The militia led by Crusch Karsten were on their way to what everyone knew would be a climactic battle.
The White Whale was one of the great terrors that still roamed the continent, and needless to say, the creature had caused no small measure of carnage in its 400 years of existence. Looking back at many of the troops following behind her on their own ground dragons, she wondered just how many of them had a personal grudge against the beast that they would no doubt soon encounter.
Crusch herself had no direct grudge against the creature. But even still, she could never forgive such a monster that had made the world its playground for centuries as it trampled the weak, leaving nothing but terror in its wake. With conviction and drive in their hearts, the green-haired duchess could only pray that these men and women would find the answer they'd long sought in the defeat of the White Whale.
Turning her amber-colored eyes to the man riding beside her, Crusch could only imagine what his thoughts were He was a well-built, white-haired gentleman dressed as a butler. But the fact that he carried multiple weapons on his person as well as him riding alongside the leader of this operation showed that he was no mere manservant. He was the Sword Devil, Wilhelm van Astrea. And if Crusch were to give an estimate, she would think no one else among the people gathered here held as strong a hatred of the White Whale as he.
While she would have liked to offer her personal butler some words of encouragement, she knew that no such thing could be of any help at this moment. Yes, after all, it was far too late for that. He had been preparing for this moment for the last 14 years. Ever since what happened during the failed Great Expedition...
She needed to turn her mind away from such thoughts. Only one thing mattered right now, and that was achieving victory and returning home with as many of her soldiers as possible.
If her forces emerged victorious over one of the Three Great Mabeastcs, it would prove the righteousness of her overall cause. The people of Lugunica have become far too reliant on outside aid. Though she did not ignore the boons that the Dragon had delivered to the nation which she loved so, but at the end of the day, the Dragon did not live with them, and it did not toil and struggle with them. Meaning at best, the Dragon could be considered an occasional helpful neighbor. But never truly one of them.
How could they continue to rely on something that was not part of them? Her convictions could not allow it. "Especially after what happened to the royal family. After the Dragon never appeared to save them. To save him..."
Once again, she forced herself to push unnecessary thoughts from her mind.
Achieving victory was the only thing that should concern her at the moment.
Flugel's Tree could be seen in the distance. But, that didn't mean much. It was such a massive landmark that it could be noticed even further than the eye could see.
But, just as she steeled herself for the coming event, something disturbed the young duchess. On the air, she picked up the familiar smell of what she absolutely knew to be blood. Her attractive face took on an unpleasant look as the scene offended her nostrils. And if she noticed it, Crusch could be certain that the harden warriors around her hadn't gone unaware. There was no doubt that the Sword Devil at her side who had endured a bloody war in the past had not failed to take note.
But, what was the meaning of this? Such a repugnant smell could only have come from a massive amount of bloodshed! Had there been some sort of...massacre?
A bead of sweat trickled down her temple as the worst possible scenario came to mind. Had the White Whale come across some unfortunate caravan and attacked, once again leaving nothing but carnage in its path? She could only pray that this was not the case.
Just as the duchess would have told her troops that they needed to speed up, what they saw some distance upward shocked her into silence.
A massive creature lay across the ground up ahead.
Though Crusch had never before seen the monster which she and her camp intended to face this day, she had heard stories from those who had been fortunate enough to survive its attacks, as well as those who had come back alive from the failed Great Expedition. And all of their descriptions aligned with what her eyes saw ahead of her.
It was the White Whale.
Except, it wasn't soaring above the sky, swimming in the air as if it was an open ocean. It was flat across the ground and...motionless.
What she saw next both half-proved her earlier thought, but also further perplexed her mind.
That metallic smell of blood that they all noticed? There had been a massacre. But from what Crusch could tell, there was only one casualty.
A sense of dread that she had never before felt crept into the deepest reaches of her heart. The White Whale was a catastrophe in the form of a marine mammal that had plagued the entire continent for centuries. And unless she was within the confines of a cruel nightmare, it was dead in front of her eyes.
The leader of this party was not the only one to be stupefied by what they saw. But one among them was the first to break ranks. It was Wilhelm.
Speeding off to the origin of this scene, the white-haired butler commanded his ground dragon into action, demanding it to bring him closer so that he may learn the nature of this situation!
"Wilhelm, wait! It might be dangerous!" But, for once in his life, he who had presented himself as a dutiful servant disobeyed the orders of his mistress. Or rather, her words could not reach him. Only one thing was at the forefront of his mind. Only one thing could command his attention. Nothing else existed at this moment. Wilhelm's ground dragon raced off so quickly that it kicked up dust in its wake! The only thing Crusch could do was command her troops to make haste and follow!
"Damn it! Everyone, after Wilhelm, at once!"
Subaru Natsuki could not fathom what Crusch Kasten would be doing here. And from the looks of it, she'd brought with her an entire hunting party! Regardless, she was among a handful of people that he had absolutely no intention of talking with right now. He didn't need her callous, unfeeling self bringing down his rare good mood.
"Subaru..." It was Rem who had come to his side. She was there the last time he had...interacted with the Karsten duchess. And needless to say, Subaru had not walked away a proud man.
But today was different.
A confident smirk touched his lips. Subaru's hand found Rem's, and he turned to look upon the blue-haired maid's face. "Don't worry, Rem. This isn't gonna change our plans. I don't know what they want, but as long as I've got you here, nothing can get in our way. Right?"
Hearing the valor in his words, Rem could feel no uncertainty. The desperation that plagued his heart the last time he'd met with these people no longer existed. All that was left was for her to support the one she loved through yet another trial. With a confident smile, no, one hat could only be called demonically fanatical, Rem nodded and responded with a rock-solid, "Right!"
Though the armed force was approaching rapidly, Subaru noticed that there was a single ground dragon rider who was further ahead than everyone else! And he immediately noticed it to be that familiar old butler who'd given him a few lessons in swinging a sword. "Wilhelm...?"
Why was riding so far ahead like that? It looked pretty...sloppy and unfocused. Subaru was no military tactician, but wasn't that what they called breaking rank?
They were less than a minute out, and to his surprise, Subaru felt a hand touch down on his shoulder. Between himself and Rem, he heard a familiar, calm voice speak. It was Demiurge.
"Just respond naturally to whatever comes. I would prefer to observe this interaction while unseen and from a comfortable distance in the air."
"So, you didn't just dip out and leave us to handle this." Subaru didn't take his eyes off the scene, but felt amusement knowing that Demiurge was acting as the spy in this situation. Actually, it probably was for the best. His appearance would likely freak these people out.
"Yes. In case these people are coming here to start any trouble, I will be the one to deal with them." It was Sebas who spoke, remaining here he was, just a few feet away. "I believe Subaru and Rem have earned a bit of rest, after all." Both of them were elated to hear this. And while the two of them had not incurred any actual injuries, that didn't mean that neither of them was tired.
The sound of the feet of ground dragons trampling the earth got louder. And then it was replaced by the sound of rodding through the veritable small lake of blood that had spilled from the fallen body of the White Whale.
Wilhelm arrived first, then he was followed by Crusch, Ferris, and the entirety of the militia she had brought with her.
"What in the hell was going on?"
Dozens of eyes looked upon the bloody aftermath of what had resulted in the death of a legendary mabeast. But, even more could only wonder what had happened here.
"No..." The first one to speak was Wilhelm. Demounting his ground dragon, the ever dutiful butler wore an expression unlike anything Subaru had ever seen upon his calm face. It was dumbfounded disbelief. His pupils seemed to have shrunk, his face covered with sweat. "H-how can this be?"
The way Wilhelm moved closer to the corpse of the White Whale was slow and staggered. He almost looked like a zombie, the way his feet dragged.
"Wilhelm. You're not looking too good." Subaru, unaware of the dark history that the Sword Devil had with this creature, was uncertain of what to say. How could he know? After all, he had only existed in this world for less than a couple of months. Events that had transpired decades, or even centuries ago were far beyond his understanding.
"Subaru Natsuki!"
It was Crusch Karsten, who had also approached him on foot, uncaring that she was walking through dense, murk blood. To Subaru's half-surprise, she was dressed for battle, wearing a custom, armored outfit that looked both protective, and easy to move in. He supposed her military attire that she wore in day-to-day life wasn't just for show. Maybe she was the type of person who'd get out there and mix it up.
"You will explain this situation, now! Why are you here in a place like this? Why is the White Whale here? And how in the world is it dead? Who is responsible for this?"
The way she fired these questions at him with unusual force was nothing like the calm duchess that Subaru had encountered only a few days ago. She was speaking with the authority of a military commander to a subordinate. And her tone would have pissed Subaru off if it wasn't for one thing. The sound of confusion in her words. It was slight, but noticeable, even to him.
Looking from Rem, to Sebas, it took a few moments for Subaru to gather his thoughts. He didn't feel like being cross-examined by anyone. And, just to be petty, he chose to remain silent and collect his thoughts for a little while.
"Hnm, these guys she's with all look like they're prepared for battle. And because Crusch is in the same gear, I can't assume this is just an escort from one place to another." She was not only the head of an esteemed noble family also one of the five candidates to potentially become the next king of his nation. Based on that, Subaru could understand why such an important person would need to have round-the-clock security when outside of their own home. But even still, something else felt weird.
"Whoa! So many questions back to back? Don't think I can handle it. Why don't you start since you guys are the newcomers? I know what I'm doing here, but what about you?" He said this with that trademark flippant way of speaking that always got on people's nerves. And true to pattern, someone reacted.
"Subawu! Lady Crusch just asked you a question! A bunch of them! And you will answer her!" His ears were attacked by that familiar girly voice, the Japanese teen's eyes locked onto the flaxen-haired Ferris. But, unlike his usual tone of teasing that laced all his speech, at the current moment he simply sounded indignant that someone would dare talk around his master.
All he could do was groan, not in the mood to deal with this. He didn't even know what was going on! And Ferris was the last person Subaru felt like answering to. Though he kept his mouth closed about it, the cat boy really got on his nerves for a reason Subaru didn't think he could describe at the moment. "It's just something about this guy that I can't stand. And I can't stand that I can't figure out why..."
Shrugging, Subaru decided to give up on that mystery for now. "Fine! Which one of those questions do you want an answer to, first? There were so many that I can't even understand what you guys are looking for."
Though her patience was running thin, Crusch managed to compose herself. Falling victim to her passions would lead her nowhere. "What I want to know is what you could possibly be doing at the scene of the White Whale's death and who could have killed it." Though her words were no less stern, this time they came off as being less militaristic and more reminiscent of an experienced negotiator who wanted to grill someone on the other side of the table.
"If that's all it is, then it's pretty simple." All ears on the scene were locked on Subaru, except perhaps one. The black-haired teenager soon followed with an admission that rocked the world of all those who had just arrived. "The one who killed the White Whale, was us."
...
Chatter broke out among Crusch's troops with looks of bewilderment stretching across their faces.
Crusch's expression went from unreadable to simply blank shock. Wilhelm's eyes were so wide that they were suddenly half the size of dinner plates. And Ferris, always the quickest with a snappy comment, was the first to say, "Liar!"
With a perturbed look on his face, Subaru Natsuki looked at the Blue Knight and strongly wanted him to repeat himself. "Excuse me?" He knew Ferris didn't really like him, considering all the harsh words he seemed all but too happy to deliver his way. But what other conclusion could they draw? Subaru had all but forced the failed interactions with the three candidates out of his mind at this point. He couldn't help allowing those feelings of resentment to creep back into his heart. Something finally went right for him and these people had to show up and try to ruin it by calling him a liar?
"The White Whale is a monster that has destroyed towns, and cities over the course of 400 years! What makes you think you can just stand there and say you defeated it, Subawu? A powerless quitter like you who does nothing but talk big! You don't even know what you're saying! There is nyo way you could have ever dreamed of standing a chance against something like this! If you think anyone will believe that kind of —"
As the greatest healer slinged insult upon insult at this insignificant, dishonest, weak and disgraceful boy, he found himself silenced by the only woman who could do so to him.
"FERRIS!"
With a single word, Crusch Karsten had quieted her knight. But the cat boy could not bear this! Running up to her side, he knew that he of all people could convince his mistress that what was upon them was not what they were being told. But the second Ferris arrived, all he could see was an expression of disbelief upon her flawless face.
"He's...not lying, Ferris. I don't see any wind of untruth surrounding him at all."
Staring at the ground, her words came out as being dry and hollow. As if her throat had gone dry from sucking in a mouthful of arid sand.
With a raised brow, Subaru failed to understand the meaning of her words. Wind of who? "She can't see what?"
"Lady Crusch can tell when people are not giving her the truth! That's the secret of her Divine Protection of Wind Indiction. And Ferris doesn't know how Subawu is managing to pull the wool over her eyes, but nobody here believes a thing you have to say!" Yet again, it was Ferris who was the one who spoke up first. It was almost as if he couldn't resist the urge to talk about how amazing she was! Yet again Subaru felt that familiar annoyance. And it was scratching at the inside of his head as to why he could not understand why it was bothering him so much every time Ferris opened his mouth about Crusch.
Upon hearing this, a few things suddenly clicked in Subaru's mind. "So that's what that was." He simply thought that the Karsten duchess was an expert negotiator who had the ability to see through people when they were telling her a bunch of crap. But that wasn't it at all. She had a power that allowed her to see through falsehoods. That was how she concluded that he was an insane person when he couldn't reveal the exact source of why he knew what he told her in that last talk. She'd admitted she believed that he thought he was telling the truth because from her skewed perspective, that was what he believed. But without her seeing tangible evidence, she could only believe it was a story cooked up by a guy who'd lost his marbles. "And here I thought she just had good eys or something. I'll give it to you, it was pretty slick to hide that Divine Protection of yours. But, you won't get one over on me again." This time, it was Subaru's turn to lead people around.
"I appreciate you running your mouth so much, Ferris. That's useful information you just gave me." Did people talk their heads off all the time when they were emotional? How stupid!
"Actually, what I said was not exactly the full truth. I am the one who ended up killing that thing, but I also had a whole lot of help from Rem over here, as well as a new friend that I made recently." Subaru would not be so arrogant as to pretend this was a one-man show. And to be perfectly honest, he wasn't looking for any accolades. Defeating the White hale was only step 1 in a larger plan.
He really didn't know how much he should involve Seba. But, Subaru figured that it would come up one way or another. Even still, he would do his best to minimize the butler's involvement in this. After all, Subaru had already told himself that he was not going to get involved in the specifics of what he and demiurge wanted with the body of the White Whale.
"But how?! How could you have possibly found it?! The White Whale is a creature that—"
"Ferris! Do not unnecessarily get involved. I will be the one to ask the questions, here."
But to the surprise of everyone, the loyal Blue Kight had lost control of himself in the heat of this life-changing moment. "But how can I, Lady Crusch? You know what this monster is? The White Whale has killed a Sword Saint in the past and Ferris is expected to believe a weak guy like Subawu could—"
Unable to take any further interruptions from anyone, the Karsten duchess was done repeating herself. With "Ferris. I will not ask you a third time. Settle. Down." Though she had managed to reign in her knight, Crusch Karsten was just as enraged. That was why she didn't think she could bring herself to follow through on those threatening words. She absolutely had to get to the bottom of this, immediately.
Taking a deep breath, Crusch chose to step forth in order to speak on behalf of everyone who was currently serving under her command. Or, rather she would have done so if she had not been overwhelmed by a sudden feeling of bloodlust that caught the attention of everyone standing here.
"GODDAMN YOU!" A fierce roar from none other than Wilhelm resounded throughout the plains. With his weapon in hand, the fury of the Sword Devil had been unleashed upon the carcass of the White Whale. Speeding forward with an agility that put his own ground dragon to shame, he who had been hailed as one of the most well-known figures of the Demihuman War savaged the bloody body of his long-hated enemy.
SLASH. STAB. CUT. LACERATE. IMPALE. THRUST. CHOP.
Wilhelm van Astrea had abandoned his former self, unleashing 14 years worth of wrath at the very target that had stolen what was most dear to him. Screams of anguish and hate burst out as Wilhelm assaulted White Whale.
"How could this be?! For over a decade I have lived for nothing but this day? How could I arrive at the feet of my greatest enemy, only to find that I have come too late? Demon of the mist! You cannot be dead! Not like this! I have spent too long searching for you! I will not accept that I have been denied my revenge!"
No one dared to even get near the Sword Devil when he had lost himself to his emotions like this. There were many soldiers here who knew exactly how he felt. Men who'd survived the Great Expedition and also hoped of one day being party to slaying this foul beast. But they all now knew that such a thing was a lost dream.
Though she had reprimanded Ferris for his outbursts, Crusch did not think she could do the same for her butler. A goal he had dedicated himself to had been lost. Something he'd desired and craved for nearly as long as she had been alive had been taken away. Stolen, even!
"WHY! WON'T! YOU! SCREAM?! I WILL NOT BE SATISFIED UNTIL I SEE YOUR FINAL MOMENTS WITH MY OWN EYES, BEAST!"
Pathetically, the White Whale barely even had much blood to spare for Wilhelm's swords to gorge themselves on.
And slowly, the Sword Devil seemed to come back to reality. At the feet of his most hated enemy, Wilhelm forgot all dignity and sank to his knees in the pool of vile blood beneath him. "You took my wife from me. The only woman I have ever given my heart to. And now...you simply die like this? Without even giving me a chance for revenge...?"
Wilhelm was in a state of disbelief. He had failed. A blunder of this level was truly inexcusable. "Theresia. I failed you, my love. I was not there when you died. I was unable to fulfill my vow. I...I am not fit to be called a man, nor your husband." For the first time in over a decade, tears fell from the eyes of Wilhelm van Astrea. He had always believed that he would find all answers in life that he encountered through his sword. But this was something that even the most beautiful of a sword could not undo.
Ferris could not bear to watch this scene, and his heart broke right along with Wilhelm's. He had watched at how the old man had agonized over this one goal, and how their lady was to help him accomplish this romantic dream. And it had been taken away from him. From all of them. Resentment grew in the Blue Knight's heart. He was one who knew that Lady Crusch's Divine Protection did not always work. But his was not the time to say so. And he also knew Subaru Natsuki was lying! He had to be! It would have taken nothing less than someone of Old Man Wil's level along with a prepared small army to kill such a mabeast!
He had to do something. But there was nothing that Ferris' healing magic could do that would ease a crushed dream and a shattered heart.
No! There was something he could do! He could deliver righteous punishment to the rogue who had caused his friend such grief. Subaru Natsuki.
He deserved it, after all. Ferris was tired of smiling and pretending like this man wasn't a blight on everyone who ran into him. He'd embarrassed Emilia on such an important day in front of all her rivals and insulted both the knights of Lugunica! And after so shamefully begging Lady Crusch for assistance in a matter that was absolutely none of her business, he'd concocted a dirty scheme to somehow ruin her chances at achieving her goal of becoming king of this nation. Subaru Natsuki was his, no, he was Lady Crusch's enemy. A lowly, weak little nothing like him had no business even getting involved in the business of the royal candidates. Julius may have smacked him around, but it was clear that Subaru had not learned his lesson. Yes, some pain ought to teach him a lesson he would never forget.
While only half aware of what he was doing, the Blue Knight approached the man he hated more than anyone else in the world right now. His hand extended in an almost mindless sort of way, Ferris felt that all he had to do was make things just a little bit more...hot for this repulsive excuse for a human. Malicious intent so unlike him dripped from every fiber of his being. And this was so unlike him, that no one within the Crusch camp even noticed.
But there was one man who did.
Having vanished from his place on the sidelines, the mysterious, white-haired butler appeared in front of Ferris with such swiftness that not a soul had even detected his movement. And without warning, a flash of killing intent so massive emanated from the man that Ferris could have sworn that he'd seen his steel-like eyes burn a deep red color before his own vision grew blurry.
Ferris Argyle couldn't speak. He couldn't move. He couldn't even breathe! Tears welled up in his eyes as his entire body was wracked with an unbelievable fear that paralyzed him to the very bone. It felt as if time had stopped and he was trapped in what could only be described as a dark squall of creeping terror. "Who...what...are...you?" He didn't even know how long it took him to squeak these words out before he watched for seconds, minutes, and then hours as the unknown man's hand, wreathed in a ghostly blue light reached for his slender throat. The man's fingers connected, turning into what others recognized was a knife hand.
And as quickly as it had come, the storm of killing intent quieted, but it did not vanish.
"Eh? Huh! Sebas, I didn't even notice that you had moved!" This time, it was Subaru who spoke, having finally revealed the name of this obscenely fast, and clearly deadly old man.
"Your master has told you twice, now. And it has been twice that you have disobeyed. Since you will not listen to her, you will listen to me. While I understand that you are clearly consumed with many feelings, professionally, I cannot allow any harm to come to Subaru Natsuki. And on a more personal level, I cannot tolerate subordinates who so brazenly ignore the words of their master. It is a disgrace to their authority and diminishes the quality of their status. You will not interrupt again unless specifically pointed to. Have I made myself plain?"
Every word from this Sebas slammed into Ferris' very heart like a block of cold, unrelenting steel.
"...Y-Yes. I apologize. To everyone." He choked out these words through bitter tears and an unflatteringly pained expression that he could not bear to show. He had utterly humiliated himself. He had disgraced the woman who had brought him into her home, saved his life, and given him something more to strive for. At this moment, Ferris Argyle wished he could be anywhere but here.
Seemingly satisfied, Sebas retracted the blade that was his very hand from Ferris' throat. "Good." But what he did next staggered belief to everyone watching. Sebas placed a hand on Ferris' shoulder, and with a tone so different from the one he used before, some of those present could hardly believe he was the same man as before. "You clearly have great love for your master and your friend. But there are times where you must swallow your personal feelings. Resolve to not repeat such blunders. You are still quite a young boy. You have time to learn."
These words left the flaxen-haired cat boy further stunned. Why did that sound like something Old Man Wil would say? Inside his heart, Ferris could only wonder why old men always had to say such things that stabbed into the very core of a person's being? "Subawu. I hate you. And I hate myself for remembering that the two of us are no different."
And this time, slow enough so that all spectators could see, Sebas returned to his place on the sidelines to resume overseeing this event. "Everyone, I apologize for having to involve myself. I hope things may proceed without further incident."
Sensing that she had to take control of this situation, Crusch gave an order to her men. "Everyone! See to it that Ferris and Wilhelm are cared for!" Having witnessed the undignified scene unfold before them, there was nobody else within this militia who would dare to do anything other than what their leader had told them to. Those who were friends of the Blue Knight and the Sword Devil took them both aside, quietly assuring them that things would become better. With uncertain eyes, Wilhelm looked over his shoulder, a ghostly look in his formerly focused eyes. And his gaze was fixed, just for a few moments, on Subaru Natsuki.
Quietly, Crusch stood in front. "Please, I must apologize for the conduct of my subordinates. This situation has been a...great shock to them. To everyone. On behalf of all those under the Karsten banner, please accept my humblest apologies."
With a nod, the blue-haired maid was the first to speak. "Rem understands. We were not expecting any company to come upon this scene. It is surely a sight to behold." Officially speaking, Rem couldn't speak any ill thoughts she might have had. It could damage potential...business relations between her own master and the Karsten house. The words of Sebas rang true within her mind. As a servant, she needed to maintain a behavior that would not damage her employer's image.
Subaru, on the other hand, was not moved. It was going to take a whole lot more than a single apology from this woman for him to forget the way she acted the last time they met with one another. And it was going to take even more than words for him to forgive how her night had done what he was certain what's going to be some sort of attack on him. "Now who's out of control and looking crazy?" Though he said this within his heart, Subaru could feel very little in the way of savage pleasure, even though his mind told him he should.
At the very least he felt great sympathy for Wilhelm. "Was this Theresia his wife? And the White Whale killed her?" Subaru had never gone more than a few days before he had avenged any wrong he was involved with. He simply couldn't imagine the level of focus it would take to wait 14 years. Unlike Subaru, the Sword Devil couldn't undo a horrible situation. For him, what's done, was done. But that didn't mean that the Japanese teenager was going to put himself through something horrific just so someone else could have their revenge on an already defeated enemy. He didn't care that much.
"Subaru Natsuki. I wonder, can we speak in private?"
With a look of suspicion, Subaru's eyes wandered down to the ornate sword that was held at Crusch's waist. He didn't trust this. "How do I know you won't attack me? I'm I let my guard down? I'm not liking the idea of going anywhere with you in this situation."
These were the last words that the Karsten duchess expected to hear. After all, the last time that they spoke with one another, it had been Subaru who was all too eager to do the explaining. Also, she had never in her life been accused of having the desire to attack someone behind their back. She would never resort to such a dishonorable tactic. And where he even got such an idea was beyond her! However, this was not an advantageous situation. She needed answers, and there was only one person who could provide her with such.
"I swear it on the name of House Karsten. In doing so would prove that I am a woman with not a shred of honor. And to prove my claim," She reached for her treasured, but the Karsten matriarch did not draw it from its sheathe. "This sword is known as the Lion Rampart, and it has been in my family for generations. I would usually never allow it to be taken from my hand, but if I must relinquish it in order to show that I mean you no harm, I will gladly do such." Holding it out to him, Subaru could see that there was a lion's head on the crossguard. It was definitely the same symbol that was all over her family home.
But once again, Subaru was not impressed by this action. "Pretty big talk coming from the woman who basically told me she doesn't care who gets massacred just as long as it's not within the confines of her own house's lands. Typical." She just wants something. But Subaru wasn't in the mood for these games.
With a dismissive wave of his hand, Subaru was quick to say, "Just let one of your guys hold onto it! And let's get this talk over with. I have other things on my plate at the moment and there's no time to waste." No matter what Crusch had to say, it would not move Subaru. As a matter of fact, something she had told him before had made its way into his heart. And he was eager to give it back.
With a nod, Crusch handed over her treasured sword to one of her subordinates, taking a final look at the family heirloom before turning back to continue what she hoped would be a peaceful talk.
Subaru and Crusch left the scene, walking through the still-wet blood that littered the plains of the Liphas Highway. They were far enough away so that their conversation would not be heard by others, but still close enough so that anyone could approach should anything go wrong.
Finding a comfortable-looking rock that was jutting out of the ground, Subaru decided to make himself comfortable. "Well? Let's hear it. What more do you want to know? I already told you that the one who killed the White Whale was me and Rem with some help from our new associate." He really couldn't understand just how much more she wanted from that.
Sweat trickled down her temple. Crusch did not like the way the dark-haired man was looking at her. She felt as if she was in an unfamiliar place where things were not equal. But even still, she would push on with conviction in her heart.
"I...do not know if I believe you. I do not wish to call you a liar, but..."
"So you still think I'm insane, then?"
These words sliced into her like a sword. The memories came flooding back. At that time when he was asking the Karsten house for aid, it was Crusch who could not accept the terms based on what Subaru Natsuki had told her. His reasoning at the time could have only been called irrational. At least, that was her perspective."You cannot deceive others with the lies you tell yourself. Right now, the glint in your eyes can only be called bloodlust or madness. Have you not noticed, Subaru Natsuki?"
Crusch blanched. Gulping, she needed to maintain control of her words. Anything that she said that may offend Subaru Natsuki at this point could be a great loss of information for her. "No, I did not say...I did not mean to imply such! It is just that this is such an unbelievable situation. As Ferris said, the White Whale is responsible for the deaths of so many. Perhaps tens of millions over 400 years. The Sword Saint who fell to this very creature...was Wilhelm's own wife."
Subaru's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing. He wasn't giving her Divine Protection any ammunition. "So, she was a Sword Saint, and Wilhelm's wife, eh?" Subaru couldn't have helped but wonder if they exchanged blades at their wedding instead of rings.
This was no time for pride. But Crusch did not know if her convictions would allow her to lower her head.
"You do realize that blood Rem and I are covered in belongs to the White Whale, right? Both of us took out one of its eyes, each. And once it could no longer see, it started flailing around in a really lame-ass way. Made it such an easy target, too." The only reason that Subaru revealed this was because he knew it was the inarguable truth. And once Crusch noticed this from whatever her power told her, she'd have less reason to be suspicious.
And his plan worked like a snap. Because Crusch could see no wind of untruth blowing from him.
This didn't make any sense! Wilhelm had been tracking the White Whale for 14 years at this point. How is it possible that someone who is begging her for help just a couple of days ago was able to track down this legendary creature and bring about his death? If he was capable of this, and then why had he been so insistent on receiving aid from another when it came to his goal of hunting down the Witch Cult?
"How? How were you able to find this mabeast? Its movements have been so unclear that people from all over the continent, not just Lugunica, have failed to accurately chase it down for 400 years! How could you have done so, Subaru?"
But, with eyes that looked like slabs of steel, Subaru responded with a cold, flat tone, "I refuse to answer."
Recoiling in surprise, Crusch could not believe the situation she was in. She needed to know more! All of these months of preparations, all of the weapons and soldiers she had gathered for this very night! She couldn't look herself in the mirror if she ended up going home empty-handed.
"You aren't entitled to any knowledge concerning how we found and defeated the White Whale, and I won't reveal the source of my information. Sorry to say, but it's private. That, along with how I know about the Witch Cult attack that we already talked about."
Subaru spoke very deliberately. He only revealed what he wanted her to know. What he knew would make her more curious and continue to open her mouth.
Eyes widening to twice their normal size, Crusch gasped out, "Did...did you know I was planning to hunt the White Whale? Were you trying to get out ahead of me and take this victory for the Emilia Camp? You can't! You said you were after the Witch Cult, not the Whale! Was this simply some kind of twisted revenge because I denied you aid? Because if so—"
"Wrong!"
Subaru had absolutely no idea she was planning to do anything with the White Whale. But if he did know, he probably would not have said anything, in hindsight.
"Crusch Karsten, let me explain something to you that you seem to misunderstand," She froze, immediately remembering that she had also said something extremely similar to the boy in front of her. He had never referred to her by her full name, and in doing so, Crusch knew that the one in the position of power and knowledge was no longer her. This time, she needed something from Subaru Natsuki, and he was not moving.
"First off, I never said this has anything to do with the Emilia Camp. Second, I now know that it would have been pointless to bring up the White Whale last time we spoke. If you didn't believe me about the Witch Cult, wouldn't you have been equally, if not more concerned that I knew where the White Whale would show up?" After all, both were so mercurial in nature that few people ever walked away from either of them alive, from what Subaru understood. He'd have only made himself look even more 'mad' from her perspective if he kept talking about futures he knew of, but couldn't explain.
Subaru now understood that the duchess of the Karsten house was a woman who did not seem to believe in altruism. Everything that had come out of her mouth last time was about tit for tat. And the strangest thing of all was, he now understood why she acted that way. Very few people in this world would do something and expect nothing. That's just not how most people were built. Subaru could only imagine two such individuals who were of such character.
And if he was honest, he didn't think he wanted to be among that number. "Going out of your way for other people like that when the situation is too murky? For nothing? I think I'll pass."
"I didn't think we could succeed with such small numbers. But fortunately, I ran into someone who wasn't so difficult to talk to. Sebas decided to give me a hand." Subaru looked over toward Sebas, who seemed to be engaged in conversation with Rem. The Karsten duchess didn't dismiss that this mysterious butler was strong. He'd moved so quickly that she hadn't even the time to process that he had his hand at her knight's throat.
"For...free?" Crusch was not a cold woman who cared nothing for the lives of others. She did not want to be written off as some sort of selfish aristocrat who only cared about her own gain. She simply had her priorities to consider. And she simply could not believe that someone would go into danger such as this and ask for nothing. Everybody wanted something, right?
"No. His reward has already been arranged. I'm giving him the body of the White Whale."
Crusch could not believe what she was hearing. That was all? "It's body? But for what purpose? It is already dead! And besides, the people of the nation, no, the entire continent should be made aware that it has been defeated!" An untold number of people would sleep easier when they found out that this monster would never be floating over their homes in the middle of the night, carrying its ghastly fog. She could not allow the body to simply be taken away by strangers to do who knows what with.
"I didn't ask him. And to be honest, I don't care. That part is his business and it isn't my place to get involved. I already suffered the consequences for sticking my nose in stuff where it doesn't belong. And it isn't happening again." The green-haired woman couldn't help but feel...intimidated by how detached he sounded. Was he truly the same person who was in her office and begging on his knees for help just said earlier?
"To the victor go the spoils, Crusch. I hope you're familiar with that term. We say it in my homeland. We did the work, we faced the danger, and we decide what happens with the enemy. And when you do nothing, you get nothing." Though she may not have immediately understood this, Subaru was not simply saying these words to the Duchess in front of him. They also applied to himself. Yes, he had been truly slothful in the past. He wanted, but did not put forth the truest of efforts to obtain. But now? Subaru would no longer ask. He would take.
After a few moments of silence, Crusch had no words left to speak. She was now feeling just a fraction of the sense of loss that her faithful Butler must have been consumed with. All those months of preparation had then taken away from her in a single night. What would this mean for her standing in the royal selection? She was currently the favorite, but if it came out that someone affiliated with another camp had achieved a feat such as this, what would that mean for the rest of them?
"So? Is that all? I've answered your questions and don't think we have any further business. I still have the Witch Cult to hunt, after all." Subaru stood up, wanting this entire talk to be done with.
The Witch Cult?
"The Witch Cult! Yes! I can still play that card! This may not have been a total loss, yet." Crusch still felt she could turn this around. "You still plan to fight those fiends? And you still believe they will attack Margrave Mathers' domain?" she attempted to recall all the information that she had been told about this situation a few days prior. The same talk that she had dismissed as being completely untrustworthy.
"Subaru Natsuki. You are not as powerless as you have led others to believe. I think now I finally know your secret." But, skilled as she was in keeping her poker face, Crusch did not reveal her thoughts.
"Please! Allow my forces to accompany you!"
This stopped Subaru in his tracks. Turning to look over his shoulder, a look of wild bewilderment crossed his face. "...What did you just say?"
"The Witch Cult. Before, you needed assistance, correct? I would be glad to assist you in this endeavor. I would like to use this opportunity to make amends. Subaru Natsuki, I believe I have greatly offended you in the past. I dismissed you as being an immature boy who could not control his emotions. But now I see that you are a man who was simply in a horrible position at the time. If you would but allow it, I would—"
"The wind of untruth is blowing from you, Crusch."
The world lost color and time stopped. For the Karsten duchess, at least.
The black-haired man had spun the very same words against her that she so often used with other people when she felt they were not telling her the truth. But how could he know, or rather, how could he see such a thing surrounding her? It wasn't possible!
With eyes that showed no amusement, Subaru continued, "I don't need that Divine Protection to tell me when someone is giving me a bunch of crap. You're lying, Crusch. And I don't think you even know it. For what reason would I have to bring you on board? Because last time I asked, you weren't at all down with this idea. Especially from a madman. Right?"
This feeling was unlike one Crusch had ever experienced in her life. She didn't know this sense of desperation, of clawing at everything around her for a solution. Was this...what it felt like for him? When he pleaded to her for generosity and she refused on the grounds that she could not provide charity? "Did I turn him into this?"
"You...will surely need more than three people? The Witch Cult employs terrifyingly nefarious methods. I submit that you seem to have some mysterious way of knowing events that have not yet transpired, but you will undoubtedly suffer great loss if you go with so few. And the villagers you seek to protect, what will happen to them if you are outnumbered?"
A brow raised on Subaru's head, implying confusion. But his response was already prepared. "So now it's time to pretend we care about the poor people? Sorry, Crusch, but no chance. Since even you don't seem to understand what you're doing, I'll explain it to you: You aren't trying to be friends. You just now realize I can do more than you thought I could. You think you can get something from this and want me in your good books. But as I see it, I stand to profit nothing from this, but you do. If it comes out that the Karsten house helped in stopping a Witch Cult attack, that'll look pretty damn good for your reputation."
Her mouth hung open in abject shock at being verbally cut into like this. Crusch slowly shook her head in denial, having realized she put herself in this fix. She had made the wrong choice. The tables truly had turned, and it was this time that Crusch had nothing logical to counter with.
Shrugging, Subaru's tone suddenly became three shades lighter before he continued. "You're desperate, Crusch. And nobody knows that better than me because I've been there. I know how it feels like a hole that's sucking you in and swallowing up every last bit of hope inside you. And it sucks."
"Looking back, now, I understand why you told me to go away. It makes sense. It was completely logical. After all, you have to protect your own men and your own lands first, right? That's what a good noble does. And it's great that you came out here to fight the Whale, yourself. Not like those snobs who send commoners to war while they sit back in their mansions, surrounded by 1000 guards."
The sorts of ivory tower elites that Subaru spoke of were the sorts she had no respect for. Indeed, Crusch had always believed that one should lead by example. If she had others do everything for her, she would never be able to say that her convictions were real. So why was he both applauding her and tearing her down one after another?
"But, the problem is, Crusch, what you said applies to me, too. At the time, you felt you would gain nothing if you got involved in a situation where you couldn't see any profit. But now I don't see any profit in letting you come along. And you are the one who created this transactional relationship between us, Crusch. I understand that I couldn't tell you why I knew what I did. And on those grounds, you were right to distrust me. But at the end of the day, you made your choice. You can't go back on it and want to be partners when half the work is done."
Her entire world froze. The green-haired woman's own words were being thrown back in her face. And each one of them felt like a punch to the gut. How? How could this man be standing here and telling her that everything she did and said was correct? Why was he listening to her words? People were likely going to die at the hands of those Cultists. There was strength in numbers! He shouldn't be going in there with so few!
It was then that Crusch Karsten understood that the coldness of her words a few days earlier were a double-edged sword. If she had helped Subaru Natsuki, taken the risk and brought her men to arms, whatever mysterious power he had would have been also used to her benefit, too. Because someone else was willing to trust where she wasn't, her lead in the race was very likely to change. Was she being retaliated against? Shown that a leader should at times move based on altruism and not personal gain? That wasn't realistic enough, was it?
All these thoughts plagued her mind. How had she ended up, here? Crusch was a person who always thought it best to move based on rational logic. But had she forgotten that kindness could go just as far? Further?
A hand coming to her shoulder brought the duchess back into reality. It was Subaru Natsuki. "Don't get the wrong idea. Despite all the stuff I'm saying, I'm not mad at you. I was. But that was before I stopped and thought how much sense you made and how weird I was behaving. Acting like that gets you nowhere and it doesn't make anyone want to listen to what you have to say. And to prove my thanks for the important lesson you gave me, I don't want us to walk away on bad terms."
"You...do not? You wish to be allies at some point?" A sliver of hope pushed its way into her heart. Had he truly taken her words and applied them to his own reality? If she was being perfectly candid, she had absolutely no intention of teaching him anything when she delivered that verbal lashing back at her office. But, if some good had come of it and it helped him to become a more rational person, she could perhaps take solace in that.
After a few moments of silence, Subaru responded, "Maybe. It all depends on the situation and what I feel I have to gain if we talk again. But that'll hafta be another day. Catch you on the flip side, Crusch Karsten."
She wanted to gulp harder than she ever had. The young duchess knew that this night was a complete and total loss for the Karsten house. But she couldn't let him leave without answering one more question. "Please, wait! There is one more thing I need to know! Have you...left the Emilia camp? I know the two of you parted on bad terms. Who will this victory go to? People will want to know, as I am sure you have surmised."
Subaru stopped, but he didn't turn to face her. "The credit, huuh?" Good question. If he was being perfectly honest, he didn't know what he was going to do after all of this was over. His main motivation had been in stopping what he knew was going to be a catastrophe. One that he couldn't tell anyone else about. As far as his standing with Emilia? He still didn't know how he was going to face her. There was no way that he could continue living life inside that mansion after all that had happened. He had done her an incredible disservice. And he didn't know if he could ever forgive himself for those actions. He had no one to blame but himself for that.
"I have no clue what's going to happen with me and Emilia. But as far as the accolades? That goes to me, and the girl who held me down whIle I was at the lowest point in my life. When I felt so weak and pathetic, the one who pulled me back up and want to keep going is who gets the rewards. Because I couldn't ask for a better partner."
With no further words to speak, the Karsten duchess was left standing alone on this starry night on the Liphas Highway. Cold sweat ran down her face. This was a total loss of control. "What have I done? Have I created some sort of...wild card? Subaru Natsuki, what are you going to do? How are you going to use this power of yours...to see the future?" This was now bigger than the royal selection. Bigger than petty inter-camp rivalries. Whatever happened next, Crusch Karsten knew that no matter what, her camp could not, under any circumstances make an enemy of Subaru Natsuki.
Crusch Karsten was correct. But she was also wrong. It wasn't only her actions that had given birth to a new Subaru.
Meanwhile, within the Throne Room of the castle of Lugunica, the 10 sages were in a meeting, along with Marcos, commander of the royal knights, as well as a collection of aristocrats.
Late nights such as these were common for the ones who were essentially in control of the government and the nation itself while they were without a true leader.
There were many topics at hand at the moment. But, all of them essentially revolved around the five candidates for the royal selection.
One man stated, "I believe baroness Barielle is most fit to lead us."
With an exasperated groan, another retorted in a tied manner, "Most fit to lead us, or most pleasing to your own eyes?"
"She does have a strong record for competency. This, we cannot ignore."
"Anyone can get lucky! And that's exactly what rumor has it that she is!"
"Get lucky again and again, and again? So many times in a row?"
The topic of the abrasive, but also powerful woman who loved to show herself in the color of red dominated the throne room for a couple more minutes before the topics switched to someone else.
"We cannot let some...low-born trash participate in this event!"
Yes, this was an opinion that many people shared in regards to the recently located 5th royal candidate. However, not everyone was brave enough to voice this complaint. This kind of classism was becoming unpopular in recent years.
"You dare to claim that the Dragon is incompetent? And you believe that the Sword Saint himself has chosen poorly?"
These words came from a more moderate member of the noble class. And it wasn't simply because his own house had maintained friendly relations with the Astrea family for generations.
"Bah! People like you are simply afraid to allow everyone an equal opportunity to reach their full potential! If they do so, then expired old fossils like you who have done nothing but coast by on your family's name will become extinct!"
"Hold your tongue! You are beginning to sound like that know-nothing boy from a few days ago! We do not need that kind of talk amongst our ranks! Our positions have been earned by our ancestors! We who stand here need no further proof of competency!"
"Indeed! She said it herself. That sewer rat will ruin us all! She openly stated that she has nothing but antipathy for both knights and the nobility! Her participation should not be permitted!"
"Well, why don't you go and tell the Dragon what you think of its decision-making. Please! Be our guest."
Very few people seemed to agree on anything. Such was the consequence of having five different candidates, all with vastly different personalities and from different walks of life. Whoever ended up succeeding the throne in the end would ultimately shake the country to its very foundation. Whether for good, or ill.
But, as these privileged men threw themselves into another debate, a blinding light illuminated half the room! It was coming from the Dragon Tablet. Slowly, words appeared at the bottom of the stone slab. It was a new announcement! All eyes in the room were locked onto the lithograph, waiting for the news to be completed. And what they saw, not a single soul in the room could comprehend.
"SUBARU NATSUKI HAS SLAIN THE WHITE WHALE.