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Chapter 07: The End of Summer's Vacation

…

It is said that memories make a man. It is all we are: Life, captured in moments, the smell of a place, the touch of one's skin, the scenes played out time and time again on a small stage overseen by the consciousness… It is the proof of one's existence and deeds, carved not only into the greater history, but also in people's hearts as they too come to remember it to make you immortal…

So to someone like him, Natsuki Subaru, who had been here in this new world for only a day… How can he possibly follow in the footsteps of [Natsuki Subaru], who had been out there way longer? How can he possibly achieve the same feats of superhuman strength, of willpower and dedication to save those he had come to love and cherish, facing the horrors both human and bestial alike? Subaru knew the answer now. He knew it, lived through it, felt it in his skin from the pages of books… But he refused to accept it, as it was not him… It couldn't be. After all…

"It is impossible!" He screamed, essentially rejecting that which he sees in front of him: A mirror image of the man he said by many to be heroic and victorious.

Truly, Subaru couldn't understand. How did this man, bearing his face, his clothes, his eyes, body and temper… How did this [Natsuki Subaru] survive everything!? What manner of power, talent, gift or secret he had mustered to save both Emilia and Felt in that loot house!? How did he save Petra and the other kids bitten by the Witchbeasts!? How did he melt through Rem's wrath and trauma to become her hero and make her smile!? How did he muster an army to defeat the White Whale and save Arlam's Village!? How did he defeat Sloth; cleanse the Sanctuary; slay the Great Rabbit and kiss Emilia on top of becoming a knight!?

How did he do these things!? What is his secret!?

"...There is none." His doppelganger echoed the obvious, standing there smiling sadly, compassionate to his woes, "The power I have is the same as yours. It is as simple as that."

"You… You!" Such words infuriated him.

Standing there, in this bland white corridor whose walls and ceiling swirl with incomprehensible trails of memories, Natsuki Subaru confronted [Natsuki Subaru]. Having learned the truth, reading through dozens upon dozens of his own Books of the Dead earlier, it took a lot of time, terror, trauma and trial for Subaru to come to terms with himself while struggling through self-hatred… There was no other way to say it. Being the same weak, petty, irredeemable idiot as he is, Return by Death is all that [Natsuki Subaru] ever had, leaving behind nothing but a cruel reality that mocked both of their existences in a world that only seemed to highlight their irrelevance.

But alas, despite all the pain and torture, the trail of bodies left behind in times turned forgotten, they both persevered… Cheaply, and with a cheat code, but persevered nonetheless… And seeing what his other self had conquered in return: All the friendships and praises, the titles and honors, the small moments of smile and mirth, day by day in a mansion of relative peace, even Subaru, who had insulted him, cursed at him, and doubted him… Even he had to admit the truth.

"...You are an amazing guy, [Natsuki Subaru]." That was his honest opinion, lacking all exaggeration and platitude, leaving only the envy to mark his face as he cried and let out all the anguish felt so far standing on his knees before the inevitable had to come.

…And it all came in the form of a question.

"Say… What do you think will happen when our memories unify?" Asked [Natsuki Subaru] with a feeling of guilt plaguing him.

In a way, they already knew it themselves how it would happen, but couldn't come up with the adequate words to explain. Aside from the speculations, the two had much to discuss about the dangers awaiting outside in the tower, the Five Obstacles that Subaru couldn't yet topple over the course of fifteen deaths. When it was all summarized and opinionated on what to do, the only thing left for [Natsuki Subaru] to receive is the final gratitudes of his amnesiac-self, who now smiled happily, knowing things will be alright this time before his end.

"...Thank you, for apologizing to mom and dad…" He began, standing straight, "Thank you, for saving Otto, and Garfiel… Thank you, for saving Petra, Frederica, and everyone in Arlam Village… Thank you, for taking Beatrice out, and holding her hand…"

"Right." And with every remark, came a nod.

"As for Emilia… Thank you, for falling in love with her. I also like her very much. I really do." Subaru made sure to express his emotions deeply, hoping his true-self understood.

"Yes, I know."

However at the same time, with every word that came out from his mouth… "If it is you, I sincerely know things will be alright." So came that small tinge of jealousy surfacing from inside him.

"Yes, if it is us, then we'll make it alright."

"…" He couldn't get rid of it.

By the time Subaru felt his body slowly crack into pieces of sparkling light, he then finally realized the gravity of his fate. That being… He was about to cease to be, to no longer exist with his own mind and thoughts. And that realization briefly overwhelmed him…

"It'll be alright, huh…" He reflected on it, finding it all ironic.

He had no regrets to share for sure, no more assurances or pleasantries to say… But that doesn't mean he didn't want things to just end like this, for him to no longer be needed. Even when it was not his place to judge and desire such things, there was still a sense of self-preservation trying to crawl out, an illogical instinct that had to be fought against, lest he turns upon himself… In short, Subaru knew that he had to go for the real Natsuki Subaru to take the stage. And yet, to feel something like this right at the very end? It was perplexing.

"…? What's wrong?" The real one noticed, seeing the crack in his smile as it felt sad and heavy.

"Nothing. I just realized…" Yet, hiding his true emotions, the amnesiac shook his head, leaving only a hint as he scattered and faded into nothing, "...Looks like my summer vacation is over…" He quoted.

"…!?"

Thus, Subaru's last sight was the wide eyed shock of his true self, stunned at the reference mentioned, and at the implication of a "nobody" accepting its fate after a single day of struggles over the course of lives… Never again would he walk the world with innocence. Never again will he stroll through life with heart, body and soul… For his memories isn't his, the right to exist isn't his. No, in truth, his fate alone was to reunite with greater self and disappear for good.

And disappear so he did, with one final grin to share…

…

…

…

…

Such acceptance, feeling more akin to a surrender emotionally, crushed Beatrice's heart after experiencing it… That desperation, that agony, that frustration and hatred, all overshadowed by the overwhelming sadness and jealousy over the greater whole of oneself… An horrible truth that unearthed the origin of all the suffering her contractor had gone through. How can the Great Spirit even process this in one go?

Simple, she couldn't.

When she wanted to move, her limbs froze; when she wanted to scream, her throat and nose clamped; and when she wanted to cry; only a horrified stare branded her face, reflecting and recording every inch of pain carved inside her Od from experiencing an inception of memories inside memories until it stunned her mind, which instinctively went on to dull her perceptions out and phase the visions through instead...

In short, whereas an amnesiac [Subaru] read and pushed through twenty-five tomes filled with the excruciating memories of his true-self one after the other in his vision, Beatrice could barely handle the first six before cracking… And that's with him being fatigued to the point of not being able to walk previously, an occurrence the Great Spirit remembers very well as she was the one who told him to rest since he's not a superhuman.

Truly, what a joke… Compared to her, who was only slightly tired and disoriented, Beatrice's willpower wasn't even close to the one she considers her contractor. Hell, the sheer avalanche of volume after volume condensed into one was too much for her resilience to handle, too much for her core to imprint, forcing her consciousness to skim through the rest of the reading in order to witness only the remaining after effects that followed: The deaths, the screams, the regrets that comes with every memory, adding to the scars of the soul until [Subaru]'s confrontation with himself and the confessions thereafter…

As a result, having absorbed those memories, briefly living her contractor's life in her skin, It didn't matter that Beatrice collapsed on the ground for the second time that day; it didn't matter that she was undergoing pain and suffering on a level never imagined. The only thing Beatrice did after recovering an ounce of awareness was to cry, wordlessly and ceaselessly, in a rising crescendo that disregarded any and all dignity of someone of her stature, a cry that didn't care for anyone who could listen or judge her for such, with innocent tears that fell freely like stormy rain from a sudden monsoon.

Yes, alone in the library, Beatrice wailed like never before… A Great Spirit, reduced to a little child.

…

…

Alas, to the spirit's future relief, there was no one nearby to witness her breakdown. Rather, as she was left to fend for herself, the others in the floor below spent their time prowling through naught but a fraction of what she had discovered to pursue their theories. Indeed, just as they read it, Emilia's account of Book XXI was confirmed, the visions in it proving to be almost in line with the reality they know except for its blinding end, where the lack of Subaru's attention brought ruin to the party rushing their way towards the Watchtower…

"Hmm… That's a way to die." Anastasia remarked, feeling a slight discomfort around the neck, "So clean and painless... Good to know the Sage's guardian was considerate enough to make it quick."

"Pff! You're on~ly saying that because you haven't me~t her~ She was nasty lil' bugger face to face. Waaay more scary." Meili rebuked her, petting little Shaula's body who was acting depressed.

"Oh I don't doubt that. I'm actually glad I never got to see it." The merchant conceded, wary-looking. Seeing this little girl control giant sandworms was quite the sight for the Kararagian princess, "Anyway, what say you two?" She shifted the focus, addressing both Julius and Edchina, who both looked pensive over it all.

Julius blinked, "I.. have nothing to offer beyond a measure of respect." He expresses, feeling somewhat dumbfounded, "I still can't tell if these are memories or merely recreations, but even so… Seeing Subaru survive both Wrath and Lust while triumphing over Greed alone is impressive and noteworthy."

"Yeah I get it. The hearsay around doesn't give it justice compared to witnessing directly in his skin." Anastasia praises, "Have you changed your mind on this tome though?"

Julius shook his head, "No, my position remains… Hadn't it been for that deviation in the end, calling them memories would serve as a perfect fit. I say this due to the fact that the book still limits itself to slivers of moments instead of an entire life. If there is anything conclusive here, then It's my belief these are merely lost premonitions of some sort, visions that never came to pass for one reason or another. That said, however…" As he thought about it, the knight seemed uncertain about something, he just couldn't find the right words to use.

"What is it?" Anastasia asks, curious.

"…Well, there is that instance of Balleroy Temeglyph, whose book I found and read…" The Knight reveals, eyes narrowing, "I was certain that I killed him in our duel… I know I did. And yet, with what we experienced here, should these books act exactly as I say, then…"

"... Then, logically speaking, the Divine General you fought should have survived, right?" The merchant completed, quickly comprehending his line of thought, "Hmm, in that case… Maybe the Empire did have some miraculous power hidden in their coffers, or perhaps this Balleroy guy used some hidden metia once you were gone to escape alive. Could these be an option?"

Julius denies it at first, "Extremely unlikely, unless…" Feeling reluctant, remembering the events at hand yet bound by oath to not reveal them, the Greatest of Knights felt cornered, "No, forget what I said. It isn't possible." He rejected it.

"Huh…" In other words, it is just like he had mentioned. Julius had nothing concrete to offer. Subaru's books contradict Balleroy's death, leaving the whole rules murky and unclear.

"On the contrary, Julius, I think you're on the right track."

However, just as the two pondered on their theories, Echidna chose to pronounce herself in the right moment, "These books do behave as you say, that is, providing premonitions. Either they are lost or not doesn't matter. After all, there's nothing to suggest that there can't be both in that Library." The fox argued, coming up with her own stance next, "And, if my observation is correct, I might have caught on to what Beatrice had eluded earlier…"

"What!?" This revelation sparked quite the attention among the group, even waking up Emilia from her sleep as they hurdled in, much to Ram's disapproval.

"Before I disclose my discoveries however, I have some questions for Emilia's Camp." Echidna proposes, directing her gaze to the two sitting before her (Meili is the newest member, so she doesn't count).

"Eh!? Uhm… Y-yes?" Emilia was allegedly startled, somewhat out of the loop but attentive.

The red oni on the other hand felt defensive, "What are you up to now?"

"Just confirming something. How important it is will depend on what you know." The witch spirit confronted, straightforward and assertive, "You can deny or refuse anything if you so desire. What I have learned here might be compared to one's biggest secret. So to preserve our little alliance, I'll respect your position should it infringe any personal matter. At the same time though, be aware that we will be making our conclusions based on what you share..."

"..."

As one would expect, tensions flared as the fox made it abundantly clear on what's about to be revealed, meaning, what she had found has to be scandalous…

"Tch…"

"To start with: The Book of Wisdom." Ram twitched, almost gasping after hearing that of all things coming from the witch's mouth firsthand, "The one your Minister of Internal Affairs brought to Priestella… Do you know of it?" Echidna inquired, unknowingly dropping a bomb in the maid's ears while the half-elf remained vaguely confused.

"What…?"

Presuming to have been misheard, the witch-spirit clarified, "The book the Witch Cult wanted in their demands during the Siege. The one Natsuki described to be superior to any gospel carried by those lunatics, and that is, as I quote, as credible as the Dragon Tablet in the Capital. In other words, capable of conjuring prophecies that predict moments in the future… It is still in Priestella being repaired by Master Dartz, correct?"

"..." Ram was lost in the shock, a million things flowing in her head as she heard just that.

Emilia on the other hand pondered about it, being the only one there who participated in the Siege, "...Ah, yes! That one!" She quickly remembers, perking up, "Yes, it is still there If I remember correctly. Subaru told me Otto-kun was going to collect it once the craftsman was done fixing it." The girl informed, holding her cheek by the finger, "What about it?"

"Well, it just happens that I-"

"Kindly shut your mouth for a second."

However, just as Echidna was about to follow up with her deductions, a glare of fury, followed by an abrupt snap from the one maid in the group caused all heads turn to Ram as she stood up and stared at her liege directly in eye, arms crossed with an aura of absolute condemnation.

"Emilia-sama, explain yourself right now." She demanded, freezing the half-elf on the spot, "What's this about a Book of Wisdom and why am I only hearing of it now!?"

"Eh!?" The ice princess was certainly caught off-guard by this. "I-I, erm…"

"Wait, you didn't know?" Julius reacts also with shock, "I thought Emilia-sama sent a message to the mansion ahead of time. It wasn't included in the letter?"

"N-no. Subaru told me to keep it a secret and don't think much about it." The half-elf corrected him, stuttering under the scrutiny. Faced with her friend's anger, Emilia tries to reason the cause behind it, only to come up blank, "I-I don't know anything else. I only heard Subaru and Otto discussing that it was one of the things the villains reeeeally wanted. Plus, I was captured by Regulus, so..."

"..."

"A-ah that's right!" She continued, mustering something else, "In the vision when they were alone, Otto-kun mentioned how he found the burned remains after talking with you about… erm, you know." Emilia eluded, making Ram nod at the hidden context, "Subaru had nothing to do with it, so…"

Hearing that thought, the oni maid let out an indignant snort, "As yes, you are correct, Emilia-sama. Barusu did nothing wrong… Except, of course, for keeping that little fact hidden from me!" She judged, feeling somewhat betrayed. On a short introspection, the maid knew why he did so. Her enamoration with Roswaal was something the butler knight didn't quite approve of even if he didn't put it to words. Maybe he thought Ram would react so poorly that the truth would come out somehow, which is a preposterous proposition to say the least.

Whatever the reason is, the fact remains that with the Book being out there, old fears and delusions are bound to return, casting the kind of fear that brought chills even to someone as tough-minded as Ram. If her beloved master ever came to learn about it, the results could be… Catastrophic, to say the least. As for the culprit responsible for exposing this threat to them… He had much to explain.

"(Otto Suwen…)" Truly, Ram has some severe questions to ask once she gets her hands on that merchant boy.

"Ram-rin…"

In the meantime, hearing her liege's worried call, the oni turned her gaze to the rival camp nearby and narrowed her eyes. At this point, the maid quickly realized that this freakout on her part put their side into a somewhat of a precarious spot. She was exposing herself too much… And given where the fox's line of thought is going, the maid now regretted not having read book XXI herself since it's what sprung this interrogation up.

"Weeeel, isn't this curious?~" Anastasia pocked, already smelling the intrigue in the air, "I do recall Natsuki-kun being surprised when he learned about the book as well." She fished in, looking mischievously at Ram, "He told us he had gone through a bad experience meetin' the soul of the Witch who actually created it, and thought of them destroyed in flames even though he didn't actually see it with his own eyes." The merchant princess reveals, "You wouldn't know about that, would you?"

"...Hmph, nothing comes to mind." The red oni deflected with a straight-faced lie.

"Nothing, you say? That's strange, considering the commentary around it." Echidna argued back, "You may not be aware but in the visions both Natsuki and Otto Suwen appear to be highly distrustful of your camp's sponsor for some reason, hinting at some unspecified incident that happened last year in a place you call Sanctuary…"

"..." This caused the half-elf to look down, while the red oni scowled.

"While they didn't go into details, your Minister suspected that the Book of Wisdom had been in the Court Mage's possession for quite a while, and that he was using it for some nefarious plan that seemed to flow in the long term, presumably scheming towards the Royal Selection." The white fox summarized, "And judging from this girl's previous blunder…" She points at Meili, who jolted awake, "...Whatever his plan was in the sanctuary, it was serious enough to put him, your own sponsor, at odds with the rest of your camp."

"..."

"Now, despite the perceived implications, the point I wanted to bring is, the power of the Book of Wisdom seems to be real. Or at least real enough to be coveted by the likes of Witch Cult. With that in mind, everyone in this room probably has heard about some kind of fortune-telling power in the hands of someone or something, correct?" Echidna enquiries trying to establish a guideline as everyone thought of it.

"Well there's certainly some recognizable titles." Julius was the first, providing the obvious ones, "The spirit-seers of Gusteko; the Stargazers of Vollachia; that damned Witch Cult and its gospels…" He spat the last only with approved disgust.

"Indeed. Be it by metia, divine protection or simply bloodline, those blessed few who are gifted with such power often end up achieving grand deeds, a fact that did go unnoticed to me… Until I read that specific volume of recollections." She revealed next, this time drawing attention to book XXI.

"…What are you saying?" Ram questioned, unable to gauge anything.

The white fox then looked at the ceiling for a second before presenting, "Simple, have any of you noticed how the little things just tend to connect themselves with none other than Natsuki Subaru?" This in turn raised many strange eyebrows around.

"The little things?" Emilia parroted for the group, blinking wildly.

"Him saving you preemptively; him knowing about the Witch Cult's movements ahead of time; their followers; their plans; their powers; their behaviors…" Echidna delivered her examples, "Natsuki always seemed to know what to say or how to react at a determined point of time when faced with a problem, almost as if acting on instinct before anything happens…" She explained, finally reaching at the point she wanted, "He knew of the Shaula's purging light from a single glimpse at the tower; he knew the key answer necessary to solve the puzzle of the library, mentioning it was only possible due to exotic knowledge only he could have; he knew of every obstacle and danger we faced in this place within the short moment after recovering his memories, and directed us exactly to where we needed to be in order for us to succeed. Do you see what I mean here?"

"…"

As one would expect, casting this large of a shade beneath the heroic knights achievements made everyone think it for a second. And at first glance, none could quite refute… "I wager that if you think deep down, you'll find something peculiar about any situation Natsuki is involved in that you personally witnessed..." The white fox motivated, actually managing to spring some doubt.

"Huh, you're right… It was Onii-san who chickened out from crossing the meadow…" Meili started, her green eyes pressed into a frown. She was mighty pissed at that back then. Yet that was only the start. When thinking about being angry, another coincidence pops up right after, "He also knew about… Oh…" The child assassin remembered… Her attempt on his life for the act of killing Elsa.

Weirdly enough, despite having become amnesiac, her Onii-san deliberately set up a trap to catch her in, and even admitted to knowing about her reasons beforehand with cunning precision. Granted, if he were to ask the half-elf or the red oni about his past actions, then maybe he could have suspected her ploy that way. But still, the leap of logic required for something like this… Could it have something else? Something more that Meili isn't seeing? The snow fox over there seems to think so…

And so did everyone else by the looks of it.

"(The ulgarm attack of this child… Securing help from both Great Spirits… Overcoming the Roswaal's plans…)" Ram cited her own coincidences, thinking back on how Subaru had sowed them. It was decidedly creepy how accurate the spirit bearing Echidna's accursed name was in this regard. Couple that with her beloved master being known to show the butler-knight his favor in their secret meetings, the white fox was on to something. Now the maid really wanted to partake in the damned book just too how she came up with this, and hopefully prove her wrong in return.

Quite, taking heavy breaths, the red oni could tell there was something gnawing at her heart at what was being implied here, something that is on the tip of her tongue… It was driving her mad.

"S-Subaru… You…" Point and case, Emilia took the first words out of Ram's mouth, albeit with far less emotion than expected. If there was anyone who didn't bother to connect the little things was the half-elf herself… And she knew it. Her knight always seemed to be in the right place at the right time, always seemed to know what to say, and over time, always seemed to know what to do.

If it isn't that, then you can bet Subaru would go look for it, always acting painfully recklessly, often alone without anyone's help…

Thinking in this way, considering what Echidna was referring to just now, is it really a bit of a stretch to imagine her Subaru having such amazing powers? Emilia couldn't deny it. Rather, just remembering her own attempt to make his voice in her head answer acted as some proof on that matter. However, that of course begs the question: Why did he hide it? Why didn't he tell anyone?

"[I'm telling you, Emilia-tan! It's too dangerous to pursue this! Turn her down, I beg of you!]" She could hear his platitudes, which only served to bury the doubt even further.

"(I don't believe you.)" The ice princess retorted, her heart recoiling at the thought of ever saying those words to him.

"[Ghk! I know, I know! But that's still hard to hear. Can't I ask a favor just this once!? Real Subaru would understand!]" He responded with haste, making her waver.

Yet, she had to be strong, for his sake, "(No, you can't…)" Emilia had to do what's necessary here, exactly as her friend suggested, "(You have always been hiding things from me and I didn't know why. You probably have a good reason for it, sure. But this time, I have seek the answers alone. I'm sorry.)" She addressed him, making the smallest gestures so as to not be seen like a crazy person talking to herself in the middle of a group.

"[This can't be…]" Either she would be convincing though, that was another question.

"Heh, so there you have it. You're all seeing it well now: The bigger picture." Echidna expressed, drawing everyone's attention once more, "Incidentally, I just remembered a coincidence of my own back at that conversation me and Natsuki had on the balcony…" She disclosed with curiosity, "At the time, I thought it nonsensical to hear it. But after experiencing it myself, I'm surprised it didn't register in my mind when we came down this morning. Basically, in one of our banters distrusting one another, Natsuki acted as if he worried for my sake when I was surrounded by the birds of the aviary. He was afraid that they would just swarm Ana's body and peck her down completely."

"Wow, what!?" That surprised the merchant princess.

"Naturally, I asked him if he was speaking from experience… And in return, Natsuki just told me that yes, something of the kind did happen to him. And dear me… Cute-looking rabbits jumping on him with all their energy… Does this remind anyone of anything?" Echidna asked, reminding them of a most bleak horror that still crawled on their skin.

"..."

The silence that followed answered for itself. If there's any doubt as to what all of this talk and discussion was leading to, none stood up to challenge it…

"Just to note, this is before Natsuki lost his memories to Gluttony, making it clear evidence of what I'm sure everyone is suspecting..."

"You're kiddin' me… So you're sayin' that Natsuki-kun is some kind of fortune teller!?" Anastasia shouted it out first, finally giving a face to their suspicions.

The white fox then nodded, "Yes, pretty much actually. Based on what we know, our Natsuki has more or less proven to be aware of any event preceding danger in detail." She simplified, "If this is true, then every inconsistency and doubt we have regarding these books can be cleared. We are not reading memories here… We're reading prophecies, or to be exact, premonitions of one's death, of a bad fate tied to one's name. That is the most consistent theory I came up with."

"..."

"This is… I don't… Subaru is a… seer?" Emilia was lost for words. Hearing the voice in her head eventually confess in return only amplified that feeling.

"[Yeah, of the worst kind too… God, Emilia, if only I could tell you… I never wanted this! This cursed gift!]" He expressed, showing regret in his tone, as if crossing a line that would lead to disaster.

What said disaster is, the half-elf couldn't tell…

"Impossible. That's absolutely impossible!"

"...!?"

Alas, to everyone's bafflement, Ram once again flared out her affront with what's being told in here, "If it is as you say, Witch, then why didn't Barusu avoid Roswaal's plans before they hatched? Why didn't he avoid Gluttony's trap when he could? And more importantly, why didn't he save Rem before everything!?" The red oni shouted for all to hear, her incensed state almost drawing some rarely seen tears, "Barusu always took the effort to remind us of how precious my sister is to everyone, specially himself, going as far as to visit her sleeping body every night to whisper his stories to her ear. If he does have this mystical power you're speaking… Why didn't he predict that the shadows would come and get him!?" Ram demanded an answer.

And seeing her disposition, with hands gripped into fists over her lap, some began to reconsider their stance, finding holes in the overall discussion…

"That's true… If Natsuki-kun knew of every danger, why would he only tell us of some instead of all of 'em?" Anastasia suggested, discontent.

At her side, Julius was in accordance, "I concur. While we have our differences, I find it hard to believe Subaru would simply leave me to my fate, much less withhold a forewarning. Moveover…" Looking at the two members of his rival camp, he was certain of it, "Judging by both Ram-sam's reaction and words, it's very clear they never heard of our friend possessing such a power… Even if it was a secret in his camp, one would think he would have at least told his liege, no?" He added, facing Emilia, who also appeared disappointed.

"No, Subaru never tells me anything until it's too late… Always breaking his promises and such…" The half-elf admonished him, let out the bad feelings so that she could focus on the good, "That said, maybe there is a reason for it, like a condition or a contract of some sort. If it's that way, then-"

"-Wait, so you're saying Barusu considers his secret more important than my sister!? Is that it!?" Ram however couldn't possibly accept that. It was unthinkable. To do so is to admit that Subaru was truly an equal to Roswaal when it came to scheming, as in, both being individuals marred by delusions that steemed from future-seeing abilities to the point of heartlessness, willing to literally use anyone and spend lives to fulfill their misguided plans…

Truly, maybe Roswaal was such a type of man once, a problem that had already been resolved. But to think that Barusu of all people did it for his own goals, as if to replace him and walk his footsteps? Hah! Ram was disgusted by the very thought. What's next? Her sister falling in love with the bastard? Ridiculous!

"…"

Faced with that outburst, Emilia felt guilty for even saying her words there. Once again she couldn't quite think ahead of herself when making any stance. It shows she needs more maturing to fully feel the mood and not make a blunder.

"[Never, Nee-sama, never!… I would never abandon Rem like that…]" She heard [Subaru] lament in his helplessness, "[Please believe me…]"

But, unable to possibly interact with him, the brief interval that followed allowed Ram to slowly calm down and reassert her position, adopting a more annoyed demeanor instead of open hostility, "Seriously… How foolish of me to believe this was going anywhere." She retorts, holding back a headache. Then, glancing at the white fox sitting ahead, the spat continued, "Clearly these books must be rotting your minds if it is making you grasp at straws this much."

Echidna on her hand, simply accepted the bitterness, having taken the time to process it…

"Well… let me first say that I do sympathize with what you're feeling. This is quite the dilemma we're facing after all, especially with how neither the book's rules or Subaru's actions can be explained." She confesses, offering some support at first, "However, as questionable as these tomes appear to be, there are only so many coincidences we can tolerate before we are forced to admit some conclusions." She rebuked, still exuding a confident posture, "I have been led to believe there was a truth in them, so I pursued. And believe it or not, this is what I came up with."

"..."

"Of course, you can deny it completely if you so desire. Yet make no mistake, the clue we are seeking is out there, inside the Library, is searching through covers for it just as we speak."

And as the white fox remained fixed on her position, uncertainty filled the room once more.

"Yes, I may not know the whole truth, but Beatrice was the one to imply the bigger picture. Therefore, if there's anyone who can answer anything, it is her…"

…

…

Silent whispers then followed the group below as they thought of what to do, their little minds and flicker lives unable to comprehend the sheer scale of the truth they pursue given how it can change the course of fate itself… Indeed, this is what Beatrice has learned, the horror finally given a name and a form to torment her beloved contractor until the end of his life.

"(Return by Death…)" The Great Spirit utters amidst her shattered mind, whose sliver still held a piece of herself while the rest turned upon itself in what's essentially an identity crisis.

It has been an hour since Beatrice had been left in that state, sprayed on the ground, muscle twitching and convulsing after an endless bout of pain and agony from absorbing around six books worth of memories out of a single one…

She had seen the beginning: The day her Subaru first walked in the Capital, marching heedless with no knowledge of the world unto danger, all to save one child of an elf and the perpetrators themselves. He had been butchered three times in that city, the gut sliced twice while the last world was stabbed in the back by petty muggers. And while those deaths had been easy to accept, thanks largely to her contractor's mental strength, the murders that would come later, going practically beneath the Great Spirit's nose, brought about a fury worthy of swearing revenge out of her core.

The beast-taming child and the blue oni… Those traitors and monsters… Beatrice still can't believe how Subaru could simply forgive those two after what they had done to him in his flesh. A subtle curse going unnoticed through the day, bringing death at the night; A demon stalking the mansion's corridors, crushing it's dangling victim in the middle of the night; Or worst of them all, the same demon exposing her treachery in the woods, breaking one's heart as she set out to torture and kill once she learned what wanted to know.

Monsters, all of them! They deserve death for what they had done to her Subaru! Betraying him when he was trying to save them, sparing their lives after so many attempts! Oh, Beatrice didn't forget how Meili was trying to push him down the stairs as one last try in this tower before the whole chaos started… She had to pay for it! And as for Rem… That mindless, animalistic creature of an ogre… It doesn't matter what her Subaru says about there, saving his life and heart, there will be retribution once Beatrice finds her, one way or another.

…Or at least, this is what the Great Spirit wanted to pursue and feel, if only so that she could have some peace of mind, some justice that she could indulge to make things right again…

"[...But you can't, Beako. Don't do it. Don't carve that pretty face of yours with so much hate and anguish… It doesn't fit you.]" Alas, hearing the voice of her contractor's imprint once more, mellowing down is all that Beatrice could do, burying the anger under another wave of sadness. Really, never had so many tears fell in four hundred years of her life.

"(Why!?)" She screamed at him, unable to use her own voice and throat as the pain still coursed through her, "(Why forgive them!? They killed you!)"

"[What they have done is in the past.]" Vouched [Subaru] in their defense, "[Their circumstances weren't ideal, you know this. Meili is just a child who had been forced and used by her so-called Mama as an assassin. At best she wanted the world to remember Elsa and then try to survive on her own. Rem on the other hand… She only did what she thought was best. Natsuki Subaru was acting suspicious and foolish back then. Lurking around, taking notes, stealing a knife… In her eyes, he was simply plotting danger in their household, acting like a scouting criminal or a spy. And with the Witch's Scent coating me as well… I guess her background has some kind of a sad tale in it.]" He added.

"(Even then…)" Unsatisfied, Beatrice wanted some assurance of comfort.

"[They are important to him, Beako, to the real Natsuki Subaru, your contractor. He doesn't want to lose them.]"

"Ghk!"

The real Natsuki Subaru… Those choice of words clearly reveals how this imprint was created. This apparition is based on the amnesiac she had left behind, that poor soul Beatrice abandoned, forcing him to seek the truth on his own… How stupid of her. How she couldn't have seen the signs!?

"[I'll say it as many times as you need it: You couldn't possibly have known. Don't beat your head over it. Rather, think of the good outcome you gained…]" Assured [Subaru], sighing and guiding her forth after so much sorrow, "[That fact that you're here alive to explore the library freely tells me that Natsuki Subaru succeeded. He saved you all, just like I thought he would. It was my mistake to think I could simply replace him.]" He lamented next.

This made Beatrice want to console him, "(No… Don't… Betty's Subaru is Betty's Subaru… Your memories may be important, but you're still him…)"

This was a strange desire to have… To think how hours ago the Great Spirit would have preferred to simply ignore what this errant od would say and focus on what mattered above all else… Yet now, here, after going through the motions of his life, finally understanding that which haunted her real contractor… Beatrice no longer could do the same. Yes, after all that, she wanted to hear his voice more than ever. Even if it is a fake one.

"[Daaaw~ It makes me happy to hear you say that~ It's cute…]"

"Grr… (Hmph, of course. Betty is the cutest spirit of them all, I suppose. Betty's Subaru always says so, in fact.)" That said, while such banter did heal her heart a little, there was much to do yet. The rest of the tomes, await.

"[...Please Beako, I know I can't convince you out of it but you don't have to do this.]" And as expected, [Subaru] was distraught to know what she intended to do, "[There's a price to pay for this knowledge! I hate that I can't find it in my head what it was right now but I'm sure your real Subaru wouldn't have wanted this, so please… Leave them be.]"

"(And then what, I suppose? Leave you to suffer alone at the hand of the Witch? I refuse, in fact!)" The Great Spirit wouldn't be dissuaded. Granted, normally this would be way more harder to say had Beatrice faced the real Subaru before her given their contract. However, here, alone, unable to do anything else to help him other than to learn his plight. She couldn't possibly let this chance pass, especially now that the truth is out.

"(I know that the Jealous One is probably preventing you from saying anything under an oath. So even if we're reunited, I would still remain blind. If these books give me a chance to know exactly what you went through… Then I'll take them myself. I'll commit them to memory, if only to redeem myself from the ignorance and let you know you aren't alone.)"

That was the vow Beatrice took, a personal goal to learn and record every slight and torment her contractor had endured in the past in order to stall the future ones…

"[Beako…]"

Thus, crawling her way out of the ground, struggling slowly as her legs practically ceased to function, the Great Spirit sneaked her way not towards the book piles, but rather the empty bookshelf itself, grasping an edge with her little hands as to sit more comfortably and then channel her mind into it…

"(You know, Mother once said that Authorities deals in absolutes.)" She began to mentally speak, "(They impose an unbreakable demand over the world as to bend its laws and fit their designs to the wielder's will, regardless of the cost. While Divine Protections are akin to permissions granted to a worthy few, Authorities are shackles that can be bound to anyone, and be used to spread their Tyranny.)"

"[...]"

"(However, just like any other shackle, they can also be removed, provided you find the key.)" Beatrice explained, smiling as she finally felt the inherent magic that permeates the library itself. It was eerily similar to her own Forbidden Library, designed to help catalog and organize the books automatically with a few inputs, "(I remember it well the day Mother introduced me to a friendly spirit who held an Authority trapped in a box, I suppose… If such a key exists, I'll do everything I can to find it, no matter what. Only then I'll be able to save Betty's Subaru for a fact!)" And with a click, a strange pulse echoed in the room.

Being bound to the library itself, the many books that were sprawled on the ground leaving only the center circle and the exit door vacant, they all began to float and lift themselves…

"[This is…?]"

"(An ritual spell to clean litter and reorder the covers, I suppose.)" The Great Spirit revealed, "(I only used it a few times in the earlier years. It gets boring when the place can just tend itself alone, leaving you with nothing to do, in fact. With so much going on recently, I had forgotten about it.)" And filled with a nostalgia that saddened her once more, Beatrice laid back and waited as the room itself became alive to fulfill its deed.

It would take minutes before a change became noticeable, and even then, it wasn't the cleaning itself opening more space or anything, rather, the spell simply did its additional duty of floating into her the very books she wanted to collect…

[NATSUKI・SUBARU・VOLUME・I]

[NATSUKI・SUBARU・VOLUME・XV]

[NATSUKI・SUBARU・VOLUME・XXI]

[NATSUKI・SUBARU・VOLUME・XLVIII]

The four tomes that they had discovered and read, united back to back, for her eyes to see. And among them…

[NATSUKI・SUBARU・VOLUME・XIII]

A new one as well, fresh for the taking within arms' reach.

"[The 13th… That's… That's the sanctuary again.]" Whispered [Subaru] repeating Beatrice's same thoughts.

As a response, the Great Spirit embraced it, shaking softly as fear encroached her yet again on the prospect of venturing death to learn yet more mistakes wrought by the world upon her contractor, the foremost one being her shameful cowardice at not choosing him sooner to spare the pain.

**Thump**

"...!"

Alas, the reading itself had to wait a moment longer, for in a fright twitch caused of the noise of the front door opening before her, the rest of the group composing of her peers appeared, their faces wrapped with surprise at the sight of the library rearranging itself, as well as the burning look of determination and anger branding Beatrice's face upon seeing them.

"So you've returned, I see." She addresses in a snide, unwelcoming in the tone alone, "My cleaning isn't done, in fact."

Feeling unwanted yet unable to back down, this is where the two sides are about to confront, the truth hanging in the balance, almost within sight. Would Beatrice allow them to peek into the abyss? Or would she selflessly keep it for herself? The question had been laid, the fate open to interpretation. Which thread will unravel the story going forward? You decide.

To be Continued…

…

…

- KH Omake -

In a void filled in white, blank and featureless, the only things that existed in it was the round stage, its edges filled with exactly thirteen engraved seats made of marble. Said seats had different heights around the circle, creating an arc as if to impress a sense of authority or seniority among those who sat upon it (even though this isn't true). And making their presence sitting on them were thirteen black-clad figures, their hoods raised high as to conceal their identities. Who were they? What are their purposes? That it's for them to know. Their goals are currently beyond understanding.

Then, the highest member on the tallest seat began to speak…

"...Good tidings, friends, today is a momentous day…" His voice, baroque and deep, both charismatic and enigmatic, addresses the rest of the members, "...I am pleased to announce that a new comrade has been chosen to wear the coat."

And just as he announced this, a fourteen figure walked in on the middle of the stage, his posture the same as them, hooded and black-clad in robes.

"...Let us all welcome, the Authority's Bearer, Number 15th, known to us as Baruxus…"

"Deh! What kind of name is that!?" Alas, for all the seriousness of the scene, the newcomer wasn't pleased with his given name, "Of course I wouldn't it, you bastard! Is this Ram's prank!?"

"Hah! As if you're deserving of any other name~" Responding to him with a blunt, female voice, deep and heavy, the red oni revealed herself as one of the hooded men, "Clearly I was right all along, Baruxus~"

"Gah! Stop! Now it really feels like an insult! Isn't my eyes bad enough!?" The 15th despaired.

To his fortune (or not), on the opposite side of Ram, another hood fell down, exposing a turf of blue cowl hair, "Don't worry, Baruxus-kun, I really find both your name and eyes just as wonderful!"

"That's not the point, Rem!" He reprimanded the blue oni, quaking in his spot.

"Baruxus, you shouldn't yell this loud in here!" Yet, rebuking back at him, a third hood fell with a large sway of silver hair, "I thought you learned the etiquette… We did train alooooot, didn't we?"

"Y-yes, I know, Emilia-tan, I did my best, but this is-"

"-Ba~ruxus-kun!" Truly, things just didn't stop. Now the announcer's right hand man showed his clown-maked face to glare at 15th with mismatched eyes and a sinister smile, "Don't waste this opportunity just now, we're counting on you here, me, Ram, Rem and Emilia-sama. Understand?"

Unable to retort, Baruxus felt depressed, "Yes, yes, I get it…" Then, stopping for a second as he realizes something, "W-wait a second, why do you get to keep your names!?"

"Ah, that's because we're honorary members?" Emilia informs, more asking than clarifying.

The announcer merely nodded, allowing Ram to speak, "That's just how things are. Get over yourself, Baruxus~"

"Nooooooooo!"

And so, to his despair, it was decided… Number 15th shall now and forever be known as Baruxus, the Immortal Nobody. May his despair force the Keyblade Wielder close to their objectives…

…

…

Author Notes: So yeah, jokes aside, I got another indecision here. Would Beatrice allow the rest to read book 48, trusting them to think the best of Subaru? Or would she stubbornly hide it, judging them unworthy of handling her contractor's woes? Of course, she can't quite stop them from reading the rest of the books and learn the truth themselves (not without greatly antagonizing everyone), but would she endeavor to hide it regardless if only to find out what more she can learn and then check their resolve? There are many ways to proceed from here and I'm not sure which one to pick.