Chapter 10: Bleeding Under the Sun.

…

The day was coming to an end, the horizon itself painting the world in a red-like color across everything, the long hours of travel culminating in the convoy of refugees finally returning back home to their little village of Arlam. At first glance, the people were happy, the daring rumors of their savior defeating villains of old spreading like wildfire, an accomplishment none had expected from their liege lady who lives up in the mansion of their lord…

Subaru could finally rest now. He had done it. The people were rescued and the threats gone. All that he had to do now is to head back to the mansion and seek out the truth from Frederica's own shark-teeth mouth: To learn what exactly was she planning when she did what she did to sort up the situation at the Sanctuary…

Thus, dropping down from Patrache's back, Subaru glares at the front door, not knowing what to expect.

"Hmm…"

"Gwaa…"

"Ah?" Noticing his hesitation however, best-girl-dragon sought to motivate him with a poke to the head, making the boy smile in return, "It's okay… I'm fine." He caressed her back, grateful.

Knocking the mansion's front handle, Subaru waited for a moment, the seconds washing away for a lengthy amount of time with no response... He tried it again, twice, thrice. No response.

"Did she leave?" He wondered, miffed. Usually it shouldn't take this long for anyone to answer the door. Feeling uncertain, he tried to push it open, only to find the mansion strangely unlocked... "Eh?" Quite, this was rather careless of them… Did they forget to lock? Subaru wanted to think so. Maybe Petra was in charge of it this time and made a mistake.

Regardless, merely settling to get in, the man walked right into an empty saloon with no soul in sight, the prolonged silence unnerving him further, "No one's here?" He whispered in the air. Literally, there was no sound or sign of life anywhere as he entered. The place was deserted, the light of the bleeding sun, glowing dark like blood, heating and illuminating the many open doors and corridors as far as he could see, "Huh…"

Of course, given the amount of servants this place has for a mansion this big, Subaru first thought that the girls were busy elsewhere, too far away to tend to the front door to hear its knocks… That is, until Subaru remembered… The door's handle was magically enhanced to be heard everywhere in the building, so that couldn't be the case. Or at least, not for this long without a response from inhabitants.

"What's going on?" He wondered, walking through the silent corridors whose rooms had their doors wide open, every single one of them for some reason, which slowly scared Subaru overtime, his mind going in circles as he came across both nothing and no one… Then, he realized, "Rem… What about Rem?" He recalled, feeling a chill on his spine as the thought of something happening to her fragile form scared him.

He didn't know Frederica enough to assume her to be dangerous (didn't he want to), but with the factions of the Sanctuary in conflict, what if she was planning something more concrete? Rem could be in danger! A hostage to force a position!

So, Subaru began to run. He wanted the noise of his steps to echo loud, to disturb this unwanted quietness.

Alas, again, there was no response. The mansion was empty… "(Where is everyone!?)" His heart was pounding quicker now, horrible scenarios occupying his mind in the search of a constant, "...Rem!" Stepping up faster, Subaru headed for the room he had last seen her, the maiden-left-asleep, in the room for the most honorable and richest of guests.

That was when it happened…

"Eh!?" In his rush, hidden by the blood-red light of the sunset over the crimson carpet, Subaru's foot slipped through the floor the moment he stepped on something wet, making him trip and crash prone on the ground. The sensation of it was familiar: Him falling into a sludge, the whole body painfully plastered and sticky by the end of it… It ticked him off, "Huh!?"

Indeed, this was no transparent water or anything, no… The iron smell and gluing viscosity hit him completely when he confirmed it with his senses: Blood, a whole puddle of it, right in the middle of the corridor, flowing out directly from his stomach, his guts, which had been cut open somehow, causing him to fall without him noticing it…

"...!?" This left Subaru completely shocked and numb. He couldn't believe it. When did it happen? The suddenness of the killing was so harsh that his thoughts were cut short there, the weakness of blood-loss nearly knocking him unconscious in the next second, just as the pain finally started to sting, "Guh!" So, gasping next, choking on his own blood as it suddenly flowed out from his mouth like it always does, he was left flabbergast.

"...You promised it, didn't you?" He heard a voice speak "...That you'd take good care of your bowel until we meet again."

"...?" It was soft and gentle, feminine in nature, mature to the ear, sweet like honey, friendly yet scary.

Realizing this presence nearby, Subaru used his remaining strength to try to spot the woman directly, only for his gaze to come across none other than Elsa herself, the Bowel Hunter, smiling with a maniac glee from a quarry-now-collected with her bloodied blade.

"...Ufu~" She just stood there, face half covered in the shadows as she observed her work. Only her voluptuous body was illuminated by the blood sun outside, signaling the end of his life in that moment….

Subaru was done for. That much he knew. With what little life he had left, he spent it on acknowledging his assailant and memorizing her face before his consciousness faded. If anything, at least the pain felt here was too mild to linger with agony. So, letting go of the struggle, Subaru's soul simply faded away from his eyes, with no whining or crying on his part being heard in the now crimson-soaked carpet of Roswaal's empty mansion…

…

…

"...!?"

Waking up in a jolt, Beatrice adjusted herself hastily as her surroundings had changed, the pain of her stomach and the alarming situation causing her to confuse her immediate vicinity even as it faded nearly instantly… Then, as the seconds pass, she finally sees it: The Library of marble, the "waterfalls" of books, all in motion illuminated by the sun piercing through the slits in the wall, Its light glowing darker and darker in the same way she experienced in her contractor's memories, a tone of orange approaching the red of blood, scary and terrifying...

"...Betty?"

Having seen her move, the Great Spirit found herself being observed with curiosity, the group's eyes going back and forth between the tome in her hands and her face over and over, all awaiting for her to recompose and reveal something worth discussing. Anastasia especially paid great heed to her reactions, given how she passively stalked for another slip up of the mouth.

"..." Unfortunately for her, Beatrice refrained from doing so, trying instead to wash off the disorientation and fear hanging over her shoulders first as the scene in her eyes blended way too well with what happened in the memory: A scarlet-tinged room ready for murder, replicating that same eerie atmosphere that Subaru encountered in the Mansion, feeling like a prelude for an unexpected ambush…

Of course, there was no reason for anything to happen though… They were the conquerors of this place after all, safeguarded by the Divine Dragon himself. But still… The semblance between reality and fate was just too uncomfortable to bear.

And that's without even going on what she had seen in the Volume, the sight of her Mother, alive and well…

"Beatrice?" She heard the half-elf call a second time, her face showing worry as usual, "Are you-"

"-I'm fine, I suppose. I am just… surprised." The blonde loli blurted to the audience, her lips and eyes trembling slightly as everything in the memory came out for her, "...It's just as I suspected. This is it. The beginning of it. Betty's Subaru arrival at the Sanctuary, in fact…" She confirmed it, raising eyebrows from the rest.

"So, was as it bad?" Ram asked directly, voicing what Emilia couldn't quickly enough.

To which Beatrice scowled, turning her gaze to the red oni intently, "What do you think?" Expecting her to know how it started instead.

"..." This made Ram grimace, already remembering how her beloved master had planned for everything, haven given them their roles, the words to say, the places to go, all to pull up that trap of his…

Granted, Beatrice wasn't any better than her in this, and she knew it, though she would never admit it… Indeed, the way Roswaal had played on her hopes to finally see a way out of her mother's contract, directing Subaru on his way… It nearly spelled the end of their Camp if it wasn't for her contractor's Authority. Hell, it was painful to consider it: To think she let her Subaru die in the hands of that assassin so easily, not giving an ounce of concern for his life as to intervene… What a pathetic spirit she is…

"(Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid!)" Beatrice cursed herself, throwing all self-pride away for a moment to reflect on her bad treatment of the one who gave her freedom, the one she had chosen on her own will.

While blaming it on her status as a Great Spirit may have been valid, in the end, she had let her indifference towards most humans turn too cruel… So there was no excuse for her behavior right there. In other words, this death of him had become another part of her sins, a truth her contractor knew and forever remembered in his nightmares…

"Huh… Can ya… Could you tell us how he died?" Anastasia inquired passively, hugging Echidna for support, "Ain't no problem with me askin', right?"

"...Tch!" Feeling sour and sick with guilt, Beatrice clicked her mouth. She felt tired at the moment, too tired to chastise anyone. So she simply conceded, "...Subaru died in Roswaal's mansion, in fact." And then, glancing at the murderer child, "An unpleasant woman did the work, I suppose." The Great Spirit affirmed with anger.

"Oh…"

Her words cast a pause in the group, with most of them either wondering how (Anastasia's Camp) or realizing (The rest) what she meant in silent, all while Meili herself gasped, eyes shining for a second before current issues brought up hesitation in her allegiances, a guilty conscience of being unable to rejoice in memory of one's family (Or at least the closest analog for her) for the simple reason of her benefactor dying to her in a conflict.

"Elsa…" That said, the admiring side won the argument, preventing the beast mistress from hiding her intense interest in the book.

"The Bowel Hunter then." Julius added, almost cursing the title as he spoke it, "So she did come back to finish the job… Unpleasant indeed." But then, growing a light smirk on his face, the knight quickly felt jovial, "Too bad for her though, at least Subaru knew what to expect after this."

And agreeing with him, the white fox nodded, "At least, he acquired something out of it." Echidna commented, voicing her opinion, "However, given what the Court Mage had in his hands, the fact that everything could have been planned to coincide with the Great Rabbit's arrival does paint a very bad situation overall." She deduced next, trying to picture the whole situation, "Moreover, since the whole incident happened around one week after Sloth's defeat, I am admittedly curious as to what Roswaal was truly planning with that so-called Book of Wisdom…"

"...!?" Hearing those words, Beatrice nearly gasped, expressions blinking away quietly as trembled from hearing her Mother's voice in this spirit fox. It reminded her of Subaru's actual first encounter with the real Witch from the vision, not to mention the things he went through in his first trial… Her contractor never spoke a word of this!

"If ya ask me, this smells like prestige huntin' to a thee." Anastasia argued with a hidden measure of suspicion, "I mean really, with somethin' like that, anyone could make such a vicious plan to earn gratuities here and there. In fact, now that I think of it, that Mage always seemed to have somethin' up the alley… Always smiling and clowning around suspiciously… Could he have thought of Natsuki-kun as a threat?" She suggested.

"Possibly." Echidna considered it, "Or he could have planned the exact opposite, wanting to corner Natsuki into a deal he couldn't refuse and secure his curse for certain. It would depend on what he knew about him and how ambitious he was. I don't know enough to speculate, nor will we, by the looks of it." She clarified, seeing leering gazes of their rivals staring at them.

"..." The white fox's assertions, though made from naught but snippets that they collected in the past hours and volumes, they seemed to haunt Emilia's Camp with how accurate they were in their presumptions, striking at the core of what made Roswaal act as he did back then, deceiving them all. If only they knew…

"Alright, you two have spoken enough." Julius interfered, taking the uncomfortable position of lecturing, "This is starting to become unfitting and disrespectful on our part my lady, so much so that I'm starting to get worried about your mental state ever since you have woken up." He affirmed forth, confronting Anastasia directly, "It is as if your boldness has made you increasingly callous as of late…"

"Oh come on, I'm just stumbling around a little. There isn't any harm."

"Maybe not, but such discourtesy is unwarranted… This is the second time already." The two bicker a little.

To which the red oni among them snorts, "Hmph! Ram believes Ser Knight should kindly revisit his memories, this black merchant has been meddling where she shouldn't more than twice already. This has gone far past discourtesy." The maid, having accumulated something akin to a petty grudge against the Kararagian princess for badmouthing her beloved master, couldn't help but to make her opinions come forth, "I mean, forgive Ram for over-steeping, but I won't stand silent hearing this little girl spit her suspicious wildly without showing respect."

Anastasia on her part, did feel somewhat ashamed for pushing her knight boundaries, but upon hearing the maid's words, flames started to spark in return, "Oh don't you even start with that, you were the one distrusting your own ally in the first place, always cursing and disparaging Natsuki! I'm actually surprised a brutish ogre like you is even fit to be a servant in the first place."

"Anastasia-sama! That's completely uncalled for."

"Hah! Ram's bluntness is her forte, a part of her impeccable grace in valuing honesty. At least I have more manners than a scheming viper heeding the whispers of a Witch." The maid retorted fast, even acting triumphantly for a second as she stared at the white fox, "If you have any ounce of intelligence, then Ram suggests you to kindly mind your own business." She lectured both of them defiantly.

"Uh…" This even made Meili shiver there, sensing a catfight happening.

Or at the very least, Anastasia's smile expressed such, "Oh is that so? Alright, alright… I'll take off my hands." She backed off, palms out and shrugging, "Still, I can't help but to wonder however… How many problems Subaru-kun was forced to solve just by hanging around your camp, hmm? How many lives lost on fallen attempts? Maybe you should take a moment to think of the cost here, 'cause even I can tell that man suffered for nothing with you guys playing foul, enough to lose his mind even~"

"My lady, please, hold your tongue-"

"Barusu never gave us a hint of his traumas. He never showed any weakness or distress…"

"Ram, stop it, this isn't' right-"

"-And that excuses you how, exactly? Don't act dumb now, you all were blind to his pain, intentionally or not. And for him to hide it so vehemently… I reckon he feared the rest of you quite substantially, especially Roswaal~"

"Ana, I think you need-"

"Why you!-"

"SILENCE!"

"...!?"

With a shout, magically enhanced to make the very air ripple under her anger, Beatrice halted the bickering immediately, her eyes glaring with fury at having to witness such a waste of time. Of course, let it be said that this has nothing to do with her hearing about her contractor potentially being mistreated at her camp, not at all, but the Great Spirit knew that dividing themselves here wouldn't lead anywhere worth mentioning in the long-term.

And while Beatrice did once plan to collect and read all Subaru's Volumes on her own at some point in the past, the Rainbow Knight's maidens were proving to be annoyingly useful in mitigating the effects of the nastier deaths… She didn't want to lose that advantage over pettiness.

Thus, addressing the merchant, she spoke forth, "Betty doesn't know what manner of ailment or mood afflicts you right now, and honestly, she doesn't care, I suppose. Your camp can resolve it among yourselves at night when you'all go to rest but for now be silent!" Then, turning to the red oni, "As for you… You havespoken out of turn again, maid, worse in fact by addressing a royal candidate with such arrogance. It's like second nature for you, I suppose, especially when it involves that poor excuse of a man that you hold dear, in fact."

"...Tch. Ram was just defending Roswaal-sama's honor…" The red oni countered with annoyance.

…Much to Beatrice's degrading impatience, "That's not the point! You were arguing over ignorance! Over nothing but their guesses and thoughts!" Her voice rose in frustration, "It's ridiculous for you to believe their opinions even matter to that man. That buffoon boldly wears his makeup even within the Royal Court, in fact!" The Great Spirit affirms, exasperated.

"And? I could say the same of you when I speak about Barusu." Ram countered with precision, "Ram has told you many times about how he doesn't care. At least he sees the truth in my words, unlike you."

"Ghk!" This made Beatrice flinch briefly, caught on her hypocrisy there, but she couldn't stop either, "T-that's different, I suppose. You don't know what Betty's Subaru has gone through, in fact!" She affirms, thinking of her contractor's weakest moments in his room, haunted by the horrors of his curse. Somewhere somehow, insults and foul words must have hurt him so… That's what the loli wanted to believe. Or at least what her pride forced her to…

As a result, the red oni saw right through her, "And whose fault is that, Ram wonders…"

"..." The Great Spirit's eyes then narrowed, her nose feeling itchy as she wanted to blurt another disagreement when suddenly, a sad and tearing voice interrupted…

"Please guys… No more!" Emilia, having been forced to witness her friends fight each other again, felt upset, "Subaru wouldn't want this, to see us fighting... I don't want it either, so please!"

"..."

"Perhaps we should take another break for now and take a moment for privacy among ourselves… What do you say, Beatrice-sama?" Seeing the need, the Greatest of Knights presented the option to separate both camps, hoping to spare his own from any unnecessary shame and calm everyone's needs.

This made Great Spirit get a grip of herself and shake her head, getting even more annoyed at not being able to resolve and control the situation, "No, Betty would rather not waste any more time. We have delayed this enough, in fact." And, to complement her reasons, one of the books among the millions being re-arranged around them floated in their direction, its hardback cover adorning the now familiar runes they had once dreaded to see it…

[NATSUKI・SUBARU・VOLUME・XXVIII]

"...!? That's…"

"There are more to come, I suppose. All fifty of them and some more." Beatrice warned them, feeling the library's magic warning her, "You two, ready yourselves." She ordered both Emilia and Ram, intentionally leaving the child in the back out.

"Wait! What about me? (I want to see Elsa at least!)" Meili questioned.

That blurt there earned her glare, the Great Spirit becoming impatient, "There's nothing for you to see here, murderer child, stay put and be quiet." She exclaimed, causing the beast mistress to pout visibly.

Once the mess was resolved, Beatrice acquiesced to their wishes and handed over Volume 13th to Emilia, turning her attention towards the newly-acquired Volume 28th and feeling the weight of yet another life lost, "(More bad memories, I suppose… How many of them you relive in your nightmares, Subaru… How much did you really suffer?)" The blonde girl contemplated it in her depression, thinking back on the last death she went through, imagining what face he must have made just as that vision had started.

Emilia must be blind to not have noticed the shock in her Contractor's face when he asked about the blue ogre just as the vision had begun… The feeling was unmistakable. Still, why was he so fond of this 'Rem' girl? Why shed tears for that murderer? This was one of many things Beatrice wanted to know.

But above them all as the question of her Mother, whom she had seen later on, directly inviting her Contractor to her magical abode...

Yes, the real Echidna, maybe in not-flesh and blood but certainly in soul, the same one which her Subaru had met and spoke with. Truly, Beatrice refrained from thinking much about her ever since she was freed from Roswaal's Mansion. His fear alone served as extra motivation for such as he did such a poor job hiding it… Then again, with how reluctant Her Contractor behaved whenever she asked about Mother, it was easy to see why. That and the fact the others in here already described him treating Echidna as a bother, a threat, something to be greatly feared...

Beatrice figures that perhaps it was just her eccentric nature and her status as a Witch that truly disturbed him, that they might have stepped in the wrong foot of one another. That's what she wants to believe at the moment.

However… Try as she might to ignore it, there was nonetheless this strange fear in Beatrice's heart that things were not as they seem in the Sanctuary… That maybe Mother had her own plans when meeting Her Subaru. Her attitude in the vision certainly proved it, showing such a grand interest in his way of thinking and offering so much of her knowledge for something as trivial as a conversation.

"(How curious… I spent centuries idolizing you out of loyalty, as all proper spirits would to their contractors and creators… Yet only now I'm having the first doubt, I suppose.)" And in wondering how is that so, the contract in her core pulsated with vigor, opening her eyes to new perspectives, "(Why though? Why seeing you play with Betty's Subaru makes me afraid? What were you planning, in fact? What was Roswaal up to after all those years pursuing you?)"

The fear behind the potential answers were like thorns encroaching the Great Spirit's heart as she pondered on it… For a moment, she even hoped to find Echidna's actual book in this Library, and learn the truth in its most cruel form, by living in her Mother's steps directly… Her Subaru did find a Witch's tome once after all, so why couldn't she?

Beatrice languished in those thoughts alone.

…

…

Either that would lead anywhere however would remain unseen for now as one by one, both Emilia and Ram finished their reading in time for the sun to drop down and fade, casting on to them that same fear, confusion, sadness and epiphany at feeling themselves being gutted in a clean death… In a way, when put in contrast to the Rabbit's tome, the butler-knight truly seemed completely unaware of everything from the moment he wakes up from his trial, to his death at the mansion…

It is as Beatrice had put it, this is Subaru's first unsullied experience with the Sanctuary…

"...Gah!"

Emilia spasms for a second, holding her stomach on instinct. The return was as sudden and uncomfortable as always, but not as distracting as other things she leant on in there, like the sheer exotic world she discovered just from Her Knight's trial being intriguing beyond belief…

"So it's true… Subaru is… Subaru truly comes from beyond the Waterfall…" The half-elf affirmed in awe, much to the dismay of Anastasia who perked up and wanted nothing but to ask for more while restrained in her position. Luckily for her, Emilia shared in her curiosity and sought more with the Great Spirit, "The weird furniture, the decorations! It was all so new and strange! Did he ever tell you of such things, Betty!?"

Solemn, the blond loli nodded, "Yes, Betty's Subaru always counted and described about the many things that he once had and missed, I suppose. The vydia-games, the mangas, the animes, all the luxury and entertainment he could find in something he called com-pu-tah… Or was it com-pu-ter, in fact? Yes, computer." The Great Spirit recounted with a single smile.

In the background, a certain merchant was now biting her snow white hat silently listening to this.

"At first, Betty could hardly believe or imagine how these things could ever exist without magic. It was all too fancy and complex when he explained it, I suppose. Yet, having seen it with my own eyes however, I now understand why. Betty's Subaru is indeed truly special, for only a prized man worthy of my choice could come from such a world, in fact." She added, feeling a happiness and pride at praising her contractor, which was unfortunately tinged with sadness and fear after realizing the implications of his presence in their world.

She had discussed this with Roswaal once, about Subaru being a possible Sage Candidate… Even now they are witnessing his damned destiny unfold on his very steps, as well as the price as it is unfolded… In this what his apparition meant? Beatrice frowned upon it.

"...I saw his parents too. He's so like them, Betty! Genuine people…" Emilia continued to describe what she saw, admiring the sight of Her Knight's parents, seeing the way they treated their son with such fondness that it even brought a melancholic wave of envy and pity from the half-elf's part.

On one side, this reminded Emilia of her own folks back at the Elior Forest, of Mother Fortuna's kindness and embrace… Father Guise too, sporadic as his presence was because of his duties. But, much like her, Subaru was deprived of them at some point, cast away from his world into hers with no means to return for reasons unknown… It was a fate she struggled to accept.

"Will he ever see them again? Will us?" The half-elf wondered, worried about a star-crossed meeting in the future.

Beatrice merely shook her head slowly, "You ask a question Betty doesn't have an answer for, I suppose." But then, showing resolve, "That said, this doesn't mean I believe it is impossible. We simply don't know, in fact. Until then, now that Betty knows Subaru wants to reunite with them, she will do her best to make it so, bringing them to us or the contrary."

At those words, Emilia felt positive with faith, "Right! I'll help as well." She nodded sharply in response.

Facing this, Beatrice then took a breath… "In the meantime however, tell me something: Are you aware of how important you are to Subaru's Heart?" She asked, crossing her arms crossed as she sat, "He went to great lengths to remember you first in his trial and win over his past shames… (As well as with help from that blue killer, I suppose)… and It baffles me that he would go to such great lengths for someone who isn't even mature enough to deliver an answer, in fact." She stated it as she felt, disappointed at the slow progress that these two, her contractor and this girl, are proceeding.

While the matters of the human heart is a knowledge the Great Spirit only knows through shady romance books, she at least expected Her Subaru to be rewarded for his efforts. One-sided pursuits with no hope of accomplishment only highlights the tragedy of the one who sacrifices it all for his beloved, and frankly, Beatrice had enough of her contractor being part of tragedies…

"...I know. It has been too long now." Emilia simply admits it, adding a moment of shock for the blond loli, "I need to tell him how I feel; How much I love him as much as he does for me… I have decided. He is the man I want to marry and be at my side, forever." That is her simple confession, without an ounce of hesitation or fear, a sign of change after learning the truth and feeling through another's soul with the volumes.

"..." Blinking to it, Beatrice was impressed. To think this elf would surpass her expectations so quickly. It even makes one ask if it would have been the same if they never had found these tomes of her contractor to begin with… Of course, she couldn't let Emilia go easily though. When the time comes for them to meet and reunite together in love, the Great Spirit intends to be very observant of her approach with Subaru, especially once she learns of her contractor's nightly torments… "**sigh** I'll hold you to your words, then." She simply said, not hinting at anything.

…

"Hmph! Ram does wonder if it will be worth it though."

"...?"

Suddenly though, intruding with her voice, both heads turn to see the red oni surface from tome's vision, her face bearing a slight scowl, "I do not approve of Barusu's pursuit of my sister." She declared outright with criticism in tone.

"Explain." Beatrice demanded.

"It feels like Rem is just an afterthought on the matter, a safety blanket should whatever pervert delusions he has planned with you fail, Emilia-sama." She argues with visible disgust for an expression, "If Barusu was a proper man he would have remembered my sister first at least, then he would have a chance. Of course, let it be said first however that it's very presumptuous of him to imagine my sister confessing so easily as she did in this book…"

Faced with this spat, Emilia for the first time felt conflicted, not as angry at her friend belittling her Knight's behavior per se, but at the fact that she insinuated Subaru should have remembered and loved someone else first. This was… new, and the half-elf decided she didn't like feeling this, even when she couldn't help it, "It isn't like that, Ram, Subaru was just being courteous and proper… Your sister, Rem, apparently is very important to him, just as I am. He said it himself."

Yet, narrowing her eyes, the maid continued, "Yes yes, as is that Witch-in-white when he shamelessly violated her with the first words of his mind. Very proper and courteous indeed." The oni mocked, leaving Emilia a little miffed without an adequate retaliation. Indeed, seeing Subaru blurt his praise of beauty to Echidna of all people made her heart ache a little… Not a good feeling indeed this anger.

"(Urgh… What's this about? Love? Confessions? Perversions? Can't you guys go back to the goods of another world!? T_T)" Mentally complained a distant Anastasia while both Julius and Eridna simply listened or observed. Lacking any context to delve into, they refrained from commenting anything.

"Heee? Bold words for someone who so easily abandons her sister on a lunatic's whims, I suppose…" Adding in her taunt however, Beatrice came to the half-elf's aid, "You truly are blindly devoted in your love, in fact, the likes of which Betty never wants to see her contractor repeat with this one." She pointed at Emilia, who smiled happily in return.

"...Ugh. " That made Ram's eye twitch as she couldn't argue against it, especially given how neither they nor the world would ever understand her relationship with Roswaal. Hell, not even Ram herself can't quite put what they mean to each other into words… She simply doesn't have the means to, "...Nevertheless, Ram will be lecturing Barusu very thoroughly once we rescue him. Such selfishness cannot go unpunished without thorough interrogation." The maid declares, turning her gaze away as she felt inferior for a moment.

Seeing this, Beatrice huffed, shaking her head in disappointment, "Frankly… You're incorrigible… How far would you go should you find Betty's Subaru wanting? Castrate him? Torture him? Kill him?" She questioned the ogre, her tone of voice changing from mockery to accusatory gesture.

"...?" This ended up surprising the group as they saw the look of hatred in the Great Spirit's eyes. While they all could imagine this coming from a place of their current hostility, something about her tone and choice of words crossed the line of annoyance and rebuke to actual threats, presenting a threat he had foreseen.

Because of that, unsure to proceed, Ram picked her words carefully, "If I found out he broke my sister's heart, the first two are a possibility…" She spoke naturally, trying to push an sarcastic edge to it, "The last one is pointless though, for reasons we all know why by now. And if Ram should be honest about it, none of those gestures would work for long anyway. Barusu is too much of a masochist to even care. If anything, he'll stubbornly keep coming back to us, happily wagging his tail like the dog that he is."

"..." Faced with these words, Beatrice fell silent for a moment, casting a wave of tension in the group.

"My word… This maid is a nightmare in negotiations…" Anastasia commented, wide-eyed at what she's seeing. There is such a thing as too much blunt honesty!

"Stop fooling around and tell me straightly then: Did you ever once considered Subaru to be any kind of threat?" The Great Spirit asked next with the same intensity, nose itchy again as a strange yet faint smell floated into the room, familiar yet disgusting to bear.

Such a reaction made Emilia worry, "Beatrice? What's this about?" The last thing the half-elf wants is her camp fighting each other again. But this was beyond her comprehension. Without context, she was as clueless as the others, with the question being asked, intended for the maid and the maid only as Beatrice ignored the half-elf…

"..."

"..."

"Only once…" Thus, Ram eventually admitted, gazing down on the floor, "Only once I did so… And that was today when I confronted you about his curse."

"..."

"Not knowing what it was, I was afraid about dealing with another man I respected being deluded into acts of evil." She confessed, closing her eyes as she thought of Roswaal again. In a way, she was shaking on her spot.

"Respected?" Beatrice parroted her, raising chin.

"...Yes, respected, loved even, as the brother that he had become to me…" The maid faced her, again feeling annoyed, "Is what you want to hear? To have me singing praises freely?" Ram opened her heart, angry at being put on the spot in this manner, accused like a criminal, "I have very few people I love left, and fewer are those that I truly respect… It's up to me to look up after them. So, I judge everyone, including him." The red oni glared back, referring to Subaru, "If you have anything else to say, then say it. I know when I'm wrong, Beatrice-sama… I just hope it's the same for you."

"..."

"..."

With this interrogation thrown back at her, Beatrice pondered on it, trying to gauge anything other than this blindingly explicit honesty branded in the maid's face. For a moment, she was speechless when seeing it, wondering if this is what Her Subaru and many others perceive when they see both bickering and teasing one another… If so, that presents a problem.

After all, if this oni's words are true, how comparable is she to her sister? What would lead both of them to condemn her Contractor in the first week of his appearance? The Witch's Scent? That alone is what damned him? Incurred the wrath of these sisters? Hmm…

"..." Whatever the answer to that is, Beatrice didn't have the time to delve into it…

"Gah! What's up with you two!? Still holding on to grudges!?" Having grown angry at this constantly reigniting dispute, Emilia made her annoyance known, making everything jump on their feet as the air of the room grew cold at her irritation, "I thought we resolved this already. Subaru is a good boy! A. Good. Boy! Ram doesn't have anything against him (I think) and actually likes him, Betty! They are best friends, guys! We are all friends! So what's the problem!?" She screamed like a banshee, trying but failing to maintain an aura of authority as her goofy expression and pretty face erased any ounce of intimidation she had intended to display.

"..." Still, that did have an effect though, the shock of it casting a silence in the group.

"..." It even goes as far as to make all parties forget what they were thinking and feeling, the coldness of the air calming the nerves of anger and doubt.

"..." As a result, a potentially unintended side effect occurred… "Pff! Ha! Ha ha, hahahaha~" That being: Mirth.

"...?"

"Ha!~" Laughing her ass off to the point of crying, the whole group stared in shock as Anastasia cracked and giggled out of nowhere, being happier than ever, "A good boy!? Oh that's hilarious! The man I want to marry and be at my side is a good boy! Uff~ Wow Emilia-san, you sure know how to praise a man. An outstanding confession!" She explained, unable to control herself.

"W-well I, I was just-" Flustered in return, the half-elf could only babble stuttering words to a rival that simply found it funnier the second she saw it, her snickering increasing, "Stop laughing! I'm serious!" Emilia exclaimed in anger, blushing visibly this time. Only now she understood her poor choices of words back there...

"I guess this is one way to repair the bridges…" Echidna remarked, accepting the levity as it is.

At her side, the Greatest Among Knights coughed however, "I knew we should have left for privacy… I did not want to witness this." He affirmed, trying to appear chivalrous as he massaged his sinuses, but failing slightly as the joy got into him, making him laugh secretly. While honest in his intentions, hearing his friend Subaru being joked in this manner was just too fun to ignore. It was… an undiscovered guilty pleasure.

"It is not so bad, Julius. This actually works in our favor." The white fox countered, moving up to address the rest, "Can I hope you two are still talking terms?" The spirit interjected, acting as the diplomat between Ram and Beatrice.

"..." Maid and Great Spirit then glanced at each other for a moment, somewhat at odds in a sense, until the latter conceded, "Betty… acknowledges your words, maid. I got what I wanted to learn, I suppose." The loli stated, going on her way to avoid an apology for the time being, "So long you maintain your respect for Betty's Subaru, I'll say no further on the subject, in fact."

"...Very well." In return, Ram did the same, still uncertain as to why the discussion decayed to that extent. Her best guess at the moment was Subaru's interest in her sister and whatever relation they were meant to have or had before her name disappeared. Ram wanted to ask about it but refrained from doing so, not wanting to step on the wrong foot again.

"Good. I suppose the last thing to do now is for Ana to apologize for insulting a high standing man in another's camp." Echidna informed, staring deeply in her protegee's eye.

"Eh? Oh, right..." Anastasia in turn recomposed herself, fixing her dress a little so as to face everyone in a straight pristine form, "Well… Today was an intense one, wasn't it? A tempest of feelings left and right at once, not as bad as you guys fighting for yer lives, but close... Granted, I was the one who brought you all into this, and as a result of my greed, I crossed too many lines as of late… For that, I apologize for everythin'... For the pushes, for the insults; everythin'... I swear to y'all that once we get out of this place, I'll do my best to help you guys find Natsuki-kun, all as well as offer a whole day of free leisures as compensation. I'll make it worth~"

"..." The rest looked at her, feeling empty and tired, only to concede for the moment.

Or at least, everyone but Emilia did right there, "Do you apologize for laughing at me?" She asked, staring cutely and angrily.

That made Anastasia smile in mischief, "Oh no, that I won't. I meant every word~" The merchant retorted, snickering still.

"What!?"

…And so, with a blink and a pointy gesture, peace had returned to the Library momentarily, allowing the group a moment of rest after so much turmoil surrounding the Sanctuary's secret…

Out of everyone, only Meili seemed to get the end of the stick in this whole ordeal, gaining absolutely nothing worth her attention with this latest volume. Despite Elsa's appearance being confirmed, she had been denied a chance to see her again, a crime that, while fair, made her resent the current company she's with, no matter how in the right they might have been. Yes, she did make an attempt on Onii-chan, three times in fact, and almost killed him in every single one of them, but still! She doesn't care about that damn Sanctuary, she can keep a secret!

"*sigh*..." Really, without Subaru to mediate in her favor and preserve what she has, her situation right now will remain tenuous at best. Arguing right now wouldn't do any good… Her only way out to get what she wants is to think of an alternative.

And from those in her mind: Turn-coating is not an option, not when Mama is still out there. Moreover, these people here are too important to Onii-chan for her to simply off them while they're asleep. Threatening wouldn't work either, as they are more powerful and dangerous than her in any way. Doing this would just bury her grave further… Her last option then is either scoundrel around while they are sleeping and read the volume hidden (avoiding Beatrice somehow); or be helpful in a way that makes her indispensable enough to negotiate… But that's the thing… How?

The child assassin would reflect upon this, listening to the groups talk about wanting to meet and share what they have found here with the members of their camp outside the tower… There was an idea in there, one Meili couldn't see clearly as to how to do it.

Until then though…

To be Continued…