Sealed

by Im The Person

Pandora IF: In a self-sacrificing move, he sealed himself with her. In a dark void existing in a separate space, devoid of anything and everything except each other. (Inspired Story)

4. Full of Grief and Doubt

Firstly, I'm moving the rating up to Mature in preparation for possible situations in the future. Beatrice is also getting added to the story's character tags, for obvious reasons.

Also, I do read your comments/reviews (just in case you didn't think I did). I honestly really like reading them. To answer a few of those, there will be nobody else included in the pairing. Subaru and Pandora only.

Also, sorry this is such a long chapter (it's basically double chapter 2's length). I had a story to tell, so I told it, I suppose. I should also say that this story, especially this chapter in particular, has a lot of original story elements added to it.

This chapter is also not just a flashback or explanation of past events (this chapter will also be the last one to contain any kind of flashback), Subaru and Pandora are in this too. Next chapter will also be only Subaru and Pandora. Hope you all enjoy it.

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Chapter 4: Full of Grief and Doubt

~After Subaru and Pandora are Sealed Away~

Beatrice let out small whimpers and cries as she kept the seal close to her chest. Her position on the ground was indifferent to how it was since she first got there. She thought that if she held it tighter and closer to her chest, to her heart and soul, that she would be able to feel closer to her Subaru. Deep within her mind she knew that was futile, but she couldn't help herself but to try out of desperation. Though, through her grief, she knew he was alive; she could feel their contract, even if he wasn't physically with her anymore.

It was almost immediate for her mind to start thinking of ways to bring him back, and it didn't take her long to realize something. Her face perked up, looking at the seal housed within her hands. He was gone, yes, but specifically sealed away. If he was only trapped in a seal, there had to be a way to break it. To set him free. Right?

She slowly picked herself up, her balance still slightly wobbly, and made her way over to the books with a small hiccup in her step. She looked at them for a moment, pulling the very same book Subaru had been reading earlier toward her. She opened it once more, skimming the words on the pages. She couldn't read it any better than she could before. However, she supposed that would have to change.

She put the seal away, only to make sure nothing would happen to it as she moved, but only after she gave it one last look of determination. She got to work at once, painstakingly taking each and every book she thought may be useful up to the carriage. Once she was satisfied, she made haste back to the mansion. She had no doubt that the knights, upon realizing their predicament, would be on their way back at some point. Perhaps they'd come with backup, or some other form of nuisance that would get in her way. The Great Spirit wished to vacate the area before their return.

As she rode back to the mansion, she opened one of the books. The language was foreign to her, for the most part. Subaru had been doing his best to teach her what he could. Her contractor had gone as far as to create a special notebook for her to study from, though she really hadn't gotten to studying the material yet. The only thing she knew how to read and write in Subaru's language was his name, in fact. He had taught it to her himself; it was the first thing he taught her. She lightly smiled to herself at the memory. She closed the book, stacking it with the rest she had taken, before taking the seal in her hands once more and holding it close.

She stayed like that for the entire journey back, not once moving her body or gaze as she concentrated only on her connection to Subaru. She would get him back. She wouldn't fail again; she wouldn't fail him. She swore it on her very being.

Her carriage came to halt without her paying attention. Her eyes softened, almost regrettably. She was not looking forward to the interactions to come. Beatrice sighed, taking one last long look at the seal her contractor laid imprisoned inside of before putting it away. She may as well make this quick and not get any more involved than she needed to.

The Great Spirit of Yin got out of the carriage in moderate haste. The faster she did these interactions, the faster she could start her work, she supposed. Upon exiting, she was met with two identical maids at the entrance of the mansion. The one on the right, with blue hair, had a smile on her face, as if she were looking forward to this moment. The one on the left, with pink hair, sported an expression of indifference. However, Beatrice knew, under the mask of indifference laid a sincerity of friendship, care and fondness. Mentally, the spirit sighed, not looking forward to what was about to happen.

The maids simultaneously bowed their heads in greeting, "Good evening, Beatrice-sama."

Beatrice narrowed her eyes at their synchronized words. It annoyed her. In fact, a lot of things were going to annoy her from now on. "Raise your heads, Betty has devastating news, I suppose." The blunt statement did not go unnoticed by the twin maids, who, upon request, raised their heads and looked at Beatrice with questioning gazes.

The blue haired maid, after a moment, took her eyes off of Beatrice and started moving them around the area. She was looking for him, Beatrice had no doubt. When she didn't find him anywhere nearby, she looked back at the spirit and asked, "Beatrice-sama, where is Subaru-kun?"

At the question, the pink haired maid perked up as well. She similarly gazed around the area, though not as long as her sister did, "Yes, where is that Barusu? Don't tell me he-"

She shut her mouth at the look the Great Spirit was giving her. A glare that was leagues above her own; a glare that screamed bloody murder. "Take great care in how you speak of Betty's contractor, maid," Beatrice's tone was sharp, focused and threatening. The two maids were immediately tipped off and on edge, wondering what happened to make the Great Spirit act like this.

"B-Beatrice-sama…" the blue haired maid stuttered out, making herself the new target of the spirit's glare. The spirit had no doubt that the maid figured out that something must have happened to her contractor, considering her own actions and attitude upon her return. "Is-Is Subaru-kun okay?"

Beatrice studied the maid's face for a moment, seeing nothing but genuine concern for her contractor. At that, Beatrice softened her eyes into more of a dead stare as she began to speak once more, "Control your sister. Betty will not tolerate such language against her contractor anymore, in fact."

Uncharacteristically, right after those words were spoken, the pink haired maid bowed once again. "I am deeply sorry, Beatrice-sama. I will not talk negatively about Bar- Subaru-sama again."

Beatrice growled, more than just annoyed at this point. She wanted to leave and start her work. "You best stick to that statement, in respect to Betty's contractor's sacrifice."

The two maid's expressions turned into ones of confusion and worry. They had no idea of what the Great Spirit was talking about, yet dreaded it.

Seeing their looks, Beatrice growled again, as she held the seal up for them to see. "Betty's Subaru is gone, in here, in fact. He sealed himself away for all eternity so the Witch of Vainglory cannot roam free. As Betty said, you best do well to respect his sacrifice. That is all you need to know, I suppose."

The blue haired maid audibly gasped, loudly, at the revelation. Subaru was gone? Sealed away for all eternity? The more her mind thought about the implications of those things, the more she started to cry. The pink haired maid, albeit not crying, visibly showed regret and sadness on her face. She moved to help comfort her sister, putting an arm around her and rubbing her back to try and ease her.

Beatrice put the seal away again, not bothering to look at the maids as she moved to pass them. "Betty will rely on you to tell the other residents this news, I suppose. Betty also brought back books. They are in the carriage, bring them to Betty's room at once after you've composed yourselves, I suppose."

With that she walked away, taking a direct course to her and Subaru's shared room. She barely registered anything else, only her path, destination and her thoughts.

A part of her regretted the way she acted, knowing that her Subaru wouldn't approve, but the majority of her didn't care. The vast majority of her being didn't care about them, and thus didn't care about how bluntly she told them the news and their feelings afterward. After all, the only one she really, truly cared about was gone now. Not for long, though. She would get him back, even if it cost her another four hundred years of her life.

After a bit of walking, she was barely able to faintly register two more people walking down the hallway. They were in front of her, taking up her line of sight. The blonde boy gave her a wide, toothy smile as he exclaimed, "Oi, where's Cap'n!" Beatrice winced. He was too loud.

"Talk to the maids, I suppose," she simply answered as she kept walking. That was all the information they needed from her.

The blonde boy turned around, his eyes following the Great Spirit with a mild glare. He was about to pursue and demand answers, but an arm held him back. "Brotto, what the fuck are you doin'! She just blew us off without tellin' us where Cap'n is!"

"I know, I know," Otto looked at one of his surrogate brothers with an unsure expression, "but Garf, look at her."

The two adjusted their gazes to her, quickly examining her face before she walked past them. If she noticed their attention on her, she didn't show any signs of it. Garfiel looked at Otto with an expression of confusion, "Yeah, she's lookin' sad. Only another reason to find Cap'n! He'll know what ta do!"

Otto sighed at his brother's stubborn determination. "That's just it. What if something happened?" Otto did his best to make his point clear, but seeing as how Garfiel still wanted to get answers from the Great Spirit he then proposed another option. "Look, let's just go talk to Rem and Ram like Beatrice-sama said. They probably know what's going on."

Garfiel let out a low growl, shoving his hands to his sides. "Fine…" The two continued to minimally converse as they proceeded toward the main entrance, both of them only taking one more look back at the retreating spirit as they left.

Beatrice just kept walking. She barely took the time to pay attention to their interaction, only telling them what she needed to and then focusing her mind on other things. She zoned out as she walked further into the mansion, finally reaching her shared room. She turned the knob, quickly opening the door and stepping inside. She closed the door with a slam, taking off her shoes before climbing onto the bed. The maids will bring her books to her soon enough, all she needed to do was wait.

As she lay on the bed, staring up into the ceiling, she started to feel cold. The absence of a significant source of heat made her feel chilly and alone. The bed felt unusually open, and somehow more uncomfortable than it ever did. She didn't like laying on a bed by herself anymore; she knew that now. She never did realize that her tears began to stain that very same bed.

As she waited in her shared room, the rest of the mansion was starting to unfold into minor chaos as word spread. Subaru meant a lot to the mansion's residents, and upon hearing what happened to him many broke down in their own ways.

When Garfiel and Otto made it to the main entrance of the mansion, they only saw Ram. She seemed to be busy carrying a load of books in the direction Beatrice had gone. Her face, though moderately hidden behind the stack of books she was carrying, held a particularly downcast expression.

When she saw them, she immediately started to speak, "Perfect. Garf and merchant boy, take these to Beatrice-sama. I must go find Lord Roswaal at once."

She put the books on the ground in front of her, immediately beginning to turn around and make haste to Roswaal's office. "Oi, Ram! What the hell is goin' on!? The damn clown can wait, so tell us!"

Garfiel's question subsequently made her stop. She didn't turn to look at them, only pausing in place for what seemed like minutes before she spoke to them, "She didn't tell you?"

"T-Tell us what?" Otto stuttered out, slightly fearful of the maid's tone. It was sharp, empty almost, but held a hint of remorse with a batch of sadness. He wasn't ready to hear what she had to say at all.

After another long moment of silence from the maid, she slightly turned toward the two of them. Her eyes were downcast and sad, so she did her best to hide them from the two behind her. "Bar-… Subaru is gone. Forever. That is all I will say. More details will be explained later, I must go to Lord Roswaal now."

She hurried off, leaving the two behind in their own thoughts as she went to find her lord. The two boys just stayed silent for a while, none daring to break it, both dealing with the news in their own way.

Garfiel clenched his hands into fists as tight as he could. His teeth clamped together as he snarled. Then, without warning, he screamed, throwing his arm back, at a speed Otto couldn't fathom, and punching a hole into the closest wall he could find. "DAMNIT!" He yelled, over and over again. He no doubt thought of himself as weak — too weak — to protect someone close to him, once again.

Otto stayed silent all through Garfiel's tantrum and even as the blonde boy walked away with tears. Otto assumed he would look for his sister, but he wasn't thinking about it too much. His face darkened, his hand putting his signature hat to his chest in a mourning fashion. He felt like a failure of a friend.

With nothing else to do, the merchant boy picked up the books that were left on the floor and brought them to the spirit that requested them.

As this was happening, a blue haired maid knocked on a door elsewhere in the mansion. "E-Emilia-sama!"

The door opened soon after her exclamation, "Ah, Rem-san! What brings- are you okay? What's wrong?" The half-elf candidate tilted her head, a finger on her chin in wonderment as she noticed Rem's crying and distressed face.

"It-Its about Subaru-kun…" Rem trailed off, her gaze shifting slightly off to the side. She lightly wiped some of her tears with her arm, sniffing a little bit in an attempt to contain her sadness. For her, telling this girl the news would be the hardest thing she's ever done. She didn't know how to do it.

Emilia only smiled at the maid, "Ah, so that's it? You're worried about Subaru?" She giggled, as if finding Rem's behavior adorable. "After everything you two went through in Vollachia, I guess you're really worried for him, huh." She put her arms around Rem, bringing her head close to her chest, much to the maid's shock. "Don't worry, Rem. I'm sure he's-"

"He's not!" The maid pushed herself out of the candidate's arms, tears now falling down her face like a waterfall. "He's not okay! He's-…" she stopped talking, taking a moment to calm herself a little bit before she shared the news. "Subaru-kun… Subaru-kun is gone, Emilia-sama!"

It was quick, but Rem noticed how Emilia's eyes changed. It was as if her pupils retracted, before returning back to normal. The smile on Emilia's face twitched for only a mere moment, before staying at a constant. Rem, even though she was still looking at Emilia's same cheery expression, could feel a completely different aura behind it.

"Gone? Don't be silly, I'm sure he's fiiiine," it was too nonchalant for her to say something like that, in Rem's eyes. She was just told that Subaru, her precious knight, someone she cared about, was gone; yet, she waves it off. Rem figured that the half-elf was in some form of denial. A denial that she would, unfortunately, have to smash to bits.

Rem, though she didn't want to, insisted on the situation's seriousness, "Emilia-sama… Beatrice-sama herself told Rem and sister. He…" she shifted her gaze away again, attempting to find the right words to explain what had been told to her. "Beatrice-sama said that he willingly sealed himself away, to protect us from someone." Rem became disgusted at the name of that someone, just by thinking about it.

Emilia's face didn't falter this time, but Rem noticed the aura around her intensify, "Did Beatrice tell you who it was, then? Must have been someone reeeeally important for Subaru to do something like that."

Rem did not want to say the name, mainly out of pure hatred and disgust, but to answer Emilia's question, she did so anyway. "Beatrice-sama said… it was someone with the title 'Witch of Vainglory.'"

At that, Rem immediately felt a change within her superior. Rem unintentionally compared it to a twig, a small and fragile twig, that snapped clean in two with an audible break. That's what Rem felt like happened to Emilia, as her aura uncontrollably increased to terrible measures.

"I see," Emilia said simply after a long vein of silence. Rem looked up at the half-elf, teary-eyed. She didn't know what she would say next, but Rem had a feeling that it wouldn't be good. "Please leave."

Rem perked up at the request- no, demand. "H-Huh?" She looked at Emilia's 'cheerful' smile and expression, slightly scared.

"Please leave, Rem."

That was all it took to make Rem flee at the candidate's demand. She took a quick bow before closing the door and departing from the area in a hurry.

The half-elf girl never stopped smiling, even after Rem left her room. She turned from the door, taking small steps to the middle of the room. Her mouth started to move in repeated motions, as if she were saying the same thing over and over again: a name. She repeated a name to herself with pure hatred and disdain, with each repeat leaving her more and more distressed and agitated. Her hands began to clench onto her outfit, the room's temperature dropping as her condition worsened. The name she repeated grew louder, louder and louder until she practically screamed it with pure hatred. With one final scream, ice expanded quickly out from under her and covered the entirety of the room. Everything, anything the eye could see, was covered in a thick layer of ice.

Once the expansion of ice settled, Emilia fell to her knees. She put her hands to her face, covering it, to try and stop the tears that began to fall. She stayed that way for a while, muttering a different name with a sense of longing, need and want.

She wouldn't find out until later that she froze a small portion of the entire mansion in her outburst.

Roswaal Mathers, the Margave and Court Mage, felt that something was off when he awoke that morning. He did not know why, or how, but he had a peculiar feeling rising from deep within him that something would go wrong this day. It put him on edge, enough to the point he had almost stopped Subaru and Beatrice from leaving that morning. Though, he didn't. He figured, with Subaru's ability to redo, things would have turned out fine in any reality.

Though, when the Margrave heard a knock on his door, followed by the sight of a downcast Ram, he felt as if he had been mistaken. Despite that, he did his best to act like his normal self, smile, speech and all, as he greeted her, "Well, if it isn't my deeeear Ram. What briiiiings you here?"

She, in what Roswaal assumed to be an act of pure willpower on her part, walked into the room and looked straight into his eyes. He could tell that whatever was happening with her, was not the easiest thing to handle. Just from her eyes alone, could he tell.

"Lord Roswaal, there is dire news," she brought it upon herself to bow to him, as a sign of respect. Similarly with the way she spoke, she did her best to compose herself. He paid it no mind, his attention entirely taken by whatever situation she found herself concerned with.

"What is it, Ram?" Roswaal took it upon himself to drop his smile and signature speech. His face took on an expression of seriousness, unwilling to take the situation lightly.

"Subaru-sama is gone, Roswaal-sama," she said quickly in reply. She bowed again, a cheeky way to hide her gaze from his face.

The Margrave's eyes narrowed, his mouth flipping to a frown. "Under what circumstances?"

Ram raised her head again. Roswaal knew right away that she didn't know all of the details, just from how unsure and nervous she looked. He mentally sighed; it was no matter, he'd get the details later in some form or another.

"Beatrice-sama came back alone, with a multitude of books from her expedition," Ram started, immediately gaining Roswaal's attention. Books, hm? How interesting. "Subaru-sama was not with her. When we asked for his whereabouts, Beatrice-sama showed us a small stone tablet of sorts. She did not explain much, but she said that he sealed himself away from all eternity, inside of that stone tablet, a sacrifice to keep someone named the Witch of Vainglory from running free."

At the Witch's title, Roswaal made no effort to hide his widened eyes and look of pure shock. His maid noticed his reaction, developing a curious look of her own. Perhaps some of it was even skepticality. She dared herself to ask what she questioned, "Lord Roswaal, do you know of that Witch?"

He snapped out of his inner thoughts, looking at her with an indifferent look, though still serious, "Yes, I do." His answer was simple and honest, as he looked up to the ceiling. He started to remember his very long history with his teacher, what she taught him, what he learned. One of the things he was told about back then was this particular Witch. He looked back at his maid, "The Witch of Vainglory, truly a dangerous menace. Able to change reality with a single sentence, the slightest touch… a walking disaster. It is very unfortunate that Subaru-kun had to ever encounter her."

Ram's eyes widened, clearly shocked. Roswaal wondered if it was right to let her know this information so soon. She still hadn't completely processed Subaru's absence yet, after all. He was not blind as to not notice the change of her signature nickname for the boy. Something regarding her view or Natsuki Subaru had changed. Springing something so influential onto her so soon could break her more.

"Though the fact remains," Roswaal continued, looking at his maid with an undefined gaze. "Subaru-kun's deed should not go unappreciated, for his action has benefited everyone in this world greatly."

Ram only looked at him for a brief moment, before giving him a small nod of understanding. Roswaal hummed, both in acknowledgment and thought. He knew that, since Subaru was sealed, he likely could not use his ability. Thus, there was no point in anything else regarding himself and any actions he could do. He was stuck, in a way. Stuck in a tight spot where he could do nothing but sit, do nothing and wait. That bothered him for a multitude of reasons.

"You may go, Ram," Roswaal stated, his voice stern yet understanding. "I am sure that your dear sister needs you."

Ram's eyes widened once more, bowing to him quickly as a sign of respect and gratefulness. After that, Roswaal only saw her leave in search of her sister. At that moment, the Margrave let out an audible sigh. He was sure that this situation will end up breaking the camp apart. It was only a matter of time now. Oh how he dreaded how the little maids, Petra and Louise, and even Meili would react to this.

He felt guilty, shockingly. His guilt was something he was unable to fathom, because he didn't regret anything he had done to the boy. He didn't regret anything, yet was guilty. One such guilt was not stopping him from leaving, even though he had his worries.

He closed his eyes, "Ever the hero, aren't you." His statement was simple, yet held signs of respect and guilt. He truly respected the actions of Natsuki Subaru, and more so ever since their 'duel' at the Sanctuary. Seeing the young boy's actions, his attitude, his nature only made Roswaal guilty more and more. Even now, his guilt ate at him, learning of what he did this time. He opened his eyes, his gaze soft and thoughtful, "I was wrong, we are not alike. You are better than I ever was, than I ever can be, Natsuki Subaru."

Beatrice was a little surprised when Otto arrived with the books she requested. She had not expected him to be the one to deliver them; however, when she noticed his downcast expression, she figured that the maids pushed the task onto him, presumably just after telling him the news. When he left, the little spirit only sighed.

She got to work immediately. First thing was first: she must study and properly learn her contractor's language. She got up, going over to a specific area of the room and pulled out a hidden hook. Her hand lightly carcassed the cover as read the name: 'How to write Japanese 101'. Truly a name her contractor would choose for a study book, she supposed.

When she first sat down again and opened said book, she did not expect herself to start shedding tears. Looking at her contractor's words, his own handwriting, his tips to her in the book, made her queasy in her own sadness. She had to snap herself out of her stupor multiple times. She didn't expect this to be easy. In fact, she considered it to be the opposite. Learning an entirely new language would be difficult, at least at first, especially with her own emotional grievances getting in the way from time to time. That didn't falter her mindset though, as she was more than just determined to do what she had to do.

Truthfully, she didn't know how long she studied, practiced and learned. Hours, days, months? Who knew, honestly. She never moved, never expressed more than what she needed to, until she was finished. When anyone tried to see her, she always pushed them away, even the half-elf girl that her contractor was so fond of; she didn't care to consider how that affected them. Sometimes she cried for Subaru's memory, especially when she looked at his motivationally written quotes inside of the book. When she failed, she motivated herself through unsavory means — including but not limited to self-insults and self-harm — so that she'd succeed. It happened a lot. Though, even through all of that, she managed to master Subaru's native language in writing and reading form.

It wasn't long before she delved deep into her next assignment: research into the books she had brought back. She ended up scattering the books on the floor, while she sat before them cross-legged. The books were all very unique to their own subjects and topics, with only some being thick and others exceptionally thin. A small few of the really thick books weren't labeled, so Beatrice assumed that they more or less contained a diverse amount of things.

She started with the thinner books, picking them up one by one and reading their names, "'Necromancy: Raising the Dead'," she shuddered a bit and put that one off to the side. She remembered the stories that Subaru used to tell her; stories about how the undead came back to the living, eating people and spreading themselves around like some kind of vicious man-eating plague. Truly terrifying. She did not want to mess with that book, not at all. Maybe she'd burn it.

She picked up the next book, then the next, and went on until she found something she was looking for. She was thoroughly surprised by the knowledge some of the books seemed to contain. "'Illusion Projection', 'Memory Wiping', 'Multiversal Transportation', 'Forced Mutation and Evolution', hmm… ah!" she finally exclaimed, finally finding what she was looking for. "'Seals, Barriers and Pocket Dimensions'," she recited.

She lightly smiled, a little proud of herself. She held the book in her hand, noticing it's particularly moderate thickness. She opened it to the first page, skimming over the book's index for what she was mainly in search of.

As she started to flip through the pages, handwritten by the Great Sage himself, she caught glimpses of titles regarding many other different seals. With each section of seal, the book listed a description of it, how it worked, ample warnings when dealing with it, and more information she didn't bother to further investigate. As she kept eagerly flipping pages, she mused the fact that the Witch of Envy's seal would be listed somewhere inside; however, she quickly discarded the thought and continued with her main objective.

She unintentionally let out an audible squeak of joy when she finally found the page she was looking for. The page titled 'The Seal of Eternity', laid before her eyes. She let herself get moderately happy, excited even. She felt so close to getting him back.

She put her finger on the book, using it to help herself read its contents, "The Seal of Eternity, initially made to seal away the Witch of Envy. The seal is intentionally made of a small, thin yet nigh impossible to break stone with a guardian's symbol at its center."

Beatrice finished reading aloud to herself, taking in every word and detail from the pages. The spirit ended up revealing that very seal to her eyes, holding it in her hand. She gazed at it for a small moment before returning her eyes to the book.

She began to read again, "The seal itself uses powerful Yin magic, which has been embedded into the stone itself, to create its own pocket dimension. This creates an entirely new space, one which entirely warps the progression of time making it so those trapped inside spend that of multiple eternal lifetimes. Upon further consideration, this seal was too dangerous to be used, as it could only be operated in a self-sacrificial manner."

Beatrice's smile completely faded, almost shedding tears once more, remembering very clearly how her contractor gave up his life. He sacrificed himself so that she — so everyone — could live safely. Now upon reading what he was likely going through in there, she became sad. What if he was suffering in there? What if the Witch was hurting him? She only pushed herself to read faster. The sooner she got him out, the better.

"Using this seal on the Witch of Envy would have not been possible, lest the user succumb to a significant drawback," she continued to read. "In order for the Seal of Eternity to be used optimally, the user must have skin-to-skin contact with the target. Upon activation, the seal then seals both the user and anyone else in direct contact with them. Due to its inactive usage, and it's overwhelming power, it will be locked away."

It suddenly occurred to her that this was the very same book that Subaru had been reading right before he had left her. She had to shake her head, snapping herself out of her inner thoughts as memories from that day began to resurface.

She carried on, "The user, or activator, must be a Sage, Sage Candidate or possess great magical power. This additionally works for releasing anyone captive inside; the user's power must be equivalent or greater than those captive inside. To activate or deactivate the seal, the user that meets any one those requirements need only will it so." Upon reading that sentence, Beatrice felt herself break. She quickly grasped the seal in her hands, looking at it with wide and progressively tearful eyes.

She tried, tried, tried and tried again. So, that was why it didn't work. Because she wasn't strong enough, right? She was too weak. Too weak to protect her Subaru then, and too weak to bring him back now.

With a completely sudden rise of anger and frustration, she closed the book with a hard slam, kicking it across the floor. Then, in another fit of rage, she threw the seal, which had been in her hand, at the wall. It flew through the air quickly, striking and leaving a dent in the wall, accompanied by a loud bang from the impact, before falling back onto the floor.

Beatrice looked at the stone tablet for a small moment as it settled on the floor, but once her anger soothed down her eyes immediately widened. She rushed over to the seal, crawling over the floor without care. She moved so fast and so distracted that she ended up hitting her head against the wall. It hardly bothered her, though, since she only grasped the seal in her hands and proceeded to hold it tightly to her chest with an audible whine.

She sat there in that spot, grasping the seal to her chest as she continued to cry. It was as if she'd just been sent back to the start; as if she'd been completely returned to zero. Her mind felt lost, broken and everything else seemed entirely hopeless.

She flinched and jumped when she heard the door to her room open. It was unexpected, since she had pushed anyone that came away. She didn't think anyone would just waltz in after the treatment she had given them before. She didn't turn around, instead stiffening her body and keeping herself frozen in place at her current position.

She heard a sigh from behind her, followed by the sound of a closing door. Whoever had come to see her, had just invited themselves in. Then, to make things even worse for her, they took a seat on the bed. Beatrice fought the urge to let out a loud growl of annoyance and frustration.

Though, she was patient. Perhaps if she waited long enough, this person would just leave the room? They'd leave her alone to drown in her mistakes and sorrows? That was what she hoped for, at least.

But, unfortunately for her, that never happened. Instead, the two sat in an unintentional silence that made her rather uncomfortable. She could feel the person's gaze drilling into her back, with what expression she couldn't tell, but she could feel their eyes on her.

Eventually, she gathered the strength to turn her head around. She momentarily widened them in moderate surprise, not honestly expecting the sight of this person in particular, before shifting them into a glare, "Did you come to just sit there, I suppose?"

The person, or rather man, that came to visit the grieving spirit was none other than the once eccentric clown: Roswaal. The man was wearing a rather normal attire, according to Beatrice's standards of him at least, and lacked his usual make-up. His eyes, Beatrice noticed, were more let down than she expected them to be.

The formerly eccentric man answered simply, "No, I did not." He kept his eyes on her, his voice lacking his usually drawn out high tone. "I was passing by and heard a rather loud noise, so I figured I should check up on you."

The Great Spirit of Yin kept her glare on him, but soon turned her head back to face the wall. "Betty doesn't need you to be concerned for her, I suppose."

Silence then ensued, the eccentric man's eyes falling upon the wall above Beatrice. "Ah. Well, I understand what that noise was about now."

The girl only stayed silent, unintentionally holding the seal tighter to her chest. She clearly did not like being reminded of her careless action, and Roswaal noticed.

"I apologize for bringing it up, Betty."

She growled, as if she disliked him calling her that, "You found out what was wrong, so leave now."

He didn't answer right away, but when he did, he asked another question, "Do you know how long-"

"Betty knows how long it has been, I suppose."

Silence again. Beatrice hated it, but didn't bother adding to her demand. She just wanted Roswaal to leave so she could reflect and wallow in her own failure.

"Betty…" he started, his tone almost similar to how he would talk to her 400 years ago. "Do you not think you are going too far-"

She snapped her head back to him, a predatory snarl on her face as she yelled, "Isn't this what you would have done!?" Roswaal flinched at the statement, his eyes somewhat widening. "If-If your precious maid had befallen this same curse, or mother?! Tell Betty you wouldn't be in her position right now, in fact!"

Roswaal was just stunned. In response to the girl's words, he only hung his head. She only spoke what was true, something he could not refute or deny.

"That's what Betty thought, I suppose," her expression slightly lightened up, but her eyes kept their ferocious glare. "Just a pathetic man, chasing an impossible end. Truly saddening, in fact."

Roswaal stayed silent, possessing no words to say. He averted his gaze, staring straight in front of him and at the wall. Again, she was only right. He was pathetic, wasn't he? A failure of a man, who had nothing to live for anymore without a goal. Without an end. Oh how desperately he wanted to atone that.

Suddenly, he opened his mouth, "We're leaving tomorrow morning, Betty."

Beatrice kept her hardened eyes fixed on him, though her expression shifted to one more fitting of curiosity. "What do you mean, I suppose?"

Roswaal put his gaze back onto her, an expression of indifference dawning his features. "Emilia-sama has become… more and more impulsive, distant… reactive. She is slowly losing her sense of self. The Royal Election had already become forfeit, but we hope to help stabilize her mind at the very least. Being here, at this location, seems to only worsen her."

Upon Roswaal's explanation, Beatrice merely hummed in acceptance. She had a rough understanding of what he was talking about. She had overheard once or twice that the half-elf had been 'distracted' ever since she heard the news. She kept muttering the name of her Subaru with longing, as well as a different name with pure hatred and disdain; the name of the Witch. She brought herself out of her thoughts; now was no time to ponder on the half-elf's history with that Witch. "I see," she started. "Betty does not care about what happens to the half-elf, but good luck, I suppose." She turned back to the wall again, "Do not think Betty will come with you."

"I was not planning on asking," Roswaal responded immediately, his tone of voice slightly let down. Beatrice was admittedly a little surprised at the answer he provided her. "You, as well as that seal, being around may only worsen things. I shall take whoever is left here with us, but you may occupy this mansion as if it were your own." Roswaal softened his gaze somewhat, "You should also do something to help yourself. You are already not in the best shape, and I only fear that it will get worse."

Beatrice clenched the seal in her hand, her gaze slightly softening as she looked at it. "Betty will never stop trying to bring her Subaru back. No matter how many times Betty may fail and hurt herself. No matter how futile it may be. Betty will not stop, I suppose."

Roswaal looked at her, his facial features somewhat shocked and mouth slightly agape. Though, soon enough, he lightly smiled to himself. "I suppose you and I are more alike than I thought."

"Betty is nothing like you, in fact." Beatrice stated coldly. Though that did not deter Roswaal, as the tiny fraction of a smile he had continued to remain on his face. He closed his eyes, satisfied. Silence consumed the room once more, but the Great Spirit soon had something to ask. "What of any visitors?"

Roswaal re-opened his eyes, looking at her backside as she continued looking at the wall. "There should be little to none. Anyone coming to pay respects to Subaru-kun has already been deterred. That included multiple members of other camps. I have closed off borders to this domain, as well. You should have no issue, but if you do I have no doubts that you can deter them."

Beatrice hummed in acceptance, unwilling to reply to the man with words. She didn't want to speak anymore than was required, now. It tired her- no, she was already tired. She honestly just wanted to be left alone.

However, Roswaal had something more to say to her, "Would you like to talk, Betty?"

At that proposition, she turned to face him. "Talk? To you? Why would Betty want to talk to the likes of you, in fact."

Roswaal closed his eyes, sighing. He was a little hurt by the statement, but did not seem deterred. In truth, he wanted a chance to reconnect with her. He had long since missed that opportunity throughout the many years that had passed since his teacher's death, but, all of a sudden, he felt compelled to try now. Masking his own personal reasons, he offered, "I am the best mage in all of Lugnica. Perhaps, if you're having trouble, I may be able to help?"

Beatrice gave him another nasty glare, her eyes drilling deep into his very soul. Her glare actually made Roswaal gulp in slight nervousness, unsure of what she was thinking. She proceeded to stay silent for a few moments, before finally relenting. She reluctantly filled the man in on her progress and what she had come to discover from the book. He seemed intrigued, not unmotivated in the slightest in his next course of action.

"I see," he put a hand to his chin, in thought. "Would you like me to try?"

She, reluctantly once again, handed the seal over to Roswaal's hands. He held it lightly, his careful gaze laying upon the strange stone. He closed his eyes in focus, using the knowledge that Beatrice had given him to try and set those inside free. After a few moments, he opened his eyes again.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't do it," he gently handed the seal back over to the spirit's hands. She held it protectively, as she looked at the Margrave.

"It was worth a try, I suppose." She sighed sadly, giving Roswaal a slightly appreciative glance before sulking back into her spot.

Roswaal thought to himself, seemingly pondering something. He seemed unsure, as he looked between the sulking spirit and his own hands. A part of him refused to go through with the suggestion he had in mind, but another part of him wanted the opposite.

Eventually, he looked at his old companion and friend. "Betty… I might have a way for you to accomplish your goal."

She turned to him, her face signifying that of shock and surprise, but soon doubt. "What are you trying to fool me with, I suppose."

Roswaal shook his head, "I am serious." He looked at her, his gaze stern and unmoving. When she looked into them, she understood his seriousness and genuinity. Her face adopted a similar expression, as she asked:

"Then what does Betty have to do?"

The Margrave finally stood, taking small steps toward the spirit on the ground. Beatrice stood too, looking up at him with determined eyes. Roswaal's gaze narrowed, "I must warn you. What I will teach you is incredibly considered to be dangerous. You may watch and feel yourself change beyond who you are now. You may lose some parts of yourself as a whole. I do not say that lightly. Are you certain that those risks are worth your goal?"

Beatrice's own eyes narrowed, "Betty does not care, in fact. Betty will do what she must to atone for her failure."

Roswaal looked into her eyes, as she looked back into his. The two engaged in an intense staredown, involving wits, will and determination. Eventually Roswaal's gaze broke from hers, seemingly completely acknowledging her conviction, as he turned around, "Very well then. Follow me."

The Margrave walked over to and opened the door, quickly proceeding to walk out into the hallway. He didn't stop to wait for the Great Spirit, who seemed stunned and frozen in place with moderate shock. But, seeing as Roswaal wasn't slowing down or waiting for her by any means, she snapped out of it and did her best to catch up to him.

Beatrice silently followed her old friend all the way through the mansion, then out the front doors. They had not encountered or passed anyone on their way out. It hardly bothered Beatrice; though she assumed that everyone was either asleep or preparing to leave. It was only after they had gotten outside, on a cool yet breezy night, that Beatrice decided to question him further, "Why is Betty out here, I suppose?"

He simply kept his pace, in which Beatrice followed the best she could. Even though he hadn't vocally answered her, the little spirit knew what his 'response' was meant to signify. She supposed she'd see soon enough.

At one point, they had crossed the lines into the forest. Once they had gotten deep enough, Roswaal suddenly stopped. Beatrice accidentally bumped into him, holding her head with a light growl. She hadn't expected him to stop walking so abruptly. She just took a stand by his side, forgetting about the minor annoyance that had just occurred, waiting similarly to how he was. Though, eventually, she got impatient, "What now, I suppose."

"Just wait," was his only reply. He stared ahead of him, practicing what he preached with steady eyes. It wasn't long before the trees began rustling, making Beatrice put up her guard.

A Mabeast appeared. It wasn't too big, nor was it terribly small. It was a moderate size, fitting that of its canine-like appearance. It snarled and showed off its teeth to them, as if it were planning to attack or trying to intimidate them. It moved slowly in front of them, waiting for the moment to strike.

Beatrice was about to swiftly eliminate the creature, raising a hand up in preparation. She was only stopped when Roswaal put his arm in front of her, blocking her from attacking. She looked up at him, suddenly understanding, before putting her arm down.

"Observe," Roswaal stated, taking small steps forward and toward the Mabeast. The Mabeast, noticing Roswaal stepping toward it seemingly in a weakened position, began its pounce. It jumped in the air, aiming for Roawaal's neck. Before it even had a chance to get close, Roswaal held out his hand and grabbed it, effortlessly holding it in the air. Suddenly, he spoke a command unknown to Beatrice, "Abso."

The Mabeast being held in his hands, which had already been squirming, began to get pulled toward Roswaal's body. The Margrave, upon seeing his spell working, let his grip loosen so the Mabeast could be pulled in without an issue. The thing had no chance of fighting back, as the suction of the unknown force was unmatched. Not even a second later, the poor Mabeast had been completely taken into Roswaal's body, disappearing without a trace.

Roswaal himself stood still for a minuscule moment, before dropping to one knee all of a sudden. Beatrice instinctively leaned in to try and support him, even though she wouldn't have been able to do much. As she did, she saw one of his eyes closed and his mouth gasping for air, all while a hand clenched his chest. "What-What was that?! Tell Betty, in fact!"

The Margrave took a moment to catch his breath, "That was… a Yin spell. An absorption technique…" he breathed out, slowly but surely regaining his breath.

"Yin… Absorption technique? Betty has never heard of such a spell before!"

He looked at her, "It was a spell… that I personally created many years ago." He tried to stand, which he did, but he ended up almost falling over again and had to hold onto a tree for support. His breath started to come back though, so he was able to talk in full sentences without huffing, "Its main purpose was to help me bring teacher back. But I never considered the consequences of such a spell at the time until it was too late."

Beatrice gave him a questioning, skeptical yet concerned look. "What consequences do you imply, in fact!"

"To absorb an entire creature, an entire being, not only amplifies your basic magic abilities but adds more. When you absorb any living thing, it becomes a part of you, it… changes you." His hand's grip on his chest began to lighten, feeling his heart settle down. "Their souls become entangled with yours, in a sense. You could lose your body or mind easily, or perhaps lose your life if too much was absorbed."

Beatrice's eyes widened, "Then what about you, I suppose?"

Roswaal sighed, "That was what happened to me." When Beatrice looked, she saw Roswaal was making a small gesture to his discolored eye. But she knew that wasn't all he was referring to.

Beatrice could tell that he had no desire in speaking of his previous usage with the technique in detail, so she didn't bother to try prying. Though, a thought occurred to her, "Why teach this to Betty if those are the consequences? Betty would surely 'lose herself' the more she uses this power, in fact."

He looked at her, his eyes sad yet full of conviction for his next statement, "Because I believe it will be different for you." When he saw her confused expression, he continued, "Despite being the best mage in Lugnica, I am still human. You… you are an artificial spirit. You may-"

"You think Betty may not be affected by some of these things because she is a spirit? Because she possesses an artificial soul, not a human one?" She finished for him, having read his mind perfectly.

Roswaal nodded, his eyes closing as he considered it. "Yes, that is what I believe."

Beatrice looked at him, an unreadable expression on her face, "Why teach this to Betty…?"

Roswaal noticed the change in her tone, opening his eyes to look at her. Even though she had asked this question before, the intention of asking was completely different. "Consider it as a part of me amending my previous sins, especially toward Subaru-kun." He looked up, barely able to see the night sky from their place in the woods. As he stared up, he spoke, "This is nothing compared to the pain I have caused the boy, and subsequently you as well, over these years," he looked back down at her. "If there is but a slight chance to bring him back, to make the two of you happier, then I will die with some subsided guilt."

She had an expression of shock on her face, sported with wide eyes and an agape mouth. She didn't know what to say in response to Roswaal's confession. "What-…" she struggled to find words, stuttering and tripping over herself a few times. "What do you mean die?!"

He ignored her question, "The technique gets stronger as you use it. The more things you absorb, the more you'll be able to handle casting the highest level of the spell. Abso, El Abso, Ul Abso. You must start with the basic level first to build up enough power to use the next one." He stopped speaking for a moment, gathering his next words. "There is no condition to what you can absorb, as far as I am aware, only that more powerful beings can only be absorbed with higher level versions of the spell and that you cannot absorb beings that are more powerful than you." He closed his eyes, satisfied with his explanation, "I have no doubt that you will have little trouble in mastering this technique."

Beatrice truly had little to no words to say, incredibly and utterly stumped at Roswaal's behavior. She, in the many years of her life since her mother's death, did not expect this moment ever happening. With tears starting to form in her eyes, her teeth starting to clench, holding the seal tightly in her hand. Her tears began to flow more and more as she looked at it, once again hopeful. She had another chance.

She looked up at the man that had given her hope again with teary eyes, "Thank you, Roswaal."

He didn't answer, only averting his gaze to the side. He didn't want to look at her in that state. Truthfully, it hurt him. It made his guilt worsen. Before he could get too caught up in his guilt again, more rustling echoed from their side. Now with both of their attention fixated on the new noise, he spoke to her, "It seems as though you will get the chance to practice tonight."

Beatrice looked toward the sounds, seeing several emerging Mabeasts emerging from the trees. They weren't terribly big, similar or equivalent to the one Roswaal had taken care of earlier. All of them looked at the two of them with hostility, waiting for their opportunity to strike. Roswaal stepped back, fully intending to let Beatrice handle them on her own. He was not ignorant of her abilities; in fact, he was confident in them, especially her ability to learn. When it came to yin magic, she was always at the top of her game.

Beatrice shared one last glance with Roswaal, the man giving her a clear nod before she turned back to face the threat. "You do not need to physically touch a target. You need only focus on what you want to absorb, feel their aura around you and let it come to you."

The Great Spirit of Yin nodded, holding a vague yet clear idea of understanding to Roswaal's words. She put the seal away, taking a deep breath in an act of readying herself. She opened her arms out, both of them fully extended out to her sides, closing her eyes in a deep and concentrated focus. Then, she spoke: "Abso."

It was quick. The many Mabeasts that had emerged felt an incredible force start to take hold and pull them toward the spirit. In an attempt to keep themselves stationary, some tried anchoring into the ground below them with their claws. However, that proved futile, as the force pulling them in was far too strong for them to fight against. All Mabeasts present were helpless, getting pulled in, condensed and absorbed into Beatrice's very being.

Beatrice herself felt odd as they first became a part of her. Her body seemed to shift on its own after every absorption. The sensation felt different each time, or did it feel the same? When the last Mabeast disappeared into her, she realized how minuscule those sensations actually were. Whatever feelings she had during absorption were gone, leaving her almost just as she was initially. She opened her eyes, putting her hands in front of her. She looked at them, focusing on herself; nothing about her seemed to have majorly changed, and she certainly didn't feel the same way Roswaal did. However, she definitely felt a small improvement within her. She felt just a tad stronger.

The man, who was watching her, hummed in satisfaction. "I shall take your lack of negative reaction as a success," he smiled at her. "Congratulations."

She was at a loss for words, only looking at her hands in silence. She only barely acknowledged Roswaal's words of congratulations, clenching her hands in and out, feeling for certainty that nothing was different.

"Beatrice." The use of her full name pulled her out of her own mind, her gaze turning to focus on Roswaal. The expression of full seriousness on his face did little to help ease her shock, which was only now steadily growing. He pulled out a small slip of paper from his outfit, handing it out to her. She took it, looking at the contents written on its surface. "This is where we will take residence after departing from here. Once you are ready, once you are nearing the end of your journey, come find me there."

Before the spirit could form any words to reply with, the Margrave had turned his back toward her and began walking away, out of the forest. She was surprised with his action, having the urge to reach out to him, but never committing to it.

Before he was too far away, he spoke to her again, "I must ensure everyone is ready for tomorrow's departure. I will… tell them you wish us farewell." He kept walking, not turning back. She barely heard him utter, "Goodbye, Betty."

When he was finally out of sight, did she let most of her tears fall. She didn't know what to feel. Sad, because now two people she held care for were gone, or elated because she had the chance to bring one of them back. At some point, she settled with a soft smile on her face, sniffling as she wiped some of her tears away, "Thank you again, Roswaal."

It did not take her long to find her resolve once more, a broken yet determined look dawning on her face. She looked out into the wilderness, ready to start her quest. She would not fail, not again. She would bring her Subaru back at whatever cost necessary.

She pulled the seal out one last time, giving it a hard look before setting off. She didn't bother to look back; she had all she needed with her, anyway. She knew the journey ahead of her would be long and grueling, but it would be worth it. The Great Spirit of Yin was about to live up to her name even more.

That's how it began. She started slow, using her newfound technique on the smaller Mabeasts and creatures she came across. The effects continued to be little to none, so she kept going. Days and nights went by, and for weeks and perhaps months she stayed on that routine. Find, absorb, repeat with little rest. She was always moving. That was the cycle and she always kept to it. It almost became a second nature to her. She got used to it, used to the feeling of having something being a part of her as more and more joined the bond. Never had she truly appreciated having an artificial soul, or being a spirit, until now.

Of course, there were many different times where she struggled. Not only physically, due to the hardships of a journey on foot, but also mentally. Sometimes she would overthink things and become depressed. To comfort herself, she would always take a break and hold the seal close to her. She imagined her Subaru being there for her, hugging her, patting her head and telling her that everything was going to be okay. She yearned for those interactions, and she always imagined that it would come to pass at the end of her journey. It always helped her become motivated again to keep moving forward.

It took a long time for her to finally feel a big enough difference within her magical potential. From the start she could always feel the slight change within herself after every absorption. However, it was only after a longer time could she realistically compare the change to how she initially started. A magnificent difference and something she was inherently proud of. Of course, she gained much more than just amplification to her own magic affinity, but she barely let that concern her. All that mattered was that she was getting what she needed.

Though, once she reached that point, she noticed how little normal Mabeasts and creatures were giving her anymore. Normally the amount of increase they'd give her was minuscule, but it seemed as though they gave even less than that now. In a way, she supposed that was why all of them worked with the basic Abso spell. She needed to, somehow, up her game. Or in other words, as she recalled one of Subaru's sayings, she needed to level up.

Having reached something of a deadend, having had no luck in improving her gain, she fell into a minor depression. She was on her own, out in the wilderness, suffering due to her own failings. Some days and nights she found herself sitting alone, huddled in a ball with the stone tablet held close. Even when it rained, or even stormed, she wouldn't budge and would let herself become consumed by her inner thoughts and depression.

Eventually, she reluctantly returned back to the mansion. When she stood in front of the doors, looking up at the humongous building, she inwardly sighed. She truthfully held mixed emotions for the place, but this is where she ideally wanted to bring Subaru back to. She wanted him to feel at home, first and foremost, in a comfortable environment. Her hope was for him to recover here, and live a happy life.

She found herself back in her room. It felt odd to be back, seeing the room in the same condition — granted with a lot of dust on things — it was in before she left with Roswaal. She went over to the bed, taking her time to brush off some of the dust. She made a mental note to do the laundry later. Everything needed to be in peak condition for Subaru's eventual return.

As she thought of Subaru, she felt sad yet proud. He was still gone, not there with her, which was a fact that continuously smashed her heart to pieces. Yet, she was proud of the progress she was making. Every day, she was getting closer to getting him back. She may have hit a dead end now, but she swore on her life that she would conquer it.

She looked away from the bed. There was still a vast amount of books littered all across the floor, some still open from the last time she had read them. She sighed, picking some of them up and starting to put them away. She only stopped when a particular book caught her attention. She pulled it to her, opening the book to view its contents. Her eyes widened, clearly shocked.

Beatrice couldn't believe it; this book was exactly what she needed, no matter how much of a coincidence it may have been. A book that not only listed and provided detailed descriptions of ancient, more powerful creatures but it also mentioned where to find them. It was perfect.

As the Great Spirit took her time reading through the book, looking at the many different creatures, she noticed one… familiar looking creature. One she wouldn't mind paying another visit to.

However, first… she needed a new outfit. She was deeply attached to the one she currently wore, but its condition left much to be desired. Her constant movement and sitting out in bad weather during her depression really tore it apart. It was only a shell of what it used to be, and as much as it hurt her to discard, she did so anyway.

Using more knowledge that Subaru gifted upon her — yes, he taught her how to make clothes — she began the creation of her new outfit. It took several days, possibly weeks, of trial and error but she was eventually able to complete it.

It was largely based off of her old one, but the color scheme was vastly different. This one mainly sported a black layout, with some of the smaller gaps between certain areas consisting of a white or greyish filling. Some of the seams were also more of a blood red color. She did not completely understand why, but she didn't find bright colors very enticing anymore. Instead, she much preferred ones of a darker tone. When she first put it on, she felt as if, in a way, it perfectly matched her new self. She would have to be sure to take better care of this one.

With her clothing in order, she set out with a very precise destination in mind. Before long she found herself inside of the very tomb this all had started from. Specifically, she stood within the first trial chamber in front of a pile of fallen boulders.

She glared down at the rocks, very well knowing that underneath them existed very dangerous creatures. Ancient creatures, ones that she found listed within that book. This was truly perfect. She smirked for the first time in what seemed like forever. Those pathetic bugs would pay for ever attempting to harm her contractor. After this, she would not hesitate to use the book to find and eliminate more of those horrendous creatures from this world.

She blasted the rocks out of the way, exposing a decently wide and deep hole. Without hesitation, she jumped down into the nest; literally. She landed on her feet at the bottom of the cavern. When she looked up, the hole was quite high and the amount of light it let in was minuscule at best. The cavern she was in was definitely big.

She didn't waste time, using a spell to light up the large cavern she found herself in. Upon doing so, she greeted herself to the sight of their large, disgusting and oozing nest that occupied the entire other side of the cavern. The bugs began to notice her, finally, as they started to file out of their nest, or out of holes on other sides of the cavern. Beatrice only smirked more. This was good; she was glad that they noticed her. That made things easier.

The abominable creatures began to rush her, either on their legs or by taking flight. Beatrice remained unafraid, unmoving as they came closer and closer. Then, much similar to the first time she used the spell, opened her arms out wide to her sides. She closed her eyes, fully ready. "El Abso."

With that, the creatures lost any of the control they previously had as suction took hold. The ones that were in the air were the easiest to come in, with the ones on the ground attempting to anchor themselves but to no avail. From all sides, the creatures flew into her and became a part of her. She could feel every single one, and she enjoyed it. Oh how she felt the difference every single bug was making and she loved every second of it.

It was sudden, but she could hear herself start to let out unusual noises from her mouth. It was as if she was chuckling, giggling almost. It wasn't long before that seemed to evolve into full on laughter, which only increased in volume. It echoed throughout the entire cavern as bugs began to get forcefully ripped out of the nest to be absorbed. Beatrice didn't know why, but she was laughing. It didn't stop until every last bug was a part of her, none left behind, but even then she had a smile on her face. Her pupils seemed retracted, and her expression blank as her laughs subsided into mere chuckles once again.

She stayed like that until she got outside again, in which she directed her eyes right up into the sunlight. She stared at the ball of light for a while, completely unaffected, before she felt something strange. Her body, suddenly, without warning began to feel different. She fell to her knees, her hands shaking as her body seemed to erupt into an unknown yet incredibly painful process. She screamed loudly in response to the pain, struggling to even get in a single breath, with nobody around to hear her. To her surprise, the pain stopped as suddenly as it began, leaving her with only a few odd feelings on her backside.

She went all the way back to the mansion like that, refusing to pay any mind to the feeling she had. When she finally arrived at the mansion, she found herself looking at her reflection and being utterly horrified at what she saw. Wings, not too terribly big, stuck out of her back. Six small appendages, three on each side, stuck out of her in plain view. She freaked out and screamed, unsure of what to do but still completely panicked and horrified as she asked herself questions. How was that possible? What happened? What did she do? How could she fix this?

When she painfully cut them off, they only grew back with the same amount of pain. She was stuck with them. At one point, it occurred to her that after absorbing those creatures her body had undergone a forceful mutation. She didn't know why or how it was possible, but knew it only happened once she used the next level of Abso. Perhaps that was the price she was supposed to pay? Was this what Roswaal had warned her about all that time ago?

Considering herself as a hideous abomination, she found herself once again sulking in a depressive state. She spent days like that, before getting herself together enough to finish the mission she gave to herself. Even if Subaru wouldn't accept her appearance and think she was ugly and horrifying, she would still do anything for him.

She realized a recurring cycle with herself. She would find herself low and depressed, but she would always bounce back because she knew she couldn't give up. Wasn't that how it always was? Even when she still occupied the Forbidden Library this was the cycle she lived for. Nothing had changed, after all, had they? This was all her life was meant to be, an endless cycle of pain and misery.

Beatrice also realized that, despite the horrendous mutation she underwent, the amplification of her power was significant. She felt so close to the end.

So it began again. Beatrice, using the mansion as a home to go back to after she ventured out, used the Sage's book to find and absorb many different ancient creatures using El Abso. She worked her way up, absorbing more powerful creatures as she went on. It didn't come without a cost, though, since after every absorption, she changed. Whether it be her body, her hair, her eyes or even her own mind she found herself changing into more of an abomination with each successful venture.

She made it a habit during that time to keep attempting to undo the seal everytime she returned to the mansion, holding out hope that one day, one of these times, the power she gained would be enough to set him free. Sometimes when it didn't work, she'd cry from the emotional, physical and mental pain she felt. She wanted it to end, so badly, but she wouldn't just give up, especially after she's come so far.

One day, it became too unbearable for her to withstand anymore. Her body, which had changed so many times, felt like it wasn't hers anymore. She barricaded herself in the mansion, in her room, curling up and crying as she endlessly experienced this unique form of pain. She was so close to the end of her journey, she could feel it, but everything just hurt too much.

When her mind and body alike began to rip and break apart, she tried to read every single book she had in an attempt to get her mind off of the pain. In a sense, she felt like she reverted directly back to her unhealthy roots: reading books to help ease her inner pain. It did little to work, but at the very least she was able to alleviate the pain from her mind for a small amount of time. She held out little hope that, perhaps, one of those books would help her.

When she opened up a book about remedies and healing, she didn't expect it to contain anything useful to her situation. She didn't expect for that little spark of hope she held to be ignited into a roaring flame. But, imagine her surprise when she found something; a remedial tea that not only nullified most of the pain someone may feel but can also apply great healing effects to them as well. She was so incredibly lucky to have been able to make it herself with things she already had, combined with things she was able to find on her own.

The first time she drank it, she felt the effects instantly. The pain didn't go away, but she could feel her body start to change again, only this time it was different in a way she couldn't describe at all. When it finally subsided, most of her pain was gone. When she looked at herself, all physical mutations — aside from some of the passive ones, such as things in her hair and eyes — were gone. She felt healed and, for once in a very long time, alive.

It wasn't until the next day when she felt her body begin to turn back, once again succumbing to the unbearable pain of her transformation. Her abominable form was beginning to take hold of her again. She was barely able to drink the remedy again so it could subside. She found out that she had to drink the remedy at least once a day to keep her mutations in check. That night she cried, a product to what she was becoming.

When morning struck, she hardly realized it. The rays of light eventually pierced into the room, which inconvenienced her. In the back of her mind, she regretted not shutting the curtains. She forced herself up, with unnatural vigor. She walked over to the window and looked outside, a determined expression on her face. She was so close, she just needed one more push.

She made a large batch of the remedy and stored it away in portable bottles and vials, their purpose specifically to be taken out for a long journey. She made sure that she had enough before she ever set out again, this time in the direction of the Auguria Sand Dunes. If memory served her correctly, which it did, that place contained many different unique and powerful creatures.

She spent a good amount of time there, finally using the next level of the spell: Ul Abso. She found out, on more than one occasion, that the more powerful, or perhaps ancient, a creature was, the more they affected her upon being absorbed. It was just as Roswaal told her. While this benefited her magical affinity, it ultimately damaged herself in great magnitude. The spirit had started consuming more of the remedy a day to compensate, something which forced her to leave the area early so she could restock.

---

"And that brings us to today, I suppose."

Subaru and Pandora both looked at her, the two of them still holding the other's hands tightly. Subaru's expression was complicated, to say the least. He looked at his contracted spirit with a look of immense guilt, sadness and shock. His mind was still processing every ounce of information he had been given, running it back over and over again in his head for him to comprehend.

Pandora's gaze shifted to Subaru, her eyes softly looking upon his features with a gentle kind of care. She moved her free hand to his cheek, lightly pulling his head into her own to connect them. Her mouth was forced down into a frown, as she clearly did not like seeing Subaru so utterly destroyed.

Though it was uncomfortable given where her head was currently positioned, the platinum-haired beauty shifted her gaze to the spirit. Said spirit was currently finishing her remedy, since she had skipped sipping it in favor of giving them an explanation in the form of a story. Subaru may be too caught up in his emotions to notice currently, but there was clearly something wrong.

Subaru's gaze, which had subsequently been glued onto Beatrice in front of him, seemed to suddenly snap out of his daze. He opened his mouth, albeit shakily, "B-Beako, your… your eye."

Beatrice was confused for a very small moment, taking a second to think about what Subaru had been referring to. However, it didn't take long for her to understand what he was talking about, taking the cup into her hand and looking at her reflection through it. She suddenly yelped in surprise, covering her left eye as fast as she could.

It didn't take long for her to practically jump out of her chair, the cup still in her hand as she got to her feet. "B-Betty must go for now." She stuttered out, barely able to find her words. "Please stay away from Betty for a while… you may explore the mansion and go outside if you want. J-Just don't leave, p-please!"

With that, she bolted away, leaving Subaru and Pandora alone in the dining room. Subaru's eyes followed his spirit until she disappeared from his view, into a different room. A part of him desperately wanted to go after her, but he was just too stunned, too guilty to even attempt to do so.

He felt a slight increase of pressure on his hand, which helped him feel more at ease. He let out a large breath of air in an attempt to calm himself further. He repeated the process, as the girl that held his hand used her other hand to rub his back in small circles.

"Let's go outside," she suggested to him. When he turned himself to the side to look at her, he saw her expression become a bit brighter. Her mouth turned into a small smile, one that made him smile in kind. It was a genuine smile, something that Pandora had grown attached to seeing overtime. She liked when he smiled so kindly at her. It made her feel things that she could never get used to, like a flutter in her chest.

It took a moment before he responded to her, "Going outside sounds nice." To Subaru — and Pandora — it has literally been forever since he ever felt the presence of the outdoors. It had been so long since he looked out into nature, up into the sky as he felt fresh air hit his skin. He wanted to experience that again.

So the two, together, stood. Their balance was still off-putting, still not recovered nearly at all since their time back. They held onto one another again for support, helping the other walk all the way out of the room. Neither of them minded nor cared about it; in fact, they both quite enjoyed the fact that it brought them physically closer. They continued all the way through the mansion until they finally made it outside.

The two felt the breeze right away. It was neither fully day or night, instead the sun lay at rest on the horizon to the side. It was a very comfortable atmosphere to the two of them, as they helped themselves get settled onto the front steps of the mansion.

When they sat themselves down, they leaned into one another as if it were instinctual. As the breeze cooled them, they warmed each other. They found themselves in a silent, peacefully comfortable embrace. Even after the dread they experienced together, through the pain they heard and endured, after the truth was revealed to them by Beatrice, they still found themselves able to smile as they held each other.

If only they could stay like that forever, as they had been before being released from their confinement. However now they were back in the real world, surrounded by never-ending life and very real problems. The two seemed to acknowledge this at the same time, lightly separating from their embrace but keeping their hold on the other.

His smile seemed to fall, as did hers. She spoke to him, her voice calm, soft and kind, "Are you okay?"

He didn't reply with words, nor did he move his head in any direction. He only looked ahead of him, as if caught up in his own thoughts. She could tell that everything was hard for him right now. The bombshell that had exploded into his heart was massive and he still needed to recover, she knew and understood that.

When he finally lifted his head, she waited patiently for his response, "I don't know." It was a simple response, but the platinum-haired girl understood his feelings perfectly. "She's been through a lot this past year while we were gone. I thought that it was just hard for her to talk about certain things, but the more I think about it… what she said… the more I feel like it's not everything."

She nodded at his words, completely agreeing. She had noticed it as well, and he knew that. He merely waited to hear her opinion on the matter, which she would undoubtedly give him, "It is as if she is not telling the whole story."

It was Subaru's turn to nod, "Especially at the end. It felt like… it felt as if she skipped something important."

Pandora didn't respond to that statement directly, only silently agreeing to it. Neither of them knew what the spirit was hiding, and neither of them was sure if they were completely ready to find out. Subaru especially didn't know for certain if he was prepared for anything else to be revealed to him yet, especially anymore horrifying truths.

"I have more suspicions, as well," Pandora confided in him, her gaze looking out into the horizon ahead of her. Subaru's own eyes were fixated in a similar spot, as he waited for her to continue. "I find it strange. You mentioned that it has only been a year, but how could that be possible?"

He turned his head to look at her, something in which she matched. Their gazes met, his own eyes emitting something similar to understanding as he considered her words. "You're right… that seems-"

"-insufficient, considering everything she was required to do to release us." She finished for him, slightly smiling at him.

He lightly smiled back at the notion, but soon lost it as he started to speak again, "Yeah, exactly. She said that her magic power had to be equivalent to those she was releasing. I feel like a year is too little time to do that, especially because of…" he trailed off, using his hand to gesture to her, figuring she'd understand what he means, "plus everything else…"

He trailed off again, sighing as he started directing his gaze downward and away from her. Pandora frowned, clearly unhappy with his action. She put her free hand to his chin, lightly lifting it so he would look into her eyes. When they locked gazes, she saw the dread that filled him and he saw the conviction that filled her.

She spoke to him from the heart, "I may not have experience with this. I never had anyone close to me, besides you now." She smiled a little as she caressed the back of his hand in a soothing manner, trying to ease his self-doubt the best she could. Her face got a little closer to his, as if to try and reassure him even more. "However, that will not stop me from doing my best to help you. You are not alone, my Subaru. I will not let you be alone. Let's spend another eternity together, okay?"

He looked at her unchanged for a long while. At one point during the silence, the breeze had picked up and hit them with a wave of cold air. It was only after it settled, did the raven-haired boy start letting out a noise; a chuckle, to be precise. She gave him a small pout in response to that.

He smiled at her, though, especially after seeing her pout. "Sorry, sorry. It's like you can really read my mind sometimes. Not that I'm complaining, of course."

She let her face settle for a moment before she let out a giggle of her own, amused at what he said. She smiled to match his, slightly shaking her head, "It is not just me, we read each other's minds."

He chuckled again, "I suppose we do." He kept his smile, enjoying the playful banter he was having with his love. Not only did it help alleviate his mind from his stress and troubles but it only further strengthened his bond with her, which he cherished a lot. He spoke again, "Do you know what I'm thinking right now, then?"

She looked at him, a smile still present on her face as she playfully hummed. Before he even realized it, a soft pair of lips met his own. Her eyes were closed, which were soon followed by his, as the pair became consumed by the intense bliss they currently felt. Their free hands wrapped around the other's backside, pulling the other as close as possible. They unintentionally held each other tighter as they kept enjoying the feeling of the other's lips against their own, something they previously weren't able to feel whilst imprisoned in the seal. The blissful feeling they were experiencing was something entirely new to them, so they made sure to savor every second of it.

When they finally separated, it left the both of them breathless. Their foreheads pressed together as the two kept holding one another close. The two had to gasp for air, but never did they think it wasn't worth it. They smiled at one another, both of them immensely satisfied as Pandora teased, "Was it that?"

His face became slightly red, a little embarrassed from her tease. It was truly a pure and nice moment that the two of them shared, but the happiness was only temporary as Subaru's mind began to plague him with troubling thoughts once more.

Once again reading his mind, she rubbed her thumb against the back of his hand soothingly, "Everything will be okay, I promise."

He looked into her eyes, genuinely as hopeful as she was determined, "I really hope so…" With that, the two of them stared out into the horizon, their heads still pressed together, as the sun began to rise. It's light began to shine upon them, past and through the few clouds that occupied the sky. A brand new day has just begun.