Emilia, Ram, and Roswaal were heading to the Capital to inform that the Sin Archbishop of Lust was killed. Emilia was still confused about who or what saved her and Petra. She only saw what looked like a red armored suit that resembled a similar appearance to that of a dragon.

Roswaal, on the other hand, pretty much knew since Subaru's imprisonment that he was not a Sin Archbishop and, in fact, the person that could redo events for him. However, due to the situation, not even his influence within the Kingdom would be enough to convenience the Kingdom to release Subaru. He also knew that even if it did work out somehow, Subaru would be broken. Nobody would remember him, and his entire plan would change drastically.

The rest of Emilia's camp was beginning to lose the motivation that they used to have. Roswaal no longer cared about Emilia even winning and only had a small glimmer of hope when they learned that Subaru escaped the imprisonment. Emilia felt emptiness or wanted someone but couldn't understand the meaning.

As the dragon carriage carrying the three approached the Capital, Roswaal could already say something was happening. When they arrived, Roswaal was asked to speak with the Sage Consil, and Julius greeted Emilia and Ram. He was curious if they would have any ideas on what may have happened if he showed the area where the Sin Archbishop that claimed his name to be Subaru escaped.

Emilia and Ram went with Julius to the imprisonment where Sirius's corpse remained. Without Reinhard, the Kingdom was worried that any contact or attempt to move the corpse could result in some sort of tragedy. As the two began to walk down the stairs of the cell that previously contained the two Sin Archbishops, Emilia stared at the body of Sirius with a thought in her head she wanted to reject.

Julius spoke, "My apologies for having you have to come here again, Emilia-sama. However, since a Sin Archbishops mentioned your name before he went silent, we wondered if you have ever seen him or know where he may have gone." Julius continued, "Do not confuse this with me associating you with the Witch Cult. It's just the only lead we have currently."

While Ram simply stood there without a single idea of what was going on or where this Sin Archbishop may have gone, Emilia was more focused on the corpse of Sirius. She began to walk closer; her mind was conflicted, and she did not want what she thought would become a reality.

Julius warned, "Emilia, I'd advise you not to get close to the body of that Sin Archbishop."

Emilia saw what she knew was the truth. Just like Geuse… Mother Fortuna was also turned into a Sin Archbishop. She began shedding tears at what she saw in front of her. She wanted to know who killed her.

"Who killed the Sin Archbishop?"

Julius replied, "We are unsure currently."

Emilia, even though her mother was turned into a Witch Cultist, still had a deep love for her and the idea of her becoming a force of evil… she was locked up before maybe there was a way to remove the witch factor?

Emilia begins to break down, slowly coming to realize what happened. She felt like everyone who cared for her so many years ago became puppets, all because of her… Pandora. Her camp was slowly falling apart, and she didn't know why. It was like a sudden change occurred as she even considered that Roswaal might be the cause. Roswaal had not shown much interest in her campaign as he did before and almost seemed depressed until the strange armored man came at killed Capella.

Ram tried to comfort Emilia, "It'll be okay."

Emilia's tears continued as she had nothing to say. She didn't want to say her mother was turned into a Sin Archbishop. It was a burden she felt she needed to keep to herself. She tried to wipe off the tears from her cheeks and act normal, but the thought returned to her mind.

Despite the tragedy, she discovered her mind was still filled with many thoughts. The fact that her camp was no longer the same for some reason. She felt someone was missing, or Roswaal was plotting something, but she couldn't find any reason for him to do so. So many negative things happened after so long, and her only goal was to save the elves in Elior Forest. However, her winning felt becoming less and less likely. She didn't know what to do. She wanted comfort from someone but didn't know who she longed for it from.

Roswaal spoke with the Sage Council as the Great Spirit of Fire was killed by an unknown entity. The Dragon Tablet wasn't able to state anything other than an entity. Not only that, but the news of Reinhard's disappearance was a far more significant issue for the Kingdom.

"Roswaal, we request your assistance within the Kingdom right now. The Kingdom is imbalanced with the Great Spirit of Fire and Reinhard's disappearance."

"That is quite tragiccc~ however; I'm very busy at the moment with sponsoring Emiliaaaa's~ campaign."

"Roswaal, this isn't a request."

"Without the sword saint or the spirit of fire, I believe I am the most powerful individuallll~ within the Kingdom. I would suggest you to me with more respectttt~."

Roswaal walked away, not caring for whatever response he would've received. At this point, he knew the chances of his goal being fulfilled were entirely up to fate. He could care less if the Kingdom rots or burns down; his goal was his only concern.

As Roswaal, Emilia, and Ram left the Capital in their dragon carriage, it took all the mental fortitude she had not to break down. With so many things going wrong and no sign of anything to help, she wondered if there was a point in continuing. Roswaal noticing this decided to give Emilia more information that would devastate her.

"Emiliaaa~ you look so sad. Is it due to you learning of Puck's death?"

Emilia looked at Roswaal, "Puck… died?"

"Correctttt~ even the Sage Council doesn't know what to do. Even the Sword Saint has gone missing. I would not worry, Emilia. We have a higher chanceeee~ of going to war than the Royal Selection ending."

Emilia tried but couldn't speak. Puck, Mother Fortuna, her camp is falling apart, and the missing someone she doesn't know of who. Her mental state was at the worst it's been. She almost begins considering suicide. She felt she had no chance of winning. She thought back to the words that the spirit said to Puck. That she was a witch, she thought back about everyone she cared for when she was younger, either frozen due to her actions or becoming Sin Archbishops because of Pandora. She was conflicted about blaming herself and Pandora for the events. She wanted to cry but felt there was no point in doing so. Nobody would be there to comfort her anymore.

Subaru was currently in an odd situation. The direction he was heading was the Plaides Watch Tower which he sensed contained a Witch Cult member. However, he was in a desert dealing with giant Witch Beasts.

"Ddraig, any ideas why were not making any progress?"

"It's some form of magic. Try a different method."

"Like what?"

"Anything other than flying towards the tower. I sense a dragon with about the same power as a Dragon King. In other words very weak. However, you might need to enter Juggernaut Drive to kill it."

"How does Juggernaut Drive work?

"Normally, it's a death sentence. But due to your entire body being a dragon and the benefits you receive from being an evil dragon, you should be able to maintain the form for around fifteen minutes. Any longer, and you'd lose control and probably die."

As Subaru's trip continued, he began to run low on water. He had an idea, but it was sort of crazy. His logic was to enter the balance breaker, ascend high into the atmosphere, and land at the tower. However, when he attempted to do so, it failed. Subaru ran out of ideas and decided to retreat and return when they had any idea how to get through whatever barrier was separating him from the tower and the Witch Cultist.

Felt and Reinhard escaped the Kingdom with the suggestion from Felt to go to Kararagi. Since Reinhard knew the law surrounding him leaving the Kingdom, he was cautious about being spotted by anyone when they departed. Felt also insists they brought Rom, so the three are traveling with a dragon carriage that Reinhard received, the Divine Protection of Invisibility, the Divine Protection of Flying, which can also be extended to the dragon carrying the carriage. When they arrived, they found a small city-state within Kararagi, and Reinhard brought plenty of both holy coins and other valuable items in case the holy coins were not accepted. They found an Inn within the city-state of Banan, and Reinhard wore a disguise so nobody would realize who he was.

However, there was someone that did know and had been tracing the group ever since they arrived in Kararagi. Once Felt, Rom, and Reinhard settled within the Inn, they heard a knock on the door. Reinhard prepared to defend himself but would not attack if not for self-defense.

Reinhard opened the door to see a wolf-man known as Kararagi's strongest.

"I see. Reinhard, the Sword Saint. I can only wonder what may have happened for me to witness something like this. My name is Halibel."

Reinhard asked, "I know the treaty surrounding me entering other nations. I have no intent to cause any harm to Kararagi."

Halibel sensed no malice nor any intent for violence from Reinhard. Judging from his disguise and the effort he put into not being seen, Halibel could only assume a few possibilities. The most likely being that Reinhard is attempting to escape from the Kingdom. He also knew of the treaty surrounding if Reinhard were to enter a nation without permission which would lead to the mass destruction of all four nations.

Halibel asked, "I have no intent to inform anyone of my discovery. I also followed you to confirm that you have no ill intentions. Though I do request if we can have a brief conservation."

Reinhard was both relieved and surprised by another Halibels attitude towards the situation. He was grateful but could only consider the difference between Kararagi and Lugnica. He did not doubt that if a situation were reversed within Lugnica, the Sage Council would be far more both untrusting and more than likely would restrain him. Felt and Rom seemed to enjoy the culture within Banan, and Reinhard felt a sense of peace. Something he never thought he'd feel ever since Subaru absorbed all his negative emotions. Reinhard welcomed Halibel inside, and the two began discussing while Felt and Rom drank sake.
Halibel first asked, "I must ask, what happened that made you leave Lugnica?"

Reinhard responded with a shallow tone, "Many events happened that led to this point. It begins with the imprisonment of a Sin Archbishop and another that wasn't… after I refused the orders to find the escaped person, the Kingdom attempted to use a hostage… so we came here."

Reinhard's voice as he spoke was both shallow and empty. Recalling the events that happened was not something Reinhard wanted to do, but he knew that Halibel at least deserved to know the reason for him being there.

Reinhard continued, "I simply wish to stay here in peace, and if there is any conflict that you require my assistance with, I feel that's the least I can do for your kindness."

Halibel responded, "Reinhard, you are free to stay here. I believe the reasons that led to this point would be more than acceptable. Nobody will know you came here as I was the only person who could follow you. You are not a knight for Lugnica however, you will not be used as a weapon for Kararagi. I've heard many stories about you, and I understand one thing. Overwhelming power can more times be a curse than a blessing."

Reinhard was lost for what to respond with. He came to another nation and was found, and the response he got was something he couldn't comprehend. He began questioning his life in the Kingdom and wondered how it would've been different if he had been born within Karaagi. His whole life, with nothing but self-hatred and feeling like a monster, yet in a foreign nation, he was being treated kinder than how he was by the Kingdom. Reinhard could only think of a single response.

"Thank you."

After another night of sleeping on the frozen ground within Elior Forest, Subaru woke up. His body felt different.

"Ddraig, why do I feel strange?"

"Partner, the effects of your full body transformation are beginning to change your appearance. You are now more muscular. Your hair color is a mixture of black, gray, and red. Activate the boosted gear, and I can show you."

Subaru activated his boosted gear as an image formed of his new physique. Subaru was astonished as he was now muscular but not as that of a bodybuilder but a slimmer build that would be effective for moving quickly while also having immense strength. His eye color changed to emerald, and his face jaw was a bit sharper. He doubted anyone would recognize him like this, with a few exceptions.

Subaru remembered the strange effect when attempting to reach the source of the authority he sensed. No matter how fast or long he traveled, he made no progress in reaching the scent's original tower. He knew it was some form of magic, but the only people he could think of who could assist him would be Roswaal. Going that route would be a gamble in revealing his identity, however. He sensed that Roswaal was aware of his innocence from the beginning. He did not fear Roswaal learning the truth as Roswaal only had his own goals and wouldn't care who Subaru was as long as he helped obtain his gaol. The people he didn't want to remember him were the rest of Emilia's camp and everyone he used to know.

Subaru flew up into the sky to get a general view of the surrounding areas when he noticed a city on the border of Lugnica and Guestkeo being attacked. He used his enhanced vision to see what was happening as he saw many men with weapons and carriages carrying what appeared to be containment cells. He watched as the men were either killing the men, and only young girls and women were being put in the cages. In other words, the city was being pillaged.

"Ddraig, I would consider these actions equivalent to what the Witch Cult does. I shall stop it."

As Subaru descended toward the city being pillaged, Ddraig could wonder what Subaru was. He was not an evil dragon but held enough hatred towards a specific group that caused him to become one. He wondered if Subaru could break the trend he's seen throughout history within his world of evil dragons being nothing more than annoying and sadistic pests.

Subaru walked towards the group of men. Around one hundred of them and half the city were already destroyed. Littered with the bodies of the men and women deemed unneeded for slavery. The thought repulsed Subaru as he saw around ten carriages with women and young girls locked inside. As he walked closer, he saw the corpse of a man with his arms around what Subaru assumed to be his son.

Subaru begins to absorb all the negative emotions within the city, alleviating the panic and fear that the women and young girls within the cages are experiencing. He then begins to eradicate the armored men that were responsible. He did not speak or respond to any of the men. He simply killed every single one until all one hundred that pillaged the city that he did not know was the city of Costuul.

Once the men were dealt with, he began to free all the women engaged in the dragon carriages the group of men brought. The remaining half of the city that was before awaiting to be slaughtered began to come out after hearing countless cries, but they were both of sadness and relief. Eventually, the older man with brown hair, who was the city's major, approached Subaru to thank him.

"Thank you, sir. You saved many lives… I believe that the men who attacked our city were a group of mercenaries that lived within Guestkeo. I will alert the Kingdom of the attack and who saved us what is your name?"

"Tell them Emilia's camp was the one that saved this city."

Subaru realizing his supplies were running low and he'd prefer not to steal, decided to ask the major.

"Excuse me, would it be possible to receive some supplies, food, and water."

"Are you sure? I was planning to reward you with holy coins worth far more than food or water. You saved our city from destruction."

"Yes, I am fine with only some food and water. I do not need any money. Thank you for your generosity."

As the major gave Subaru enough supplies to last him another week or two, he prepared a letter to send to the Kingdom informing them both of the attacks and that Emilia's camp was the one that saved their city from being destroyed.

Subaru begins to fly in a different direction. He reorganized his plan, knowing Pandora would be the hardest to find. He first needed to eradicate all authority holders before he could find or sense Pandora. He was headed towards the Barielle Mansion, where AI, the knight he found with in the past, would die at his hands. He did not consider AI a Witch Cultist. However, he did hold the power of one. To complete his goal, he would have to kill the knight of Priscilla.

He ascended in the sky but felt negative emotions toward Roswaal's mansion. He usually could only sense emotion and not who or what reason it was caused by however, he could sense it was Emilia's. She felt self-hatred, vengeance, and… suicidal thoughts.

"Ddraig, how many times will I have to change my plans? It seems the Kingdom is facing some sort of issue. I suppose now would be the best time to inform Roswaal as he would be the only one to assist me when I return to the Sand Dunes. What are the chances that I would be recognizable if I don't go using my balance breaker?"

"Partner, what is your goal, or why do you want to ensure nobody knows or remembers you?"

"It's simple. If they did, they'd feel guilty for something they did not cause. The Witch Cult caused what happened, and I know they'd feel responsible regardless. I am not the same person I used to be. Perhaps I should use a new name."

"That does make sense… so what will you call yourself now?"

"Ddraig, what's a name from the world you were brought from that I can call myself? Something that fits with my goals and personality."

"Partner, you do resemble that of a single dragon. Your nature of being an evil dragon yet contradicting most aspects of what evil dragons only remind me of an ancient dragon from my world. He was known as the Dragon of Annihilation. His name was Bahamut."

"Then I shall be called by that name by others from this day forward."

Subaru flew down towards Margrave's mansion. He walked in with no genuine regard for what he was doing. There were only two people he came to speak to. It was late at night, so both his ability to conceal his presence and his aura of a dragon made it near impossible for him to be tracked. He first went to Emilia's room, and he sensed even more negative emotion when he got closer.

He opened the door, and Emilia stared at the man.

She smiled, "Are you here to kill me?"

Subaru could only feel a sense of disbelief. He begins to absorb the negative emotions he did previously since Emilia regained them by the time he arrived. He looked at the broken Emilia, who had a brief moment of peace before the negative thoughts and emotions returned.

"You do have a reason to live. The frozen forest and the people frozen within it will be saved."

Emilia thought about what the man in front of her had just said. She didn't believe it. She knew nothing she wanted would happen. Her existence only hurt everything she cared for. After seeing her mother being turned into a Sin Archbishop, she felt nothing more than a curse to this world. She sought death but could not bring herself to take her own life.

"If you don't believe me, then wait. Within the next few weeks, the Witch Cult will be eradicated. Pandora will die. The forest will be restored. If you don't believe my words, I suggest instead of seeking your death. You wait for my words to become a reality."

Emilia stared at the man. He didn't recognize him but seemed to know much about her. He had emerald eyes and a physique that reminded her of Garfiel but more refined. He wore a black shirt and black pants with accents of red. She didn't know who he was, but his words almost felt like the words someone had said to her that she had forgotten.

"What is your name?"

"Bahamut."

"Why do you want to help me? Why do you want… to help someone like me? I'm just a curse to everyone that has the misfortune of caring about me."

"I am not helping you. I am restoring this world from the damage caused by the Witch Cult. Pandora caused your actions in Elior Forest. She was the one who turned both Geuse and Fortuna into Sin Archbishops. She shall die along with every other Witch."

"But… I'm a witch."

"You shall be reunited with the ones you lost many years ago. You only have to wait, Emilia."

Emilia was lost as the man she didn't know was the only person who had shown any form of the comfort or kindness ever since she found out about her mother. Her camp was falling apart, and she wanted to die. Her goals seemed impossible, but whoever was talking to her was someone. She didn't know who, but the words felt relieving. She decided to wait as if she died and the man's words became true… she wouldn't be able to apologize to everyone frozen in the forest. Before she could respond, the man was gone.

Roswaal was also awake and staring at the man before him. Roswaal was much brighter than Emilia, but she still couldn't be confident about who this person was. But judging by the fact that there is only one person currently unknown or forgotten, he could only assume that the man in front of him was that person.

"Roswaal. I attempted to reach the Plaides Watch Tower but could not due to some form of magic. I intend to kill both the authority holder within the tower and the dragon. I will come back when I am ready and need your assistance. Are you capable of helping me dispel whatever barrier is preventing me from reaching the tower?"

Roswaal's face grew into a grin more extensive than anything Subaru had ever seen. It was almost as if he was infatuated with what he had just asked.

"Yessssss~ I cannnn~ help you. I am overjoyed. I look forward to your arrivalllll~."

"However, I recommend that you play your role and help Emilia. I will assist you in completing your goal, but you must obey what I commanded."

"I understandddd~. I will treat her with utmost careeee~. I swear on my teacher's soullll~."

Before Roswaal could ask the man's name, he was gone. Roswaal was filled with a new sense of hope. He almost gave up, but now the Royal Selection no longer matters. Whoever this man is will help him for the small price of ensuring Emilia's safety and support.

As Subaru begins to fly toward the location of Priscilla's mansion to kill AI, he begins to think of what he just did. Or why he did what he did. He did, however, have a concept considering the words that Ddraig spoke about how evil dragons function and that he is an outlier. Since his soul was bound to Satella, the possibility of his soul being connected to Emilia somehow was one explanation for why he cared for her still.