes suddenly grew steely, her voice growing cold. "You think that I'm just putting it aside? Seeing Old Man Rom's body twice...seeing myself die once...seeing big bro die twice...seeing even big sis die...you really, honestly think I'm just brushing that off?"

Any childishness in the ex-thief's inflection completely disappeared, leaving Felt to give the blue-haired Oni made a dark look that nobody had ever seen on her face before. Even Reinhard had to open his eyes in surprise, as he felt the sinister aura around her.

Rem's expression wavered a bit out of utter shock at Felt's unexpectedly harsh tone. She immediately felt guilt strike away at her heart. It was a bad habit of hers to be extremely impulsive and act on her feelings...now it left her relationship with the crimson-eyed girl at a considerably lower level than before.

"I understand you care about big bro, too. But we can't be the ones moping around here." The intensity in Felt's gaze faded away into a more simple and serious look. "You all get what I'm saying, right? We're not the ones that remember all that crap happening to us. We've all got our own difficulties...but none of us here have ever died."

At those words, nobody could hope to deny her. They'd all suffered different ways in their lives...each of them had their own issues and problems, some having even known just what it was like to feel true suffering.

Rem and Ram had lost their homes, their families, their futures, their entire lives to the Witch Cult.

Emilia had lost everything and everyone in Elior forest, was hated and demeaned for being a silver haired half-elf, and had even recently been stripped of her one and only remaining family.

Beatrice and Roswaal had both lost the woman that was the most important person to them. Both had to survive countless centuries feeling almost entirely alone, with Beatrice even more lost and jaded than the clown, who had practically been driven insane.

Anastasia, Ricardo, and the vice-captains of the Iron Fang had all come from rough, extremely humble beginnings, none of them having experienced true freedom until finally getting their one lucky break.

Frederica and Garfiel had lost their mother in a horrific incident, with their sibling bond being broken for years, and Garfiel only having just overcome his own unbearable mental trauma that kept him in the Sanctuary.

Crusch and Felix had lost a shared friend, and both had had to deal with the dark sides of royalty, and the sins and expectations of their families.

Otto was banished from his own town for his divine blessing, had extremely bad luck at his merchant affairs, and had almost become a debt slave.

Al had lost an arm, been forced to fight in an arena for his life, and didn't even fully remember his own life that he had been fighting for.

Wilhelm had cruelly lost his wife to the White Whale, and ruined his relationship with his grandson for it.

Reinhard was being constantly crushed by the expectations of his family, and had trouble even seeing himself as a person anymore.

Nobody here was free of difficulty and struggle within their lives, all had either lost something, been forced to fight against something, or gone through experiences in their lives that completely destroyed and rewrote over the people they once had been.

Yet, none of them could ever fathom the unbearable suffering that a slow, agonizing death brought with it. None of them could ever fully fathom being forcibly changed into a different, unkind world, where the were nothing but a useless speck.

They could all try to relate, or just understand...but death was an experience, a piece of suffering, that those who died took to the grave with them.

"Now you peons finally seem to understand." Priscilla interrupted the silence that had once again fallen over the theater. Her words, like always, were full of venom towards every person in the theater. "That boy's ability is not utterly useless because the boy himself is useless...but because it renders himself an invalid."

"You dare to call Betty's contractor useless…?!" Beatrice's eyes filled with rage, a hate-filled glare being directly thrown at Priscilla. Whatever little mana left in the room circled around her, her pigtails flaring up behind her.

Of course, the Countess was not even the slightest bit frightened by the Great Spirit's outburst. Unlike her scuffle with Emilia, she did not even have a reason to feel anger. She just gave a mocking laugh, and replied with amused eyes.

"Then tell me...how many times do you believe he has used this 'ability' so far? How many deaths has that commoner experienced, without ever telling a single soul? If he is not useless, then his allies must be even more so, for him to keep such a truth. Or perhaps, he means to manipulate your emotions…?" A twisted smile formed behind Priscilla's fan, which she held over her mouth.

Her words made Beatrice's eyes widen, along with nearly everyone else's. The loli spirit's twintails fell down, as she slowly turned a worried gaze to her sleeping contractor.

He...he had said the perfect words to her, just what she needed to hear that moment...yet...even as momentary doubt came upon her, she slowly shook her head, just decided to ignore the confusing woman's words. She was hurt that her contractor did not seem to trust her with such knowledge, however…

"Betty's contractor may possess knowledge some are not privy too. However, he would never mislead Betty or the others on purpose...even if he did not trust us to tell us, for whatever reason, I suppose."

The spirit's confident words and attitude were shared by the Emilia and Felt's camp, that nodded with absolute belief in Subaru's goodness and kindness.

Not all were so able to soundly avoid any doubts, however. Especially those who were not too close to the boy.

"That...that does make sense. The ability may have its' drawbacks, but it allows him to redo almost everything to a perfect extent." Tivey's logical side began to take over, his eyes remaining wide behind his monocle.

"And manipulating us with the power to go back in time whenever he wants would be easy…" Felix trailed off, his cheerful demeanor disappearing entirely as he felt a budding seed of doubt grow within him towards the nasty-eyed boy.

Not everyone just took these words at face value, however.

"Tha' doesn't mean that ya' can jus' insult tha' brother down there, though. We fought alongside 'im, Tivey. Yer just gonna throw him under tha' carriage like that?" Ricardo retaliated, clearly disappointed at his vice-captain's words.

"Yeah, yeah! Big bro was right there the whole time, and never gave up! You can't just say bad stuff about him like that!" Mimi agreed with her captain.

"S-Sister is right...I don't exactly know him too well, but you should never treat a comrade-in-arms that badly." Hetaro nodded in slow agreement to his sister. Of course, he agreed with most things Mimi said, but his words came partly from his own will, as well.

Being corned by his sister and the Captain, Tivey let out a defeated sigh. "Alright, alright...I admit it was a somewhat far-fetched claim for me to accuse him of...but the cat guy over there agreed too!"

"Indeed, Ferris. I'm quite disappointed you would harbor such thoughts, yourself." Crusch gave her knight a harsh gaze after Tivey had received his own discipline, which the cat-eared boy flinched at, giving Tivey a side-glance of hatred. The monocle-wearing demihuman just shrugged.

"Natsuki-sama not only bravely led the expedition against the White Whale...but then went on to save a village from the Witch Cult, and defeat a Sin Archbishop within the same day. He fought alongside us all as an ally, and even faced death. If is ability is to be believed, perhaps even multiple times."

Agreeing with his mistress, Wilhelm gave a sharp nod. "I had sensed that he was no normal man...but my respect for him has only grown after knowing he has managed to face and push through death, and still move on." The old butler's words were filled with honesty.

Subaru was not just an ally to Wilhelm, but the man who had truly enabled him to battle the White Whale to his fullest, and even land the final blow. Never would he doubt him.

Felix, however, was far less attached to Subaru.

In a rare moment of insubordination, the demihuman healer let out a sarcastic chuckle. "Yeah, all because of that ability, at least. I bet he just wanted to play hero, all 'cause of that useless pride he showed earlier...who knows, maybe he was trying to get close to you just like he did with the half-elf? With that ability, he would've just kept coming back anywa-"

"Hold it. Just what the heck are you sayin' about big bro, pretty boy-" Felt had begun to cut off the healer's words, but even she was disrupted by something else.

**SLAP!**

At that moment, a loud sound echoed throughout the theater, a sound that surprised all within. Including Felt, who went quiet as she realized the source of the noise.

A large red mark was left on Felix's face, shock on his face and tears almost falling from his eyes as he held onto the spot with both hands. It was easy to see what had happened, as Crusch slowly withdrew her gloved palm.

"C-Crusch-sama...w-why…?" Felix choked out in a quivering tone, betrayal and honest confusion clear in his voice. His words did not draw any pitying response from the woman, whose amber eyes were steadfast.

She took a second of silence, before finally answering to her knight's question. "Ferris. Do you understand the disrespect that you've just showed Natsuki-sama? Not only have you disregarded his achievements for the Kingdom, but you've disregarded the large sacrifices that are his deaths, and implied that you do not even hold care for his life simply due to his ability."

The demihuman knight was utterly confused still, not even able to respond to his mistress' lecturing words, as she would then continue on.

"I understand that your words come from a place of extreme care of him possibly manipulating or lying to me...but I will never hear of you showing such blatant disrespect to him, and his camp. Most of all...if it weren't for his ideas and strategies, how many more scores of people would have died? Are you saying those lives are worthless, as well, Ferris?"

Tears rushed from Felix's face, as he slowly shook his head, the utter carelessness of his earlier rambling dawning on him. "I-I'm...I'm sorry, Crusch-sama…" He honestly apologized. With that slap, he'd come to his senses, realizing the arrogance, folly, and danger of such thinking.

Regardless of how he thought, without Subaru, nearly everything that day would've gone much worse. It was a truth he couldn't fight against.

His friends and fellow knights, Julius and Reinhard looked at him with sympathetic, yet approving nods. They did not enjoy seeing their friend be hit by his own mistress, but both did feel that their friend's more aggressive and prideful nature needed to be reigned in every now and then.

Especially when both were dear friends of Subaru as well, and did not particularly hear him being discussed with such undeserved suspicion.

"Drama aside…" Anastasia interjected, now leaving everyone's attention square on her. "I'm still curious ta' just what tha' Countess was sayin'. Somethin' 'bout how Natsuki-kun's ability 'ffects him?" The merchant would turn to the arrogant lady that had surprisingly remained quiet up to that moment.

"Hmph…" Priscilla clapped her fan closed, with obvious displeasure at his ignorance. "The conclusion is simple for any that take a moment to think of it."

"If all it takes for you lot to break is the experience watching this...then what do you believe that boy's current mental state is at this moment, having been the one to go through it?"

The sinking realization went deep into everyone's hearts, as they knew just what the implications of the Countess' words were.

Emilia looked at Subaru in worry, at his seemingly peaceful sleeping face…

How many times had he died? How much had he suffered? How many times were there when all of them had failed him or led him astray?

"There's...there's no way that he can just be fine after all of that happened to him…" Emilia reached her hand out, gently stroking her knight's head.

"That's right...he was but a young boy forcefully torn from his home. Yet, we had dared to even begin on the train of thought that he was some unfathomable monster." Julius shook his head at the repulsive idea.

"Indeed. Barusu may be a bit ignorant, but I don't believe that wasting such suspicious thoughts on him is wise. I've long learned that assuming anything of him, good or bad, is foolish." Ram huffed, her words sounding insulting, yet for some reason...not as harsh as you would expect.

Rem gave her sister's defending words a sincere smile, leaving Ram to show a small smile in return to her sister.

For all that knew the aggressive maid, it was easy to see that her cryptic words just showed her implicit trust in the boy. In other words, she was just saying to judge the boy on his actions, not on his ability.

"Yes...I cannot claim to know Subaru-sama too well, myself...but despite the scary look to him, I believe that he is a proper kind gentleman, through and through." Frederica decided to vouch for the boy, speaking for Petra, who swiftly nodded alongside her.

Both Tivey and Felix lowered their heads in shame as they thought back to their previous words and actions.

"Still, ya' can't just dismiss tha' ability entirely…" Anastasia's eyes practically gleamed, leaving the knight to just show a smile at his mistress' greedy nature returning. "I'm interested in takin' learnin' 'bout tha' boy, and learning his power and knowledge as a bundle. What say tha' rest a' ya?"

"As much as it hurts me to say this...I must agree, I suppose. For Betty to properly help her contractor…" She gave the boy a tender gaze from below. "She must learn more. Even if it hurts, I suppose."

"Of course! Besides, if what that orb was saying earlier is right, then learning more about big bro is gonna be just as important as seeing what he's been through." Felt spoke with determined eyes, a large grin on her face.

"Yeah, I doubt that the Host guy would've given us that whole big speech just to leave us to worry and argue in silence for a few more minutes. Speaking of, where the hell is he?" Al looked around for any sign of the orb, scratching the underside of his helmet in confusion.

"He did seem to just...leave." Emilia mused, still feeling some sort off odd feeling overcome her as she thought more into the Host's nature...she couldn't shake the feeling that she had some sort of connection...some sort of insight into what he really was…

Before her mind could further explore that possibility, however, a certain familiar voice beamed into all of their minds.

Apologies for the unannounced pause, dear guests.

I had to deal with some business of my own.

I assume that you did not mind the extra time to discuss among yourselves?

"Indeeeeeed, we had muuuuch time to...discuss." Roswaal's dragging voice still remained present, despite his previous despair.

He himself had gone through a large change, giving up thoroughly on any hint of abusing Subaru's ability. By no chance was he a 'good' person, but he understood the folly of it...and true sin that would be committed by doing so.

Not to mention, he was not exactly sure whether Subaru's retry truly wouldn't prevent the destruction of his soul, or if it would. Whether the boy's ability trumped Od Laguna itself was unsure, and he was not in the mood to experiment.

"I am so sorry, Teacher…" The muttered under his breath, feeling his spirits sink. He had made a bet on the boy...yet he just couldn't let go of the remaining embers of his care for Echidna.

Ram gave her master a worried gaze, hearing his ramblings and seeing that blank look in his eyes, but before she could say much else, a certain restless demihuman made himself heard first.

"Forget all that! Let's just fuckin' continue, already!" Garfiel yelled impatiently, leaving Ram to give him an annoyed gaze.

"You need not use that loud voice, Garf. It already sounds like you are yelling when you talk regularly, after all." The red-haired Oni pointed out, leaving Garfiel to turn red at the embarrassment brought on by such harsh words from her.

"D-Dang it, Ram...I jus' wanna get th'dang viewin' started.." He almost sank back in his chair, quieted down by Ram's aggressive nature. Well, he did have a certain weakness for Ram's words, too.

Understood, Sir Garfiel. Let us continue our viewing.

The episode continued where we last left off, with Subaru standing in front of Emilia amidst a watching crowd.

"Back to this again…" Emilia felt her heart tighten in guilt at the familiar scene, remembering the cursed name that she had handed to the boy. "Did I really want him to leave that badly…?"

The only comfort she could find in herself was that the first version of herself had properly offered to apologize to the young man...but she knew a simple apology would not be enough for such a selfish act.

Soon, the camera would zoom out to show Felt, sneaking in from the side and assessing her mark with an opportunistic gaze.

"Seems tha' girl is lookin' for a chance t'swoop in and steal tha' insignia, eh? With that speed a' hers, it should be pretty easy." Anastasia grinned, a grin which left Felt look away, flushed, as her trade secrets were being revealed one by one.

"Indeed, my lady's speed is to be praised. Though I would have preferred she not used it for such purposes at first…" Reinhard nodded slowly, leaving Felt to look at her knight in desperation.

"Not you too, Rein!" She yelled, puffing up her cheeks and pouting in mock rage, a gesture both the merchant princess and the Sword Saint could not help but laugh at.

"I'll ask once more. Why did you call me by the name of the Jealous Witch?" Emilia asked plainly.

"B-because you told me to." Subaru replied, voice still filled with a faint desperation.

"Ah man…" Al brought a hand to his face, facepalming the best he could through his helmet. "The kid's just digging his own grave even deeper…"

"Indeed. Subaru-dono's words, rather than a proper excuse, likely sounds nonsensical to Emilia-sama. I wouldn't doubt if she just ignores his words, or sees him even worse for it." Wilhelm agreed to the helmeted knight, watching the screen with pitying eyes.

"I don't know who told you to call me that, but they have horrible taste." The half-elf practically spat, a hateful blue glint now in her eyes. "The jealous witch is the epitome of taboo, and you call me by her name, which most dare to not even say?"

"It's sad seeing Emilia-sama be so mean to Subaru…" Petra whimpered with her hands clasped together, clearly unhappy at seeing such conflict between the two.

"Indeed…" Julius lowered his head, releasing a conflicted sigh at seeing his friend's to-be mistress absolutely shun him. "Subaru is quite usually very open with his care for Emilia-sama, so to see her treat him this way is…"

"It's just too sad…" Emilia didn't even need to hear the knight continue his words, after all, she felt the exact same way, her purplish-blue eyes scanning the eyes of herself on screen, which just seemed to radiate such...hatred to her innocent young knight.

The first version of her had come to share such trust and close moments with Subaru, so she couldn't even imagine how he felt right now...and knowing the bond she'd only just begun to forge with him, she felt even worse.

"An' tha' demihumans on the street ain't jus' gonna watch that happen, either. He jus' drew the ire of all a' them by uknowingly pullin' an act discrimination on tha' young miss." Ricardo shook his head, placing his hand on his chin. "Brother's really got it bad."

Every demihuman within the theater could not help but feel that they would've shared in that resentment, as well. If some boy just called an innocent lady on the road Satella, many of them would've probably seen it as an act of discrimination against the half-elf race.

"Damn, Cap'n…" Garfiel gripped his fists tightly. He wished that he could jump through the screen and tell all these other guys how cool his Cap'n was, and how he wasn't even capable of discrimination.

A few demihumans in the background were seen nodding to her words, while Subaru just stared back, pupils shrank as a reflection of his confusion and pain at her harsh words.

"Subaru truly looks hurt…" Beatrice frowned, feeling entirely unpleased with the hatred and confusion Emilia's lie had caused him. "Betty does not enjoy seeing such a look on her contractor's face, I suppose."

"Beatrice…" Emilia murmured the Great Spirit's name apologetically. Of course, this wasn't her on the screen, but it did not change the fact that she was capable of such actions under the correct circumstances. "I'm...sorry."

Hearing Emilia's words, Beatrice upturned her head. "If you are truly sorry, then make sure not to ever make such silly mistakes while you can, I suppose." She lectured harshly, though Emilia could still tell Beatrice did not entirely truly resent her.

"Of course. I would never hurt Subaru like this, not our Subaru." The half-elf spoke with a sincere smile, bringing herself to gently squeeze her knight's still warm hand. Beatrice did not respond, but she at least seemed satisfied with the silver-haired girl's answer.

"That's right!" "That's going too far, boy!" Two demihumans called out from behind Subaru.

Emilia, now finished with this boy in front of her turned to leave. "If you have no other business with me, I'm leaving. I have things to do."

"I must say that it is surprising that Emilia-dono merely decided to leave." Crusch admitted, with a clear bit of surprise in her amber eyes. "Even here, when she is not exactly on friendly terms with Natsuki-sama, she is rather lenient."

"Lenient? But the white-haired big sister totally yelled at him, and got all angry!" Mimi questioned with confusion, kicking her legs back and forth in her seat.

"That's exactly what she means. All she did was get angry at 'im, and nothin' else. Fer example, Mimi...how'd ya feel if someone were ta' call me a 'Hyena'?" Anastasia spoke patiently with the little demihuman, giving her a curious glance.

Mimi, along with her siblings and Ricardo all narrowed their eyes at the mention of this word. Hyena – a word in Kararagi that represented a person's destitution in society. People who had no home, and were so starved that they frequently had to eat out of the garbage to survive.

"Mimi would definitely knock them the heck out! Or blast them with enough magic to make them learn a good lesson about ever calling Mum that!" She spoke protectively, punching a fist forward. Each and every Iron Fang member nodded in implicit agreement.

Anastasia showed a bright smile to her camp's care and understanding for her past. They had all had rough lives, some of them slaves, some losing parents and having no place to call home...but the greedy gal knew she could always count on their bond to back them up.

"Exactly. The little miss down there is showin 'im a lot of mercy by not whoopin' him on the spot. I'd bet she had to hold her spirit back, too. I doubt anyone woulda' complained 'bout it, either." She explained, kicking up one leg over the other.

"Ooooh...Mimi gets it now!" The girl nodded fiercely in understanding.

"Hmph...mineself would not be caught associating with a commoner such as that in the first place." Priscilla spat, leaving her knight Al, to give her a nervous look.

How could he explain that his mistress had already met the boy before…?

'Forget it, it's too much of a pain in the ass to put my butt on the line just to say that.' With that dismissive thought, Al just left the idea alone, turning his attention back to the screen.

Subaru could only helplessly reach out a hand to her, for nothing.

However, Felt, seeing this chance, dashed in from out of the shadows with a grin, hopping forward and easily sidestepping through the crowd to Emilia's back. Emilia could only turn around in time to see the girl retract her hand and run off again.

"That speed...even with Emilia-sama's spirit looking out for her, it would have been nearly impossible to stop Felt-san's actions. She does seem rather practiced, based on those smooth hand movements." Otto noted with intrigue, looking over the scene with an analytical eye.

"Psh! I could match th'runt's speed f' I wanted to!" Garfiel exclaimed confidently, leaving Felt to look at the boy with a ticked off expression.

"Who are you calling a runt?!-"

"Actually, that does make me wonder…" Rem tapped a finger on her cheek, interrupting the impending argument. "If Subaru-kun was not present during Emilia-sama's insignia being stolen, just how did Emilia-sama become distracted enough to lose it?"

The blue-haired Oni's words came unexpectedly, leaving Felt and Emilia to chuckle nervously...curiously, Wilhelm and Ferris seemed to react to this question.

"Well…" Felt scratched her cheek bashfully, now calmed, before continuing. "The truth is, well...another thief got in my way at first to nab big sis' purse. And this really scary old man here caught me and him together!" The thief said, pointing a thumb at Wilhelm, who just showed a small smile.

"Wait, you took my purse, too, Felt-chan?!" Emilia asked indignantly, only receiving a shrug in response from the ex-thief.

"That is correct. I would not have remembered that incident if were not mentioned, but I do remember apprehending a thief that was attempting to steal Emilia-sama's purse at the time. At that time, I believe that I asked the young lady down there to return it to Emilia-sama." Wilhelm's voice and expression was thoughtful, as the recollection of the day came back to him.

"To think that my lady would meet my most revered grandfather before I, and in such a worrying manner." The Sword Saint chuckled at this irony. "Fate truly does work in most mysterious ways."

"Indeed. I would have easily watched over her handing the purse back, myself, however…" The old man turned his eyes towards Felix, who gave an apprehensive smile.

"Ferris…" Crusch's warning tone made the healer sigh, shoulders slumping as he finished Wilhelm's unanswered statement.

"I was out with Old Man Wilhelm at that time, so...I might have called his attention away without realizing the situation…nyan?"

~~~~~~Staaaaaareeeeeee~~~~~~

All the feminine knight could do was chuckle anxiously, as the simultaneous stares of Wilhelm, Crusch, Emilia, and Felt bore into him.

"I'm sorry…" He apologized, eyes closing and ears drooping over in an admittedly cute admission of defeat.

"Well anyway, thanks to that bro's slip-up, I managed to make off with it! Buuuut...it was empty. Barely even any change!" She sighed in disappointment, a gesture which made Anastasia snicker.

"A 'course! What sorta' gal would jus' leave that much money' in a purse that easy ta' get? Y'only bring as much as ya' need. I bet she was just plannin' on goin' shoppin'!"

"Speaking of...that's why I wasn't able to find any money when I was trying to pay for that demihuman's meal! Then...the one who threw the purse back was…?" Emilia's eyes widened in realization, with Felt wincing as she was figured out even further.

"Yeah, I know, I know. It was when I saw that that I just threw it at back big sis and chose to tail her 'till I could find the time to make a good strike." The blonde girl explained.

"Which was…?" Al furthered, finding himself now curious in the little story.

"Hehe. I noticed that big sis had a habit of rubbing a certain part of her clothes. With that, I coulda' guessed that she was checkin' for her insignia! Then I just waited for a distraction, and boom! Insignia got!" Felt grinned proudly, puffing her chest out.

"I see...I never would've figured Emilia-sama to have had such a bad habit...it is no wonder that she was figured out so easily." Rem shook her head, with Emilia feeling embarrassed at the maid's words.

Wilhelm smiled proudly. "At the very least, I can find relief in the purse being returned...even if not how I had intended."

Immediately, she checked her pockets in panic, realizing that her insignia was now gone. She turned to Subaru with an even more hateful glance.

"Were you stalling me? Are you working with her?!" She asked accusingly.

Subaru was just put off even more by her accusations. "N-No!" He pleaded in a desperate yell.

"With such a desperate rejection of her accusations, Barusu only made himself look even more suspicious. He is only making his case even harder to defend." Ram brought a hand to her forehead, any small hopes at their interaction being fixed promptly dashed.

Emilia, not having time to deal with him just ran off after Felt, leaving Subaru alone in the marketplace.

"H-hey! Wait a minute…!" He tried to call for her, "You have it all wrong! I'm…" He hesitated, now realizing that he was already long alone, with just the crowd staring at him.

"That's really screwed up. The bro's all alone, unsure of what's even happening to him, and everyone already thinks he's just some insane assailant to a pickpocket." Al's words were filled with clear pity for the boy, which Priscilla beside him just snorted at.

'Damn it!' He thought, running after Emilia.

The boy could be seen chasing the shadow of Emilia into a dark alley, barely keeping up.

"Emilia-sama is definitely not wasting any time in her chase now. This must've been the beginning of the fierce chase that Subaru only caught the tail end of in the first loop." Reinhard mused, piercing blue eyes looking to the screen with a thought-filled gaze.

"Of course. It was really hard to get away from big sis at first, yknow? She was super persistent at the beginning! I even remember her shooting off some magic at me!" Felt recalled the memory with exasperation.

Emilia giggled lightly, bringing a hand over her lips. "I'm sorry for going after you with such force, Felt-chan...but after you took my insignia of all things, I had to get serious about it!"

The anarchist gave a dismissive wave of her hand. "Don't worry 'bout it. If someone stole from me like that, I wouldn't have gone light on them, either."

"Could someone just treat me a little nicer…?" He panted, nearly doubled over in exhaustion, slowing down to catch his breath.

"Hold it." Garfiel felt his breath hitch in his throat, as he realized the oddity and likely severity situation. "Cap'n getting left alone in an alley...my amazin self's gettin' a damn bad feelin' 'bout this."

"Same here. This place is givin' off all tha' wrong vibes." Ricardo muttered in a low tone, gripping on the edge of his seat slightly harder.

At those two fighters' words, everybody began to tense up, preparing themselves the best they could for whatever was to come. They had all known that this 'loop' was not their loop...but unlike before, they did not let that information itself destroy them.

Instead, they all steeled their resolves, preparing themselves to face whatever Subaru was to face in this fake life, and bear through it with him.

"Why was I even...summoned to this world?" Subaru asked nobody in particular, before turning around.

"What the hell are you babbling about?" The same voice….the same words...it was the runt from the group of three thugs Subaru seemed fated to meet.

"I swear, these goons…!" Felt grit her teeth while practically shaking in rage in her seat. "Just how many times are they gonna mess with big bro?! I'm seriously gonna have to teach them a lesson!"

"I would love to teach them a lesson, myself…" Rem gave an ominous smile as she held her hands together. Everyone in her immediate vicinity could not help but shudder, feeling the extreme killing intent wash over them.

"Miss Rem can be really scary…" Petra murmured while holding onto Frederica's sleeve for support. Though, the little maid would not admit that she somewhat agreed with the blue Oni's words.

"Hah! I'll have to add you to the list of tort- I mean, 'teachers' for that idiot trio's rehabilitation." Felt grinned in satisfaction, sharing in the impulsive maid's feelings.

"They won't be showing any more of that despicable behavior again…" Emilia trailed off while gently stroking the sleeves of her knight.

"This will be worrying…" Reinhard murmured under his breath, now counting three people in total.

Yes, three people. With the addition of Ram to the group of Emilia and Felt, the Ton-Chin-Kan trio of thugs had grown yet another enemy who wished for nothing but for them to 'learn a lesson'.

"I may have to prepare medical attention for those three...perhaps I might have to put myself in Felix's debt." He considered quietly, with a nervous sweatdrop on his forehead. The Sword Saint did not need any of his Divine Protections to know that the three ex-thugs were in mortal danger.

"If you don't wanna get hurt, cough up everything you've got!" The tall, lanky leader demanded.

Subaru looked at their malicious expressions with annoyance, raising his plastic bag-holding hand in rage.

"Would you all just stop it, already?!"

"Ah...no, Subaru." Reinhard felt his inner knight nearly explode in alarm, his blue eyes staring down the boy on screen with worry. "Confronting them with rage is not correct. It's simply going to lead to an unfortunate outcome…"

"Yes. This feels as if it is going in an extremely dangerous direction." Julius shook his head at his friend's folly. He knew from experience, these ruffians did not take kindly to insults.

"Indeed...I've had quite the bad luck with bandits myself. Shouting at them and raising one's hand at them is usually not a wise move." Otto was nodded in accord to the two knights. Humbleness and knowing when to give up had saved his life one too many times.

"Psh! Th' three a ya' shouldn' be so worried! Cap'n kicked their asses before, all he needs t'do is take out th' tall guy n'he wins!" Garfiel said with a clearly false bravado, raising his right fist to the air. Yet, his words lacked their usual brashness.

Rather than the young demihuman's usual confidence-filled words, he sounded more as if he were desperately trying to convince himself.

"Garf…" Frederica's voice was filled with concern as she whispered her little brother's name under her lips. Knowing how stubborn her brother was, she knew he was just trying to avoid it...avoid dealing with having to see the man he seemed to look up to be harmed.

"Tch. Don' need that pity-filled voice, sis." Despite her whispering, Garfiel's demihuman ears could easily pick his sister's apprehensive tone out. Hearing her pity for him, he felt his confidence wither even more.

But he couldn't doubt his Captain. No, it was more like, he could not handle it if he had to doubt his Captain.

The thugs looked confused at his outburst.

"There's a damn limit to persistence!"

The tall leader did not take kindly to this, reaching behind him and spinning out his dagger, holding it in front of him.

"You think you can mouth off to us?!"

"He pulled out tha' knife much earlier than before. I doubt he's gonna have nearly as much hesitation in doin' somethin' with it." Anastasia noted while bringing her scarf up to cover her mouth. Her expression was utterly unreadable due to this, but her eyes stared ahead with intense focus...and a tinge of worry.

"Damn it. This is the problem in dealin' with impulsive bastards." Al's one hand gripped at his chest, as he thought back to the many people he'd have to fight off with that same annoying nature.

"The problem is...Subaru-kyun is pretty impulsive himself, nyan. Especially with his current state of mind." Felix noted with a sense of tiredness in his tone.

This one sentence from the healer made the feeling of impending dread hanging over everybody worsen, as they realized that there was no way for this situation to end peacefully.

Subaru was not even bothered by the appearance of the blade, trudging his way forward to get past the three men.

Crusch could not help but wince at the boy's rash actions. She had wished her knight was more off in the assessment of Subaru, but… "That is truly not a wise course of action, Natsuki-sama." She whispered softly, her determined, steely gaze wavering in but a second's show of worry.

"He's, he's just going to try to walk through them?!" Tivey was caught off guard, feeling his hair practically rise on end at Subaru's equally impulsive actions.

"That ain't good, brother. You can't just turn your back on an angry piece of shit with a weapon." Ricardo growled, arms folded as he watched with a solemn expression.

"That idiot…" Ram seethed, her own arms folded much more tightly against her chest, near-shaking in perceived anger at Subaru's rash decision.

"He is truly a foolish commoner. Yet...I feel that he will pay for that foolishness once more in due time." Priscilla narrowed her eyes at Subaru's rushing visage on screen, her own feelings practically screaming that the boy's death was once more impending.

"You're in my way! I have somewhere I need to go!"

However, as Subaru was walking by them...he felt...an odd feeling that made him take pause. His eyes widened as he felt the strength leave his body...and fell flat on his face, with the handle of the tall leader's dagger sticking from his back.

For a while, the theater was silent, with not many having a chance to react due to the suddenness of it all...before three voices broke the silence, full of worry, shock, and sorrow.

"SUBARU!" A cry of surprise came from Beatrice, Rem, and Emilia, all who immediately stuck close to the boy as his on-screen self suffered yet another horrific wound that undoubtedly would be the cause for his unfortunate, pain-filled death once again.

Every single one of the grief-stricken girls held onto him desperately, their eyes filling to the brim with moisture. Their grips were tight, as if he were to disappear any second.

Emilia looked absolutely heartbroken, realizing now that the false information she'd given the boy about her name...just that act itself had led him to a death in this world. She almost felt as responsible as the three scumbags on screen, her heart and mind feeling like they were going to implode.

Rem's sorrow was obvious as her clear blue eyes were diluted by endless tears, however, grief was not all she felt. Wrath was in her nature, and she wanted nothing more than to absolutely slaughter these three low-life weaklings for ever putting a single hand on her hero.

"I will never forgive them…" She muttered in a low tone of voice, her eyes gaining a murderous glint.

Beatrice, on the other hand, was the most focused entirely on one feeling – the feeling of absolute despair that welled up within her already-fragile heart. She cared neither for Emilia or Rem's feelings or thoughts...she could only hold her contractor close, hold him close and hope that he wasn't going anywhere like the 'him' that was suffering on screen.

"Shit...they did it...the three dumbasses really fucking did it, huh?" Felt's crimson eyes sparked in uncontrollable anger, as she immediately realized what had just happened to the man she regarded as her big brother. Her delicate hands were both balled into fists, her whole body shaking in barely restrained, fiery wrath.

The ex-thief could feel the urge to cry building up in her as well, but the sheer hatred and disdain she was feeling towards her camp members right now surpassed any sorrow within her small body. "I swear to Od..."

All three thugs stared at him in shock, as blood began to slowly pool from the wound.

"Cap'n…!" Garfiel's voice almost broke as his worst fears were realized, as his eyes laid sight on the blood coming from his Captains wound. He couldn't even muster up anger, his eyes just shuddering upon laying eyes on the sight. "Damn it...damn it!" His voice held frustration.

This frustration did not go unnoticed, as Otto laid his hand on his sworn brother's shoulder, while keeping a forlorn gaze on the screen. "Natsuki-san...to think that he cannot even be allowed to escape an encounter with back-alley thugs unharmed. How cruel is Fate to him?"

Otto's words resonated with many within the room, who all agreed that it was positively unfair with the amount of life-ending events were coming the young man's way.

"Fate is a real bitch." Al said knowingly, his words sincere and sympathetic. He too, knew what it was like to have to experience hell, and he felt this innocent kid didn't need any of that.

"Heh. To do all this, though? It's like the brother just keeps getting forced into situations that are gonna activate that 'ability'." Ricardo grimaced as he spoke, not exactly enjoying his one-time comrade's pained expression.

"Tha' boy just ain't got any luck when it comes ta' what counts. He can meet a royal candidate willin' to befriend 'im, but he can get killed by thugs in a' alleyway." Anastasia sighed from behind her scarf. Her analytical eyes were filled with an unknown emotion, but she was most definitely not pleased at the boy bleeding out on screen. "And he ain't even able to have a single guard find 'im..."

"That is true. To think that it is this easy for people to die within the capital…" Julius felt yet another mark of shame on his honor as a knight. And, another, even deeper mark on his pride as a friend, as he watched Natsuki Subaru again near death in front of him. "It is..."

"It is rather disgusting. This Kingdom boasts of its capital city, yet they cannot even fathom creating a proper patrol around its' crime-ridden alleys?" Priscilla spat hatefully, looking down at the knights within the room.

Once more, nobody could step up to her words, with Reinhard and Julius simply lowering their heads in reply.

"Man...now you've done it." The fat thug muttered in shock, looking to the leader. "Oi, you had to stab him, you idiot?!"

Frederica clicked her tongue, having long covered Petra's eyes, as usual. "Typical hoodlums. They regret their actions only once they have done them."

Crusch looked to her knight with apology, shaking her head. "I must apologize for scolding you during the first 'episode', Felix. I do still believe that the issues of thugs within the capital are complex, however..." Her usually calm voice filled with a cold, threatening hatred. "These three on the screen alone are an exception to this rule. They are currently irredeemable."

Felix nodded to his mistress' words, in complete agreement with her words. "I knew I wasn't wrong. From one glance, I could tell these three were no good." He was not satisfied at this apology however, instead, the usually prideful knight just found himself regretful that his correct deduction had successfully predicted another agonizing death for Subaru.

Subaru looked behind him, eyes narrowed in despair and agony, as he spotted the wound on his back. 'You've gotta be kidding me…'

"Dying three times in what feels like a single day...Subaru, he must be in unbelievable disbelief." Reinhard's gloved hands held firmly onto his knees, as feelings of uselessness once again rose up within him.

"And he has to deal with those three wastes of space arguing behind him, like he isn't even there!" Felt stomped a foot down onto the ground, fighting back against her sorrow with her scorching anger. "I swear...those three...those three…!"

"N-No! He walked right into my blade, I swear!" The leader desperately argued, with his companion nearing to him and pushing him back in frustration at the leader's stupid actions.

'It hurts...It hurts…' Tears began to fall from Subaru's eyes as he felt death come near once more, blood violently bursting from his mouth as he fully fell onto his chest.

"W-What happened?!" Emilia's purple-blue eyes widened in surprise at seeing her knight's expression suddenly change. She felt suddenly fearful, her vice grip on his arm tightening even further.

"Don't tell me…" Al seethed, immediately realizing that there was only one reason for such a sudden coughing up of blood.

Behind him, the runt thug stood, holding the knife in his hand. The other two looked at him in shock.

"What the hell are you doing?!" The fat one asked.

"W-Well, no sense wasting it...take anything on him worth selling!" Said runt argued desperately, as blood slowly began to pool under Subaru's body.

"Such disrespect to a man they have already come close to killing!" Wilhelm's unflappable composure broke at this gesture, along with the runt's words. "To attempt to continue robbing him, while he lays there and dies…" The Sword Demon's killing aura flared up, eyes sharpening incredibly.

"These despicable cretins-!" Rem raged alongside Wilhelm, but, before she, or anyone else could say anymore, Felt's voice coldly cut through the crowd, like an unseen blade.

"Rein, those three...we're going to have to make sure every trace of being able to do this is entirely removed from their systems. I will make them disappear entirely." Felt's rage was not outwardly obvious anymore, but instead it took manifest in her voice. Her eyes were utterly empty, her voice low.

It was like she was the utter personification of the eye within a storm...looking utter peaceful, yet hiding a facade of destruction and fury around it.

Reinhard twitched at his mistress' dark words, turning to her. "M-my lady, I understand your point, but-"

Felt looked at the knight, with a gaze that dared him to speak further. "But what, Reinhard?"

Hearing her speak his full name, the knight almost lost his will to speak, but continued further, matching his lady's determination with determination of his own.

"These men here...they are surely guilty murderers. However, the version of them that we know are entirely innocent." It hurt the knight to speak, but he had to destroy this dangerous precedent here.

He would not let anyone, especially not his lady, become a senseless murderer while he could prevent it.

"And what?! What are you saying, Rein?! That we just ignore what they did here?! Forget what we're seeing on screen right now?!" Felt reached up to the Sword Saint, unhesitatingly grabbing him by his collar to pull him down in rage.

"No, Felt-sama…however, what I am saying is that such a dark line of thinking is dangerous." He said simply, an answer which left Felt utterly unsatisfied.

Surprisingly, it was Emilia that spoke up. "I...I think I know what Reinhard-san is talking about." The half-elf wiped the tears away from her face as she spoke. "I mean….if we go by the logic of the viewing, then there's a version of me that gave Subaru the name of the Witch to call me by, right? And there's this me that absolutely hates him…"

Felt was quiet as Emilia spoke, turning her gaze from her knight, letting him go to sit back down.

"And you're saying…?" Felt sighed, some of her rage having been burned off by her outburst.

"If we take all of those as crimes...then I already deserve punishment, even if it's nothing compared to those three. And if they can do that...who is to say that we haven't done worse things to Subaru? When that time comes, are we all going to just execute or imprison those of us that have done them?" The half-elf's mature, accusing words struck into the core of all of them.

Garfiel looked down in guilt, as he remembered how he had once resolved himself to ruthlessly murder Subaru if he acted odd for even a second. Even in the official timeline, he'd still gone at him with the intention to kill him. Who was to say he'd never succeeded?

Rem felt a guilty conscience, her grip on Subaru lightening up somewhat. There had been a time...a time where she wanted to kill her hero, no matter what.

It had taken Emilia's assurances that he was indeed an innocent boy, Beatrice's words on his innocence, and for the boy to save an entire village of children, along with her life, just for her to resist that urge.

For some reason, the blue-haired Oni felt sick at the idea of her ever doing that to her hero. No, it was not because she was worried of that possibility of her doing it. It was because she knew, definitely, that she had the boy's death in mind from the moment he walked into Roswaal's mansion.

A total sense of dread filled her head and heart as she thought for but a second, of how many versions of her may have succeeded in that dark thought.

Even Crusch and Anastasia felt some guilt. Admittedly, before the boy had thoroughly impressed and convinced them of his usefulness, they had both seen him as a naive, incompetent child. Neither would've considered killing him, but neither had intentions of treating him nicely, either.

"...Exactly." Reinhard dusted off his clothing, looking to Felt with worry in his eyes. "I won't lie and say that I don't feel anything towards this either, Felt-sama. I do not even disagree with your idea of disciplining these three more strictly. However…" His words changed to be more soft, as he smiled sadly at her.

"Please, never say such dark words again. Instead…" He turned his way to the screen. "We should worry more for Subaru. None of us can dare to presume the truth of these situations, but he has lived through them all. Do you believe Subaru would wish for us to resort to murder and torture, only to selfishly claim it was all for his sake? Is that the you he offered up these lives for?" The caring Sword Saint's eyes slowly dropped to his sleeping friend, then back at his mistress.

Wilhelm could not help but look at his grandson with eyes full of awe. Never did he expect him to be a person capable of such words, especially not with how he had previously come to see him. Surprise overcame the old man's mind. Surprise, and a slight pride at his grandson's words.

By her reaction to it, Felt was surprised at her knight's gentle scolding as well, yet for an entirely different reason.

"Geez...damnit, I get it, alright?!" Felt ruffled her own head, looking positively put off by her knight's sensitive words. Her voice had returned to its usual childish roughness, yet she still didn't sound entirely cheerful. "I ain't...I ain't gonna get over this entirely. But I will at least listen to your words, Rein. You too, big sis."

Emilia let out a sigh of relief, feeling her mood lift just slightly. The old her would have likely had a similar reaction to Felt...but with her new mindset and maturity born from the Trials, she could recognize the flaw in such impulsive thinking.

"If that pathetic melodrama is concluded..." Priscilla clapped her fan closed, the loud noise drawing everyone's attention to her words. "I do believe there is a matter much more important than your petty arguments."

With those words, everybody could not help but turn their eyes back to the screen. The debate between Emilia, Felt, and Reinhard had drawn their attention from it, but…

'H-huh…?' He barely managed to force his head to twitch and look forward, seeing his own blood run under him.

"That coward pulling the knife from him just made Subaru-kyun's injuries even worse. He's not going to last much longer…" Felix diagnosed, pain clear in his eyes. As a doctor, he did not enjoy watching someone reach an easily preventable death.

"I don't think that Natsuki-kun's concerned about his injuries right now. No, it's more like...he ain't even focusin' on it anymore." Anastasia guessed, gaze contemplative as she looked to the boy on the screen.

"It's obvious, is it not? Apart from his own weak mind willing him to leave behind the pain of death...he is finally beginning to realize it. To think that it would take so long, as well." The woman brought her fan over her lips, hiding her amused smirk.

"Realize it? You couldn't possibly mean-" Crusch seemed to be keyed in on just what this realization was, leaving her in silence. The idea seemed to almost finish itself, but a certain purple-haired knight would clear it up for any with doubts.

"His ability." Julius finished softly, watching as his friend's reality began to truly, and cruelly set in for him. "He could not even think on it due to his...preoccupations."

The knight's pained realization left everyone silent, especially those who cared much for him.

"Why...why must Betty's contractor be so selfless?! Think for your own well being!" Beatrice's words broke the silence, as she pressed her fists deeply into Subaru's chest. Tears fell from her eyes in abundance once more, with the little spirit experiencing an emotional overload.

Everyone from Emilia's camp seemed to come to some unanimous agreement to just why Subaru had not had the time to properly think on his possible ability. No, near everyone within the theater realized it.

Subaru seemed to entirely disregard his own wellbeing.

"Beatrice-sama…" Watching the spirit's desperate plea to Subaru, Rem could not help but feel even more guilty than Emilia's earlier words had. The idealistic hero that was Subaru in her mind...was he...was he really born through such an unhealthy mindset?

"Honestly, Natsuki-san...it would not hurt to think of yourself for once." Otto sighed wistfully, shaking his head. It was not enjoyable seeing a version of his friend not even capable of leaving that self-sacrificial, do it by himself mindset he had brought his friend back from collapsing into.

"That perseverance and bravery I witnessed within him...how many lives did he have to live through to attain it?" Crusch, for some reason, could not find herself bearing the idea of an innocent boy being forced into the mindset of a loyal soldier all through the experience of his own death. "Natsuki-sama…"

"Tha' boy really must've been all-in on the lil miss down there. He left the idea a' his own death behind, just ta' think about helpin' her, after all." Anastasia's tone indicated just how bewildered she was at the thought. The greedy merchant could never imagine the selflessness to die for some girl you'd just barely met.

Yet, she felt a little intrigued at that mindset. And in turn, she felt even more sorry for the boy dying on screen. He really was just some innocent kid with no idea how to handle himself. Eventually her emerald blue eyes turned to Emilia, who was just holding her knight's hands and looking at his face with a serene gaze.

"Subaru…" She brought a gentle hand up to press it to his cheek, resisting the urge for any more tears to fall from her eyes. Her chest tightened as she watched his peaceful sleeping face, contrasted to the him that was miserably dying on screen. "You're such a silly boy...even kinder than me…but I'm going to need to make sure you get rid of that habit once you wake up."

Her sincere, soft words were not superficial or crazed. It was clear, that the half-elf candidate truly intended to confront her knight about that nature of his. She needed him to care for himself more than that.

Therefore, it was not surprising when tears began to slowly drip from her eyes, falling right onto the arm of Subaru's outfit.

Priscilla raised an eyebrow, seeming utterly confused at the reactions of those in the seats below.

"Al. I will give you permission to speak, if you can satisfyingly explain just what these foolish commoners are murmuring about." She spoke, giving a sideways glance at her knight.

"Well, princess," Al sat up, affixing the screen with an unknown gaze. "That bro down there...his mind's probably just tryin' to lock out all that bad shit that happened to him. Dying, not being remembered, having the day loop...he probably just wanted to think it was all a nightmare. Not to mention, he wanted to save silver-hair down there, no matter what."

Hearing her knight's words, Priscilla scoffed, kicking both her legs over the other with her eyes returning back to the screen in front of them. "How disgusting. He submits himself like a devoted dog before her, forgetting even his own death and suffering for it...it is...it is rather…"

Priscilla, for some reason, could not find the words to voice just what she was thinking. The woman wouldn't notice, but her knight gave a dark chuckle at her inability to voice her thoughts. He figured that he might get to see her have some sort of growth out of this whole debacle.

"Whoa, wait! Guards are gonna arrive any second!" The fat thug protested, with Subaru's gaze slowly trailing up to his bag.

"Tch. I hope that the guards lock away this version of these pieces of living manure for their lives." Ram uttered spitefully, though she could not help but follow Subaru's dying gaze with the mildest bit of uncertainty. "What...is Barusu looking at?"

His irises shrank down to pinpricks as he spotted the corn potage chips in his bag...the chips that...should not have been there.

"The bag?" Tivey spoke with utter confusion, managing to voice his question despite his clear disturbance at the boy on screen's slow march into death.

"Tha' chips. It's one thing for him ta' hallucinate going somewhere or experiencin' something, but he knows for sure that he didn't have tha' chips with him that whole time. It's physical evidence." Anastasia concluded from his gaze, her ever-shrewd nature proving correct.

'But...Old Man Rom ate those…' His thoughts reflected his utter confusion. 'How…?' Slowly, realization began to come to his eyes, sweat trailing heavily down his face. 'C-Could...this be…'

All of the thugs began to haul ass out of the alleyway, desperate to evade punishment.

"Damn it. Those bastards ain't even gonna stay?! They ain't even gonna stay t'pay fer what they did t' Cap'n!" Garfiel's eyes bore into the backs of the fleeing thugs with rage replacing the sadness that had previously wrecked his body.

"Truly, these 'versions' of them deserve nothing but incarceration or the capital punishment. To murder a boy in cold blood and then flee. It is nothing but despicable." Frederica shook her head, pity rising in her chest for the young man.

The camera would zoom in on Subaru's disbelief filled eyes, as his mind finally comprehended just what was happening…

And soon, all the light would entirely leave them.

Natsuki Subaru had died again.

"Another death…." Emilia let out a shaky sigh as a wave of emotions washed over her. Somehow, she prevented herself from breaking down into a sobbing wreck, something which she could probably attribute to feeling the warmth of her still-living knight press against her.

That warmth kept her breathing properly, it kept her from entirely breaking down as she had during their first viewing. It reassured her that the boy she cared for was fine, and there with her.

"These viewings are beginning to become exhausting." Crusch spoke the words that almost everyone wanted to speak, looking entirely stressed, with a hand placed on her forehead.

"You're saying that? I swear, my feelings were just going everywhere…" Felt admitted with a bit of hesitation, her crimson eyes still looking entirely conflicted.

She was halfway between sadness, pure anger, and hatred. It was only Reinhard's comforting hand on her shoulder, and her own inner strength that kept her from completely exploding again.

"It wasn't easy for me, either." Rem interjected, her own eyes closed, hiding just whatever expression she truly had. "It took everything not to break at seeing Subaru-kun that way. Every ounce of strength I had not to just let my anger and sadness consume me...and Subaru-kun lent me his strength, too."

The maid's hand was closely intertwined with Subaru's, with her other hand resting over her chest as if to keep her breathing calm and steady.

"Speaking of Subaru-dono's strength…" Wilhelm's voice rose from beside Crusch solemnly, as if he were about to discuss a much darker topic. "Truly, he has been bearing much too many burdens for a young lad. Especially considered what we have learned of his mindset before this...unfortunate demise."

The implications behind the Sword Demon's words were frightening to everyone present, with Rem slowly opening her eyes to look at her hero in worry. Even holding his hand, the blue-haired Oni could not just dismiss the ominous feeling that his priorities made rise in her chest.

Anastasia tapped her foot on the ground, her lips now once more hidden by her scarf, which she had brought up to conceal her expression better.

"Ta' think this is what he's been dealin' with tha' whole time he's been here...it ain't right for anybody. No wonder he's got a screw or two loose up there. It was like he ain't had no care for his life from tha' start." The merchant shook her head at the thought.

"If Al's words are to be trusted," Priscilla interrupted, giving her knight a glance, before returning her look to the crowd. "The commoner did not just have a lack of care for his life, as worthless as it may be. He attached to that filthy child down there." She clapped her fan closed, pointing it to Emilia.

"Like a parasite, he likely believed that he could avoid thinking on his death as long as he kept her on his mind. As long as he could excuse his failures as 'dying for her', then he would be able to avoid any conclusions he did not wish to make." The arrogant woman curiously analyzed, her gaze finally switching to the sleeping boy for the first time during the viewing.

Felix was not too pleased at this idea, finding himself as worn down by the endless deaths on the screen as his mistress. "To think he'd give up on his life so many times all just for a girl who didn't even trust him enough to give him his real name...it's so dumb."

This time, Felix's words did not draw any punishment or ire from his mistress or the rest of the crowd. In fact, Emilia herself looked the most distraught by these words.

"I did always wonder why Subaru was so attached to me at first, even though we never met." Her words were slow, delicate, filled with an emotion that the half-elf could not even name. "To think...to think he saw me as the only thing he could attach to to keep his mind off of his deaths…"

Despite her attempt at repressing it, even more tears began to fill up to the girl's eyes, as the true seriousness of her knight's broken nature reached her thoughts. "He reeeeeally...he really needs help. He really...he really needs to...to care more...about himself."

Without even realizing it, the dam broke, and Emilia's tears once more rushed down her delicate cheeks in waves, as she practically buried her head against her knight's arms.

"Subaru...how could you? How could you do that to yourself?!"

Emilia's broken sobs echoed throughout the now silent theater. But, of course…

She would receive no answer.

And again...his vision returned from black as he found himself standing in front of the same fruit vendor, holding an appa to him.

"Well, boy? You want this appa?"

"This man once more? It truly is a loop...one with a forced point of restart. This is...beginning to become rather tiring." Roswaal uttered in a blank tone, a tone utterly devoid of any showings of his usual drawling, eccentric speech.

Ram affixed her master with a worried gaze, but she could not hope to understand what he was feeling at the moment to sound so dead.

Nobody could, among the entire crowd.

Despite how odd the magician was acting – even more odd than he usually acted – they could not help but agree, with many showing various degrees of mental and emotional exhaustion.

Subaru stood there, just giving the man a blank stare for a few seconds...before finally speaking.

"Hey, mister…"

"Huh?"

"How many times have you seen my face now?"

"To have to ever ask someone such a question...to be in the position of question if one has even truly lived or died before...I truly cannot fathom Subaru's mental state at this point." Julius' words were filled with a sort of disbelief he never thought himself capable of feeling.

"He's becoming used to it." Otto voiced, almost shakily. "Used to...death."

The gray-haired merchant's dreadful words left everyone silent once more. Rem, Beatrice, and especially Emilia could not bare such a thought, finding themselves pressing even closer to Subaru with frowns on their faces and worry in their eyes.

Nobody liked how comfortable, or perhaps, how adjusted his mind was becoming to fit the concept of repeated death into it, especially those three girls that cared so much for him.

Obviously, the boy's question was met with confusion. "What do you mean? I've never seen you before." He held the appa up. "Well, boy? Are you buying it or not?"

Subaru would wind up, looking like he was ready to explode...before showing the exact same pose he had in his first life, pointing a thumb at himself.

"C-Cap'ns signature pose?!" Garfiel looked absolutely bewildered by Subaru's pose, the pose that only ever came out at the greatest of moments. "Damn it Cap'n, are ya' really becomin' so used t'this that y'can pose after all that..?" The young demihuman, for the first time ever, was not the slightest bit pleased by this pose.

He knew just how much his Cap'n had to be forcing it. It was something anybody in the audience could see.

"Sorry, but I'm broke beyond compare!"

And of course, the fruit vendor's reply was the same.

"Then get the hell outta here!"

"Meanie..." Petra muttered with a pout, now having been allowed to see the screen since the last death had passed.

Felt snickered at her fellow little sister's pout, nodding agreement. "He's definitely a grumpy old man. I hope that big bro never has to see that stall again." While she was keeping her tone light, her words on the reappearance of the stall were entirely serious.

The scene changed to show that Subaru was now sat down on the stairs of a building besides a different vendor's stall, calmly taking inventory of his items.

"Wallet, cell phone, corn potage snack, cup noodles." He lifted his feet up to inspect the soles of his shoes. "My tracksuit and sneakers are intact, too."

"And naturally…" He reached behind him, slowly pulling up his shirt to show his back...with no wound on it, letting out a breath of relief. "Thank god. A wound to the back is a swordsman's greatest shame."

"Ta' be makin' jokes like that right now…tha' boy really ain't trying ta' put a single bit a' thought on his deaths." Anastasia's words were clear and succinct, yet those simple words truly unnerved almost everyone in the audience.

"Natsuki-san…" Otto felt his hands shaking, as he wanted nothing more than to just get in there and give his friend some of his good ol' tough-love punches to break him out of this disturbing, forced act he had.

Garfiel was more shocked than surprised, as he noted just how much of his Captain's behavior here was just like how he acted from day to day.

'How much of it is fake? Those awesome sayings Cap'n shows, and his cool poses...is he just tryin' t'fake it all t'keep us from worryin?' The young demihuman's thoughts were filled with utter confusion and concern for his Captain.

Beatrice seemed to be the worst off among the group, as she could easily tell...even through this flat screen, she could see how hard her contractor was working to keep his mind away from the topic of his death. All for the purpose of that stupid half-elf that hadn't even considered him worthy enough to give her proper name.

Her grip on her contractor's shirt tightened, with her eyes narrowing in clear anger.

He slowly looked up to see the various people passing by. "Well, with so much circumstantial evidence, there's no denying it. It's kinda hard to believe, but this has to be that…" He took a dramatic pause before speaking.

"A time leap. And to top it off, each time I die and come back, I return to my initial state. I'll call it-"

The camera looked to his face, giving a disturbing distorted wide-lens view. "Return by Death."

"Return by Death, huh? Any a' ya'll happen ta' kno-"

Before Anastasia could get even halfway through her words, her breath caught in her throat, as she felt an immense pressure come down on her, like she wasn't even allowed to speak anymore.

Every single fighter reached for their weapons, moving the fastest they could, yet they moved like they were in slow motion.

Still, they prepared themselves for battle, as all of their eyes narrowed down on Emilia and Subaru, for one single reason…

The killing intent. Over the two sitting there, a massive cloud of pure, concentrated intention to kill had appeared around the two.

And before they knew it...that thing appeared.

Nobody could talk, nobody could even gasp as they appeared seemingly from thin air. Two clawed, purple palms, made out of a purplish-dark material that seemed to reflect absolutely no light. Almost as if they were the grim reaper itself, they gave off a feeling of immense dread and death.

There was no doubt, whoever these hands grasped, were not going to escape unscathed.

They snaked their way from the screen, slowly moving towards Emilia and Subaru. Everyone could see them, but it was like they could no longer even move. They felt as if they were fighting insanity just to look at it.

Slowly, dreadfully, it came within feet of the two...inches...centimeters...and then-

You. You dare to interfere?

The Host's booming voice echoed throughout the entire theater, stronger than ever. In front of Emilia and Subaru the orb's body appeared, shining a bright, blinding white. Almost as if reacting, the two palms tried to dash past him, yet, both were immediately stopped by some unseen force.

You hold no Authority within this place. Yet, you still dare to intrude?

No. It is indeed my fault for being unaware that you had such power, still.

Even after removing your connection to their bodies, you still manifested yourself.

Begone.

A bright light filled the room, and the two hands simply began to vanish into nothingness, disappearing as if they once did not even exist, leaving a trace of nothing behind.

Residual mana washed over the audience in waves, yet rather than the Host's usual pressure-filled energy, it was more like gentle waves of air. It felt as if they were all being healed, soothed by a calm energy that took away the sheer insanity of the previous things that had made their appearance.

Finally, everyone within was allowed to breathe again, with the Host 'turning' to seemingly face them.

My true apologies, dear guests. I did not expect that interruption.

Before anyone could even get out words to respond, however, yet another event forced its' way into the eyes and ears of all present.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

"What tha'-?!" Anastasia felt like her ears were being ravaged by the sounds of a dying man in absolutely mind-wrenching pain.

Priscilla, the only other one who was not too familiar with that voice felt annoyed as well. "Mineself is extremely annoyed at this unpleasant sound. Which of you pigs found such incessant squealing necessary?!" She asked with clear irritation, looking around the theater.

With a scream as if he were being brutally killed before them once more...

Natsuki Subaru woke up.

He gasped, as if trying to desperately fill his lungs with air, forcing his eyes opening with a frantic, crazed glint in them. All over his face grew a desperate, frightened sweat, with the boy looking as if he'd suddenly ran a marathon.

From left to right he looked frantically, first catching the concerned gazes of Emilia, Beatrice, and Rem...Rem…?

"R-Rem…?" Subaru's voice hitched in his throat, eyes shimmering with held back tears. The boy looked at her as if she were the only thing that mattered to him in the world at that moment, an unknown emotion hiding behind his incredibly widened eyes.

The blue-haired Oni looked back at her hero, her own blue eyes completely mirroring the shock and overwhelming emotions in his.. She couldn't even find words to say, despite finally being granted the chance to speak to him after what felt like an eternity of sleep.

Neither managed to say anything else, with Subaru seemingly saving whatever words he had to first look around himself and assess the situation. He'd been fooled before into hallucinating her, and he was far past naive enough to fall for a similar situation again.

"S-Subaru? I, I-…" Emilia felt that she had so much to say to him, and everybody in the theater prepared themselves to barrage the boy with questions, as well.

However...Subaru didn't seem interested in any of that. There was something more pressing on his mind – the fact that they were in.

"This….a...theater?" His voice came out shaky and barely audible, filled with even more confusion.

Immediately, he forced his gaze to the screen, and then at everyone behind him, and then down at his own body.

With his assessment made, he chuckled darkly, letting out a sharp-sounding exhale that was something like a sigh. A small, yet victorious smile came to his face.

"So...she didn't get to you all..Haha...all of you a-are...safe…" With these words, Natsuki Subaru passed right back into unconsciousness.

…

…

"What...what th' hell jus' happn'd?!" Garfiel shot up from his seat, looking to the orb that represented the Host's body in outrage.

"Betty...Betty's Subaru was being targeted by that filthy hand...and he woke up, he woke up, but… he looked so...worried, I suppose!" Beatrice shook her contractor's chest, trying frantically to wake him back up again.

Rem was silent, staring to her hero with an unchanging, disappointed expression. She wanted so badly to talk to him...to show him that his Rem was now well and fine. To talk to him after a year of forced sleep...but nothing had come out of her mouth except shocked gasps. She'd missed her chance.

"Subaru…" Emilia's voice almost died in her throat, only able to get out her knight's name. Those hands that she felt were aiming to kill her, along with Subaru's sudden waking...she felt her entire being shuddering in fear.

The half-elf understood none of it.

"Indeed…" Crusch was the first of the non-Emilia camp members to speak up, her unwavering nature of leadership shining through. "Could you inform us of...what just happened, Host-dono?"

"That...tha' definitely wasn' normal." Anastasia barely got her words out with a nervous look in her eyes, holding closely onto her scarf. Clearly, she was frightened, and Julius, noticing this, took it upon himself to sheathe his sword, placing a comforting hand on his lady's shoulder, as she had already done for him many times during this viewing.

"That was…" Roswaal murmured under his breath, somehow knowing just what it was by feeling it. Never had he met any of the other witches himself, but he knew...that had been the presence of a Witch.

One that was enough to drive a person mad and insane just by being exposed to it. Yet, why? Why was one attached to Natsuki Subaru?

"That boy...I knew something was very incongruous about his existence itself. With that disgusting palm showing up not only once within our viewing, but even once here...just how is it connected?" Priscilla felt herself almost enjoying this new factor, as if it were yet another piece of interest to keep her thoroughly invested in this boy's story.

Everyone had their own thoughts on what had just occurred, and they all assumed the Host would be capable of answering, as usual.

Yet, the being before them offered no true concrete answer to any of their concerns or worries.

You were all capable of seeing it? I suppose that my seal worked only partly.

To be frank, I cannot tell you the origins of the hands, despite your wishes.

I cannot even tell you the trigger for why they appeared, not yet.

However, I will say this: I have removed the trigger, and you all are safe.

Natsuki Subaru's waking was...let us say, that was also the work of our intruder.

"I...I see. Well, I am at least thankful for what meager information you have provided, Host-sama. Thank you." Reinhard gave a bow of his head to the orb, a bow which he was not proud of giving.

"H-Hold up, are you really just gonna let it go with such sketchy-sounding words, Rein?!" Felt looked at her knight, voice holding clear outrage at how easily he was letting the being go.

Reinhard was silent at the insinuation of betrayal in his mistress' words, unable to even answer her immediately. To this silence, the blonde anarchist's heated expression grew even more angered, and she looked ready to push this anger even further onto her knight and the mysterious host, only for a certain half-elf to interrupt her quietly.

"I...I think we can believe in the Host, Felt." Emilia finally managed to form a coherent sentence, leaving Felt to look back at her in surprise.

Felt's attention now redirected from Reinhard, the impulsive girl's crimson eyes turned to Emilia, filled with clear to see disbelief.

"But big sis, big bro and you jus-"

The half-elf shook her head, softly interjecting Felt's words. "It's...it's fine. I think we should save this for whenever we get that 'break' that we got promised…"

At this vague reasoning, Felt was left silent, leaning back in her chair. "Man…" She let out an exhausted sigh, looking around at the other members of the theater. "And the rest of you, what do you think?"

Otto nodded as well. "I believe Emilia-sama is correct. I too wish to discuss what just occurred, but, I do not believe now is the time to burden ourselves with that discussion."

"While I am interesteeeeed in what happened...it wouldn't do for us to enraaaage our host unnecessarily~." Roswaal agreed with the merchant, a sly smirk on his face.

"I ain't keen a lettin' go a' findin' out jus' wha' tha' heck happened, but I ain't sure that information's worth gettin' vaporized or messed with by that orb." Anastasia reluctantly had to agree as well, shooting the silently floating orb a suspicious look.

It had said it would not harm them, but Anastasia was not one to put her life in the hands of another person. She didn't trust a single word from the odd being.

"Mineself must regretfully concur with that slimy merchant." Priscilla narrowed her eyes dangerously at the Host, continuing her seething words. "...However, mineself finds it extremely foolish to lose one's head over such a trivial incident. I need not be in any rush, for this world always shall deliver an answer to mineself in due time, regardless."

At her disrespectful nickname towards Anastasia, Julius looked to be about ready to fire off a prepared response, though he was stopped by his lady giving him the smallest of smug smiles. She could've cared less what the other candidate thought of her.

"Then…" Crusch nodded, as the somewhat-leader of their group at the moment, turning her conviction-filled amber eyes to the floating Host. "We shall discuss the issue further on our own, Host-dono. Thank you for your help thus far."

"And...thank you for saving me and Subaru." Emilia added in at the end with a smile, holding her beloved knight ever-close to her.

She didn't quite 'trust' the orb, just like nearly everyone else in the theater didn't, but she couldn't just be ungrateful towards it for saving her life. Especially when she was not sure of the strange tie she felt to this orb, herself.

Seeing this, the orb practically shined, in what Emilia could, for some reason, distinctly guess as a smile. It felt familiar, like it was something she'd seen before, in a distant memory...

It is of no concern. Until I am required next, I shall take my leave.

With that, the orb was gone, and those in the theater were left to begrudgingly return to their viewing.

"Back t'this shit…" Garfiel grumbled in displeasure, eyes returning to his Captain's sorry state on the screen.

He lowered his head in exasperation. "I actually get a time-leap ability, and it only activates when I die. The precondition being so pitiful is so typical of me."

"It's really not enjoyable seeing Natsuki-san put himself down like this. All the while being so nonchalant about his own suffering." Otto, as always, was the most vocal of his disapproval of just how much his friend was trying to hide his true feelings.

"He's treating it as if it's entirely trivial, I suppose. Betty finds no pleasure in seeing this side of her contractor…" Beatrice's eyes narrowed, as she felt herself understanding her contractor's sudden mood swings more and more.

Yet, learning about this truth did not please the Great Spirit. It only made her feel even more inadequate. Why would he just keep this burden on himself?

"Ha. If he can't even see the own value in his life, then he really might be…" Felix began to speak angrily, though he was stopped in place by the watchful gaze of Crusch. The healer forced himself to stay quiet, though he was clearly pissed at just how Subaru had simply thrown away the admittedly impressive determination he showed earlier.

'If I've gone back in time, Satella hasn't helped me in this fourth life. Meaning that the debt I owed her for saving me is entirely gone. In that case, I should forget everything, sell this phone, save some funds, and use my knowledge of the modern world to live in luxury!' Subaru smirked while looking down at the device in his hands.

Emilia felt that same pang of guilt strike her heart at Subaru referring to her by the name of the Jealous Witch, the angelic smile that had been showing on her turning to a small frown.

"It ain't a bad idea." Anastasia admitted, her blue-green eyes practically sparkling at the thought. "No doubt, tha' boy woulda' become rich enough ta' be a noble if he was able ta' use all tha' designs from his world." She spoke, snapping her fingers at the thought. "He probably woulda' become a fairly big merchant...and then I woulda' gobbled 'im right up!"

The girl's hand held onto her scarf as she thought of the exciting prospect of such a possible future. She had no idea if she and the boy would exactly ever get along, but having him as nothing but a business partner was incredibly enticing. All those designs and innovate ideas, just for her…

"The bro would've been way more free to choose his own fate, that's for sure." Al felt like he would've done the same were he in the boy's shoes. The only reason he had chosen to go with Priscilla was because she was an existence like Emilia to him – she was definitely not perfect, but she was the woman who had dragged him from the fighting pits, and he had chosen on his own to follow her.

Still, not everyone was as keen on this idea.

Those who knew Subaru closely knew how irreplaceable he was to their lives.

For Crusch's camp, his strategy, wits, and knowledge had stopped them from being entirely decimated by their fight against the White Whale.

"Natsuki-sama...just what went on in that head of yours this entire time?" Crusch felt like she had no idea who the boy was anymore. Yet, she did not enjoy that feeling. She respected him, and in some capacity, had come to care about him after fighting alongside him.

Crusch realized then, that she really did not know who Subaru was at all.

Wilhelm looked solemn, shaking his head in a quiet mournfulness. Without Subaru, Wilhelm was not even confident he would have received his chance to take the White Whale's life.

For Felt's camp, he was quite literally the savior of Felt's life, and one of the only genuine normal friends that Reinhard held.

"To think big bro could've had such a good life if it wasn't for me taking that stupid job…!" Felt cursed herself, with Reinhard giving his mistress a sympathetic gaze.

"Subaru...I would have never believed you were carrying such burdens on your shoulder." The Sword Saint murmured under his breath, feeling as if he'd failed his friend once more.

For Emilia's camp, he was almost like a mythical figure. He saved the lives of the people in the Sanctuary and Village, and saved an entire group of children. He was responsible for decimating the Witch Cult in the area, and killing the Archbishop that had intended to kill everyone, including Otto. He then went on to kill the Great Rabbit, and saved everyone in the mansion from assassins. Not to mention, he had brought Garfiel out of the Sanctuary, and saved Beatrice from certain death in her library.

To the Emilia camp, every single person in the camp quite literally owed him their lives – minus Roswaal, who still found the boy useful, for other reasons.

So to think of how better his life would've been without them, compared to how bad their lives would be without him…?

"We do tease him and joke quite a lot, about the reality being the opposite. Yet, ironically...it seems almost as if we are the ones holding Natsuki-san back, doesn't it?" Otto muttered dejectedly, eyes turning downwards as he faced that solemn truth.

"No way, Otto-bro...I don't wanna admit that tha' Cap'n is...is better off without us!" Garfiel growled, refusing to allow such a conclusion to even enter his head.

"Keep a level head, Garf. If it weren't for that idio-if it weren't for Barusu...you would still be fencing yourself off in the Sanctuary now." Ram, admittedly, felt her own gratefulness towards Subaru, though she would never admit it.

It was his scheming that had allowed her to free Roswaal from that damned Gospel – a feat she would never be possible of accomplishing on her own, as much as it pained her to think so. Not to mention...if it weren't for him, she would've possibly abandoned and forgotten of her own sister, entirely.

The young demihuman's shoulders slumped at the red-haired Oni's sharp scolding, unable to say anything in response. His older sister, Frederica stared to him with pity. She herself owed the boy for being able to help rid her brother of his stubborn trauma, and for warning them of the assassins which would've made quick work of her and Petra.

"Rem...Rem loves her hero, but…" The blue-haired Oni was hesitant to say the rest of those words, frightful of denouncing her relationship with her hero.

"But, if it makes Subaru happy…" Emilia continued her words, her hands grasping tightly onto Subaru's.

"Betty would never find her contractor, but…" Beatrice's anger at herself, at her incapability of truly finding these feelings from her contractor left her agreeing with the two girls.

They would have to admit it...they would just have t-

"I don't want to...I don't want to imagine Subaru not being with us!" Just as the two seemed to be giving u, the youngest maid besides her unapologetically exclaimed her thoughts, tears welling in her eyes. "Subaru...Subaru belongs with us!"

The young girl's words, blunt and childish as they were, for some reason just resonated with the rest of the people in the theater, with the sheer upsurge of emotion within her tone driving everyone to go silent.

"Mineself grows tired of this farce." Priscilla folded her arms as she broke the silence with her words. "The lot of you commoners can sort your 'feelings' on this matter later. At this pace, we shall never finish this 'episode'. And mineself is growing quite irritated at these constant interruptions."

Between Petra's outburst and Priscilla's complaints, the audience decided to leave the dark thought of Subaru's life without them behind, and moved on through the episode.

"My dream is taking shape before my eyes! Right, mister?" Subaru said happily, looking towards the fruit vendor that had been standing nearby.

"W-Why are you asking me? I have no idea what you're talking about." The man said dismissively, clearly weirded out by the boy.

"Aw, that's cold…" Subaru said in disappointment.

"I don't wanna get caught up in other's problems. Don't talk to me." His words were final, as he kept his eyes completely forward.

"That guy must've thought Subaru was not quite in his right mind." Reinhard shook his head at the interaction, frowning at how cold the man was.

"But he didn't have to be so mean about it! What a grumpy old man!" Mimi retorted in protest, raising her fists to the air.

Subaru was surprised at the man's overly harsh and distancing words. 'Well, I guess the saying 'Let sleeping dogs lie,' applies in any world.'

"Damn right it does." Al let out a tired sigh. Staying out of the way of obvious trouble was part of how he managed to keep surviving in this shitty world.

We move to him walking through the streets again, while continuing to think. 'But still, there are always softies who help others, even when they really can't afford to…' His thoughts unwillingly returned to memories in the alley he had shared, with the half-elf whose name he didn't even know.

Priscilla looked at the screen with shock, feeling like the turn that Subaru's were taking to be absolutely ridiculous. "That fool cannot be possibly thinking...he would not simply go crawling back so easily to that half-elf. It is simply...unthinkable."

The arrogant woman seemed entirely incapable of processing the direction that Subaru was going in. She could not understand why this boy even seemed to half-regret the decision to make use of his ability for his own benefit.

"No. If it is Subaru…" Julius felt himself showing a small, knowing smile as he refuted the Countess' words, which left the woman to scowl.

'She'd just had something precious stolen. She didn't have time for me. Yet she saved some useless stranger, and even treated him. Then she let that useless stranger be pleased with himself…'

"I…no, Subaru. You weren't just some useless stranger! I would've never stayed with you if you had those kind of motives.,," Emilia couldn't help but feel like Subaru's words were just so conveniently placed. It was like he was trying to absolve her of her sins, even when he had died as a direct result of helping her.

Losing her insignia was her carelessness, she was the one that had given him a fake name, and she didn't even hide the fact that she had thought he was holding her back. Her eyes teared up, as she felt a wave of emotion come over her.

"That's jus' th' Cap'n." Garfiel spoke surprisingly seriously, giving the screen his entire attention with an unmoving gaze. He could not look away, out of respect for the man his Captain was beginning to become. "At th' end of th'day, no matter what's standin' in his way...he can never jus' look th'other way. He'd never jus' let it slide."

"Garf is right. Subaru-kun, at the bottom of his heart, would never weakly leave anybody behind." Rem showed a beautiful smile, as she felt her hero's conviction beginning to come to the surface.

"I will admit...Barusu's stubbornness is one good quality I am regretfully forced to praise." Ram found herself having to agree with her sister's words, though her apprehensive wording did not match the ever-so-slight upwards tugging of the corners of her lips, as she tried desperately to hold back a smile.

His gaze turned to the side, where he would see a father and mother, holding hands with their happy daughter, each from one side, making Subaru think to the moment he and Emilia had shared when finding that lost child's mother.

"To think he holds such simple time spent together with such high regard…" Wilhelm could not help but give a nostalgic smile. He thought back to the simple conversation he had first had with his wife, the conversation which had set him on the path of the Sword Demon.

"Betty's contractor is a foolish boy...a very foolish boy, in fact! A boy who would hold times with a person he met the same day dearly, I suppose!" Beatrice exclaimed with tears, holding Subaru's shirt tightly in both fingers.

Even for someone like her, whose first interactions were draining his mana, berating him, and kicking him out of her library, he came back for her. He risked his life, a life which she realized he would've been forced to continue living in loops, just to take her from that library. Just to make their contract.

More and more, his face began to change to reflect a look of grim realization, as he watched a tomato that had fallen from the mother's bag be crushed cruelly under the wheel of a carriage. He had overlaid Emilia's smiling face over that disturbing visual.

Subaru's mouth opened in horror as he saw the blood-red tomato juice, Emilia's dead body flickering into his mind.

'Even if Satella doesn't know me, Felt still tole her insignia. And Elsa will...'

The bodies of Felt and Old Man Rom flashed through his mind, leaving him with that continually worsening thought.

"He's even thinking of me and Old Man Rom...Big Bro has too much room in that big dumb heart of his." Felt wanted to scold the boy for thinking so much of them, putting their lives over his, but all she could show was a bright, uncontrollable smile.

"Such is the way of Subaru. We all operate on our own needs and wants, yet it seems almost as if he's willing to throw himself into any danger just to help all of us." Reinhard spoke fondly, not even attempting to suppress the smile from coming to his face.

'No matter how many times I repeat this life, that won't change. They say history repeats itself, right?' His hand slowly moved to his gut, as he thought of his second's life's death to the assassin.

"Tha' wound…" Ricardo growled, noticing the boy's hesitation. "Ta' think he's still rememberin' tha' pain, but still ain't givin' up…" He couldn't help but wince. Even he wasn't sure if he could withstand such a deep wound to the gut, let alone dealing with it multiple times in different lives.

The wolf demihuman had to give the boy an even deeper level of his respect.

With Emilia's smiling face showing in his thoughts once more, Subaru headed off running, his mind now set.

'Yeah. If I have knowledge that people I used to know will be killed,'

All of the kind memories and interactions he had once shared with them passed through his head as he ran.

"Ignoring it is impossible!" He yelled, making his way back to the first fruit vendor while panting.

"The Cap'n s'back n'ready in full force!" Garfiel was finally able to exclaim in excitement, raising his fists to the heavens.

"It looks as if he has managed to recover his spirit on his own. As expected of Subaru-dono." Wilhelm nodded in approval at Subaru's will to act, finding such a level of determination easily admirable.

"Hey, mister…"

"What do you want, broke kid?" Said vendor asked in annoyance.

"This guy is going to be forever mean…" Petra muttered, huffing in grumpiness and folding her arms.

"Grumpy old guy!" Mimi echoed her agreement, copying Petra's exact gestures.

"There's just – something I want to ask you. Have there been any pick-pocketing incidents around here?"

"Why is he asking that of all questions? Shouldn't he just get to the point and ask about Emilia-sama?" Felix asked, clearly annoyed at the roundabout method of Subaru's investigation.

"I see his line of reasoning." Julius rose a hand as he answered his friend. "By asking if there have been any incidents, he can learn whether or not Emilia-sama has already been stolen from by now. That way he can begin to figure out a rough timeline of events."

"Makes sense. Plus, we ain't sure if this guy even directly saw the silver haired young miss down there. Bro's keeping his bases open, and asking for information that could pass as a general question. Pretty smart way to go about it." Al nodded in understanding to the Spirit Knight's conclusion on Subaru's method.

"Huh...I guess I underestimated the thought he might have put into wording it like that, nyan." Felix admitted, putting a finger to tap his chin as his ears rose in curiosity.

"Asking questions, without buying anything? You really do have guts." The man sighed, but still answered. "Incidents like that aren't uncommon at all. Though, that last one was unusual…"

Subaru looked at the man in surprise, as he turned his head to the left. "They threw some magic around in the street a few times. Things that looked like icicles flew around and lodged in the wall."

"Sounds like me and big sis already had our big chase through the city." Felt reasoned, looking down to Emilia with curiosity in her crimson eyes. "I was pretty much just sneaking my way through the city to get back to the loothouse at that point. What were you doing, big sis?"

Emilia hummed at Felt's question, cutely tilting her head to the left in thought. "Let's see...after I lost you, I just went around while asking people where I could find you. I'm pretty sure that I helped the same girl from Subaru's first loop, as well. Maybe that's why he's in a shooooooockingly good mood?"

"I see. He would have just kicked Barusu's sorry butt out of there once more if he was still in the same mood as before. It is evidence that something has at least changed his mood. For his sake, and ours...let us hope that events begin to line up correctly." Ram agreed to Emilia's reasoning with a nod, giving the screen a solemn gaze as the rest of her words spilled from her lips.

Everyone felt that same hope rising up in their chest. This loop somehow seemed more peaceful, more correct and less ominous than the others.

"Betty does not want to see her contractor die any more...so I will hope that the half-elf's meddling nature relieves him of that unfortunate burden just this once, I suppose." Beatrice conceded, feeling a bit of her annoyance at Emilia dwindle away.

Finally receiving the first bit of positive words from Beatrice since they had gotten here, Emilia couldn't help but give a bright, saintly smile.

The camera moved to show an archway, above which a large and small hole were indented into the brick wall.

"But they disappeared not soon after."

Felt could not help but give a nervous chuckle at the sight. "I really would've been destroyed if I wasn't so nimble...or maybe it'd be better to say frozen?"

"Sorry, Felt-chan, but I wouldn't hold back with something like my insignia, especially when you were running!" Emilia scolded, pointing a finger at the thief, who just sighed in exasperation.

"I know, I know. I knew the job was gonna be risky when I heard the pay, but I never woulda' guessed you were a Spirit Arts user."

Crusch, off all people shook her head, letting out a sigh as she thought back to Felt's earlier words on how her job had gone. "I am simply glad you did not further push your luck with Wilhelm-dono once meeting him. He may be past his days of officially being the Sword Demon, but he continues to hold the title against age in ferocity alone."

Wilhelm showed a grateful smile to his mistress at his praise, bowing his head. Felt, meanwhile just gulped, her eyes showing a glint of anger within them.

"The more and more I think about it, the more I should've guessed that Elsa and her backer weren't good news. How was I supposed to know that big sis and her acquaintances were that crazy without any warning?!"

"I'm too late?" Subaru said in exasperation, wishing he could've prevented the theft entirely. "I thought if I could keep the insignia from being stolen, then maybe…"

"Maybe what?" The vendor looked at him curiously.

"That bad habit a' talkin' aloud is really a flaw a' that Natsuki-kun's. If a lil' lady like me were listenin' in, I could grab his intentions just by lettin him talk to himself!" Anastasia giggled at the thought, finding his habit simultaneously entertaining and odd.

"Betty's contractor does never quite stop talking, I suppose." Beatrice's gaze naturally traveled up to the sleeping boy's face, with her disapproving words contrasted by her warm, fond smile. She would never admit it aloud, but the little spirit loved that part of him.

It was never boring with Subaru around, after all. He never left her in that lonely quietness she had become so used to over the years.

"Rem would not mind listening to Subaru talk for however long he wants…" Rem spoke dreamily at such an idea, imagining having the time to endlessly speak to her hero.

She wanted to tell him so much and ask him so much, and she had just missed her chance to even say anything for the brief moment he'd been awake.

"Oh, just talking to myself, but…" Subaru faced the man with a grateful smile. "Thanks, mister...For telling me, even though I didn't buy anything."

"It's no big deal! A broke kid, like you, just helped my daughter after she got lost earlier." He explained with a jovial chuckle.

A small smile came to Reinhard's face at this news. "Then...we are truly on the path of correct events towards the timeline as we know it."

"Thank Od." Tivey groaned, feeling a weight lift off of his shoulders. "I wasn't looking forward to any more of those horrific, painful deaths."

At this confirmation, collective breaths of relief were released all around the theater. Finally, they could begin to move further into the future that they all shared, the one that they were all familiar with.

"That issue aside...it seems that the Great Spirit's words were correct." Crusch showed a brilliant sweet smile to the half-elf. "Emilia-sama's kindness truly shines through in her actions, regardless of whichever timeline we find ourselves in."

"S'right. In tha' first timeline, she was a lil' distrustful, but overall a nice gal. In tha' second one we didn't get ta' see 'er, but in tha' third one, despite feelin' like brother was some sorta' discriminatory scammer, she jus' moved on ta' do 'er own thing." Ricardo gave a wolfish grin, finding himself taken in by the half-elf's consistent nature.

"Emilia-sama is always very kind…" Petra admitted in a quiet voice, though she would of course never put the woman above Subaru. She saw the half-elf as a rival, after all!

"Geez, everyone, you don't have to be so kind." Emilia was blushing, feeling a bit of that guilt move from her heart. "I reeeeeeeally don't deserve that kind of praise. Everyone is so much greater. Especially Subaru." She looked to her knight, snuggling up against his arm comfortably.

Priscilla rolled her eyes at the display, hiding her expression behind her fan. "At least she gets one thing correct. Mineself is greater than everyone in this room combined."

Just as Emilia would always be kind, Priscilla would always be arrogant, it seemed.

Subaru was surprised at this, but smiled, having a guess of who it was. "I guess fate is a compelling force, too..."

"What are you smiling about?" The man questioned. Subaru just readied to head off.

"Nothing at all! I'll buy an appa next time!" He promised, heading off at a slow job.

Rem giggled at this promise, remembering the time she and Subaru had visited the man once more. "I suppose this is where that promise of his originated from…" The blue-haired Oni felt relieved, confident to finally be hearing and seeing things that aligned with her knowledge.

"Sure. Buy one, and you'll be a customer." The salesman watched the strange boy head off. "Get to work, broke kid!"

"Right!" Subaru gave a thumbs up to the man's tough-love encouragement as he headed off.

"Hmm...not so cranky and mean old man?" Mimi found herself reconsidering her assessment of the man, with her new partner-in-crime, Petra, shaking her head.

"No, no, it's too early! He still has lots of making up to do! Lots and lots more" Petra corrected, a notion which Mimi seemed to agree with if her vigorous nodding was anything to go by.

"Hell yeah! Th' two of ya' know what's goin' on!" Garfiel yelled, joining in with the union of fruit vendor haters with exhilaration.

An airy sweet giggle escaped from Frederica's lips, as she watched her apprentices interaction with the young mercenary and wild demihuman.

"Petra truly is always so adorable…perhaps even Garf as well, when he is not being so stubborn." She would murmur, almost like a proud, doting mother.

"This means there's only one way! Before Elsa arrives at the loot house, I have to buy the insignia from Felt, and return it to Satella." Subaru muttered to himself, now speed-walking through a dark alleyway.

"So he's gonna go for a rush of everything, huh? It's gonna be risky. The more he tries to rush and lets information slip, the more people are gonna be suspicious of him and possibly shift away from cooperating." Al noted, narrowing his eyes at the screen from behind his helmet.

"He's going ta' have ta' take tha' risk, anyway. Without bein' willin' ta' subject himself ta' any more a' those horrible deaths, tha' only way he can go forward is workin' off tha' info he's already got. And fer him, tha' quickest route is ta' jus' buy tha' insignia an' leave that Elsa ta' walk back home empty handed." Anastasia analyzed, leaning forward to stare at the screen.

"No, wait...'Satella' was just an alias, wasn't it?" He remembered the hateful eyes she had shown him in his last loop. "Then I've gotta get her to tell me her real name this time-"

"Subaru…" Emilia's eyes practically shimmered as she noted the boy's focus. She could not believe that out of everything, he felt so pressed to want nothing but her name. This viewing brought an entirely new dimension to all of his odd requests and actions towards her...Subaru held multiple lives' worth of experience with her, while he was just an odd, somewhat weird boy to her, until he had proved himself with his actions.

And of course, in front of Subaru, they appeared again...the dumbass trio of thugs, standing smugly.

"God!" Garfiel roared, shaking in his seat with rage at the appearance of this trash trio. "'re ya' serious?! 're you tellin' me these guys got nothin' better t'do than mess with Cap'n every single time?!"

"It's a bad joke...as if they haven't screwed up enough already. I seriously just want to-" Felt cracked her knuckles together. It took every bit of restraint inside of her to not promise nothing but hellish torture for these three...and Reinhard and Emilia's annoyingly gentle smile on her.

"Fine! Fine, I won't say anything, damn it. I'm still holding a grudge against the absolute scum that last version of them was, though."

"I don't believe anyone will be disagreeing to that." Rem's gentle smile did not match her incredibly icy-cold voice, a voice which made even Felt shudder.

"What the hell are you babbling about?" The smaller one rhetorically asked.

"If you don't wanna get hurt, cough up whatever you've got!" Now the taller thug spoke his recurring line.

"I'm quite tired of these unoriginal lines from these walking pieces of trash." Priscilla yawned with complete disinterest at the trio's played out lines.

"I never thought that I would find myself agreeing with that stuck-up woman so freely." Ram grumbled, making sure her words were low enough not for the woman to hear. She wasn't a woman afraid of fights, but she did not feel like dealing with a useless argument at the moment.

"I'm getting sick of seeing your faces, Ton, Chin, and Kan." Subaru replied to them in exasperation.

"While I must agree with Subaru...just what does Ton-Chin-Kan mean?" Julius asked curiously, with his eyes slooooowly sliding towards a certain twintailed loli spirit.

Beatrice let out a long sigh, pinching her forehead in annoyance. "If I must explain everything, I suppose...it is a play on words. The word 'tonchinkan' from Subaru's original language, which refers to inconsistency or irrelevancy. It is a rather fitting name for these unremarkable thugs, in fact." The girl explained in clear satisfaction, taking this chance to puff out her chest in pride for the first time in a while.

"I see...it is curious that while Subaru's seems to speak our language, some terms and sayings do not fully transfer over. Including that 'hikkikomori' that was mentioned earlier." The purple-haired knight held his chin thoughtfully.

Meanwhile, Anastasia couldn't help but just snicker, even at seeing her knight take it so seriously. "I ain't turnin' down tha' idea ta' talk more 'bout how interestin' that is...but I jus' can't shake how sly it is a tha' boy to insult 'em like that!" She brought her scarf up over her mouth, trying the best to conceal her laughter.

"Those three deserve it. Besides, it's pretty dang amazing that big bro managed to make a nickname for them that actually included all of their real names! He must have a hidden blessing for weirdly specific insults or something…" Felt, meanwhile, wasn't even trying to hide her laughter, finding catharsis in the three thugs being made into an utter laughingstock within the theater.

With a moment of good, clean laughter, everyone would redirect their gazes to the screen, feeling much less tense at their security in this timeline being the truly correct one.

"After doing this four times, I've learned my lesson!" The three were confused at what he meant, as Subaru took in a huge breath…

…

…

"GUARDS!" He yelled at the top of his lungs, surprising the thug trio, as his voice echoed throughout that entire area of the city.

"W-Woah! I didn't expect Subaru to suddenly shout out for the guards like that!" Petra was left in momentary shock at Subaru's unexpected yell, her petite hand held over her mouth.

"He must've remembered…" Wilhelm showed a small smile. "Even under those stressful circumstances, he still managed to remember that the thugs were frightened about guards being nearby."

"While he was under all that pain and stress…?" Al was almost in disbelief at this, scratching the back of his head. "Damn, I thought he had to be something special with the rest of you praising him so much, but that's some serious memorization. Didn't he manage to remember the location of the loothouse and the assassin's fighting habits, too?"

"Mmm...it dooooooes appear that his memory assists him greeeatly within his loops~." Roswaal mused with intrigue, focusing on the screen. Even if just by coincidence, Subaru seemed to be very capable of making the most out of his ability quite easily. Roswaal did not envy his power, but he felt a somewhat surprising respect for the boy.

"Strategical thinkin', bravery, intelligence, memorization, affinity ta' spirits, and a decently in shape body. I've been underestimatin' this boy a lil' too much, I think." A foxish grin showed on Anastasia's features, as she thought of just how good of a catch he had to be. Those skills, plus his otherworldly knowledge and his unique ability...he would be like a miracle to any ally he had.

"Ha! At the very least, save such praises for when he is not within earshot. Even in his dreams, Barusu would begin to grow a big head should he hear such praises." Ram turned to look at the sleeping boy that was seated right next to her sister with false contempt. Her insults weren't convincing anyone, of course.

"What the hell, you bastard?!" The short thug exclaimed, clearly becoming nervous, with the other two looking behind them.

'My memory from before was right.' Subaru grinned in satisfaction. 'This world does have some kind of police force!'

"Police force?" Emilia mused, seeming to take over the role of questioning otherworldly terminology from Julius and Anastasia. Beatrice seemed to wind herself up to answer, before Emilia just shook her head, with the answer coming to her. "That must be Subaru's equivalent to the guards!"

Seeing Emilia find the answer for herself, Beatrice pouted, letting out a 'hmph!' as she once more focused on the screen.

"Someone! P-Please, I need a man!" He continued calling for help, this time in an incredibly high falsetto voice.

"S-Seriously, Natsuki-san?" Otto was barely holding back fully blown laughter, doubled over in his chair with his hands over his mouth.

"H-Hehe, hahaha! S'uncool...s'uncool, Cap'n, but funny as hell!" Garfiel practically roared in laughter, not even bothering to try and hold back.

The two honorary brothers would definitely never let Subaru live this down, they had to add this to their collection of embarrassing-as-hell hidden Subaru moments, alongside the excellent 'Puck Lap Pillow.'

Julius almost turned red at this shameless display from his friend, clearly feeling the secondhand embarrassment. "T-There were ways to do this with more tact, Subaru…"

"Indeed…" Even Wilhelm couldn't help but show a small tint of red on his cheeks. He almost felt regretful for all that praise he'd thrown the way of the boy.

"A-As, s-s-snrk...as expected of Subaru-kyun! Nyahahaha!" Felix slammed his hand down on his armchair, finding this shameless display that Subaru was putting on all too hilarious.

"Oh, Subaru…" Emilia giggled softly, finding herself simultaneously embarrassed and amused at the same time.

"Damn it, shut up!" The leader demanded, though Subaru just kept it coming.

"No, don't touch me...Stop! I can't hear you, you're not being sincere enough. Police...Huh?" Subaru's high-pitched womanly screaming came to a stop, realizing that nobody came.

"It...doesn't appear like anyone has arrived yet, for all of that noise." Crusch barely managed to keep herself calm despite her butler's embarrassment and her knight's amused reaction.

"Maybe Subaru-kun wasn't loud enough?" Rem figured, looking somewhat disappointed at Subaru suddenly stopping. Rather than being afraid of it, she was looking forward to seeing all these new sides of her hero, embarrassing or not.

"I wouldn't count his efforts off so soon." Reinhard said with confidence. It seemed, for the most part, that everyone had forgotten the full mention of the 'true loop' events, so he figured he would keep them in suspense for a bit. The group deserved a bit of fun and mischief after such horrific events, he figured.

Although, Emilia and Felt gave him knowing smiles, seeing through his ruse immediately.

The fat thug showed a relived face. "Don't scare me like that. I might have freaked out, just a little."

"Just a little?" Mimi hummed, seeming unconvinced.

"Juuust a little bit." The taller thug admitted.

"Really only a little?" Hetaro shook his head, cautious of the taller one as he remembered that this was the one that usually wielded the weapons.

"Just a tiny, little bit." The smaller one added.

"Only a minuscule amount, it seems…" Tivey sighed. He had hoped that the thugs' cowardice would kick in to make them flee the scene, with no such luck.

Ricardo looked at the three with a blank face. "Oi. You three don't need ta' be syncin' up with those dumbasses on screen."

Subaru took a nervous step back, as the leader pulled out his characteristically sharp daggers. Even the fat one pulled out a weapon, a meat cleaver-looking blade.

"Here we go again with the weapons. These thugs truly know no language other than senseless violence, I suppose." Beatrice felt a bit of tension rising in her chest, but she was not gaining an ominous feeling in this 'loop', as they had begun to call them. She had to believe in her contractor's luck, just this once.

"No worries, Great Spirit-sama. I'm gonna beat that language right outta their heads when I get home…" Felt grinned sadistically, only for Reinhard to stare her down once more, leaving her to sigh. "Non-lethally…"

With Reinhard giving a pleased smile, the viewing would then continue.

"Running away is useless." The short one said with a smug grin.

"It is quite annoying how this smallest dog barks the loudest. He wields no weapon, is cowardly, and was usually the easiest to take out within the previous 'loops'. A threat from him is equal to a whimper from a puppy." Priscilla snorted, unable to take the short thief's threat seriously at all.

Behind Subaru, another figure seemed to appear, with only their feet being seen.

"That's enough." It was a strong, authoritative voice, causing everyone to look up in surprise.

"That voice…?" Rem spoke with rising hope, her blue eyes practically glowing as she realized just who had come to her hero's rescue.

"I should've realized just why you were so confident in Subaru receiving help. So it was you that answered his call…" Crusch let out a soft chuckle, realizing the light trick that had been played on her.

They all looked at who it was, slowly revealing a man with deep red hair, a sword at his side with scratches made by dragon claws, striking blue eyes, and a white and purple cloaked uniform.

"It can't be...Reinhard? The master swordsman, Reinhard?!" The fat thug exclaimed in disbelief.

"A-Awesome! The Cap'n managed t'stumble on the Sword Saint himself?!" Garfiel's cheeks puffed up, as he stared to the screen with a grin. "This s'it. S'gotta be it! This s' th'one!"

With everyone's eyes on him, Reinhard would smile, and then...slowly nodded, bringing brightness to all of their faces with his one sentence.

"Indeed. This encounter is going exactly as I remember it. This...is the true timeline of events."

To this direct conversation, the mood within the theater significantly rose, with everyone's hopes rising in leaps and bounds.

"Finally...finally, after all of that suffering, after all of that despair...it feels as if all of this is culminating in something real. Something we can truly invest ourselves into." Julius clenched his fists tightly, as if he were holding all of his built up emotions from the viewing inside his palms.

"Indeed. Rather than being stuck within a loop of death, we may finally rejoice in viewing Natsuki-san make true progress. The Natsuki-san within the timeline that we all know." Otto smiled lightly, raising a fist of celebration into the air, as quietly and privately as he could.

"Yes, finally...Betty was not enjoying the incessant death she was watching her contractor suffer through, I suppose." A bright, genuine smile came to the blonde spirit's face, as she felt an inner rejoical at the news delivered by Reinhard.

"I honestly would've gone crazy if we had to keep goin' on like that! Once I saw Rein show up, though, I knew it was all gonna be good." Felt's smile was one of relief. Neither did she have to see Old Man Rom, herself, Emilia, or Subaru die anymore. It would all be fine...

It was like a true, lasting ray of hope had finally shone into all of their hearts, clearing up the darkness that had been steadily building up.

"S'been a long time comin'. While tha' boy's ability is one thin', I'm actually a lot more interested in seein' just how the fight against the Bowel Hunter went for m'self." Anastasia grinned, excited at the prospect of such a spectacle.

"Mineself was just growing tired of waiting through this drab, repetitive scenery. I do hope that the show put on through that battle shall be enough compensation for all of this." Priscilla did not know how to properly describe it, but even she was looking forward to finally having some sort of true spectacle after all of that suffering from the boy.

Al was practically grinning under his helmet, noticing how his mistress' words were becoming more and more tame as she became more and more relaxed. And like hell he was going to say anything and ruin it.

Of course, there was also the prospect of the person who had hired Elsa. The unknown 'Traitor'. Yet, nobody wanted to talk about that right now. Everyone just wanted to bask in this one moment of happiness, to enjoy themselves some more.

And so, the discussion of the 'Traitor' was put of by a near unanimous silent feeling that everyone had, to be put off for discussion until later.

He showed a relaxed smile, slowly entering further into the alley. "Seems I needn't introduce myself. Thought, that nickname is a bit too much for me. I don't know how much my modest strength could aid him, but if you wish to resort to extreme measures, as a knight, I would have to fight back." His calm words were eerily threatening, as he gave them a piercing gaze, slowly reaching for the handle of his sword.

"Pah! Those cowards wouldn't even stay around if Reinhard just started walking towards them, nyan! Threatening them with holding the hilt must've made them absolutely wet themselves." Felix snickered, as he knew exactly what the reaction coming would be like.

"S-Screw this! It's not worth it!" The fat thug was the first to turn tail, with the rest of the group lamely following after him.

"Good, we get ta' see 'em scram. Wasn't really too fond a' their presence on screen anymore." Ricardo let out a mix between a growl and a sigh, turning his eyes back to the viewing.

Unknown to the Iron Fang captain, many within the theater would give corresponding nods of silent agreement. With the irrelevant trio off-screen, worry for anything else going wrong went down significantly.

Soon, it was just Subaru and Reinhard in the empty alley. Reinhard turned to the boy with a smile.

"I'm glad we're both safe. Are you unhurt?"

Subaru just stared at the man silently, before a big smile would slowly come to his face. He brought a fist up to his chest. "A-Allow me to thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for saving my life!" He spoke stiffly, as if trying to be polite, yet unused to it.

"Trying to speak so politely truly does not suit Subaru-kun." Rem giggled at her hero's overly exaggerated politeness, half-lidded eyes staring to the screen in amusement.

Reinhard just shook his head with a goodhearted smile present on his face. "I do prefer to be treated informally rather than with stiff politeness. Even if just a passing citizen, I would rather people not treat me as someone so far out of their reach."

Julius and Felix shared knowing looks at their friend's admission, both knowing well just how casually he would treat anyone, regardless of his true power and status.

"Geez." Felt playfully elbowed her red-haired knight in the side, looking up at him with a smirk. "You're always the humble one, aren't you, Rein?"

The swordmaster just chuckled, lowering his head to his mischievous mistress. "It is nothing, my lady."

Reinhard stared at him in confusion, before smiling as he realized the intention of the boy's words. "I, Natsuki Subaru, deeply admire your selflessness-!"

"No need for such formality." He interrupted. "Once it was three against two, they lost their advantage. If I'd been alone, it would have been different."

"Th' Sword Saint really ain't nothin' t'mess with. He woulda' taken even those thugs seriously!" Garfiel's gaze was filled with an agitation for battle. Once he got out of this place, he definitely wanted to have a sparring match at full power with the Sword Saint.

"I think Sir Reinhard is just being humble, here." Emilia let out a sigh of exasperation to the excitement from the shield-wielding boy, a thoughtful look coming over her eyes as she remembered the display of power she had seen from the man. "I reeeeeeeeally doubt that those three could even lay a hand on him."

"Still, I can at least respect his caution. Overestimation or arrogance towards one's power can lead to unexpected downfalls." Crusch gave the blue-eyed Sword Saint one of her rare, yet blindingly beautiful smiles of approval.

"Your words are all truly too much…" Embarrassed at this sudden, genuine, praise, Reinhard could only rub the back of his head. Felt grinned to her knight's predicament, all-too-proud to see the usually awkward and clumsy guy finally spend some time interacting with other people.

'H-His nice-guy index is off the charts.' Subaru looked down in thought, before facing the still-smiling man. "Uh...Reinhard-san, right?"

Reinhard could not help but feel even more flattered, surprised that his friend had seemed to regard him as such a nice person even upon their first meeting.

This nice mood extended to everyone else, as they shared smiles and chuckles among themselves at the lighthearted scene.

"This must definitely be a new, but refreshing experience for that bro." Al figured, arms crossed as he examined the interaction on the screen. "If you think about it, this is the first time anyone has actually answered a call for help from him."

"You may just call me 'Reinhard', Subaru!" Reinhard said casually, making Subaru show a nervous smile.

'He closed our distance like it was nothing…'

"Honestly, it is quite envious how well the two of you work together." Julius chuckled, feeling the tiniest bit of envy at his humble friend's approach. Yet, he would not let such feelings show through.

"That's just how Reinhard is. Even when I was nyew, he put on this whole nice guy persona...then before I knew it, we were calling each other friends!" Felix smiled as he remembered the nostalgic memory of his first moments as a knight. When he was unsure of his place as a knight, and had nobody to talk to, it had been Julius and Reinhard that had so warmly approached him.

"Ah...that is indeed true. To have met such friends as you two, it truly was a bit of a light to my heart." Reinhard brought a fist over his chest, truly grateful for his two knight companions. "Though, of course…" He let out a sheepish laugh, as he let his real intentions slip through. "I had to get to know Subaru better, regardless. Civilian or not, he was quite the out-of-place looking fellow."

Julius, Felt, and Felix all shared a good laugh at this. Those who did not know the Sword Saint just regarded him as some all-powerful, benevolent hero. Yet, those who were really acquainted with Reinhard knew the truth – he was just a nice, regular guy.

Wilhelm stared at this interaction with wide eyes, unknowable thoughts swirling around within his unfocused gaze. Yet, for the shortest of moment, his facade broke, and a near-imperceptible frown of guilt crossed his features.

"Well, thanks again, Reinhard. You're the only one who heard me shouting and came to help...talk about lonely." The boy's shoulders slumped over.

"For most people, it's too risky to face off against people like them. As far as it goes, your decision to call for the guards was right." He reassured Subaru.

"At least he was able to swallow back his pride that much to ask for help, I suppose." Beatrice's fingers gave a displeased poke to her contractor's forearm. She had many a scolding saved for him for later.

"I wouldn't have minded seeing that arrogance of his beat back into shape once more, however." A certain beautiful yet arrogant lady spoke from above, leaving Beatrice to roll her eyes in ignoring the woman.

Everyone, including the Great Spirit knew how ironic it was for Priscilla to say such words, so they all let the contradiction in that statement speak for itself.

His words made Subaru look at his outfit curiously, assessing his looks. "Are you a guard, Reinhard? You definitely don't look like one…"

"F'only he knew…" Anastasia couldn't help but snicker at the boy's proved utter lack of knowledge of their world. It was almost comical watching someone with so little knowledge unknowingly hold a casual conversation with the Sword Saint of Lugnica.

Reinhard just continued to smile as he watched the screen, remembering back to that first interaction fondly. He remembered just how happy he had been to meet someone who truly only knew him just for himself, at not as the overpoweringly strong 'Sword Saint' the world had branded him as.

"I'm off duty today, so I'm not in uniform." He explained, holding his arms out. "And I realize that I don't appear particularly intimidating."

"Appearances can be pretty dang deceivin'!" Ricardo bellowed a boisterous laugh from his gut, finding the Sword Saint's overly humble words too funny to ignore.

"Come to think of it, didn't they call you a master swordsman?" Subaru asked, gazing down at his unique sword.

"My family is fairly unique. Every day, I feel I'll be crushed by their expectations." He said simply, looking down in silence for a while...then back at the boy.

Reinhard's smile faltered at this all-too-truthful admission from his past self. Solemnly, almost unconsciously, his hand brushed against the Dragon Sword Reid, still remaining sheathed at his side.

Beatrice gave a short dark chuckle, her eyes closing as she faintly remembered her contractor's story of his life in his world. She wondered if the casual-acting Sword Saint could ever guess how similar an experience Subaru had had with his family.

"Reinhard." The Sword Saint's grandfather quietly uttered the name of his grandson with pity. Again, his mind was thrown for a loop by this completely...human behavior from the boy.

Crusch gave her experienced butler a gaze that indicated she wished to find exactly what her butler was thinking of, but in a split-second decision, she instead focused her attention back onto the screen.

Both she and Felix understood well the way a person could be destroyed or forcefully molded just by one's family and status. And she also understood that talking about it could either further damage or stress somebody.

So with a very slight shaking of her head towards her equally curious-looking feline knight, she let the issue ago, and decided to focus moreso on what was going on screen.

"Anyway, Subaru...You have quite the unusual hair, apparel, and name. What nation are you from?"

Subaru didn't answer his question immediately, just looking down at his own clothing.

"A wise decision, Natsuki-san. It is better to keep information close to your chest rather than needlessly fabricate unneeded lies."

"I do wish he would have simply told me his story, instead. With my Divine Protections, I would have easily been able to detect whether he was lying, and whether he was or was not of stable mind." Reinhard seemed to disagree with the gray-haired merchant's words, wondering just why Subaru seemed so desperate to hide any true traces of his real nature.

"At the moment, Lugnica is a bit more restive than in peacetime. If you have a problem, I'd be glad to help you." He said, able to catch wind of the boy's general need for assistance.

"T-Then, would you come to the loot house?!" Subaru eagerly jumped at this offer, leaning forward.

"Oh!" Emilia's eyes shined, as she turned around to the Sword Saint with her characteristic angelic, excited smile. "Is this the reason why you were so close nearby the loothouse, Reinhard?"

As much as the Sword Saint wished to answer the half-elf's words in the affirmative, he regrettably had to shake his head in a negative reply. "I went patrolling there by my own initiative. I did not know what 'loothouse' Subaru was speaking of, but I knew from past experience that such buildings were operated in that area."

"On your own initiative?" Rem interjected the conversation, tilting her head to the side at

The silver-haired girl was confused, looking back to the screen with disappointment. "Then...did Subaru not ask for help?"

Both of their answers would come almost-immediately.

"The loot house?" Reinhard asked.

The mere words made Subaru relive the nightmares of his past lives, thinking of the people he had seen die there, the deaths he had experienced there himself…

"N-Never mind… Forget it. I can't trouble you with that..." He hesitated, looking off to the side. Subaru did not want to drag such a nice man into a place that could be the death of him.

"That idiot!" Ram seethed at the boy's sudden change of heart, her yell leaving Roswaal looking at the maid in surprise to her emotional outburst.

"Indeed. Those words are a disgusting show of pride for a boy who should be grovelling on the floor for every bit of help that he could get." Priscilla spat, though her knight Al didn't react to this at all.

"I never thought he would just give up on getting help like that. It's definitely not the wisest move…" Tivey shook his head at the boy's foolish action, agreeing with the redhaired Oni maid's outburst.

"So that's what you meant, Sir Reinhard…" Emilia stared at her knight on screen in worry. Unlike Ram, she was not under the misconception of him being prideful, but rather, she could see it...the fact that he looked almost afraid for Reinhard.

Beatrice was much less pleased, guiding a direct look of annoyance towards Ram. "You would do good to pay more attention to what we are being shown, maid. Do you truly think Betty's contractor would be so sinfully prideful so as to ignore help for no reason?" Her words were practically venomous, leaving the aggressive maid quiet out of sheer shock at Beatrice's emotion.

"I have to agree with Beatrice-sama, sister…" Rem timidly spoke up, turning to look her sister directly in her eyes. "I believe that Subaru-kun is simply trying to keep Sir Reinhard safe and out of harm's way. He wouldn't want to selfishly bring an innocent person into such a situation."

"That's one thing, but wouldn't he at least be able ta' trust who he thinks is a guard?" Anastasia countered, bringing a finger to her chin. She wasn't such a quick believer in altruism, especially not regarding a boy she was barely beginning to know.

"There's only one flaw in that reasoning. That being – we already know the kid's clueless. Bro just thought that the swordmaster was a regular guard. Would you really just trust the average guard with an assassin capable of taking out a Spirit Arts user and giant?" Al clarified, his words making everyone who had questioned Subaru's strategy to become silent.

"Subaru…" Reinhard felt an inner turmoil as he watched the screen. Somehow, he wished that he could've truly proved to his friend that he was not as hopeless as his friend was seeing him. It was a rare moment where he actually wished for the boy to know his true power…

"Thank god another idiot decided to ignore him and still check the place out." Felt, catching on to her knight's declining mood gently punched him in the arm with a smile. Her chipper mood drew Reinhard from going in too deep on his guilt-ridden thoughts, looking up to the screen with a nod.

"I could not simply ignore those words of his, not as a knight. Not to mention...it was all too easy for me to sense his feelings with my Divine Protection of Empathy." He remembered sensing the boy's turmoil-filled emotions at that time.

"So that's how ya' ended up near tha' slums, even without anyone tellin ya' ta' be there. Ya' jus' ended up takin' tha' boy's words seriously." Anastasia was as quick as ever to catch on, smirking to herself as she received a valuable piece of info on one of the Sword Saint's many hidden Divine Protection.

"Hmph. I suppose Subaru was right about some people being two peas in a pod. At least I can be grateful for one idiot keeping watch for my idiot, I suppose." Beatrice smiled in satisfaction, with almost his entire camp, especially Rem and Emilia nodding in agreement.

Crusch looked on with an expression of surprise at the harsh compassion that Subaru's camp had towards him. "Natsuki-sama truly has it rough…" Though with how she treated her own knight, Crusch was sure she'd treat a silly boy like Subaru with even more tough love. Of course, that treatment would also partly be because she recognized the boy's great potential.

"I'll handle the rest on my own, somehow!" Subaru waved, as he headed off to leave the alley.

"But…" He stopped, feeling Reinhard's serious gaze on his back. "I'd appreciate it if you could deliver a message."

"I'd be glad to, of course. To whom? And what?"

"Well, I don't know her name, but...have you seen a girl with white robes and silver hair nearby?"

Subaru's words left Reinhard thoughtful. "White robes and silver hair?"

"She's also extremely gorgeous!" He added with a raised finger.

There was laughter all throughout the audience, though some laughs sounded more fake than genuine. Mostly, some feminine laughter...

Otto was easily able to pick up on this, deciding to keep it to himself just how menacing some of the girls' laughter sounded.

Particularly, Rem and Beatrice, who both gave light giggles while disguising the frightening smiles that showed on their beautiful faces with the palms of their hands.

'Natsuki-san really has to keep a watch on his back…'

The gray haired merchant could only shake his head as he imagined the complicated love life that awaited his friend once he truly awoke. Though, he couldn't help but want to see that dramatic scene unfold, as well…

"No, I haven't." Reinhard concluded, bringing Subaru to lower his hand.

"Then, if you do see her, tell her to not go near the loot house, no matter what. I'll find what she's looking for and bring it to her myself." Subaru's eyes were full of confidence.

"Very well. If I see her, I shall relay your message." Reinhard promised, with Subaru now turning to leave.

"Thanks." He headed off in a slow walk, turning around one more time. "I'll repay this favor some day!" The boy quickly promised, before leaving in a jog.

"All right. Take care." Reinhard smiled while watching him go, holding on to the hilt of his sword all the while. However, the camera would zoom in on his eyes, revealing a certain seriousness to them.

"With that look in his eyes, it's all too serious to see just what he was really planning to do." Felix shrugged while snickering to his friends' earnestness, all at the expense of Reinhard of course, who couldn't help but blush in embarrassment.

Once more, we would return to a view of the slums in the evening, with Subaru now talking to the surprisingly jovial man who had told them of the loothouse in his first loop.

"Ah. It's the snitch from the first time." Felt pointed out with a deadpan tone and a frown on her face.

"Is he really that bad? I just think he's saying it because he thinks he can trust Subaru…" Petra timidly spoke, leaving Felt to click her tongue and fold her arms.

"Naive, little sis. Let your older sister teach you a 'lil something! In the slums, nobody can be trusted! Especially not strangers askin' where you live! This guy's just a no-good snitch!" She lectured, pushing up a finger on her nose like she was adjusting invisible glasses.

"Ooooh!" Petra let out a sound of amazement at this lesson, nodding as she soaked in every bit of this knowledge. Frederica gave her apprentice maid a blank stare, figuring that she would have to deprogram such thoughts out of the young lady.

"Felt's den? Yeah, just go two streets down that way." He pointed out, down the road.

"Thanks, I appreciate it, bro!" Subaru extended a thumbs up gratefully to the man, who just waved him off dismissively.

"Don't mention it, bro. Live strong."

"I still think that he just seems like a rather nice fellow, making the best of his situation." Julius had to agree with Petra's earlier innocence-filled words.

Felt just rolled her eyes at the polite knight's thoughts, still believing in the mindset she had formed for herself in the slums.

The tracksuit wearing boy trudged ahead, his thought process leaking out into his words. "The question is whether Felt will return there...I'd rather catch her before she goes to the loot house, and trade her the cell phone for the insignia-"

"I still ain't happy with how he's jus' plannin' ta' sell tha' phone fer' tha' insignia, a' all things." Anastasia admitted with a displeased sigh, eyes downcast in disappointment.

"To give up such a valuable prospect, all for the sake of a foolish, useless girl." Priscilla affixed Emilia with a harsh look. The haughty princess cared not for Subaru's well-being or value, but simply found it truly imbecilic to give up one's possessions for a person who did not even care for or know him.

Al felt satisfied at his Princess' confusion, knowing that she was, again, being forced to confront the complete selflessness that the clumsy boy on screen exemplified.

Emilia on the other hand felt the guilt practically eat away at her, as she was once again reminded of the lengths that Subaru, her knight, was going to just to help her with an issue that was all her fault.

"Do not let it bother you so much, Emilia-sama." Rem was the once to comfort Emilia, giving her a bright smile. "Out of everybody, I know that Subaru-kun would not want you to blame yourself."

The silver-haired half-elf wanted to refute the blue-haired Oni's words, she wanted to allow the guilt to overtake her and agree with the idea that Subaru really should not have to go through such things for her.

Yet, she found herself doubly silenced, as Beatrice gave her a silent, almost judging stare, conveying a world of emotions in that one gaze.

By entertaining such thoughts, Emilia would basically be trampling over every single effort that Subaru had made for them. She thought back to when he had woken up briefly, when she and him had come under attack by those shadowy hands...yet the first thing he did when he woke up was make sure that everyone was okay.

She clasped her hands together and took a deep breath, steadying herself as she rebuilt her resolve and kept watching.

In his deep thought, Subaru bumped into someone wearing black, stumbling back. "Ow!"

"Hol' th'fuck on…" Garfiel was the first to react negatively, growling as both his fists raised from his side, tense. It was a matter of fact that he'd be the first to instantly realize the opponent he'd fought to the death with.

Reinhard's eyes narrowed in slow realization, his own experience against the woman being brought back. "That cape." He uttered these two words with pain, holding a hand close to his chest.

Nobody fully understood the implications of these words just yet, none other than the two mortified, tense men that both immediately recognized the monster who had just shown up.

"Oh, dear!" A smooth, eerily familiar feminine voice exclaimed in surprise. "I'm sorry, are you all right?"

Everyone who did not recognize the cape immediately recognized that voice. That smooth, almost seductive voice that sent dread coursing through the entirety of the cast.

"I-It can't be…" Felt's earlier confidence disappeared from her voice, as she stared to the screen in wide-eyed shock.

"Fucking hell." Al cursed without a bit of hesitation, already feeling the hate spilling out from him at that deceptively nice-sounding voice.

"Bro really ain't gettin' away from her, is he?" Ricardo was clearly annoyed, voice filed with tiredness as the woman came into full view.

Subaru looked up to them with a nervous smile. "Yeah, I'm fine, I'm fine. I don't look it, but toughness is one thing I...have…" His words trailed off, his eyes gaining a hateful glint as he saw just who it was.

It was Elsa, the assassin, standing right in front of him with her same wry smile plastered onto her face.

"N-no...!" Petra exclaimed in a shaky tone, finding her entire body shake. She had no idea what the woman's 'work' was like, due to Frederica always being quick to cover her eyes, but from the noises alone, she knew that she was no good news for Subaru.

"Petra..." Frederica's soft voice slid past her lips, with her emerald eyes set on her younger maid in worry. She reluctantly hardened her heart, preparing to hide the girl's sight once more in preparation for another gruesome killing.

"Was this not supposed to be our last loop of this accursed experience? It seems as if Fate itself simply conspires against Subaru-dono!" Wilhelm was enraged, finding it absolutely cruel that the innocent boy in front of them once again had to face off against such a filthy assassin.

Anger, fear, confusion, and desperation gripped all within the theater, as the shadow of death began to appear visible to the rest of them once more, looming over the boy on screen.

Subaru took in a shaky gasp, as he thought back to everything she had done to him...just how viciously she had killed him and ended the lives of all the people he'd come to know. Subconsciously, he placed his hand onto his gut, absolutely terrified.

"Damn it." Julius once more felt his pride as a knight challenged, as the completely unguarded nature of the slums came to bite him again. He never wanted to see his friend make these sort of faces, to see deep down how utterly afraid and broken the boy was...

"What a fool. By that small motion, he has already further aroused that pig's interest." Priscilla muttered in a low tone, watching the boy on screen with a singularly focused gaze.

"We cannot blame Natsuki-sama. The pain of being gutted twice...such an experience cannot be warded away by willpower alone." Crusch, while previously turning a blind eye to the Countess' harsh words, cut straight through these ones. The Duchess was no stranger to tactics herself, but she felt it was unreasonable to expect an inexperienced, confused and innocent boy to perfectly defend himself.

Priscilla clicked her tongue in annoyance, but surprisingly, didn't pursue the argument any further. She was more involved in just how the boy on screen would handle this impending threat.

All the while, Elsa just affixed him with a curious gaze, giving a small giggle. "What is the matter? You don't have to be so scared. I will not do anything to you."

"Lying bitch." Rem seethed, barely restraining herself from reaching into her sleeves and pulling out her mace. She badly wanted to smash this screen into dust, or even better, to jump in and maim the cold-hearted monster within.

Ram slid her eyes to the side to show a worrying gaze to her sister, before her eyes returned to the screen. She did not share her sister's extreme anger...but despite her insults to the boy, she did not wish to see him die again, either. Especially not at the hands of the sadistic woman on screen.

"I-I'm not scared…" Subaru lied through his teeth, slowly backing up from the woman. "What gave you that idea?"

"Your scent." She replied, almost fast enough to interrupt him. "When people are scared, I can smell their fear. Right now, you are frightened." Subaru shifted at this uncomfortably correct analysis.

"She can smell fear?!" Otto could not help but recoil at this incredibly incredulous notion, finding how the woman was built up to be incredibly nightmarish.

"She truly is nothing but a monster, I suppose." Beatrice was holding tightly to her contractor's tracksuit, finding even herself fearful of the woman's capabilities.

"It's hard to believe, but...considering how exposed she must have been to people who feared her..." Felix, as a doctor, found this information incredibly unbelievable as well...but not impossible.

"A sadistic bitch grows a sixth sense that helps her to become even more sadistic. Fucking great." Al grumbled in clearly held-back anger.

"You are also angry, yes? At me." Her gaze narrowed dangerously. All Subaru could do was look at her in terror, unable to speak.

Elsa just let it go with a giggle, ominously licking her lips as she stared at the frightened boy in front of her. "It's fine." Her lenient words made Subaru pause.

"It's...fine?" Tivey adjusted his monocle at these surprising words.

"I really hope she's just going to leave him alone..." Emilia felt her heart skip at the woman's licking of her lips, knowing that despite her lenient-sounding words, that assassin could flip her killing switch at any moment.

She did not...could not...watch her hero die again right not. Especially not right after barely dismissing those feelings of guilt that had been hovering over her like flies.

"I am a little curious, but this is not the time to start a commotion." She said simply, heading past the boy.

Everyone seemed uncertain, practically unconvinced by these words, expecting her to turn around and re-engage once more.

"It should be fine. I do believe she is rather dedicated to nothing but her job." Roswaal commented dryly, his voice completely flat.

Everyone except for Roswaal of course, who knew for sure that the assassin's words were absolute. He himself was not sure why, but the mysterious woman known as 'Mother' did not tolerate failure from her assassins.

Yes...their single-handed devotion to their jobs was one of the reasons he had worked with their group before, after all.

Like a bug, the clown-makeup wearing man felt guilt crawling up through his body...but he still managed to keep his expression straight.

He still struggled with it...the idea that every horrible action he had accomplished did not even matter, for Subaru was never in control of his ability in the first place.

"That's not a very nice thing to say…" Subaru muttered after her nervously. "If you're too scary, that beauty of yours will go to waste-"

"-Urgh! That idiot is pushing his luck!" Ram exclaimed, feeling fury rise in her at the young man's insistence on calling the trouble back to him.

"It really ain't a good move ta' try an' play brave right now..." Anastasia agreed, holding her scarf up over her face in preparation for what was to come.

"Oh, very good." Elsa smiled sadistically, suddenly close to the boy, whose expression changed to fear and surprise.

Close enough that their faces were only inches away, to the point where their lips could almost touch. He could see her beautiful, yet terrifying expression much too clearly. "Conceal your hostility, and you will be even better."

"That speed-!"

Reinhard picked up on the assassin's sudden move, and everyone else nearly jumped at the movement from the woman.

"That dangerous lady is fast. Maybe even faster than Mimi..." Mimi murmured unsurely, feeling somewhat nervous at Elsa's sudden moves.

Subaru's hand, which had immediately moved to his gut, now had Elsa's soft hand directly above it, almost as if threatening the boy.

"Get your hands off of him..." Rem muttered dangerously, her hand reaching even further up her sleeve.

"Well, I shall be going now. Something tells me we shall meet again." Her hand slipped from his, as she made her way off and down the street, leaving Subaru to watch her go...and let out a huge sigh of relief upon realizing he truly was safe.

Rem watched the assassin depart with a hateful gaze, her expression only softening as she truly realized that the woman was not coming back. It was only then as she allowed an expression of relief to escape her lips.

"To think that Subaru-kun had such a terrifying experience just prior to arriving at that loot-house." Rem murmured gently, giving her sleeping hero an affectionate, worried gaze.

"I swear that my heart is going to give out watching any more of this, nya~." Felix's cute tone returned to his voice, his tail cautiously swishing behind him.

"You and me both, brother." Al agreed from above, finally feeling himself calm down as the woman departed from the scene.

Nearly everyone let out their own breaths of relief at knowing that Elsa was well and truly gone from the scene.

"I reeeeeeeeally never want to see her again...even if I know we have to." Emilia murmured, leaning her head down onto Subaru's shoulders to calm herself.

"You and me both, sister." Felt's voice returned to her, her nervousness disappearing to bring back her brash confidence.

"We might have to consider ourselves lucky that she seems to be single-handedly focused on the job that she has been hired for." Crusch

We cut to Subaru coming upon Felt's hideout, a tiny wooden shack with the entrance barely covered by a white curtain, with a small couch inside.

"Oh-hey, this is my old spot!" A full grin returned to the face of the little blonde. She did not miss living in the slums, but the home was hers, a place made by her own hands where she spent the majority of her life.

"How fitting of a home for a former slum rat." Priscilla scoffed, finding herself mirroring the boy's look of disgust at the girl's living conditions.

Reinhard almost immediately got from his seat to confront the woman, but Felt just held a hand out, giving a confident grin.

"And it'll always be better than an arrogant bitch like you. Don't even get how that knight of your can call you a princess!"

The girl's words dug extremely deep into Priscilla, as she readied herself to practically lunge at the girl.

"Princess, you shouldn't worry abo-"

Al's words were cut short, as Priscilla ruthlessly smacked his head down, forcing him into silence. Her teeth were grit tightly, as she held back her rage thanks to her abuse of her knight.

"If only that being weren't present..." The woman practically gnashed her teeth together, not even bothering to talk down to her knight for his out-of-turn speaking.

"Someone actually lives here?" Subaru muttered in surprise, giving the place a look as if he pitied whoever was its' resident.

He slowly walked closer to the place. "Elsa hasn't already been here and trashed it, has she?" He looked behind him for a second, before continuing to approach. "I-It's fine, probably...I don't smell blood. But it does smell like garbage."

"O-Oi!" Aaaand her nostalgia was immediately ruined by Subaru's harsh words, an angered pout on her face.

Nobody could really take her seriously though, not with that cute fang-like tooth showing through her frown.

Reinhard couldn't help but let a smile show through, much at his mistress' annoyance, yet he also felt quite a bit of worry. The Sword Saint was not how sure he felt at the injustice of his lady being forced to live in such a place, yet he understood that he had no right to judge such a thing.

He peeked his head past the curtain, looking around with an expression of revulsion.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, peeking into someone's house?" A rough, childish voice said from behind him, prompting Subaru to turn and look.

"That voice is...!" Emilia spoke with happiness, clapping her hands together in expectation for Subaru to gain a new ally.

Yet, of course, it was never that easy.

It was, of course, Felt, staring right back at him. "Sorry, but there's nothing worth stealing in there. Beat it!" She demanded, holding her dagger out to him, which shined in the sunlight.

"Hate ta' burst yer bubble, but I don' think tha' kid is plannin' on bein' too friendly..." Ricardo could sense the suspicion and killing intent emanating from the little girl.

"It looks like we have yeeeeet another brawl on our hands~." Roswaal had seemingly regained some of his usual flair, as some of his mind-eating guilt receded in favor of allowing him to pay attention on the scene.

"Let's hope that she goes easy on that bro." Al managed to speak up, readjusting his helmet which had been misaligned from the seething Priscilla's anger-filled strike.

"No, wait! That's not what I was doing…" Subaru tried to desperately explain, holding his hands up.

"Shut up! Don't argue!" Felt said, taking a threatening step towards the boy and slashing at him, which he just barely dodged.

"Whoa, stop!" He began to dodge slice after slice from the irritated thief, who just kept coming after him. "Calm down! This is no time to fight! Before it gets dark-" He ducked down, avoiding a particularly nasty cut which wedged its way into the pole of her shack.

"This is no good! Felt-sama, were you really aiming to kill Natsuki-san here?!" Otto asked worriedly, noticing just how vicious the little thief's pursue of the tracksuit-wearing boy was.

Felt shrugged, looking entire unworried at her on-screen self's moves. "Of course not. I was just tryin' to get him to scram. I'd never just kill somebody like that."

Reinhard nodded at his lady's words in approval, giving the merchant a pointed gaze. Otto sighed, having to reluctantly accept this answer and look back at the screen.

She planted a foot right down beside his head. "Before it gets dark, you better disappear."

"I told you, you've got it all wrong…" Subaru continued trying to explain, only for Felt to begin pulling out her dagger again to go on the offensive once more.

"That bein' said, ya' really ain't givin' tha' boy a chance to say anythin'." Anastasia noted, tilting her head to look at her fellow candidate. "Afraid he was gonna do somethin' ulterior?"

The blonde ex-thief nodded, raising her index finger up as she explained. "There are all types of people out there with all kinds of weird abilities. What if he was trying to stall, or distract me or something?"

"Fair 'nough." The greedy merchant had to agree. She was the type to strike first rather than wait later, so she could understand the girl's mindset.

Subaru took this chance to roll away, dodging a stab from above and a follow-up kick to jump up onto his feet, rolling on the floor to the right to barely avoid yet another slash.

"Still, Subaru has rather good reflexes when given the chance to show them off." Julius had a hand on his chin as he keenly watched his friend's agile moves all across the screen.

"The young miss is not exactly a slow one, either." Wilhelm noted in agreement to the Finest Knight's observation.

Finding a table nearby, he would grab it by the legs, flipping it and kicking it up and over him towards Felt, who was just barely able to push it off to the side with a swing.

"Holy shit! Th'ts a cool move, Cap'n!" Garfiel reached a fist forward in excitement, eyes sparkling at his Captain getting the rare chance to show off his stuff.

"That quick thinking of his is surely coming in handy." Crusch showed an endearing smile, enjoying watching the hero-to-be taking on one of his first, upon many true battles. She wondered just how far he could go if properly trained...

He took the chance to stand up and grab the table out of the air, now using it as a shield to block the little thief's vicious slashes, backing up all the while.

"It's definitely a smart idea...I'll at least give him that, nya." Felix conceded with a huff, doing his best to conceal the smile forcing its' way to his face. No way did he ever want to give up any praise to the boy.

"Yes, even I will have to compliment Barusu on that. To use the chair as a table, he truly is making the most out of what he can." Ram, yet another who was unwilling to give Subaru too many compliments found herself agreeing, despite her own wishes not to.

"You don't give up, do you, brother?!" She yelled in anger, trying to grab the table only for Subaru to pull it back and hold it to his chest again. "I told you to get out of here!" She wound up, bringing her blade down against the desk.

Subaru withstood the hit, brought to his knees as he struggled to push the desk against her blade. "Just listen to me!" He rolled to the side to avoid a cut as Felt abandoned the struggle, flipping around and holding the desk to continue blocking each and every one of her slices.

"Betty wonders why he seemed to give up on fighting this way so much later. It would have been wonderful for her to fight alongside her contractor like this, I suppose." Beatrice felt a renewed sense of respect for her contractor.

She knew he was somewhat athletic, but every opponent they faced was usually overwhelmingly strong - to the point where he always seemed like a civilian in comparison to their foes. The spirit felt a somewhat dampening sense of sadness come over her, as she thought to just how fragile her contractor really thought himself to be...

Meanwhile, Rem just sat in silence as she admired her hero's moves with bright eyes. She knew all too well that self-confidence was something that Subaru did not have in spades, by his own admission. Yet, watching him like this, she felt as if she could prove him wrong all over again.

Both girls knew the truth - despite how low in esteem Subaru held himself, he truly had potential to be one of the best. He just had to believe in himself a bit more...

He kept moving back and moving back, before eventually, his feet would stumble over a rock, leaving him to crash back into Felt's hut. Seeing the opportunity, the thief cut the support beam holding it all together, leaving the entire place to crash on Subaru.

"And that is the end of this foolish game for that worm." Priscilla was clearly satisfied at the ending of this fight, having found the entire exchange utterly pointless.

Now buried under the curtain that had once covered the entrance, Subaru could not resist as she stepped on his chest and pressed her blade to his nose.

"P-Please! Just hear me out, Felt!" He begged with clear desperation in his voice. "I came to see you on important business!"

"I suppose that you were pretty suspicious of him, weren't you, Felt-chan?" Emilia questioned with a fond smile, remembering how confused both had been at the boy's sudden appearance in their lives.

Felt shrugged, giving an apologetic expression. "You know how it is, big sis. Trusting anyone in the slums, no matter how good they seem, is a big mistake. Scammers and thugs come from everywhere."

Having seen just how desolate the conditions in the slums truly was in the past two episodes, nobody could disagree with that, especially not the Royal Candidates, who all had come to realize the weakness the Kingdom of Lugnica had in not even keeping such a place from existence.

"How do you know my name? You want me to steal something for you?" The girl asked, now looking at him with suspicion. "If that's it, you should have said so first."

"You're the one who attacked me right away! You know, this is a greedy business you're running!" Subaru exclaimed indignantly. "Do you pride yourself on sticky fingers?!"

"It's all a matter of how to stay alive." She said simply, wagging her sword in the air as if lecturing Subaru. "If not for this, I'd have no choice but to sell my body."

Hearing these words from the girl, almost everyone in the room could not help but freeze, momentary shock coming over all of them.

"That's just deplorable..." Frederica muttered, as she looked down at little Petra beside her. She could not imagine the beautiful, innocent girl having to...sell her body just to live.

Every Royal Candidate decided it then and there. The slums was not something that any of them could ignore.

Emilia and Crusch both decided that they would have to focus even more on their goals. Emilia, rather than just focusing on demihuman equality, felt she had to think a little more on the class inequality in general.

As for Crusch, she truly felt even more than before that the people needed their own independence. Giving people a chance to actually move out of their positions - the woman understood now - people's strength would not simply rise from removing their promise with the dragon, but instead, giving them the power to rise out of their own situations - that was a sort of strength of its' own. One that needed to be fostered.

Anastasia couldn't help but give a pitiful smile at the girl's words. There had been a time when she'd understood that. She was practically a slave, and had been living off of scraps from the road. It was never something she'd share - but she could empathize with the little ex-thief more than anyone else in the room did.

Priscilla, as haughty and arrogant as it was, still found it entirely disgusting. She felt it only proved furthermore that it was indeed she who deserved to rule the country. After all, at the very least, she could say that she had indeed managed to keep her peons fed and happy, while the so-called 'Kingdom' of Lugnica could not even manage their commoners properly.

Reinhard looked at his lady with a sorry smile, yet he couldn't help but feel relieved. In a way, Subaru had saved Felt. The Sword Saint would have never met his mistress if he had never listened to his feelings about Subaru that day. In fact, she would have died.

"What's wrong?" Felt, meanwhile, was oblivious to all of these reactions, turning those red pearls that were her eyes up to her knight, Reinhard.

Of course, Reinhard, as usual, kept his cool, showing his mistress a genuine smile. "It's nothing, my lady. Just know that I always plan to keep you safe and well."

At these sudden sincere words, Felt just snickered, elbowing him in the side. "Geez, you're such a big dumb softie, Rein!"

To Felt, it was just her life, the conditions she'd grown up in. Her own words didn't even faze her.

Yet to everyone within the room, for different reasons...it would not be left to stand.

"So, what's your business with me? Spit it out."

"There's one thing I want." Subaru said, deciding to get straight to the point. "Here and now, I want to buy the insignia you stole!"

"Gettin' right ta' tha' point, huh? Forcin' what he wants right onta' tha' client. I like that." Anastasia grinned at Subaru's slight show of trading.

"His sense of urgency does help as well..." Julius added onto his mistress' words, finding himself moreso worried about just how rushed his friend was.

"You aren't associated with my client. Are you a business rival?" She asked, looking away from the boy.

"Call her a rival, or the one who I have to kill to avenge my parents she killed, or even the one who killed me!"

"I can't believe he brought that film trope up here and now, I suppose..." Beatrice muttered in disappointment at Subaru's joking words on his less-than-funny deaths.

"Film trope...?" Anastasia asked, of course finding herself interested in the Great Spirit's words.

"It's just another Subaruism. Don't worry about it." Otto waved off the merchant's question dismissively, though his words inversely made her even more curious.

'They've got words tha' they jus' attribute ta' tha' boy?! I feel like I've got a whole 'nother avenue of info to try and find out...'

"You're making no sense." She shook her head, getting up off of Subaru. "Well, I'm only interested in selling to whoever pays most. If you've got an offer that might be profitable, I'll listen."

"I can at least relate ta' thate." The merchant princess threw off her earlier curiosity to the side, giving an approving clap to the little girl's business sense.

Felt grinned proudly. "Well, I am a lady of business, too!" Her grin soon changed to worry, as she winced to a certain realization. "But still...knowing how uptight I am about possible scams, I'm just gonna hold big bro up, even if he shows off that device..."

"I mean, it ain't that bad, right? If the Sword Saint's story was good, then things turn out well anyway." Al shrugged, utterly unworried by the entire situation.

"True...but it is still somewhat painful to know that valuable time is going to be wasted to suspicion when the ending can still be vague..." Crusch argued to the knight's words, her eyes never once wavering into full relaxation as she observed the screen.

"Very shrewd…" Subaru said with a sigh of exasperation. "I have something worth more than twenty holy coins." His words drew Felt's attention, who looked at him in surprise.

"I want to buy your insignia with it. It's what everyone wants these days, a metia." He reached into his pocket, pulling out his cell phone to show to her.

"This again, huh?" Ricardo felt himself even more interested by this 'metia', and so was almost everyone else, now that they knew its' true, and insane capabilities beyond just capturing images in time.

He took a picture of her, without flash this time, showing it to her face.

As the camera zoomed out, revealing her face on the screen, we would see that Subaru was now standing up, proudly presenting it to her. "This is the power of a metia! It's a one-of-a-kind item that can stop, and capture, a moment in time. So, how about it?"

"It's definitely a good device...but I doubt that Felt-sama will truly know what to do with it." Rem hummed, as she herself figured that the little girl would not just take it on good faith.

"Whatever the case, Subaru-kyun is more than lucky to have actually had something worth selling...I doubt his clothes would have been worth nearly as much, nyan~!"

"F-Ferris!" Crusch spoke to her cat-eared knight with an embarrassed blush, the thought of a naked Subaru having touched her mind for a second...just a second.

"Putting aside his possible nakedness...it is indeed rather convenient, indeed." Julius found himself agreeing with his friend's assessment. While at first his transportation seemed inconvenient, it had been perfectly aligned with two royal candidates requiring assistance, and a meeting with the Sword Saint itself.

That had to either be extreme luck, or extreme precision at work.

"No, no, wait. How th'hell 're we jus' gonna put aside th'Cap'n gettin' naked jus' t'be sellin' his clothes again?!"

Of course, Felt's desperate question went completely unanswered.

Well, there was Ram, who at least showed a look of disgust at the thought. That was...something at least.

"Oi!"

Garfiel's cry of unfairness went unheard.

Felt gave the device an appraising, thoughtful look. "You don't seem to be lying. But that's supposed to be me? I'm way prettier."

"If you look this good without makeup, you're doing fine…Don't complain." Subaru closed the device, putting it back into his pocket.

Felt smiled vainly, rolling a finger around a strand of his hair. "I still don't think that I was wrong. It definitely can't properly catch the nice looks of a gal like me!"

Reinhard nodded eagerly, always agreeing with practically any point his lady made.

"Well, it is unusual. I'll give you that." She gave him a look of disbelief. "But twenty holy coins? Not likely. I'm not so stupid as to unquestioningly believe everything a prospective buyer says."

"Well, of course not…" Subaru murmured, leaving Felt to nod.

"At the far edge of the slums is a loot house. The fair thing is to have the codger who lives there, Old Man Rom, appraise it."

"I know this is how it has to be, but I really wish Subaru did not even have to go there..." Emilia took in a deep breath, squeezing her knight's hand as she emotionally and mentally prepared herself.

"Yeah. The dang place must feel like a haunted house by now. Can't do shit about it when the person who's got everything is leading ya' there."

Felt just gave an exasperated sigh at Al's truthful words, wishing she could just jump in, nab the emblem from herself to hand it back to Emilia.

...Or just knock herself out and take it. That worked too. No, maybe that was better.

Subaru felt put-off by her suggestion, clearly nervous at the idea of having to return to the cursed loot house… "So it still comes to that...Okay, I got it. Let's go. Right now. Let's move. On the double!" He placed a hand on Felt's shoulder, leading the overwhelmed girl off.

"I suppose we shall be watching the fight..." Roswaal mused, his voice having returned right back to the unusual seriousness.

"It still amazes me that that fool would lay down his life so easily, even after distinctly remembering the fate that awaits him." Priscilla could just not quite understand this illogical selflessness that he seemed to hold.

Even her knight, Al, did not speak a word of disagreement with her. He respected the kid's resolve, but he would never put down his life for some girl he barely even knew.

"That's just how that idiot is. Perhaps his idiotic selflessness is a constant?" Ram pondered, leaving her sister to sigh at the backhanded compliment.

"Betty is not happy to have to watch such a fight...yet, she would not easily deny that her contractor truly is too selfless, I suppose." The Great Spirit's words were conflicted, torn between pride and worry, yet she would easily choose to see a selfless Subaru rather than a selfish one.

"We'll have him take a look, and get right out of there!"

"Hey, hey!" Felt weakly protested.

We now move to see Felt and Subaru walking, with Subaru's pace being extremely fast.

"What the heck is up with you? Why are you in such a hurry?" Felt asked, struggling to keep up with him.

"If only I knew back then..." The little anarchist couldn't help but wish she'd had that knowledge back then. Although knowing how cautious she was, she probably would've just dismissed Subaru as a crazy boy.

Subaru grunted, not even returning a response to the thief.

"Subaru is probably really nervous..." Petra couldn't help but feel her own nervousness rise up at seeing how utterly terrified the boy on screen was.

"He is forcing himself to go to a place he might consider his own graveyard..." Frederica murmured, pity rising in her chest for the young man.

"You're soaked with sweat." She commented, noticing how nervous he was. "Live strong." The girl added, looking away from him.

"Live strong? Mimi lives strong every day!" The little girl exclaimed, much to the exasperation of her younger brother and Anastasia, who were both partners in dealing with the little girl's selfish wonder-filled nature.

"Everyone in the slums says that." Subaru noted. "Is it a catchphrase or something?"

"Don't lump me in with those guys!" Felt said angrily, as they walked past a group of desolate drunk slum-dwellers. "They're all talk. They aren't strong at all."

Two kids could be seen poking from a house, where their presumably sick mother lie, unmoving.

Felix felt an inward twinge at this sight, knowing personally just how much of these people could not even afford medical treatment, let alone were capable of finding a proper doctor to heal them.

He hoped those two kids were alright...

"They're just a bunch of stingy losers at life."

"Hmph. It is a wonder that I could actually agree with something from you, rat."

"I ain't happy to hear any words from you." Felt fired back to Priscilla's words, kicking her legs over one another.

"No matter what they are, that's a bit harsh…" Subaru retorted to the verbal beat-down.

Felt dashed out in front of Subaru, turning around to look into his eyes. "I'm not like the people here. I have no intention living out my life in these back alleys!"

Anastasia felt herself resonate with the girl on screen. She remembered she had had those exact thoughts...and it was the entire reason she'd even become a merchant in the first place. To escape her hellish life of poverty and slavery, she'd forced her way up to the top, to become the best merchant in Kararagi.

She turned her gaze to the smug ex-thief, and wondered, briefly, if she should try to get along a little better with her...

Subaru paused at her conviction-filled words, giving her a serious gaze. "And? You think twenty holy coins will make your dream come true?"

Felt gave him a smug look with her chin upturned. "It's true that'd be a huge leap towards my goal. Even if I were alone, it isn't as if I couldn't get by with effort."

Subaru seemed surprised at this choice of wording. "If you were alone?" Those words made him think of Old Man Rom...and how he protected and doted on the girl as if she were his niece, or daughter.

Wilhelm was slightly taken aback by just how truly important the giant he'd once fought against had become for another.

'To think this is what would become of that rebel...'

The man truly supposed that everyone could change, given enough time and the right circumstances...perhaps...even he could treat his own grandson better.

"Never mind…" Felt said dismissively, realizing she'd spoke too much.

A look of realization crossed Subaru's face...followed by a warm smile.

"There goes that irritating smirk of his..." Ram already felt annoyed just seeing him smile...yet somewhat relieved.

"Tch. What are you smirking about?" Felt complained, looking at him with a pout. "You really piss me off!"

"Don't worry about it." Subaru said, stepping forward to give the surprisingly kind girl a pat on the head.

"H-Hey, what're you doing? Stop!" She demanded, though Subaru just continued ruffling her hair. "Hey!"

Felt blushed, slowly bringing a hand to her head as she remembered where the boy had pat her. It was the first time in her life anyone other than Old Man Rom had done such a thing.

"Ah-!" Garfiel pointed a finger at her with a wide mouth. "Th' Cap'n is working his lolimancer magic from beyond the screen!"

Everyone got a nice long laugh out of this, much to Felt's embarrassment, as she tried in vain to hide her blushing expression by clasping her hands over her cheeks.

Her protests blended into the background for him, as he spoke to himself. "Just gotta make it work, huh? And only I can do that."

Felt was now positively both embarrassed and annoyed, though she made no move from the boy's hand. "Don't get all sentimental and babble nonsense! I'll bite you!"

Beatrice rolled her eyes at the girls' complaints, looking up to her sleeping contractor with a somewhat angry pout. She wished that she could at least receive his pats if she was to be forced to watch such an ungrateful girl get them for free...

Her words went unheard to Subaru, as he now thought to the half-elf he still didn't know the name of.

'It isn't only for her. I'll change the fate that's waiting for me! And to do that, I'll…' His thoughts faded out, back to Felt's complaining.

"I told you to cut it out!" She leaped forward, her teeth practically shining in the evening sun as she bit down on Subaru's hand, leaving him to let out a rather loud, high-pitched scream.

"AAAAAAAAH!"

There was another wave of laughter at this, especially Otto and Garfiel.

"Too much material...jus' too much material, Otto-bro!" Garfiel was practically crying with how hard he had been laughing, with the same coming from Otto.

"N-Natsuki-san...I am so sorry..." The Head of the Interior just had to take this moment to laugh his ass off at his friend.

Felt just chuckled at the scene, though it made her think for a second...

It made her think of a life where Subaru really was with her...right alongside her with Reinhard and Old Man Rom. They would be able to laugh together, have fun together, and spend lots of time just being around each other.

They would be...like a real, little, happy family.

And she would never let him die over stupid crap.

A tiny seed began to sow it's way inside her...a small seed of discontent, at the camp her big brother had ended up in.

"W-well, Subaru's silliness aside...we're truly going to see it, now." Emilia brought her hand down from her lips as she finished giggling, her eyes focusing on the screen.

"Yes. We shall see Subaru-kun's true fight..."

Rem and Emilia both held onto the boy they loved's hand, as if they were trying to transfer their feelings into him. They knew that the scene was long past done and finished with...but that did not mean that they would simply let go of the feelings of caution rising up in their chests.

After an upwards panning shot of the hills from the slums to the inner city is shown, we change scenes to the loothouse, where Rom is inspecting Subaru's cellular device in one hand.

"So this is a metia...Even I've never seen one before." The giant admitted, turning it left to right during his inspection.

"It's fairly delicate, so handle it with care." Subaru spoke, with both him and Felt now standing at the counter.

"That's puttin' it lightly." Anastasia huffed, having to stop herself from freaking out just at seeing the giant's large hands hold so tightly onto the device.

"Think along the lines of, 'If you break it, you have to die,' like, no do-overs." He joked, with Felt looking at him in exasperation.

"He's really trying to emphasize its' value, this time around..." Julius noted, not too keen on his friend's dark wording.

"Yeah, I'm definitely impressed." He admitted, slowly bringing it down for both to look at him as he delivered the verdict. "If I were to sell this, I'd take no less than fifteen...no, twenty holy coins." His words left Felt's mouth almost wide open. "It's worth at least that."

"The same appraisal as last time..." Roswaal whispered to himself, as he took a mental note of his own. It seemed as if some things would always remain stable within the boy's loops.

"All right! Negotiations complete!" Subaru announced, raising a fist to the sky as he retrieved his cellphone from the giant's fingers. "Now, if we're done talking, let's go for drinks to celebrate a completed sale!"

He turned around, making the weirdest walk to the door...but nobody followed, of course.

"Hold up!" Felt got up from her seat to face him, making Subaru pause. "Why are you in such a hurry?"

"Damn. It." Felt kicked the empty seat in front of her, feeling absolute frustration at her own stubborn nature.

"His heart was at least in the right place." Crusch spoke, with a fond, caring smile on her. "It seemed as if he were attempting to remove everyone from the loothouse as quickly as possible."

"He really always tries his best to keep everyone safe, does he not...?" Rem, now after witnessing her hero's true sacrifices, was not sure if that was a flaw or a good side to him anymore...but her heart fluttered at his selfless nature nonetheless.

Felt, meanwhile, just felt even more of a connection to Subaru. He knew her even less than Emilia...but he was still trying to save her and Old Man Rom from certain death.

She really could just let go of her big bro now after knowing all that he had done to keep her safe.

He slowly turned to face her, still frozen mid-walk. "Life doesn't last forever. Make every second count. Don't waste any-"

"Ah! Yeah, yeah, I don't care about all that stuff." Felt interrupted, knowing he would just evade her answer more. "Why do you even want the insignia, anyway? This insignia is worth a lot more than it looks! That's why everyone wants it." Felt reasoned, bringing the item out to look at it.

"In other words, this would sell for more than a metia-"

"-Aaaaagh!" Felt ruffled her own hair in frustration, not even wanting to hear the rest of her future self's words.

Anastasia chuckled darkly at the scene, finding the entire thing ironic. Usually she'd praise someone for always haggling about a deal and thinking smart, but in this case, that thinking was truly deadly.

Subaru took a step forward, now being the one to cut off her words. "Hang on, Felt! That's a dangerous way to think!" Subaru warned, bringing his hands down in desperation. "He appraised it at over twenty holy coins. Just sell it for that! Don't ask for more!"

"El-The woman who asked you for it can't go higher than twenty, either. She won't pay more than that!" He tried to convince the girl, gritting his teeth.

"Damn it. He has slipped up once more." Even Julius couldn't stop a curse from escaping his lips at his friend's tiny slip up.

"This is only gonna make his job of trying to rush shit even goddamn harder..." Al grumbled in frustration, realizing that the boy's rushing was just digging him into an even deeper pit.

"Hm. And how do you know that? You just admitted that you're with them." Felt pointed out, those exact words making him back away to the door. He stared behind him, as if Elsa would appear any second.

"I don't have time...Please, Felt!" He begged, though Felt just gave a disappointed shake of her head.

"Subaru is begging so sincerely..." Emilia could almost not bare to watch this scene, her fingers clasping together in a near-prayer filled gesture.

Anastasia just sighed at this, shaking her head at the sight. "It's no use. In a negotiation, beggin' is jus' another way a' tellin' yer client ye're at their mercy."

"Begging won't help. I acknowledge you as a negotiating party. But not hearing what my client says wouldn't be fair."

"The reason I want that insignia is so I can return it to its owner." Subaru explained truthfully, only because the assassin was not present.

"Huh?" Felt asked, clearly confused.

"I want to return it to its owner! That's why I want the insignia!" He repeated, clearer and louder. "That's all! So please…!" He closed his eyes, giving her an incredibly sincere and polite bow.

Rom looked at Felt, deciding to give her some of his wisdom. "Felt, it doesn't look to me like the boy's lying."

"She's...she's at least going to listen to the scary old man, right?" Mimi asked hopefully, though her bright words were met by complete and utter silence.

"Don't you go getting taken in by him, Old Man Rom." She retorted, clearly unconvinced. "He's clearly joking around. Return it to the owner? Ridiculous! If you're gonna lie, make it more believable!" Her voice became more and more enraged, leaving Rom to look at her with worry.

"I won't be fooled!" She concluded with a yell, and an utterly pissed off expression.

Felt couldn't even say anything else to herself, just feeling nothing but anger and frustration at this stubbornness of her. It was an attitude that had kept her healthy and alive in the slums, but now, it was what was unknowingly pushing a boy away that just wanted to save her life.

Reinhard placed a gentle hand on his mistress' shoulder, comforting her the best he could with his touch.

"See? Just place a bit of money in front of their faces, and they wag their tails like dogs, then becoming as greedy as pigs." The flame princess waved her fan in front of her face, laughing in clear enjoyal at this pathetic display.

This time, she was met by harsh gazes not just from Emilia, but also from Reinhard, Anastasia...even Crusch.

Yet, none said a single word to her, just turning back in silence after their glares.

"Felt…" Subaru repeated her name slowly, as if wanting to beg her even more...but then, it came. A sound that made Subaru's entire body stiffen.

A slow knocking at the door.

"T-That ain't?!" Garfiel tensed up, his entire body entering combat mode as he prepared for yet another ambush.

"It can't be..." Julius felt much the same as the young demihuman, readying himself for what was to come, as well.

"Who's that?" Rom raised his head to the entrance.

"It might be for me. It's a little early, though."

While Rom and Felt were relaxed, Subaru was dripping endless amounts of sweat, terrified at the monster that was about to walk in and mutilate all of them.

"H-He's so terrified..." Petra was mortified at this expression on Subaru's face, never having seen him make such an expression before.

"He's right to be. Especially if whoever walks through that door is not Emilia-sama." Frederica did not enjoy this look on the young man, either.

The look of a man who knew his death was coming.

"Don't open it!" He pleaded to Felt, just as she approached the door handle, making Felt look back at him. "W-We'll be killed!" He took two steps back, towards the counter.

"All we can do is hope." Wilhelm stared sternly, preparing to take in every detail.

"Yes...however...I do not believe that we will have to worry much." Crusch's eyes were still filled with conviction, yet not a hint of worry. Somehow, she just knew it...

Ignoring him, the girl went on to open the door, slowly revealing, in Subaru's incredibly shrunken, frightened eyes…

"Kill you? I wouldn't do something so terrifying." It was the same half-elf he'd come to know in the first loop, Emilia, that made her appearance in the doorway.

A collective sigh of relief was heard throughout the theater, as Emilia's reveal left them all with a sort of lightness within their hearts.

"Huh?" Subaru was absolutely thrown off by this change in events.

"It looks like we were right, yes..." Reinhard smiled assuredly, somehow knowing that there would be no more need to worry.

Felt was thrown off as well...however, for an obviously different reason.

"It's gotta be, right?" Felt grinned, a bit of excitement raising up in her chest.

Emilia narrowed her eyes at everyone in the loothouse.

"Yes...this is the true, final one." Emilia showed an angelic smile, practically glowing as she watched the screen. Her hands lightened up, her grasp on Subaru's hand changing from a frantic one, to a loving, tender one.

Rem and Beatrice let out sighs of relief, the weight on their hearts making way for happiness.

"M'glad that ya' managed ta' show up on time...but I'm more glad that we're finally gonna get ta' see this fight." Anastasia grinned, all too excited that she would get to see such an interesting battle for herself...and some small part of her felt the weirdest sense of relief at Emilia's reassuring words.

Just a small part of her.

The screen would go black, showing a relatively simple title card:

Reunion with the Witch

Emilia's grin slightly lessened at the title on screen. She knew it was her fault for giving Subaru the name of the Witch, but she never enjoyed being referred to as such...

Emilia now stood inside, addressing Felt. "I'm glad that you're here. This time, you won't get away."

Subaru, meanwhile, was looking at her with his mind in array. 'Why is she here? It's still light out.' Then it clicked, as he remembered her words on him holding her back, looking quite miffed at this revelation. 'Wait, if she hadn't been with me, would she have arrived this early?'

"Useless..." Priscilla muttered, utterly disgusted at the boy's powerless nature. Yet, she also found a bit of comedy within it, as well. Not enough to make her laugh, of course.

Beatrice was not too pleased at her contractor's thoughts. She knew of course from what he had told her that he never had high self-esteem...but every experience in this world just seemed to be breaking him down more and more. Even Fate itself seemed to be telling him that he was most useful when not even being directly involved at all.

"Now I see why he was so prideful at the royal selection." Julius sighed, understanding his friend's mindset. He was not a truly arrogant man, he just acted prideful to cover up for how much his actual pride had been hurt.

Ricardo could not help but wince at these words, having his own feelings and pride as a man, and as a warrior. "Tha' had ta' have hurt..."

"You never quit, do you?" Felt backed up, ready to brawl. "I'm telling you, just give up already!"

"I'm sorry, but this isn't something that I can give up on. If you do as I say, I won't hurt you." Emilia replied sternly while holding her hand out, distortions in the air appearing around her as six sharp diamond-shaped ice crystals formed into existence around her, floating in the air.

"Ooooh! She's bringing out ultra-cool ice magic!" Mimi exclaimed excitedly, punching her fists into the air at this reveal.

Rom and Subaru looked on in shock as the half-elf continued speaking. "I have only one demand. Return my insignia. It's very important to me." Her eyes were deathly serious as she stared down the thief.

Everyone watched the ice with hesitation, with even Rom speaking up after a bit of stuttering.

"They won't be capable of lifting a fingeeeeeeeer to Emilia-sama." Roswaal said with confidence. Even he, as the greatest magician, was completely outclassed in mana capacity alone by the half-elf.

Skill of course, was another issue.

"If she were just another magic user, I wouldn't back down, but this one's trouble…"

Wilhelm rose an eyebrow at this, finding himself stroking his beard. "To think that brash fool would become one to pick and choose his fights..."

"What's with you, Old Man Rom? Admitting defeat before we even fight?" Felt berated, raising a fist to the giant.

"Young lady, you're an elf, ain't ya?" Rom pointed out. His words left Felt and Subaru to keep looking at her, expecting an answer. With a sigh, she looked to the man to correct him.

"Not exactly. I'm only a half-elf."

At these words, Felt stepped back. "A-A half-elf? And with silver hair...Wait, are you…?"

Emilia immediately waved off her half-horrifying realization. "It's an accidental resemblance! Really, it's bothersome to me."

"Sorry, big sis." Felt winced, now realizing how insensitive her words were going to become.

Emilia just chuckled, waving off her words just as she had on screen. "Don't be. I'd never hold something like that against you."

The little ex-thief could not help but shake her head at Emilia's excessive kindness, turning her gaze back to the screen.

Subaru looked between Felt and Emilia, fully silent.

"You set me up, didn't you?" Felt accused, pointing at the boy.

"Huh? No, I didn't do anything…" He denied, looking right at her.

"After you said you'd return it to its owner, I thought you were suspicious!" Felt shouted right back, now leaving Emilia confused at seeing her anger.

"What do you mean? You two aren't working together?"

"I was waaaaaay too confused back then. Subaru really just showed up out of nowhere, and neither of us knew just what he was doing there." The scene reminded Emilia of that moment, as she gave her knight a gentle stare.

It was unbelievable to her – knowing just what that boy had really gone through just to stand there in that one moment. None of her guesses would have ever been sufficient.

"Isn't that just his usual mode of action?" Ram shrugged, her frank and nonchalant words causing Emilia to giggle, everyone else sharing a short laugh.

"Yer dang right. Nobody expects th' Cap'n!" Garfiel agreed with a wide grin. Even knowing of his Captain's ability, he still knew that it took guts for him to fight against his fate.

There was silence as Subaru looked between the two standing off...before his eyes laid sight on the green gem in the center of her chest, where her spirit resided, more specifically...off to the side, at the flower brooch on her chest.

He remembered in the previous loop, how she had received it from the fruit vendor's daughter.

'Her nature never changes, no matter how many times I start over in this world.' Subaru thought with relief, giving a short chuckle and a smile as the kind memories flowed through him.

"Sheesh. Tha' boy really is jus' heads over heels fer ya, huh?" Anastasia looked down at Emilia, giving her a teasing, smug grin.

"I still do not understand just what my contractor sees within this half-elf." Beatrice sighed while shaking her head, though it was easy to tell that her words were playful, too.

"Well, Emilia-sama is really nice after all! Almost everybody back home loves her as much as Subaru!" Petra chimed in with a joyful smile.

Emilia could only blush at all of these mixed teases and praises, silently keeping her eyes on the screen. She still was not sure if she was deserving of such words and feelings, but...knowing Subaru's suffering, she knew that she had a lot of work to do to truly earn it.

"Hey! What the heck are you laughing about?!" Felt inquired angrily, leaving Subaru to turn to her with his hands up.

"Now, now, isn't that enough? You can just return her insignia, Felt." He then looked to the half-elf magician. "And you, Sa- I mean, you, just hurry and get out of here. Try not to let anyone steal it again."

Emilia was put off by the boy's sudden kindness. "Why are you suddenly being so nice? I reeeeeally don't understand at all."

"I don't understand you, either! What's up with you?" Felt joined in on the verbal beat-down of the boy with pleasure, fists raised indignantly to the air.

"Must be a pain. He's got all those memories, but he won't even tell them about it, probably just not to look insane." Al shook his head in pity at the boy's solitary memories. He did not quite sympathize with his selflessness, but there must have been a certain sort of loneliness to his experiences.

"Now that you mention it…" Felt murmured in reply to the one-armed knight's words. She would never get to see her big bro have those lovely interactions he had had with Old Man Rom, and even herself in the second loop.

"It is a true shame…" Julius, himself, felt some sort of incompleteness. It made him wonder if he had had any sort of interaction with the man he'd come to call his friend…

A cold shiver passed through Emilia's body, as her mind was forced to confront the missing memories that she would never have. Those fun experiences, the trust and friendship she'd built up with Subaru – she never got to have them.

And she never would.

She held her hands close to her chest, letting out a shaky breath. The girl had to stay positive, if not for the sake of herself, but for the sleeping boy right next to her. While she felt somewhat betrayed by Subaru's silence...she couldn't help but wonder if he must have had some reason for keeping such a secret.

Subaru gave a kind smile and chuckle to felt too...but his eyes, widened, turned to the side to see a shadowy figure raising their weapon above them, ready to strike.

"Holy shit!" Ricardo shouted in surprise, all laxness disappearing from his posture as that terrifying nightmare of a woman appeared.

"Emilia-sama's spirit is the only option!" Reinhard clenched his fists in desperation, hoping, wishing, that he could somehow be there even quicker.

"Puck! Shield her!" He yelled in desperation, an ice shield forming behind Emilia's back at the last second to block the blow.

The figure rocketed from behind Emilia, landing in an empty corner of the room.

"That was...rather close timing." Crusch let out a relieved breath she had not even known she was holding in. Yet, she could not help but smile brightly after the danger had passed. Again, her words on Natsuki Subaru's quick thinking and wits had proved correct.

"Indeed. Had Subaru had not caught it, the situation would have instantly become much more dire."

Anastasia gave a dark chuckle at her knight's impressed words, her arms tucking closely to her body. "In a way, it's a darn good thing tha' boy didn' let his guard down. Without that warnin', they woulda been toast."

"I would not be relieved so easily, commoners. That fool has somehow managed to block a single blow...but what shall he do for the rest of her attack?"

The prideful Duchess' ominous words left everyone in silence, a restless anticipation building up among the cast.

"I really just made it by a hair's breadth with that timing." Puck crawled from behind Emilia's hair, giving a thumbs up to the boy. "You saved us!"

"Nice one, Puck! Thank goodness it was before five, while you're still on duty. Thanks!" Subaru said with relief, returning the spirit's thumbs up.

"Hmm…" Otto caught onto Subaru's revealing words immediately, sliding a finger across the front of his hat. "It is surprising. Natsuki-san casually revealed that he was aware of Emilia-sama's spirit, and of its' exact hours of operation...would that not usually be a point of concern?"

To the merchant's thoughtful words, Emilia hummed, tilting her head back and pressing a finger to her chin. "...I was really just too worried about the situation to question it. I think Puck was, too. There wasn't any space for us to leisurely ask questions when that reeeeeeally dangerous woman was just feet away."

Reinhard gave an approving nod to the silver-haired half-elf's words. "That was a wise decision. The Bowel Hunter is the type to capitalize on whatever chance she may gain, so stopping to have that discussion mid-battle would likely not be met well."

Hearing both the Sword Saint and Emilia's explanations, Otto leaned back in his chair, deciding to simply roll with the answers. He was still curious, but instead chose to keep further questioning until later.

"A spirit...that is a spirit, yes?" Elsa's smooth, sensual voice rolled through the loothouse, as she straightened out her posture to stand. "How wonderful. I have never dissected a spirit's stomach before." She grinned sadistically, a grin which made Felt falter, chills running down her back.

"Sick bitch." Garfiel spat, clearly still unsettled at his past opponent's obsession with guts and intestines.

"Hmph! Such a worthless, vulgar, and disgusting woman would never be capable of laying a single finger on Bubby, I suppose." Beatrice was pissed off by the assassin's blunt words, but had more than enough confidence in her big brother.

"Hey, what do you mean by that?" The little blonde thief dared to question, angered at her client's betrayal.

Hands on her hips, Elsa explained herself simply. "If the item's original owner is here, we can hardly negotiate." She shook her head, then continued. "So there has been a change of plans."

The woman held up her sharp Kukri blade, which reflected the glint of evening sun shining in through the window behind her. "I shall slaughter everyone here. You failed to see your job through to the end."

She now directed harsh words at Felt. "You talk a good game, but you do terrible work. You really are just another slum dweller."

Felt rolled her eyes at what were likely supposed to be hateful words from Elsa. "The bitch really does some good posturing, like she wasn't planning on just massacring us all from the start!"

The little thief's voice was filled with rage, her entire body shaking. Any sense of fear had disappeared from her, replaced by just that one feeling.

At her words, Felt was incredibly pissed, her entire body shaking in rage.

However, it was Subaru who stepped up, shouting at the assassin. "You bitch...Stop fucking around! Don't get your kicks from picking on a little kid, you guts-loving sadistic woman!" He held a shaking fist up to his chest. "Felt is doing her best to live strong...Just because your plan was thrown off, you think it's over and flip tables?"

"W-What the heck is that idiot doing?" Ram was caught off guard by Subaru's sudden choice of time to deliver a speech. Even she couldn't fully keep her composure at such a random moment.

"Don't tell me he really thinks he can preach to this broad, of all people…" Al muttered with a skeptic tone, finding himself completely lost as well.

"I would not put it past this fool." Priscilla felt her mood quickly lowering in disappointment, as she was forced to watch the boy put on this jester-like display.

Of course, there were those like Mimi, Petra, and Felt, the newly formed sisterhood, that just found themselves giggling at this scene.

Subaru put his hands on his hips, his rambling now becoming more long-winded. "Are you a little kid? You should value life more! Do you know how much having your belly cut open hurts?" He pointed an accusatory finger at her. "Well, I do!" He exclaimed in rage.

"W-Well, Subaru-kyun may be questionable sometimes, but I'm sure that he has something in mind, nyan!" Felix muttered with desperation. He felt his newfound respect and confidence in the boy shattering with each cringy word from his mouth.

"He definitely has a unique way a' thinkin'." Anastasia tried to sound serious as she assessed the boy's possible thoughts, yet couldn't stop the amused smile threatening to force its' way on her face.

"Actually…he truly may be planning something." Julius, an experienced Spirit Arts user himself, was beginning to get a faint idea of just what this interference could be used for.

Felix looked at his friend with disbelief, as he himself had been entirely speaking out of his ass just to try and preserve the young man's reputation.

"For real?! I-I mean, of course I knew that he was, nyan~!"

The cat-eared feminine knight incredulous words didn't sound believable at all.

"What in the world are you talking about?" Elsa asked, completely unsure just where the boy was going with this speech.

"I'm in the process of letting the justice and chivalry I never knew I had denounce all the world's unfairness!" He answered quickly. "And what I consider 'unfair is you, this situation, and…"

He turned to the camera for a second and spoke in a light, salesman-like voice. "-Stay tuned, folks." Before turning right back to Elsa and clapping his hands together, surprising Felt.

"And, there! All done buying time…" He punched a fist forward. "Get her, Puck!"

"As I thought!" Julius' face brightened, at his friend's repeated showing of his resourcefulness. "He was allowing the Great Spirit to gather mana in preparation for an attack. As he had just been summoned, it only made sense that he would require time to ready himself."

Garfiel let out a sigh of relief, happy that his Captain's embarrassing display had not been for nothing at all.

"He's really makin' use a' any and everythin' jus' ta' keep 'em afloat in this fight, huh?" Ricardo noted, even finding himself impressed by the boy's battle instincts.

"That is Rem's hero! Regardless of the situation, he will do everything within his power to prevent the situation from becoming any worse." A large, proud smile was on the blue-haired Oni's face, as her inner fangirl lit up upon seeing her hero in action

"Yeah. Things would have gone reeeeeaally bad if Subaru wasn't there…" Emilia had to admit this fact. As far as she could tell, in nearly every scenario, she would just die to Elsa regardless of the situation. The boy's presence made a change that quite literally kept her out of an inescapable loop of death.

She turned a soft gaze to her knight's face, bringing a hand to gently caress his cheek. The loving expression on her face showed it all – whatever her thoughts on the viewing, she knew she had a lot more important things to tell him…

Felt turned her gaze up to find the cat spirit floating, who acknowledged Subaru's act with a smug grin.

"A brilliant display of awkwardness, which I hope survives throughout the ages. I'd better live up to your expectations!" Bright blue spheres of light appeared around the spirit, as he faced Elsa.

"Oooooh~!" Mimi and Petra let out coos of awe, both girls looking utterly excited at the awesome display of magic being put on before them.

Beatrice grinned proudly, tilting her head upwards and folding her arms. "Look in amazement! Betty's Bubby is the greatest, in fact!"

All the while, Emilia could only look on blankly at the spirit. "B-But Puck is my spirit, Beat-"

"I said, Betty's Bubby is the greatest, I suppose!"

The half-elf could only give up...

"We haven't introduced ourselves, have we, milady?" Countless ice spears, counting in the tens of dozens appeared in front of the spirit, all aimed at Elsa. "Remember my name, after you die!"

Elsa did not dodge this barrage fancily, just bringing her cloak forward to block the endless barrage of diamond-shaped icicles, leaving a cloud of dust.

"Did they get her?" Rom asked in anticipation.

"Ahhhh...the old dude really had to ask that question, out of everything?" Al muttered in irritation, finding that his memories were all to familiar with that tropey talk.

"He is truly triggering way too many negative flags, I suppose." Beatrice nodded in agreement to the helmeted knight's words.

Of course...nobody understood what any of that meant.

"Don't trigger that flag, old man!" Subaru reprimanded.

The dust cleared to reveal a large block of ice where Elsa had once stood, though it quickly began to crack and break with a large shining of light.

"One should always be prepared." Elsa spoke, the ice breaking around her as her cloak disappeared into purple light.

"An anti-magic cloak?" Anastasia noted keenly, her analytical eyes immediately bringing the object, and all knowledge of it to the forefront of her mind. "That's a rare item indeed. I've heard that tha' formula ain't even public. The only way ta' get it is by commissionin' it straight from tha' magician who developed it."

Otto grit his teeth in frustration at this idea. "So Elsa's organization either has contact with powerful mages, or her employer themselves was a powerful mage? That is going to be rather tricky to track down…"

"Possibly. However, we can easily have our knights search for those who are capable of making such an item. They may not be based in Lugnica, but considering that we know they are affiliated with Emilia-sama's camp in some shape or form, they likely are. And if they are...I will find them" Reinhard promised with sheer conviction in his tone.

He would not forgive whatever heinous criminal not only attacked Emilia-sama, but his friend, and the lady who he felt as if he lived just to serve.

"Giving a damn assassin enchanted magic items to run around with. Whoever hired her must've been a real sick bastard." Al spat, thinking the idea itself revolting. The person that hired her really seemed to give her every bit of detail just to kill this one naive little girl.

Ram, of course, slowly turned her gaze towards her master, with a mortified expression on her face. Immediately, she knew. She just knew, even without anything else being said.

The girl had been there when her master created that anti-magic spell.

She had been there as he enchanted a cloak with it.

And...and….

"Let us just continue to watch, Ram." The man said softly, a shadow over his face that hid whatever his true expression was. Hearing that voice, that voice that was so cold, lacking any warmth or jovial energy. A voice filled with despair.

Ram could only tremble in fear and worry, but, she had to force herself to look back to the screen.

From the other side of the row, Beatrice looked at the magician out of the corner of her eyes, hate and sorrow pooling in those butterfly irises of hers.

'Roswaal...you absolute idiot. Whatever you get for this...you fully deserve, I suppose.'

The spirit kept her retribution focused thoughts to herself, knowing that whatever the man had did would be revealed soon.

Frankly, she no longer cared. Her contractor meant much more to her than the makeup-wearing man ever did now. Yet, as she realized just who the traitor was...she still felt a tiny, ever to small conflicting emotion of sympathy.

She held her blade up, licking her lips and heading straight for Emilia, who was ready for her.

"Don't underestimate a spiritual-arts user." She created a shield of ice in front of her to perfectly block Elsa, an ice projectile coming above from Puck which forced her to jump back.

"She is truly adept at using that ice…" Julius murmured in amazement, looking down at Emilia with curiosity in his eyes. "Does this ice originate from Water Magic or Fire Magic, Emilia-sama?"

Emilia chuckled, placing a finger on the crystal that laid on her chest. "Fire Magic. Puck is a Great Spirit of Fire, after all. Although, I don't really like to use the actual fire too much...I prefer using it for fire magic, for, well...personal reasons."

The Knight felt as if there were a deeper story behind this, but decided to leave it alone, instead choosing to sate any further curiosity he had by returning his gaze to the screen.

She flipped and jumped as shot after shot came, showing off her extreme agility. Meanwhile, Puck just casually rotated midair, firing away at her with no worry. "For a girl, you're well accustomed to battle."

"My, it has been a while since I've been regarded as a simple girl." Elsa cut a few of the icicles in half this time, left with nowhere to move. She slid over to the side and ran on the wall, jumping onto a table.

"Ha. She is nothing but a child playing with her toys to Great Spirits such as me and Bubby, in fact." Beatrice agreed with her big brother's words, looking forward eagerly. The little spirit was awaiting the assassin's downfall with bated breath.

It was revealed that both Emilia and Puck were shooting at her together, doubling the load of Elsa's need to dodge. "Well, from my perspective, all opponents are basically babies." Puck explained, as Elsa resorted to even crawling on the wall just to dodge. "Still, you're so strong. I almost pity you.

"Being praised by a spirit. I am deeply touched." Elsa's speed kept up, with her performing dodge after dodge always at the last second before she was hit, switching to cutting up the ice again.

"It's almost rather worrying how she refuses to take this battle seriously." Crusch even felt that fighting against such a person would challenge her own personal skills. Of course, her steel will would never disappear, but fighting such a monster was an experience she'd never had.

"Don' let it get t'ya, miss. Take it from my amazin self's experience, th'bitch s'jus a fiend who gets off t'being cut up and cuttin' up!" Garfiel reassured the Duchess, remembering how he had felt just trying to get the assassin to treat him as a real opponent.

"Simply calling her a fiend is almost too light a punishment." Wilhelm spoke with contempt, remembering the horrendous deaths she had put every single person in that room through.

Rom, Felt, and Subaru had gathered against the wall of the room, near the bar counter.

"If this turns into a battle of attrition, we should have a chance." He figured, only for Rom to immediately deny this.

"No, fer a spirit, the real battle is how long they can stay corporeal."

These words made Subaru blink in realization. "That's right, it must be almost five…"

The sun began to slowly set through the windows, giving way to darkness bit by bit.

"Bubby's limit!" Beatrice spoke with worry, her eyes gaining a concern-filled edge to them.

"This isn't good. A one-on-one fight with that demon will undoubtedly result in an unfavorable outcome." Wilhelm added grimly, having been focused on just how incredibly strong the woman on screen was.

"Oh my, and just when we were having such fun. What a bore." Elsa spoke in disappointment, as Puck continued to shoot of blast after blast at her.

"That's what sucks about being a popular guy. The girls just won't let you sleep. But you know, staying up late is bad for your skin, so we should wrap this up!"

Elsa was truly becoming backed up to the wall more and more, but her serene smile never faded from her face. She went to move after cutting an icicle in half...but found her right foot stuck, encased in ice, leaving her unable to move.

"I wasn't just randomly throwing those around." Puck slowly descended to Emilia's shoulder, as said spiritualist kept her hands up at Elsa.

"It was a trap!" Crusch spoke in realization, figuring that one of the ice crystals had been imbued with a freezing spell, which had only activated after missing the woman. "To think of such a strategy on the fly...I truly can not underestimate just what a spirit user is capable of in battle."

The woman shrugged, raising her hands up in mock questioning. "Does this mean I've been had?"

"Goodnight!" Was Puck's only response, as Emilia prepared a particularly strong blast in her palm, a huge mass of ice that towered its' way directly towards the trapped Elsa.

"Ooooooh~!" Once again, the sisterhood of Felt, Petra, and Mimi could not contain their excitement at the miraculous display of magic, though they were soon enough silenced by their respective adults.

"I must add my own respect as well…" Julius looked down to the half-elf with an appraising eye. "You are truly a talented Spirit Arts user, Emilia-sama. To have such an excellent mana capacity, along with such teamwork with a powerful spirit…"

Emilia wanted to feel proud and take the Finest Knight's praise wholeheartedly, but she shook her head, denying it for the moment.

"We can't relax yet. That assassin didn't get finished off by that attack."

Her words left some shocked, and some with gloomy expressions of understanding, as they returned their gazes back to the screen.

She seemed unable to move, only able to watch as it came towards her...but miraculously, at the last second, she dodged the entire giant attack with a side-flip.

"That agility o' hers is still as freaky as I 'member…" Garfiel shuddered, remembering how the woman had kept making impossible dodge and parry one after the other, contorting her body just to avoid everything

The huge attack left a giant path of ice in its' wake which fully hardened, radiating a chilling frost from it.

"My, how lovely…" Elsa spoke, as the camera moved to show her right foot, which had become mangled, broken, bleeding and torn as she had forcefully pulled it from the encasing ice. "I thought I was going to die." She said, her eyes looking insane as they held that same murderous glint within them.

"Urgh...how the hell does her body work?! She did that without flinching!" Felix, as the only doctor within the audience was the most freaked out by the sight.

"I ain't even sure she feels pain." Anastasia shook her head, even having her own composure broken at seeing that mangled foot.

Felt, Rom, and Subaru showed their surprise to the woman's survival, and Emilia and Puck were obviously shocked, too.

"But you're a girl, so I don't find that sort of thing very impressive." Puck still managed to shoot back an insult at her. Emilia looked down at her spirit sitting on her shoulder.

"Puck, can you keep going?" She questioned, only for her spirit to stretch upwards and yawn in reply.

"Sorry, I'm really sleepy...I underestimated her a bit...My mana's gone, so I have to disappear." He admitted, as he started to become transparent.

"Noooo…" The sisterhood trio once more reacted in unison, each girl letting out sounds of disappointment at the cat spirit's disappearance.

Beatrice huffed at the childish reactions of Felt, Petra, and Mimi, narrowing her eyes at the screen. "It would be different if it were the Emilia from now standing there...but this inexperienced one cannot hope to win without Bubby."

"Then, we have again reset to the beginning of the battle." Wilhelm noted grimly, with Beatrice silently confirming the old butler's words with a slow, hesitant nod.

Emilia cursed herself on the inside, wishing that she wasn't so weak and dependent in this scene. If it was the her from now, she could easily take down this monster, even with Subaru and the others to worry about.

"I'll take care of things here, so you can rest. Thank you." Puck showed a small mysterious smile as he faded away, speaking some ominous words.

"If anything happens to you, I'll act according to my contract. If it comes to it, call me, even if you have to squeeze me out of my Od." With those words, he disappeared fully.

Nobody understood what these words meant, but for some reason, the spirit's parting words left nearly everyone within the theater to shudder.

"For some reason...I ain't too keen on figuring out what happens if that 'contract' has to get activated." Al muttered, feeling goosebumps popping up all over his skin.

"You're going away?" Elsa murmured, her hopes clearly dashed as she pulled off a piece of the giant icicles in front of her, bringing it up to her foot and pressing it against the bottom, the ice practically melding with the sole of her foot.

The woman tested it out with a few stomps. "Well, that is very unfortunate." She turned to Emilia, her blade giving a sickish violet glint as she went straight for the now lone spirit user.

"She really is not a normal fighter. I can only liken her to a savage animal, one that hunts down to its' last broken bone." Crusch narrowed her eyes at this relentless assault from the woman.

Reinhard shook his head, as he recalled Elsa Granhiert's words to him. "That...is how a Bowel Hunter fights. Or so she claims."

Emilia clapped her hands, forming both an ice shield and diamond projectile in front of her, her gaze and body following Elsa who now slid around on her new ice heel.

As the woman skidded around Emilia, she minutely moved the projectile and shield as needed, blocking her barrage of attacks from all sides.

"S'a smart mode a' attack, but it ain't gonna last fer long 'gainst her." Ricardo was becoming anxious watching this fight, knowing that the tides of the battle could change almost instantly.

Subaru watched with gritted teeth, remembering just how bloodied this woman had left everyone in the trail of her massacre...yet, he couldn't get himself to fully move to his feet, legs shaking uselessly.

"To think that he would just sit on his feet and shudder like a baby...he truly is a useless piece of trash." Priscilla berated, once more disillusioned in her interest of the boy by this act.

"Come on princess, you can't-" He was silenced as Priscilla silenced him preemptively with her fan, leaving the one-armed knight silent.

"Th'hell d'you understand, huh?! Think you could do better?!" Garfiel twisted around in his seat, setting hateful eyes on the arrogant princess. "You died before?! You got th'balls t'get gutted two times an' stabbed in th'back?! Cause if you can fuckin' tell me you've suffered even th' tiniest bit a' that kinda shit, if you could even relate t'that th'fuckin' smallest amount, then I'll listen...but if not…" The demihuman's eyes narrowed in primal rage, as he practically roared at the woman.

"Then shut th'fuck up if you ain't actually got shit t'add! I'm tired a hearin' bullshit come from your pampered royal ass!"

Surprisingly, Priscilla was left speechless at this. She couldn't say anything back at the boy's words. Anything else that would come from her mouth would just sound superficial.

Priscilla was well and truly left silenced by the Shield of the Sanctuary's passionate speech.

Meanwhile, Garfiel's words just left Emilia, Beatrice, and Rem to sadly look at the boy they all loved and cared about.

Rem showed a sad smile, wondering just what her hero might've even gone through just to make it to this day and time.

Beatrice narrowed her eyes with a frustration filled frown, wishing she could have broken from her shell much earlier to lend her contractor the power and care that he needed.

Emilia was the worst off, a few tears dripping from her eyes as she considered everything that her knight had to have suffered through. He was just a kid...but he went through so much just to help her.

'Subaru...is this really why you keep going…? Just to keep those memories away...just to avoid all of that suffering?'

How badly all of them wanted him to wake up again, so they could comfort him, scold him, talk to him...but for now...all he would do is to continue sleeping.

"We can't just keep sitting around and watchin', Felt." Rom chided, as he pulled his wooden club from behind him, getting to his feet along with Felt.

"Yeah, I know." She agreed. "If we're going to run, we should get moving now." She would then look to the boy beside her with an apologetic smile. "About before, well...I guess you kinda saved me."

These words made Subaru gasp, as Felt would go on to clarify, "But just a little. Also, don't call me a little kid! I'm fifteen, you know! That can't be that much younger than me!"

"I'll be eighteen this year…" Subaru's words made her look at him in disbelief.

"No way! You're totally a kid! You need to live a life that shows on your face more!"

Felt chuckled at her own ironic words. "I never woulda' guessed bro looked so young just 'cause he came from another world with different standards…"

A small smile formed on her face. She was at least happy she'd gotten to properly thank her big bro this time around, rather than parting from him with a sorry like that last time...

Our attention returns to the intense fight between Emilia and Elsa, with Emilia being forced away from her shield and onto the counter by a swift faint and kick from the agile assassin.

She barely had time to move out of the way of a follow-up spinning slash, the metal of Elsa's blade nearly screaming with the speed she cut at. However, the recoil of the attack threw her against a shelf behind the counter, dropping some items on her.

"The pretty lady is out so quick?!" Mimi groaned in disappointment, having looked forward more to the epic showdown between the two beauties.

"I don't believe it was as simple as that." Reinhard hummed, feeling as if Emilia was capable of handling the situation rather easily. "I...don't believe she was using her full power."

"Really?!" Felt looked at Emilia for confirmation for this, feeling a bit of guilt in her heart.

"Yeah...I really didn't want to get you all hurt, since my trump card is something that can cause a looooooot of collateral damage...so I couldn't use it."

"Geez...I'm sorry we were holding you back so m-"

"Don't!" Emilia interrupted the little girl's guilt-ridden apology, giving her fellow candidate an angelic smile. "I did it of my own volition. Protecting you all was what I wanted to do, so don't think of it as an inconvenience!"

"Big sis…" Felt flushed red from the warmth she felt going through her. It wasn't one of embarrassment...but just happiness from how kind the girl was. She really was like Subaru in so many ways.

"Here I come!" Rom took this as his turn to fight, charging the woman from behind the counter.

"Ah, but isn't it a bit boorish to cut in on a dance?" Elsa looked behind her, effortlessly dodging over him into a slash.

"If you wanna dance, I'll show you the best dancin' you've ever seen." With Elsa's injury and tiredness, Rom was actually able to match her speed with his swings, parrying her blows rather than having her dodge or having his strikes miss entirely.

"He's properly keeping up this time!" Julius was surprised at the giant's newfound energy and agility.

"It must be because her bout with Emilia-dono and her spirit tired her out to some degree." Crusch mused, watching the battle with a strategic eye.

Rom himself even dodged with surprising agility, rolling under one of her strikes and charging at her.

Anastasia whistled in amazement at the giant's dodge, snickering afterwards at how comical it had looked. "Tha' old giant can really dance with tha' best a' 'em if he gets tha' chance ta' show off them moves!"

"Here wo go...Round an' round!" He smashed his club at her, completely shattering the ice that had built up with his brute strength.

"In one hit? It appears he has not lost that brute strength, at the very least." Wilhelm noted sharply, figuring that his old wartime enemy was not fully taken by age yet.

Of course, as always, Elsa dodged, this time hopping on top of the giant's club.

"Huh? What the-ah!" The giant looked up and vocalized his surprise, as Elsa readied herself for a downward slash to his skull.

"You are so strong, I was able to do this!" Elsa spoke excitedly like a girl in a candy shop, though her blade was deflected by Felt, who threw her own blade to knock Elsa's off-course.

"God-! As an opponent, she never gives up for a second!" Felt yelled in annoyance, happy that she had manage to wedge her blade in between Elsa's moves if even for but a second.

"She's one tenacious bastard. Took all my amazin' self had jus' t'take 'er out!" Garfiel cracked his fists together, as he remembered the heated battle that had taken place between the two of them.

"That agility is just hard to get past when you ain't got the reaction speed to consistently beat it." Al was impressed by the old giant's showing, but readied himself for the incoming end of the man.

The cast was now entirely sucked in by this life-or-death battle.

"Not gonna happen!"

This did not stop the attack entirely, with her attack still hitting the back of the man's head, though, with less force. He collapsed in a heap, leaving Elsa to look back at Felt.

"You bad girl…"

"Damn…" Felt knew that the old man would survive the attack, but she still could not help but feel useless at leaving him to be hurt so badly in the first place.

Felt's shoulders slumped, as she held back tears with a choked breath.

"You have neither the resolve nor strength to fight. You could have at least stayed in the corner, making yourself small." Elsa chided, leaving Subaru to grit his teeth as he thought.

'Damn, we're done for… There's really nothing I can do. I guess I'll have to Return by Death and start over.'

"W-What?" Felix was the one most taken aback by this, as Subaru seemed to be giving into that disgusting mindset...truly giving in to using his own death as nothing but a means to an end. "Come on you bastard...Crusch-sama slapped me for you!"

The demihuman's knights screams echoed through the theater, with everyone feeling much the same way.

"That idiot." Ram looked at the boy with narrowed eyes. She insulted him, but she never really wished for him to see himself with such little value. It brought no pleasure to her at all.

"He ain't gonna be able to do nothin' if he jus' starts givin' up so easy." Anastasia shook her head in disappointment. She found the kid much more interesting when he was showing that determined side of his...

As he thought that, he immediately remembered his previous deaths, remembering the pain and agony. 'No...I don't want to feel that ever again…I don't wanna die…'

"S-Subaru…" Emilia almost felt her heart shatter into pieces at her knight's desperate plea. She knew...she knew, from the strange knowledge he always seemed to have, that he definitely would die again…

The girl could just not take this cruelty.

"You absolute dummy...Betty will have to keep you closer than ever, I suppose." Beatrice murmured warmly, leaning in as close to her contractor's chest as she could. It hurt the little spirit to even imagine her contractor's suffering...the despair he must feel on the inside.

Rem could not even say anything aloud, only holding onto Subaru's hands with both of hers in a soft, caring grasp. Her thoughts were racing...so all she could do to comfort the hero she loved so much was to transfer her warmth to him.

Seeing this scene, and hearing Subaru's thoughts, Felix sighed. "I spoke a little hastily, nya. Subaru-kyun wouldn't just give up like that…"

Crusch smiled at her knight deciding to come to his own conclusion of forgiveness, happy at the progress he was making towards erasing his odd self-imposed dislike of the boy.

Without leaving them any more time to thin, Elsa began to approach.

'I g-guess, as long as I have life, all I can do is fight with all my might.'

"Atta boy." Wilhelm spoke proudly, looking on with the proud eyes of a mentor watching the young man move ahead.

"That's how Natsuki Subaru should be." Julius nodded in approval, a weight lifted off of his shoulder at seeing his friend move.

"That's right, Natsuki-san. Get those legs moving!" Otto cheered on his brother in arms with raised fists.

Elsa approached Felt, holding her blade while the teen just shivered, unable to fight back.

'Haidara!' Subaru let out a war cry in his mind as he dived in, saving Felt from Elsa's downward slash at the last second.

"Hell fuckin' yes!" Garfiel screamed in simultaneous relief and excitement. Seeing his Captain work his magic was always too awesome of a sight for the young lad.

Petra let out a happy squeal at seeing Subaru save Felt, having seen just how insanely fast the scary lady's swings were.

Reinhard, on the other hand, just felt his debt to his friend widen even further. Not only had the man led him to his lady, but even saved her life with his on the line…

"He truly is great..."

Elsa gave the boy an annoyed gaze, but had no time to pursue, as an icicle shot out right at her. Emilia had gotten to her feet, resuming her volley of ice at the woman.

"Are you okay?" Subaru asked Felt, who was holding her head.

She looked at him with disbelief. "Why did you…?"

He interrupted her first. "Listen to me, Felt. I'm going to buy us time. I'll give you an opening somehow. So when I do, run as fast as you can!"

Felt was obviously not pleased at this idea. "What the hell is that?! You're telling me to tuck my tail between my legs and run?!"

"So stubborn, so stubborn, lil' miss…you really wanted to be by his side that much?" Anastasia clicked her tongue, shaking her head at Felt's words with a teasing smile.

Embarrassed, Felt blushed, folding her arms and turning away. "J-just leave me alone, you greedy woman!"

"Yes… Stick out your butt, tuck in your tail, and run." Subaru did not even bother trying to hide his intentions. "You're fifteen, and I'm eighteen. That means you're probably the youngest one here. So it's a given we'd pick the method most likely to keep you alive. It's a given!"

"Give me a break. A minute ago, you were covering in fear!" She retorted, leaving Subaru to turn from her with a nervous sweat.

"That was then. This is now. I'm not cowering now, so it's fine." Subaru got to his feet with a confident expression, staring at Rom's dropped club.

"That's right. All that matters in the end is that you actually take a stand. Even if you do not arrive at that point immediately." Wilhelm raised a fist in approval at the young man's show of determination.

Felt, meanwhile, was just left to consider Anastasia's words...she had even felt it earlier, for herself.

It would have been so fun to have her big bro along side her...and with how much she owed him, it only would have been right for her to keep him properly safe and sound, unlike Emilia, who seemed to just have trouble even keeping him alive.

'Maybe...maybe I really did want to stay with big bro...'

Elsa was once again engaged in trying to get past Emilia's shield, only for her instincts to draw her to turn around and see Subaru, holding the giant wooden club and already mid-swing.

"Take this!" He yelled, swinging the deadly weapon down with huge force. Elsa dodged, turning around to stab him, but he easily blocked it with the club, in return. "Now! Go, Felt!" Subaru roared out, pushing Elsa back.

The girl looked at him with wavering eyes, but eventually made her way to run, a fact which Elsa didn't let pass her.

"She isn't going to let her escape so easily-!" Tivey could already see what was coming for the girl, dreading the incoming attack.

"You think I'll let her go?" She pulled out a smaller throwing needle, which she accurately tossed at the girl.

Subaru in retaliation kicked up a nearby table with his free leg, handily blocking it and allowing Felt to exit the loothouse.

"Again with those surprisingly smooth moves. Wonder if he has a talent for kicking up tables with his leg or something?" Al snickered, remembering how he had pulled a similar trick against the girl he was ironically now helping to get away.

"Whoa, I'm awesome! But that hurt the tips of my toes more than I expected-" His monologue was promptly interrupted by a brutal kick to his neck by Elsa.

"Idiot." Ram facepalmed at this pathetic display, though she indeed still hoped that the woman did not just slice him with a blade hidden in her feet or something.

The camera showed Felt running and running down the road, hearing the sounds of battle inside. She hesitated for a moment, before continuing to run.

We cut back inside the loothouse, now nighttime, as Subaru is sent flying into a wall, using the wooden club as support. "You let one get away…" He said, with a satisfied grin.

"For once, I do feel a tiny bit annoyed." Elsa admitted, with Emilia running up behind her and forming yet another ice crystal.

"Good!" Almost everyone shouted this in agreement – especially the more passionate members among the cast.

At realizing this shared moment of synchronicity, laughter filled the theater, the mood significantly lightening. A hit against Elsa was a moment of joy for everyone that was there.

After letting off their laughter, the candidates and their camp members readied themselves to keep watching, with all of them looking forward to seeing just how this battle would conclude.

"Don't forget about me." She fired off that single crystal, which was effortlessly destroyed by a single swipe of Elsa's blade.

"By now, I have quite tired of that game. Do you think you can still keep me amused?" She asked, looking at the half-elf.

"Really takes a lot ta' get 'er ta' take shit seriously, huh?" Ricardo felt a nervous sweatdrop fall down his face. He got riding on the thrill of battle, but the woman's need for amusement in battle never seemed to cease.

Subaru looked at her in hope, as well. "If you've got some hidden true power, now would be a good time to use it."

"I do have a trump card. But if I use it, I'll be the only one left standing." Emilia admitted, leaving Subaru to show a little shock.

"No exploding yourself, please...Don't do anything hasty, all right?" He pleaded.

"Subaru-kyun is one to speak!" Felix protested with a pout, finding it ironic just who was telling who not to act hastily.

"I won't use it. Not when you're still here, trying your best…" Her sincere words made Subaru look to her with realization, thinking back to all the time they had spent together.

"Disgusting…" Priscilla muttered to herself, still finding her mind utterly confused at the interaction between this boy and the girl. Both seemed foolish. The girl was hesitating for a stranger, and the boy had died multiple times for a girl he'd just met.

She could not understand any of this...but for some reason, she could not stop watching. She just felt...compelled.

"Just now, I didn't see anything...None of that entire conversation ever happened!" Subaru slowly got to his feet, with Emilia letting out a confused, 'Huh?'

"I finally remembered why I'm here, to begin with." He looked to the smiling Elsa. "I'll kill you, you shitbag!" Then he turned his gaze to the shocked Emilia. "I won't let you play your trump card!"

"This conviction…" Crusch felt her heart in her chest beat rapidly, as that same determined tone and face played over in her mind. A beautiful, genuine smile came to the face of the Duchess. "That is the Natsuki-sama that I know."

He lifted the wooden club up with surprising strength, holding it out at Elsa. "I'll blow you away and get...a happy ending!"

Garfiel grinned, remembering how he had been taken down by his Captain's sheer willpower and determination in a similar way. "Hell yeah! I know you can do it, Cap'n!" Not for once, did his belief in his Captain slip.

Even Rem couldn't help but smile brightly, as she thought back to when she had witnessed Subaru's conviction herself. "Rem's hero truly is deserving of his title…" She spoke, reassured even more by this viewing.

Roswaal chuckled darkly, eyes still veiled under a thin shadow.

'So this...this is where the beginning of that determination...that conviction that beat me came from. This is where the essence of Natsuki Subaru begins.'

An ominous, wide smile came to the face of a man. "I truly...deserved my defeat."

"It seems you have a bit too much energy." Elsa chided as she moved in, Subaru readying the club to block her.

"You black widow!" He cursed, now engaged in a free-for all blitz where he parried and dodged some of her blows.

"Ooooh! He's taken on the spirit of Old Man Rom's club-swinging!" Felt cheered him on, surprised that her big brother was even capable of swinging that thing around.

"Reinhard, you did mention his grip strength earlier, correct? Rather than his actual strength, it would seem that he's holding onto it through the sheer power of his grip, alone…"

"If so, that's impressive. No regular civilian would be capable of swinging such a thing around." Reinhard found himself agreeing with Julius' assessment of this feat, wondering just how much Subaru was truly capable of if he were trained more.

"Well, there's no doubt you'll be the first caught in my web." Elsa knocked the club aside, almost ready to stab Subaru, before being interrupted by a firing of ice magic from her right side, knocking her off course.

"Nice cover!" Subaru thanked her, continuing to block blow after blow. However, now that his back was to Emilia, she could no longer aim at the assassin, rendering her somewhat useless at the moment.

Elsa's cuts finally began to land, although they were all shallow. "Ouch, damn it! How do you like this!" He lifted the club, as if going in for a swing...before suddenly switching up, instead going for a roundhouse kick set up by the fake.

"It is indeed a good move, but..."

"That's much too slow-!" Crusch's voice interrupted Frederica's, as her well-trained eyes were all too able to easily see just what was about to happen.

The boy was about to get his leg cut off.

Elsa caught his leg with a pleased smile. "I've caught you." She giggled at Subaru's shocked gasp,

bringing her blade up to cut the limb right off, with Subaru gritting his teeth and preparing for the immense pain.

"That's enough." A familiar, authoritative voice rang throughout the loothouse.

"That voice…!" Emilia spoke hopefully, her spirits immediately rising at the sound of that gallant knight.

"It took the fool long enough, I suppose." Beatrice sighed, feeling the ever so slightest sense of relief spread through her as she caught onto the half-elf's realization.

Moments after, dust broke into the room as the roof seemingly collapsed...no, someone had entered through the roof. Subaru took advantage of Elsa's shock to free his leg and run away into the dust.

"Shit's over for her!" Felt grinned in satisfaction, giving the woman on screen a thumbs down.

"Yes. Once he has shown up...it becomes clear that we have indeed reached the end of this dark road." Julius had never felt so happy at just seeing his friend.

"We couldn't have gotten there fast enough." At the purple-haired knight's truthful words, Crusch could only smile, feeling the tiredness from the viewing lifting from her heavy shoulders.

"I must agree with you, Karsten-sama…" Otto let out an exhale he wasn't even aware he'd been holding in, all the built up tension leaving his body like a released spring.

And replacing him, someone walked out, with the dust slowly clearing...

"It looks like that was a close call, but I'm glad I made it in time." The calm demeanor, the dragon sword at his hilt, the white and purple robes… "Now…"

"You're…" Elsa spoke, dark eyes filled with surprise at who stood before her, bathed in the moonlight.

It was the Sword Saint, Reinhard.

"Shall we put an end to this?" The wind itself cleared around him, forcing fog that had surrounded him to disappear.

"Hell yeah!" Garfiel couldn't help but fanboy over the man's arrival, pumping both his fists up. "Don't care how strong she is, she ain't getting away from th' Sword Saint!"

"I think we can safely call this checkmate." Even Roswaal understood what the man's arrival meant. After all, no matter who he hired from that assassin's company, none of them could best Lugnica's swordmaster.

Reinhard, on one hand was flattered by these praises...but on another hand, he felt guilty for receiving them. Without Subaru, nobody would have even been alive to save in the first place. Reinhard would have just arrived to a loothouse full of dead bodies.

He wished that his friend could receive a fraction of this praise...yet Subaru was overshadowed all because he did not hold the same innate power as the Sword Saint.

While he was happy to know people depended on him...he wished that he felt more like someone who actually deserved it.

The scene would suddenly cut away to Felt's earlier escape, with the girl running through the slums and screaming in desperation.

"Someone! Anyone?! Is anyone here?!" She called desperately.

Coldly, she was ignored. Doors were closed and locked, shutters pulled in, everywhere, everyone locked up, hoping to avoid the trouble this girl undoubtedly brought with her.

"Tch." Anastasia winced at this sight, remembering how cold it was when she herself had been living in poverty. She had been lucky to have someone to depend on, Ricardo, but most people didn't have someone like that.

In a place like that, nobody ever wanted to help or get involved. Not because the people were evil or selfish, but because nobody could spare that sort of risk.

"Those guys really ain't about helping, huh?" Al noted with a hint of disgust. He was not exactly a selfless good guy himself, but he wondered just how much it really took to hear out a desperate little girl's request?

"That's just the mindset this place has bred. Everyone for themselves. When there are no guards, and scarce resources to go by...none can afford to assist another." Julius was strained as he spoke each word, with his conscience being hammered at just how lackluster the Kingdom's handling of this issue was.

"…" Felt was silent for a while, as she thought on how horrifying that moment had been. Yet, even as she thought of it, she managed to bring a smile to her face. "It's like I said, those guys are losers. Thankfully...I had a reliable knight to count on, huh?"

The little blonde smiled, elbowing her crimson-haired knight in his arm. At these trusting words, Reinhard just chuckled, shaking his head.

"It was nothing, Felt-sama. It would have been an injustice were you not able to at least receive some sort of help...I am humbled that I was the one to be able to answer that call."

"Damn it! Please...Please, someone...Someone help!" Her shouts turned into cries, as she kept running, hoping beyond all hope...only for her to be impeded by colliding with someone right in front of her.

She fell back on her butt, leaving her to look up and see who it was, tears built up in her eyes and rolled down her cheek.

"Very well." This man, Reinhard, reached a hand out to her, the world itself lighting up and shimmering around him. "I'll help."

"I do have to agree with Subaru-kyun's earlier words. Reinhard really is a nice guy, isn't he, nyan~?" Felix snickered at his friends' altruistic words and actions, amused at just how he'd been portrayed.

Wilhelm was left quiet at his fellow camp member's joking words, his eyes taking on a serious look as he viewed his grandson's actions on screen. He wondered...when was the last time that he had ever saved anyone, himself?

Spending all these years for vengeance, while his grandson plunged himself into using his power to help the people...did he really have any right to continue treating Reinhard the way he had been up to now?

Crusch gave her butler a silent look, noticing the conflict within the man's eyes. She made a mental note to speak to him about it later, as it had been the second time during the viewing she'd witnessed such behavior for him. She was worried for the old man, as he was a treasured comrade of hers, after all.

We return to Reinhard now standing in the loothouse, looking confidently at the woman.

"Rein….hard?" Subaru asked in complete disbelief.

"That's right, Subaru. We meet again. Sorry I'm late." The man apologized, looking back to the injured boy, then back at Elsa.

"Black hair, black clothes, and a blade unique to the northern provinces. There is no mistaking those characteristics. You are the Bowel Hunter." Reinhard identified, making Subaru take pause.

"I still can't believe that the scary lady has a nickname like 'Bowel Hunter'…" Petra shuddered at this nickname. Her mind conjured up sickening imagery against her will, making the little maid queasy.

Frederica shook her head, rubbing a comforting hand along Petra's back.

"What kind of evil nickname is that?"

"It was derived from her unique killing style." Reinhard explained. "Her name is known, even in the capital, as that of a dangerous individual."

"Huh…" Anastasia leaned back in her chair, tilting her head to Reinhard. "Makes me curious, didn'tcha find out anythin' bout her after this battle? I doubt you woulda' jus' let it go."

"Right…" Reinhard seemed hesitant to explain further, but decided, at this point, there was no harm in sharing what little he knew.

"As you may already be aware, Elsa Granhiert was a native of the Holy Kingdom of Gusteko. She was not on any of their citizenship records, so it is safe to assume she was an abandoned orphan. Many in the area mentioned that she was somewhat of a troublemaker, stealing and engaging in fights just to survive."

Both Felt and Anastasia felt absolute shivers running up their spine as they realized the eerie similarity in both their own lives to the Bowel Hunter.

If one misstep in their lives, in their thinking, in their decisions had been made...if they had met the wrong people or done the wrong things, would they have been capable of becoming such monsters, themselves?

The Sword Saint did not feel too pleased at seeing these looks on the two candidates, but...decided to continue, with a pained sigh. "It was said by locals that the first murder she made was on a man, a shopkeeper she was stealing from. He attempted to...violate her after apprehending her."

Those dark words sent waves of shock through everyone there.

"By Od...to do such a thing to a mere child…" Julius felt absolutely disgusted at the prospect of this idea.

"Never thought I woulda' felt bad 'bout th'bit ch, but even I can say how fucked up that shit is." Garfiel muttered darkly, arms spreading over his lap.

"A monster giving birth to yet another repulsive monster, hm?" Priscilla fanned in front of her face, revolted at this story. She'd never had such a life on the street, though she somehow could understand this...the current self that she was had been born from her own circumstances, after all.

"Indeed." Reinhard nodded at everyone's thoughts, even having found himself sickened when he had done his best to look into the assassin's history.

"But it doesn't seem as if she'd just develop sadistic tendencies from that...guilt, maybe, but not an urge to kill." Otto argued, leaving Reinhard to chuckle darkly.

"It is that exact thought that crossed my mind, as well...however, it was said that it was only after that kill, that Elsa truly came alive. After sharing in the warmth of the offender's entrails, and the thrill of the kill...it became a part of her identity. Rather than a guilty act, killing and Bowel Hunting became an act that she saw necessary to continue her existence. Before she had even become known as an assassin for hire, she was known officially as the Bowel Hunter. After she earned her title...she seemingly disappeared from the public, and was next sighted as a working member of the unnamed assassin group."

The man's words chilled everyone to the core. Killing and indulging in her victims' guts from childhood, all because she found it as something necessary for her to live...nobody within that room, no matter how violent or aggressive could ever understand such a thought.

None of them wanted to.

"To think that the birth of such a monster was entirely preventable…" Rem shook in rage, feeling anger at the fact that her Subaru was having to suffer due to the whims of fate that turned beyond his control.

"Looks like Lugnica ain't the only place that's gotta get its act together, huh?" Al mused, realizing now that each and every kingdom seemed to have its' own issues regarding the difference in status between the haves and have-nots.

Even in Vollachia, there were the slave pits...

"No kingdom is perfect...yet, it makes me think that we truly cannot ignore what goes on beneath our noses, within the slums. If we are not all heedful...then we might already be fostering yet another Bowel Hunter right beneath our noses."

Crusch's cold, yet disturbingly truthful words left the entire room silent.

"Let's...let's just keep watching for now." Emilia suggested, deciding to try her best to move her mind away from that distressing truth.

Said woman licked her lips as she stared at the swordmaster standing in front of her. "Reinhard...Yes, a knight among knights, born to a line of master swordsmen, correct?"

"How remarkable, having all my opponents be so much fun." Elsa sounded almost excited at the prospect of facing off against the Sword Saint.

"There are many things I'd like to ask you. I strongly suggest you surrender." Reinhard, even despite knowing her answer, still offered her the choice of mercy.

"You expect a starving predator to resist such choice, juicy prey?" Elsa asked incredulously, holding her arms out.

"Now that we know her origin, that tenacity of hers makes too much sense. She hunts not only for her mission, but to feel alive." Wilhelm narrowed his eyes at the woman, the information only making him find her even more disgusting.

"A person like that is the most disgusting, I suppose. Focusing on nothing but what they wish to achieve, uncaring about who they hurt or traumatize in the process...those people have nothing good waiting for them, in fact." Beatrice muttered, sliding her eyes over to give Roswaal a hateful look. The man could do nothing but twitch upon feeling the intense eyes of the Great Spirit on his back.

"Yeah. She definitely ain't just gonna back down after a kind request." Ricardo chuckled lightly, knowing that this fight had much more in store than a simple and peaceful conclusion.

Reinhard chuckled to this, turning back to the boy behind him. "Subaru, stand back a bit." He warned, pointing at Emilia. "If you'd stand next to her, I'd appreciate it."

"You got it. That woman is like a monster, so don't let down your guard..." Subaru made his way over to Emilia, who was now kneeling, at Rom's fallen body.

"As luck happens to have it, hunting monsters happens to be my specialty." Reinhard replied confidently, turning his full attention onto the Bowel Hunter.

"Oooh~! That was too cool, Reinhard-nyan~!" Felix cooed in a teasing voice, as if he were a fangirl for the Sword Saint.

"T-There's no need to be so playful about that, Ferris…" Reinhard scratched his cheek, still unsure about taking on such praise, even if from one of his close friends.

Emilia was revealed to be looking over the giant man's wound. He let out a small grunt, which left Subaru surprised.

"Old Man Rom is still alive?!" He asked, with raised hope in his voice.

"He isn't out of the woods yet. I have to heal him now." She spoke with a glowing blue light appearing between her palms.

Subaru gave her an appraising gaze, and spoke as if testing her. "You really want to? He's part of the gang that stole your insignia."

"That's why. I need him to recover, so he'll repay the favor by giving me information." She explained seriously. "He wouldn't lie to the one who has saved his life. This is as much for my own sake."

Though, hearing those words, Subaru couldn't help but just laugh, knowing that it was just another one of her excuses for her kind nature to shine through.

"So hideously naive…" Priscilla rolled her eyes at the witch spawn's blatantly half-assed reasoning, though a part of her was now regrettably used to such antics.

"Ya' really can't bring yerself ta' be truthful, huh?" Anastasia chimed in with the fiery princess' words, bringing her scarf down to show her sly smile.

"Bubby had that horrible reasoning of hers perfectly pinned down, I suppose. Hmph!" Beatrice folded her arms, not even sparing a moment's worth of insults towards the half-elf. Emilia herself knew it was just playful, though.

"Still...if big sis wasn't big sis, then Old Man Rom woulda' been dead right then and there. I owe you a lot, big sis." Felt showed the beautiful half-elf an angelic smile, which made the young woman only all the more happy.

"You don't need to thank me, Felt. I only did what I wanted to...and I'll keep doing things my way, until the very end!" Emilia said proudly, channeling some of her inner Subaru as she replied.

Fully returning to Elsa, we see the woman charge an entirely still Reinhard. "I would rather not use violence on a woman." He stepped forward, cracking the floor beneath him as waves of mana shot forth from his body, knocking Elsa off-balance.

Without delaying, a swift and vicious kick was thrown into her side, causing the bowel hunter to roll and just barely recover, hands dragging on the ground.

"Just as the rumors say...No, you are even better." She looked up with satisfaction at the swordmaster, who had still barely moved.

"I'm not sure I'll meet your expectations." He replied calmly, as the assassin's gaze turned to his sword.

"This damn battles' incomprehensible. These two are so powerful, they're just treatin' it like a game." Garfiel noted studiously, paying close, caring attention to the fight.

"It's even more overpowering than the battle between her and Puck-sama. You can truly feel the Sword Saint's presence bleeding through the screen." Frederica agreed with her brother's words, finding herself attentive on the fight as well.

It was a rare, but nice moment of coordination between the siblings.

"Aren't you going to use that sword at your hip? I would love to experience its legendary sharpness." She admitted shamelessly, her masochistic tendencies surfacing in her words.

"This sword can only be drawn when needed. The fact that it hasn't left its' sheath means this is not one of those times." The Sword Saint's reply caused Elsa to stand, voice filling with just the slightest of frustration.

"I do believe I've been underestimated."

"Ha! I would've been more worried if the Dragon Sword Reid was actually capable of being drawn against such an enemy." Julius shook his head at the assassin's disappointment.

"I doubt she would have been capable of doing much in the face of a single strike from that blade, regardless. I am not sure of her own endurance, but even if she has an ability such as regeneration, she would be instantly vaporized by the aura of the Dragon Sword...or so the stories go." Crusch muttered, being very familiar with the tales of the sword and the circumstances surrounding it.

Hating the dragon meant that she had to know everything there was to know to eventually get rid of the country's covenant with it, after all.

Al whistled at the impressive thought of such a sight. "Sounds like overkill. A monstrous sword for a monster of a wielder, huh?"

At this phrasing of words, both Wilhelm and Reinhard visibly flinched, even if for but a moment. Both their respective mistresses did not miss this, of course.

"It's an upsetting judgment for me, as well. Therefore," Reinhard walked over to a fallen steel sword on the ground nearby. "I shall take you on with this instead." He kicked it up with his knee, grabbing the sword and balancing it as if feeling it out.

After testing its' feel, he then looked to Elsa. "Do you object?"

"No, it is wonderful. Wonderful!" Elsa agreed, her expression changing to a crazed smile, her eyes nearly shining at the prospect of the battle. "Do entertain me, please!"

"Creepy-!" Mimi pressed her back all the way up against her chair, completely caught off guard by Elsa's sudden change of mood.

"You truly cannot predict that piece of filth." Rem spat, still feeling nothing but absolute contempt towards the crazed whore on screen.

The crazed woman's speed kicked up into a higher gear, with her almost entirely disappearing as she charged Reinhard. Reinhard stood still, the sword in his hand almost turning blue as mana filled into it, before he would strike, clashing with Elsa's Kukri with the screaming of metal.

Of course, her blade immediately broke right from the handle, flying into the air, and falling right into Reinhard's grasp. "If you've lost your weapon, I suggest you surrender." He threw the broken blade off into the shelf behind her.

Anastasia could not stop the smile from showing on her face, as she made sure to take in every single bit of this battle. Let alone learning the specifics of some of his Divine Protections, it was a real treat to see a battle fought by the swordmaster.

With an unamused smile, Elsa silently dashed right back at the man, with seemingly no weapon.

"She's got a second one, Reinhard!" Subaru yelled in warning. Elsa brought said second blade from behind her, slashing in an arc at the man. However, he easily stepped back to dodge it.

"I have to commend him for keeping a watchful eye and sharp mind...but it wasn't as if that blade would have actually harmed the Sword Saint, regardless." Tivey sighed, ever the cynical one out of his siblings.

"Better safe than sorry!" Petra interrupted with a huff, folding her arms and puffing up her cheeks, almost as if in an imitation of Beatrice's tsundere tendencies.

"I'm surprised you knew that." Elsa said, with a forced grin.

"Well, I've personally experienced it…" He muttered in reply.

"But, I don't have a mere two fangs. Would you mind if we start again?" Elsa asked Reinhard, pulling out a new, much more dangerous looking blade from behind her.

"Shit. That's the blades she pulls out when she starts gettin' serious." Garfiel noted, remembering the change in the tempo of his own battle with the woman when she had taken out said blades.

No longer was she using her blade meant to cut open stomachs, but her true, much more finely-crafted blades meant only for killing strong opponents.

"If I divest you of all your weapons, will you be satisfied?" His response was simple, as he held out the tip of the sword toward her.

"If I lose my fangs, I'll use my claws." Elsa almost seemingly disappeared, only to reappear on the second floor of the loothouse, moving so fast that her own image seemed to be lagging behind her.

"If I lose my claws, I'll use my bones." She bounced around from wall to wall, moving even faster to the point where it was like there were multiples of her within the room. All the while Reinhard watched, readying his sword as she bounced off a wall towards him.

"And if I lose my bones, I'll use my life." She slashed at the Sword Saint, but was easily deflected, making her continue to jump from wall to wall. "That is how a Bowel Hunter fights."

We take Elsa's point of view, as she nears Reinhard, blow after blow, her insane speed being easily matched by the man who was not even breaking a sweat.

"That speed...she's moving fast enough ta' make multiple afterimages just through her speed alone." Ricardo was left utterly surprised at this impressive display of demonic speed from the Bowel Hunter.

"She was holding back…" Emilia murmured, voice shaking. "I wasn't able to focus on the fight since I was healing Mr. Giant, but she was definitely not using her full power during our confrontation."

Garfiel spat in rage, remembering his own fight with the Bowel Hunter. He couldn't even comment, only taken aback at just how easily the Sword Saint was handling her, regardless.

Even someone as strong and overwhelmingly experienced as Elsa, whom Garfiel had really only beat due to good planning, good circumstances, strong luck and perseverance…

Was just being handled like a novice by Reinhard.

He wondered how wide...how wide was the gap between him and this too-strong man? A bit of his confidence faded, as he wondered if wanting to spar the Sword Saint was even going to be worth it.

At this, it was obvious: Elsa had been holding back on those in the loothouse to some capacity.

"Surely Reinhard won't fail to land the decisive blow, will he?" Subaru asked with worry, though Reinhard continued to effortlessly block blow after blow of Elsa's supersonic barrage with his mana-infused blade.

Felix snickered at the mere thought, his tail swishing behind him in amusement. "No way. Once Reinhard steps onto the field, it's over, nyan~!"

Emilia spoke up to Subaru's worries. "Because I'm using my spiritual arts, he cannot fight at full strength."

Subaru was of course confused, looking at Emilia with a total lack of understanding. "What do those have to do with each other?"

"If Reinhard were truly intent on fighting, all the mana in the atmosphere would turn away from me." Emilia's words left Subaru in awe of the man in front of them, and his probable strength. "I'm almost done healing him. When I give the signal, let him know."

Before their eyes, Rom's wound slowly closed up, and Emilia let out a breath of relief, looking to Subaru. "Now he's all right. Go ahead."

Taking her sign, Subaru brought his fists up and yelled, "Reinhard! I don't really get it, but do your thing!"

At his words, an ominous cloud of mana began to surround Reinhard, as every bit of mana came to him, as if immediately answering to his call for aid.

"That much mana…!" Beatrice realized just how ridiculous the sight was before them. With that kind of mana, the Great Spirit would probably be capable of ridiculous feats, like consecutively casting Al Shamak, without a break.

"Even for a peerless magician like I, it is somewhat vexing to see such power…" Roswaal admitted, narrowing his eyes at the man's ridiculous feat of strength.

Even in all of his planning, Reinhard had been one piece he could never manipulate. Of course, he never planned to do any such manipulation anymore, yet...he could not help but respect the Sword Saint's matchless power.

"What are you going to show me?" Elsa stopped her movements, looking at him expectantly.

"The swordplay of the Astrea family." The man readied the sword in his hands, with the blade brilliantly shimmering.

Elsa watched with a smile, holding her blade out as she truly introduced herself. "The Bowel Hunter, Elsa Granhiert."

"Reinhard Van Astrea, of the line of master swordsman."

[[The overwhelming aura of Reinhard's sword filled the room, as the atmosphere itself seemed to tremble.

There was a breathless scream that echoed throughout the room, as Reinhard raised his sword, and brought it down, a blue light so bright that in blinded everyone inside shining around it, with his sword glowing as bright as the sun.

A brilliant light tore through the loot house, and split the space inside itself in two. It looked like the world itself had been misaligned, with the world suddenly changing as the light faded. Only after the attack, did it return to normal.]]

The entirety of the loothouse exploded, as blue clouds of smoke shot out everywhere. "Whoa, whoa, whoah, whoah!" Subaru exclaimed, barely able to stay in place thanks to the spot he and Emilia sat in being saved from the destruction.

The place was now entirely wrecked, mostly reduced to rubble, and a wooden frame. In front of Reinhard, there was almost nothing left.

"Whoooooooah!" The sisterhood trio let out various noises of amazement at this attack, each girl's eyes sparkling at the sheer OP-ness of Reinhard's swing.

"D-did the air itself let out a scream or something? I swear I saw reality shift or some crap." Al pointed out nervously, now finding himself absolutely taken aback by that sight.

"H-He's as overkill as usual, n-nyan!" Felix laughed his cute butt right off, all too happy to see the assassin get her huge comeuppance...that, and it was almost comical just how instantly she got destroyed after proclaiming her name so confidently.

Garfiel, on the other hand, was torn. He was somewhere between awe, and even deeper self-deprecation. The Shield of the Sanctuary wondered if it was right to even be comparing himself to such an overwhelmingly powerful man anymore...the confidence and abilities he'd built up...what would the last 14 years of his life be in the face of this walking ball of monstrous power?

"Hunting monsters is your specialty, my ass! You're a monster yourself!" Subaru protested, with Reinhard turning to face him.

Reinhard chuckled, bringing a hand to his chest. From nearly anyone else, they would have been stinging, insulting words that tore away at his core. Yet, from Subaru, he could take those words just as they were – lighthearted jokes.

"Even I'm a bit hurt by a comment like that, Subaru." Reinhard then looked to the rusty old blade which he had been using, which practically crumbled to dust in his hands. "I'm sorry I asked too much of you. Rest well now."

"To think he disintegrated a sword just through the virtue of channeling that much mana through it…how ridiculous, I suppose." Beatrice could not help but wonder if the man was even more powerful than her big brother in his true form.

"There isn't a shadow left, let alone a body…" Subaru murmured as he got up, walking towards Reinhard. "This is all that's left, after just one sword swing?"

Emilia got up beside him. "Is it all over now?"

Subaru stuttered as he answered the half-elf. "Y-Yeah, somehow or the other. Literally." The girl stumbled, causing Subaru to immediately step forward and catch her, staring at her face.

He separated from her after she caught herself, to which she looked at him inquisitively. "Why are you staring at me? That's quite rude."

"Hehe…you don't have to question it so much, Subaru." Emilia chuckled to herself, knowing just why her knight was giving her such a deep look. She found it half silly that he seemed to be in such disbelief, yet the other half of her felt even more torn as she now knew well what the true answer to her words were.

Ram turned her gaze towards the half-elf curiously. "Question 'it'? Just what would Barusu be questioning here?"

To the usually insult-filled Oni's question, Emilia remained silent, deciding to allow the screen to speak for itself.

Subaru chuckled to himself. "Well, it's just...you still have your arms and legs, even your head…"

"Of course I do. Don't say such scary things." Emilia replied matter-of-factly to his words.

"Yeah, you're right. It's obvious, huh?" Subaru chuckled, bringing a hand to cover his face, then removing it to inspect his palms and then look behind him. "I still have my arms, too. And there's no knife in my back or gaping hole in my gut."

She gave the weird boy in front of her an odd look, speaking worriedly. "You talk as if you've experienced those things before."

"There was a time when I did." He admitted simply, taking a moment of silence for himself.

"I see…" A look of understanding came to Ram's face, her usually stone-cold eyes softening somewhat. "He has been through a lot to just stand on this stage."

Crusch nodded at the maid's conclusion, a small smile making its' way onto the ever-serious Duchess' expression. "And yet, he still arrived here. After so much trial and error, he persevered, and never quite lost himself…"

Felix huffed at his mistress' warm words, folding his arms and leaning back into his chair. "I still don't think he's really all that fine up there in the head, but...Subaru-kyun definitely tries hard."

"That is Rem's hero!" Rem cheered happily, raising her hero's arm in the air besides her in a motion of victory. While she, too, was worried for his mental state...the small victories had to be appreciated in order to move on to the bigger ones.

Subaru then turned to the Sword Saint still standing in them middle of the room. "Oh yeah, Reinhard...I haven't thanked you yet. You saved my ass! Back in the alley, too. I guess you heard my cries for help, friend!"

Reinhard smiled, responding warmly to Subaru's kind words. "If I did do that, I'd certainly be proud...Friend." He turned to look at a certain blonde-haired, rough-dressed, red-scarf wearing thief, hiding behind a still-standing wooden pole of the building.

Felt grinned, elbowing her knight in the side, who was practically beet red at his words being exposed on screen like that. "Hehehe...this guy was so desperate just to have one good friend. Bet you were glad to hear that, huh, Rein?"

For once, Felt had entirely overwhelmed her knight's feelings, eventually leaving him to clear his throat and look away. "I was merely glad that I and Subaru were both lucky enough to cross paths once more."

"So shyyyyyy~!" Felt teased, immediately breaking past the knight's attempt at a rational explanation. He could not say anything back in return.

"She was desperately running around the streets, and she asked for my help."

Subaru stared at Felt in surprise, with Emilia looking to her in recognition. "That girl is…" Before she could say anything, Subaru held a hand up to stop her.

"Now, hang on...If she hadn't brought Reinhard, we'd have been destroyed. Just look at this face, and spare me the ice-statue punishment?" Subaru pleaded, causing Emilia to pout and look away from him.

"I wouldn't do anything so violent! And what does your face have to do with-"

The camera focused on a piece of rubble that began to shake violently.

Reinhard, Emilia, and Felt's eyes widened. The three of them had forgotten due to the relaxed nature that had fallen over them, but they now remembered – that Elsa was far from dead.

"Shit-!" Garfiel was the first to vocalize his worry, immediately recognizing that that vampire-like bitch wouldn't even be killed off by a strike like that from the Sword Saint.

Reinhard practically near-growled, his calm demeanor being broken. "Subaru!"

Elsa, almost like a zombie, emerged. Subaru hadn't known it was her for sure...but deep down, he just knew. He knew it was her.

"How?! How the hell did she manage to get back up?!" Felix groaned in outrage, annoyed at the woman's beast-like tenacity towards her sick 'hunting'. Nobody needed to be a doctor to see that that attack should have completely eradicated her.

"Regeneration...she must have some form of regenerative abilities. Her body barely looks damaged, aside from some cuts and bruises…" Julius immediately figured out this possibility, leaving almost everyone in the Emilia camp surprised at how easily the knight had guessed this fact.

"She needs to stay down – forever!" Mimi stuck her tongue out at the woman on screen, with her new sisters, Felt and Petra turning to give her an approving thumbs up.

He turned around to see her approach, almost as if in slow motion, the murderous glint in her eyes stronger than it ever had looked.

Reinhard tried to move to intercept her, but she was much too close to the boy already, and the Sword Saint, had, if only for a moment, been caught off guard.

"She'll aim for the gut!" Instinctively, Subaru grabbed Old Man Rom's club, pushing Emilia out of the way and holding it in front of his stomach, blocking her blades' screaming swing at the very last moment.

"Tha' memorization a' his is comin' in handy, 'gain! He knew right where that girl was goin' for!" Anastasia was in a mix between being impressed and being on edge. Even with her analytical mind, both Subaru and Elsa were entirely unpredictable.

"Is it too late?! Is it not?!" Otto was grinding his teeth as he awaited the verdict on his friend's actions. The last thing he, or anyone else wanted to see was for the boy have to go through the unfortunate act of redoing this entire loop, down to the T, just for a simple error.

The strength of her swing knocked him back, raising a cloud of dust. "Tch." Elsa bit her tongue, all sense of her fake smiles and pleasure gone. "He got in my way again."

"Good. Consider yourself lucky that Betty is not there to do more than impede you, I suppose." The spirit spoke darkly, having felt the urge rising up within her to impale the worthless pile of filth that plagued her contractor with as many Minya crystals as she possibly could.

"I agree, Beatrice-sama. She would have to worry about much more than her business being interfered in, if I were present." Rem spoke with an equally threatening tone, her eyes practically glinting.

Emilia could not help but look between the two with worry, realizing that her two rivals in love were much more dangerous than the assassin on screen…

Though she wouldn't be able to promise she wouldn't do the same, herself. Unlike the thugs, Elsa was not innocent. She was already a long-gone serial killer and assassin...there was no saving her, not at this time.

"That's enough, Elsa!" Reinhard spoke, standing in front of the now collapsed two. The woman threw her blade at him as a last resort, but yet another of his Divine Protections activated, making the attack miss entirely, with the blade almost supernaturally curving around him.

Having an ever-keen eye, Anastasia noted this bending of the blade, attributing it to one of the many hundreds of unnamed Divine Protections the swordmaster seemed to have.

"Soon enough, I'll disembowel everyone here." She promised, flipping back onto the second floor railing. "Till then, take good care of your bowels." With those parting words, she left the loothouse through the broken roof.

Reinhard did not pursue, instead rushing over to the royal candidate, Emilia. "Are you unhurt?" He asked, reaching a hand to her.

"Prioritizing a royal candidate first, huh?" Al rolled his eyes at the man's somewhat hypocritical actions, his voice changing to an easy to tell disappointment.

Reinhard winced, unable to say anything back to these hurtful words. It was an infallible truth that even if for only a second, he had prioritized Emilia due to her status.

Emilia quickly shook her head, speaking defensively. "Whether I'm unhurt doesn't matter! More importantly, are you alright? That was far too reckless!" She brushed the Sword Saint aside, walking over to Subaru.

"Ow…" He forced himself to his feet, ignoring the pain in his chest. "Oh, it was no problem, no problem!" He attempted to convince the half elf and Sword Saint, letting out a sigh.

"It's all too easy ta' see that tha' boy's jus' tryin' ta' play it off." Anastasia snickered at his words, immediately noticing how hard he tried to hide his physical pain.

"Overall, Subaru-kyun can't be in good shape after taking on such a harsh battle, nyan…" Felix murmured worriedly, his doctor side taking over as he realized just how badly the boy needed proper medical treatment.

"I sure took the long road, but I finally reached this point." He struck his usual pose with his fingers to the skies.

"Th'pose! Th'legendary Cap'n pose!" Garfiel surged forward, roaring his excitement at seeing the pose he so thought of as cool from his Captain.

The entirety of the other participants were completely silent.

"My name is Natsuki Subaru! And I just saved your life from a heinous villain! Are we okay on that?!" He asked, though Emilia didn't respond, just staring at him in confusion and blinking.

"Emphasizing his rescue? Does the lad plan on asking for something?" Wilhelm murmured curiously, immediately catching on to just where this was going with his still sharp wit.

"It only makes sense. He must wish for something in equal or greater compensation for what he has suffered through." Roswaal uttered, wondering just what depraved wish he would push onto Emilia. His gospel had not informed him of such intricate details, so he, himself had no idea what the boy's demand would be.

Yet...he felt that perhaps if Subaru showed a bit more selfishness here, he could feel somewhat less horrible on his actions…

"Once a dog, always a dog. I believe him incapable of wishing for anything but his most base values." Priscilla snorted, feeling like she also knew just where this was going. She'd given many a man such requests, and they all went for the exact same thing.

The boy had piqued her curiosity so far, but she felt that he was not much different from any of those men in that regard, at the very least.

"Okay…?" She asked, not understanding the language he had spoken in.

"It means, 'Are we clear on that?' So...O-kay?" Subaru clarified, with exaggerated hand movements to accompany his explanation.

"O-Okay…" Emilia repeated unsurely, tilting her head.

"I, your rescuer, saved your life. And you are the heroine I saved! So wouldn't that mean you should repay me in kind? Wouldn't it?!"

"All right, I get it! Only if it's within my power, of course." The girl seceded, leaving Subaru to grin.

"I will punch that fool if it was something perverted…" Ram muttered, holding up and preparing a right fist, practically shaking in anger.

"Nee-sama…" Rem murmured softly, though her words did not sway her older sister. While Rem would also be less than pleased by such a request, she knew that her hero was a proper man...and she would happily take care of those desires if he ever asked he-

"Wow! Ahah!" Anastasia suddenly spoke up, coughing in her palm. "Felt like I really jus' coughed away some dangerous stuff, there. Anywhoo…" Her eyes sparkled. "I wanna see it, jus' what he's gonna ask for. How far that greed a' his goes..."

"In that case, I have only one request!" He said, his excited demeanor causing Emilia to falter in hesitation. "Yes, my request is…." His pause made Emilia gulp in uncertainty, as he snapped his fingers and showed a cool smile. "Tell me your name."

"N-Name?!" Both Ram and Anastasia shouted in disbelief, though both for entirely different reasons.

"He had a chance ta' get stuff from a royal candidate, but he jus' asked for her name?!"

"To think that pervert was actually somewhat capable of holding back his impulses…"

Anastasia's disappointment and Ram's honest surprise came from entirely different places...yet their words synergized pretty well.

Crusch laughed lightly, remembering fondly just how altruistic and kind the boy had been, even in their rather one-sided alliance.

The only thing he'd asked for them was their help – and he never once attempted to ask for the spoils or credit for any of those achievements.

"As expected of Natsuki-sama." The tomboyish Duchess showed a girlish smile, which practically melted the hearts of Wilhelm and Felix.

She stared at him silently for a while, before giggling, replying near-immediately. "Emilia." She said through her laughter, bringing a hand up to her angelic, almost ethereally beautiful face, accentuated perfectly by the moonlight.

Roswaal just felt his spirit sink even deeper...deeper, deeper, and ever deeper into an inky darkness. The boy was truly simply the antithesis to each and every one of his beliefs...this nature of his must be why Subaru had so easily triumphed over the Mathers head of the family.

"Unbelievable...this boy is an even bigger imbecile than I could ever have thought." Priscilla was thrown into even further confusion by this boy's idiocy. She almost felt a headache coming on...more and more, she was just completely not understanding his motives or even what kept driving him. Would one usually die three times just to ask for a single name?

"Still, as unbelievable as it is Princess, it's got some sense to it, right?" Al questioned, placing a hand on the underside of his chin. "The kid, he's struggled and fought to get here, died over and over, experienced pain beyond belief, and had to handle everybody completely forgetting him...and all that ever drove him was saving the miss there. But she didn't even give him her name after all of that. It's crazy that he decided to spend a free request on that...but when you consider all he's done just to come here alive...all he could've asked for was what was on his head. He's just a kind, naive kid, eh?"

At her knight's unauthorized words, Priscilla gave him a glare, which he flinched at...but she did not follow up by hitting him or anything similar. She just slowly turned her gaze back to the screen. Her interest in this boy...she wondered if part of it was to due to this 'kindness' he exemplified…

Emilia giggled lightly, a mixed look of sadness and understanding coming into her eyes to contrast the smile on her face.

"I was thinking just how funny it was that he only asked for my name after all of that...but now that I know what I know...how I treated him, how much he clung onto the friendship he made with me in that first loop...that must've been reeeeeeally important to him." Softly, she grasped Subaru's soft hand in hers, lovingly holding it right against her side.

"Hmph, Betty is even more important to him than your silly name, I suppose!" Beatrice refuted, protectively hugging Subaru's chest as if to claim him back away from the half-elf.

Rem, meanwhile, was silent, though a small smile showed on her face, regardless. Knowing that the boy was as earnest as ever just made her positively ecstatic...yet she felt a somewhat grim emotion...she wondered for a second...just what had her true first meeting with Subaru been like?

"My name is Emilia. Just Emilia. Thank you, Subaru. For saving me." She held a gentle, soft hand out to him, which Subaru stared at, with wonder in his eyes.

His agonizing memories flashed through his head, as he thought of all the suffering, effort, and despair he had gone through.

'All those times I got hurt, all the crying I did, all the pain I felt, all the fighting with my life at stake...And my reward was her name and a single smile.' Subaru let out a happy exhale.

"Jeez. Talk about unequal compensation." He joked, as he gently grasped her hand in his...this time, with both of them safe and sound.

"Hah, you were tha' one who chose it, boy! Don't go complainin' 'bout it after tha' fact!" Anastasia huffed, being one of the ones most unsatisfied by his simple choice in compensation.

Felt snickered, bringing a palm to her face as she shook her head to Subaru's words. "Geez...big bro is forever gonna be a sucker, huh?"

Despite those words, the little blonde anarchist could not help but feel even more fond of him...and even more dissatisfied that she had never gotten a chance to bring him over with her, rather than with Emilia.

We would change scenes once more, with Subaru and Emilia now speaking to Reinhard, as Felt watched over the unconscious Old Man Rom in the corner.

"Anyway, Subaru, I'm impressed that you're unhurt." The Sword Saint was not shy to express his wonder at the feat.

"That thing protected me just in time. If not for that, I'd be in two pieces right now." Subaru explained, pointing at the wooden club that now lay on the ground.

Reinhard picked said club up, chuckling. "True, if not for this…" Though...oddly...only half of the club came up, the rest looking...like it had been cleanly cut in half? "Huh?"

….

"Shit."

Al was the only one to speak past the shocked quiet, with the rest of the audience that didn't know what was going to happen thrown into utter silence.

Reinhard's confusion made Reinhard, Emilia, and Subaru look down at Subaru's stomach, as they all realized what this meant.

Only now did Subaru's tracksuit cut through by his bowels, the fabric cleanly separating.

"Uh-oh. I should have seen this coming." He admitted, as the wound on his stomach opened, and slowly began to bleed. Blood shot out from his stomach as he fell over, leaving Emilia to rush to him.

"O-oh no, Subaru!" Petra had been exposed to the sight of Subaru bleeding fully on screen for the first time, holding a hand over her mouth as she watched him fall worriedly. Her mind wasn't even on the blood, but just focused on if the boy could survive or not.

"I believe we can relax. Emilia-sama is somewhat proficient in healing magic. I'm sure that our idiot would not die after coming this far." Ram said with confidence, shrugging off any sort of anxiety that attempted to gnaw away at her.

Felix nodded in agreement. "That's right, nyan~! As long as he can get treatment right away, he should be just fine!"

Otto and Garfiel let out sighs of relief, both being happy that they would not have to let their brother die yet another sad and painful death.

"Subaru! Subaru!"

His vision still barely working, Subaru could only gather enough energy to think as he stared at Emilia's extremely worried face above him.

'She's so cute when she's panicking...A parallel world fantasy…' His thoughts drifted off, as he fell into unconsciousness.

"Head, over, heels." Anastasia repeated teasingly, finding herself laughing uncontrollably at the boy's ever-apparent thoughts on the beautiful half-elf in the front row.

"He is undoubtedly deeply infatuated with Emilia-sama…" Wilhelm agreed wisely, remembering how struck he had been upon the first meeting with his wife. Of course, they did not exactly hit it off 'smoothly', but from the first moment they met, he'd regarded her as someone special to him.

Emilia could only blush, almost as red as a tomato, bringing a hand to cover her cheeks as her skin flushed. "Subaru is going to make me die of embarrassment…"

With Subaru now asleep, we return to Emilia and Reinhard, with Emilia just having finished healing Subaru.

"There. His treatment is complete. He should be over the hump now."

"By the way, Emilia-sama, what is your relation to Subaru?" Reinhard questioned, making her hum to herself as she considered the question.

"A passing acquaintance…?" Reinhard hummed in confusion to this answer, prompting Emilia to continue. "I don't recall ever meeting him before. I thought our meeting, earlier today, was the first time." She admitted.

Reinhard looked down at the unconscious boy with an unknown emotion in his eyes. "But he was looking for you. He said he had something to give you."

Emilia brought a thoughtful finger up to her chin. "That's why it's so strange…"

"If only either of us had known…" Reinhard could not help but chuckle, wondering just what he would've done if he'd learned Subaru's true origins and of his ability.

"I doubt that ya' coulda' guessed that a stranger ya' met had a time-travelling ability, let alone that he was gonna be yer friend, huh?" Anastasia gave a small smile, wondering just how different and interesting her life would have become if the young man had worked alongside her, instead.

"I might have likely viewed him as an extremely suspicious refuge of some sort...I am not capable of sensing emotions, only the truth that people tell, which are extremely subjective from person to person. After all, an insane man could fully believe that his own hallucinations were indeed the truth…" Crusch had to admit that her meeting with the boy likely would not have gone right in any capacity. Felix was impulsive, and she was not an easily trusting woman. Wilhelm was likely the only one who would have vouched for the boy.

"That's just how Subaru was to everyone. He simply shows up and changes your life, before you've even realized." Otto remembered his first meeting with the boy, who had practically dragged him out of a possible life of debt and misery, only for him to somehow end up as a Minister of the Interior for a royal candidate somehow…

"Now we know just why…" Rem murmured softly, as she wondered again back to her meeting with Subaru. She couldn't help but wonder, how had he gotten the information on the curse-user and the attack on Arlam Village…?

"What shall we do with him? I would be glad to take him home as a guest." Reinhard offered, looking at the half-elf inquisitively.

"Seriously?!" Felt practically yelled in outrage, looking at Reinhard with a furious expression. "You had a chance to bring big bro with us, and you didn't take it?!"

Reinhard could only give a sheepish chuckle. "W-Well, I became more preoccupied with you after discovering-"

"Screw that! You could've easily taken both me and him!" She rejected, huffing and forcing herself back in her chair. She was utterly pissed at the fact that her happy family with big bro was now a future she'd never have just because Reinhard was so overly-focused on his self-imposed duty.

Of course, without the ex-thief even noticing, Subaru's whole group had huddle close to the boy protectively...Roswaal excepted.

"No, I'll take him home with me." Emilia rejected this idea. "That way, I can learn what's really going on." She then looked down at Felt and Rom. "But more importantly, what will become of that girl and the old man?"

"Officially, I cannot overlook what they've done. But…" Reinhard interjected himself, with a carefree tone and a shrug. "Unfortunately, I'm off-duty today."

Emilia giggled at his lenience. "You're a bad knight." She would then slowly approach the kneeling Felt, who looked away nervously from her.

Julius and Felix gave their friend sly smiles, mischief not even hidden in their expressions.

"To think our pure Reinhard was capable of sounding like such a bad boy, nyan~." Felix shook his head, putting on his best disappointed-mother impression.

"Indeed. I had not believed he would be so easily misguided." Julius spoke with a fake stern voice, shaking his head in fake disappointment as well.

"Y-You guys…" Reinhard was once again left helpless as he was brought to face one of his largest and only weaknesses – teasing.

"Is this old man your family?" Emilia queried, leaving Felt surprised before reluctantly answering.

"S-something like that. Old Man Rom is the only one I have…" She nodded, as if confirming the idea to herself. "I guess he's like my grandpa, more than anything."

"I see. I only have one family member, too." Emilia said, pointing at the green jewel in the middle of her chest. "But he's always asleep at the most important moments. When he's awake, I'd never say that aloud." She added, leaving Felt still having a disbelieving gaze.

Emilia chuckled as she brushed a hand over her chest, remembering once more all of the fun times she had shared with her adoptive father. He really was asleep all the time...but she would definitely work to wake him up some time.

"I thought you'd be a lot harsher to me...I'm sorry." She showed a shy smile. "You both saved my life, and I can't let a debt go unpaid. I'll return what I stole." She offered, reaching into her outfit to hand it to the half-elf.

"If it's important, keep it hidden, so no one can steal it again!" She made sure to include a small warning.

"It feels funny, having you give me that warning." Emilia spoke sarcastically.

"At least you actually followed it, huh?" Felt grinned at Emilia's sarcastic words, words which left Emilia to huff, pouting and puffing out her cheeks.

"Yes, because I didn't have any more adorable thieves trying to take them from me!"

At Emilia's somewhat childish expression, Felt just couldn't help herself in laughing, despite her slight jealousy towards the girl. Big bro or not, Emilia was still Felt's big sis, too. She wouldn't fight with her over something like that.

Reinhard's attention was drawn to the insignia, not truly for the object itself...but for the gem in the middle which was faintly...glowing.

Anastasia gave a knowing grin, happy to grab herself another piece of interesting information. "So this s'how tha' last candidate was found, huh? It's really interestin' how well everythin' fell into place…"

"That is true...for Natsuki-sama, it seems as if Fate simply converges all in on him. He not only met and saved Emilia-dono, but also led Sir Reinhard to Felt-dono…" Crusch could not help but feel it was all so convenient.

"Barusu does attract all sorts of trouble to him, whether it be good or bad." Ram noted with an exasperated nod. Her life at the mansion had utterly turned upside down from his presence, alone...not that she minded it, in some instances.

"I wonder...just how far did that being plan? The more I think of it, the more Natsuki-san's appearance in this world was not random at all." Otto admitted, rubbing his chin in thought.

Nobody had the answer to that lingering question...

"But to think that a slum rat could make that gem shine…" Priscilla grumbled, clearly unhappy at how the last candidate had been chosen. She clearly did not favor the fact that Felt, of all people, was seen as a worthy candidate to even be considered for ruling.

Of course, Priscilla's immense saltiness went completely ignored, as was the new norm.

His entire demeanor changed, sweat forming all over his face as a self-made realization set in. He roughly grabbed Felt's wrist, taking a closer look at her.

"Reinhard?" Emilia asked in confusion to the knight's actions.

"You're hurting me! Let go!" Felt demanded, but Reinhard was only staring even harder at the insignia in her palm.

"How can this be…?" He muttered, incredulity thoroughly painting his voice. "What is your name?" Reinhard asked, in an interrogating tone.

"Still, to think…" Anastasia murmured, noting just how desperate the Sword Saint looked. She remembered a rather interesting claim he had made in the presence of the Council...the claim that Felt might indeed be a member of the once believed dead Royal Family.

Most of the other candidates did not quite understand the severity of such a claim, aside from Anastasia, who knew deeply of the hidden history of the Royals, and Crusch, who had her own connections to them.

She wondered if that had been why he was so panicked...

"F-Felt…" She responded cautiously, only to be pulled by him again.

"And your family name? How old are you?"

"I don't have anything fancy like a family name! I'm...about fifteen, I think. I don't know my birthday. Look-let go!" Felt tried, in vain, to escape from the incredibly firm grip of Reinhard.

"Emilia-sama, I am afraid I cannot keep my promise to you. I shall be taking this girl with me." He looked to the half-elf with an apologetic expression.

Obviously hurt by this breaking of their promise, Emilia had to ask. "May I ask why? If it's for stealing my insignia…"

Reinhard looked to the struggling Felt. "That is indeed no small crime. But next to the gravity of overlooking the crime unfolding before me, it's trivial." He got to his feet, bringing Felt with him. "I need you to come with me. I'm sorry, but I cannot allow you to refuse."

"Get over yourself! Just because you saved me-" Felt was midway through objecting, but Reinhard held a hand up to her, using a technique similar to mana drain to immediately render the girl unconscious, catching her limp body in hand.

"Wh't the?!S'he tryin' t'activate th'ancient lolimancer techniques?!" Garfiel said with mock surprise, eyes widening with shock to the Sword Saint's moves.

"So it's true that he's got tha' ability ta' garner any Divine Blessings he wants, huh? Must have picked up tha' Divine Blessing of the Lolimancer, too…" Anastasia decided to join in on the fun, keeping a totally straight face.

Everyone took a moment to just laugh at these jokes, enjoying the now largely lighthearted mood.

"That wasn't a very courtly method, either." Emilia said, but Reinhard was quick to excuse himself.

"I was careful not to use too much. Emilia-sama, I will be calling upon you soon, most likely. I hope you understand." He handed her the insignia, which she took in her palm. "Please take good care of Subaru."

The moon would shine down on the two within the loothouse, casting ominous shadows over their faces, almost as if to foretell the dark events which were to come.

Both Emilia and Reinhard looked up at it, as the moonlight entering the loothouse increased. "Today may be the last chance we have to gaze calmly at the moon."

Everyone could not help but think of just how true the Sword Saint's near-prophetic words would be…

In the span of a year, they had dealt with two of the great mabeasts, and a full-on-attack by the mysterious Witch Cult.

They did not even know what might have happened at Priestella...

Emilia couldn't help but take the Sword Saint's ominous words seriously, with the camera showing both her surprised face, and the calm, sleeping face of Subaru.

Before going black for good, the screen would show just a few more pieces of white text.

Re: Zero: Arc 1

"The Capital City's First Day" – Completed.

Break rooms unlocked.

Viewing will commence once all guests have reconvened back into the theater.

Thank you for watching with us.

With those final sets of words, the screen went entirely blank, leaving everyone in silence.

Besides them, a set of doors opened on the walls of the upper and lower levels of the theater, leading into what were presumably these break rooms.

"So this is our 'break time' after this first arc, huh?" Al stretched his arms outwards, slumping over in his chair after. "Good. I'm ready to get outta this damn theater."

"We do have a lot to discuss, as well…" Otto stood up from his chair, looking back at the rest of the cast with an analytical gaze.

Anastasia grinned, getting up from her seat, with the rest of her camp following suit. She looked all too pleased at the idea of finally being able to pry deep into the raw chunk of information they had just absorbed.

"Glad ya' agree, merchant-boy. We got a loooot of time to have a nice, leisurely chat. An' I plan ta make full use a' it."

"We must keep things civil, however. There will be no end to our arguments, debates, and theories if we are not able to come to calm, reasonable decisions and conclusions." Crusch warned, standing up from her seat with her hands at her hips.

"I would rather keep any such discussions short. Moving forward with this viewing is a much more important priority for mineself. I wish to end it as soon as possible." Without another word, Priscilla departed from the room past the doors into the break room, Al chuckling and giving a short bow of apology before following after her.

"Mean lady!" Mimi grumbled as she, and the rest of Anastasia's camp followed suit, leaving through the same upper door as Priscilla.

"She's really got a stick up her-" Felix's annoyed words were cut off as he followed behind Crusch, Wilhelm shaking his head in exasperation as he too disappeared into the darkness alongside his camp members.

Felt snickered, hopping up from her chair and making her way to the lower doors, hands stretched relaxedly behind her back. "Well, I'll see ya in there, big sis! Let's get those butts in gear, Rein!"

Reinhard followed after his mistress happily, looking back at the Emilia camp with a knowing, warm smile, before disappearing behind the doors.

With this, the Emilia camp was left in silence…

Roswaal was the first to get up, leaving in utter silence without saying a single word to anyone else.

Ram followed, bowing to the rest of the group. "I shall see the rest of you inside." She added surprisingly politely, then followed worriedly after her master.

Beatrice, Rem, and Emilia all looked hesitant, not moving from their positions at all...out of all of the group, they looked the most unwilling to get up from their seats.

"Garfiel-san and I shall get going, as well." Otto, easily reading the mood, departed from the theater, dragging the Shield of the Sanctuary with him, who clearly wasn't too happy.

"Tch-h-hey wait! I still wanna- I wanna be by Cap'n-Oi!"

The young demihuman's pleas faded into echoes, leaving the next members to depart.

"Then...I and Petra shall get going." Frederica softly left her seat, while holding her junior maid's hand, gently pulling her along.

Petra looked back with an innocent, precious smile. "I'll see you in the theater, Emilia-sama, Beatrice-sama, miss Rem!"

With that, it was now just Beatrice, Emilia, and Rem, all three of them still pressed to Subaru, holding him dearly to themselves…

Yet, they realized that they could not stay here forever.

Beatrice reluctantly hopped off of her contractor's lap, slowly walking her way to the doors. "...Do not bother Betty's contractor for too long, I suppose."

Emilia was especially surprised at seeing Beatrice leave first, though Rem did not exactly understand just why the half-elf looked so surprised.

After a few seconds, the little pitter-patter of the little spirit's feet disappeared, leaving Rem and Emilia in near total darkness and complete silence.

"You know...I did not question it earlier...but Beatrice-sama has truly grown close to Subaru-kun, has she not? It seems as if he was even able to form a contract with her." Rem spoke in wonder, remembering how Subaru had usually always risked bodily harm just to even get a short conversation with the tsundere Spirit.

"Yeah…we've all been through quite a lot in the past year that you've been sleeping, Rem." Emilia smiled as she remembered just how far the group had come along. Though, her smile slowly shifted, fading into a more unreadable expression.

"You know...Subaru told me. He told me that…"

"That he loves you, correct?" Rem gave the half-elf a warm smile, as she remembered just how handily she had been rejected by him. It hurt her to think of what Subaru would have said to Emilia, yet, what the silver haired girl said next blew her mind.

"No, that he loves the both of us!" The girl shouted out, cheeks flushing. Rem was left utterly blindsided by these words, her eyes widened in surprise to this revelation.

"Both...of us…?"

"Yes. Subaru did, well...he did, you know...tell me about his feelings, but...he mentioned that he still had a place in his heart for you, too. That he loved you, too."

"I see...I see…" Rem repeated, as her smile turned brighter and brighter by the second. Tears dropped from her eyes, as she couldn't help but just cry out all of the feelings that had been building up in her. "Subaru-kun...he loves Rem too…"

The blue-haired Oni felt completed, in a way...satisfied. After all the horrible things she had seen her hero go through, she felt horrible that she couldn't even do anything for him. Yet...to think that all this time, he had still kept a certain tenderness in his heart for her…

She truly felt like it was at this moment, that she was alive and back in the real world.

Emilia giggled at Rem's emotional display, slowly getting up from her seat to walk over to the Oni. She leaned down, gently wrapping her arms around her in an almost motherly hug.

"I know, I know...I'm soooooo sorry that you've lost out on so much time, Rem...but…" She slowly leaned back from the Oni, staring her right in the eyes.

Beautiful, angelic purplish-blue orbs met with clear, shimmering sky-blue ones.

"I don't know how we will make this work, but...we both love Subaru, right? Then...we're going to make it work together. Subaru deserves all the love that we can give him, after all."

Emilia had decided on that the moment her memories of the maid had returned. She had never been too close to Rem, especially since Rem seemed to dislike her due to associations with the witch…

Yet it was through their shared love of Subaru where the two girls could truly connect, and begin to form a new, and true bond together.

A few more seconds passed of Rem getting comforted by Emilia, before the blue-haired Oni eventually managed to stop her tears, with Emilia gently wiping the remainder of the moisture from her eyes.

"Thank you so much, Emilia-sama...Rem...Rem truly wouldn't have known what to do if Subaru-kun had just moved on and forgotten about her. You've really grown since the last time we met, haven't you?"

Emilia shook her head, remaining ever humble as she moved away from the girl.

"Don't thank me. Subaru is the one that taught me how to be better...he's the one that led me to face my own issues, and overcome them to become a new, better person. He's not a perfect silly boy, by any means, but...he's our Subaru. And I wouldn't have him any other way."

Rem nodded in quiet agreement, turning to look at Subaru one last time, before slowly stepping out of her seat.

"Then...I shall be going. Are you coming with me, Emilia-sama?"

The spirit arts user shook her head, smiling brightly at Rem. "Not just yet, but I'll be right in after you. Also, don't be so formal anymore. Just call me Emilia, alright? Just Emilia!"

Rem giggled, at Emilia's chiding words, nodding in understanding. "Alright, then I shall see you within the break rooms...Emilia."

With those parting words, Rem disappeared into the break rooms, leaving just Emilia and Subaru's peacefully sleeping body.

The half elf looked at her knight for a while, silently considering how he looked there, finally being able to take a rest. She felt many things going through her head, and she wasn't able to fully sort them all at that moment.

He really had done so much for her without her even knowing...he'd practically lived multiple lives just trying to keep her and everyone else from dying...and she did not know just how broken or hurt he really even was.

No matter what...she at least knew that she would never let her knight carry such a burden on his own, never again.

With that thought, she headed for the exit, pausing for a second to take one last look at the empty theater behind her, as a final thought came into her mind.

'I wonder what mister Host is doing right now…?'

---

Somewhere, within an undisclosed location, the white orb-body of the Host hovered in midair, floating in the shadows of whatever place he was in.

In front of him, the barely-visible shadow of a figure stood, with their backs turned to him.

So, you have finished your viewing?

"Yeah...and I still don't know how to feel about all that, Uncle Orby! You just came back here outta nowhere and showed me something that crazy...what the heck was I supposed to say?!"

The voice was clearly female, sounding somewhere between a mix of panicked, overexcited, and hyper.

My apologies. You know I am simply carrying out the last wishes of your master.

"Master...master, huh…? Master…" The voice seemed to lose all of its' excitement, going into near-lethargy as this particular word was mentioned.

Don't become discouraged now. He may not be with us anymore...but that boy carries on his will.

Soon, his entire group will, as well. And then...you will no longer be alone.

Even if you now know that your master no longer lives, you must persevere.

Please, just last until then.

There was silence to this, as the person seemingly kept silent without even saying anything back.

Before, suddenly, the girl spoke up again, her words full of excitement again, like a switch had been instantly flipped. "Fine, fine~! If it's something to honor master, there's no way I can refuse! Especially...especially if it helps that weird guy that's just like him…"

Good. Now, I must be going. My dear guests are waiting.

With that, the omnipresent voice of the Host, along with its' body disappeared, leaving behind the shadowy figure.

"Natsuki Subaru, huh…? I wonder if he can be...if he can be my new master." The voice murmured, as they stepped out of the darkness, into a patch of light.

The one known to the world as the Sage, Shaula, stared out into the open sky, into the unchanging scenery of the Auguria Sand Dunes.

"Well...back to another day of protecting the tower! Yeah!"

---

Destiny's Ultra-Awesome-Cool-Imaginary Author-Corner!

Total Word Count: 53,757 words.

G'day, ladies, gentlemen, others. Destiny back with ya, after a long and arduous two weeks! I think that it's pretty consistent to say that each chapter will be about two weeks of work, at best.

I really want to know, how did all of you like the added detail? I made sure to dig up everything I could. Man, the side stories and extra stories really do add a ton of lore. Even web novel content completely revolutionizes the way you see the story.

Wilhelm's connection to Old Man Rom, the full story of Felt's job, Felt possibly being the only surviving member of the Royal Family, Elsa's backstory, Emilia's potential to use really powerful fire magic, etc etc. There's so much little stuff that all of those extra details add.

Speaking of Elsa, I have to admit I kinda like Elsa. She's evil, and a villain, but she's honestly a really fun character for me. In some ways, I wish she would have not died so early on, but in other ways, I can understand that it was time for Subaru to move on to bigger and better villains and threats. Elsa's death sort of represented the beginning of shit truly moving forward, I think.

I wouuuld have done something a little fun, like including her in the reaction cast, but you know, she'd probably be constantly killed and hated within seconds. Although I do have an interesting idea for her I'm keeping in mind for a possible future story.

Anyway, thank you for all of your feedback on what you believe I should do with the characters, and I'm extremely thankful for everyone's opinions and feedback on the story in general.

As for Anastasia...I have plans for her, so look forward to it.

Anyways, today I have two questions for you all. First, do you actually even want to read more of this? Trolls aside, I want to know how much of you are actually enjoying this story.

Second, I've always wondered...why do you think people make discords for their stories? I've never considered making one, and I never will. I'm not the social, discord-making type, anyway, and I doubt my story will ever become popular enough to deserve one. But I am curious as to why people do this.

Anyway guys, I'm gonna head off again. I hope y'all are doing alright, staying healthy and living good lives.

Until next chapter, see you around, lads! Destiny the writer, out!

**Rides off into the sunset on my majestic, imaginative Black Snake**