Minor warning:

It does spoil a little of how the web novel version of arc 4 ended though I'm unsure if the light novel/Anime will end like this so in the case it does, slight spoilers.

Chapter 44: A new tomorrow

Elsa and Meili both kept their distance to avoid any conflicts while Sora and the others waited until Garfiel, Otto, the three knights, Frederica, Petra, and Kenichi returned to Sanctuary with Naoko managing to have joined the group once the villagers had returned to Arlem village. As everyone gathered together, Subaru told everyone about the bet with Roswaal and everything that transpired from it which enraged most of them.

Garfiel and Frederica both went to the graveyard with the people of the Sanctuary happy to see the two. Frederica was happy to see everyone yet she told them to stay in the tomb for a little bit while they take care of a few things with Roswaal.

The two drag the Margrave and throw him in front of the group with Ram going to take care of her master. As they all discuss how to deal with Roswaal, Garfiel suggests beating the crap out of him. Majority vote agreed with Ram, Sora, Emilia, and Subaru being against it.

"Sorry Cap'n, Master, but we gotta beat him up."

"Well...sucks for you, Roswaal."

Subaru says as everyone begins to prepare themselves to beat the ever living shit out of Roswaal. They all agreed that each person gets a turn to punch Roswaal in the face as hard as they can.

The first to go was Kenichi, who managed to break the Margrave's jaw for having put his family in grave danger. As Roswaal was on the ground, Ram quickly went and moved him towards Emilia so she could heal him. The next person to hit Roswaal was Naoko and to everyone's surprise she broke his nose.

"Mother!"

Subaru shouted in shock as he never saw his mother use such violence which actually impressed Ram, Garfiel, and even Roswaal himself despite having a broken nose. Emilia went to heal Roswaal again with Garfiel insisting on going next yet Frederica told her little brother to allow the three knights to go first. Yabuto looked at Frederica and quickly said, "It's not a knightly thing for us to do such a thing..."

Roswaal for a moment felt comforted by this as he did not want to get punched again yet the knight continued to speak.

"...but we are not in official knight business, so..."

Yabuto quickly nodded at Waraki and Kishida, both wanting to punch Roswaal for the crap he pulled on his own camp. Both Yabuto and Waraki allowed Kishida to go first since he deserves it the most due to the fact that he had the toughest time surviving. Roswaal was not expecting Kishida to be the next one to be punched in the face. As he received another punch from a knight, Yabuto and Waraki took the opportunity to also punch Roswaal before he was healed.

"You guys are bad knights." Subaru teased his three friends which they laughed alongside the others.

"We are not in knight business newbie, so this is perfectly fine."

Subaru just laughed it off for a moment before Garfiel finally got his chance to punch Roswaal. Emilia healed Roswaal with Garfiel ready to punch the person he hated the most. With one punch he sent the magician flying into the forest with a few broken bones.

"Yeh... I goddamn got it done, oi."

"Y-you sure did..." Roswaal says while Ram and Emilia go towards his position to have Emilia heal him once again with Frederica and Garfiel high fiving. As Frederica and Garfiel high five, Frederica prepares to be the next one in line. As Frederica alongside Petra were preparing for their turns, Subaru and Sora were both approached by Garfiel.

"Captain, Master, ya both should go in line."

"No. I'm not one who wants revenge."

"Yeah, I don't think you are convincing someone with a heart of gold like Master Sora."

"Aight, how 'bout ya, Captain?"

"I really don't feel like doing this."

"We gotta get closure, Captain. 'S gonna be fuckin' awkward later on 'f he don't get his payback fer what he did. Ain't like I ain't gonna heal him. 'N there's Emilia-sama too."

"I mean Emilia-tan is there as a healer, yes? She absolutely isn't waiting her turn, yes? Though I guess she does have a right to be included."

"Eh, think'd be hard with her personality. But anyway, that's what yer got. So c'mon, Captain."

Garfiel pushes Subaru, wanting his captain to get some revenge on Roswaal yet the boy was unsure since he knows that vengeance will lead to darkness. Sora looked at Subaru and just patted him in the back before walking away with Garfiel wanting to know where the Keyblade wielder is heading to.

"Don't worry Garfiel, I'm just taking a little walk while this goes on."

"Yer sure ya don't wanna get some closure?"

"I'll be okay Garfiel."

Sora smiled at Garfiel before heading into the forest to get Elsa and Meili, knowing that the two are just waiting for him to give the two the all clear signal to join the others. While Sora left, Garfiel continued to persuade his captain to take a bit of payback to Roswaal yet as he was talking, they both heard a noise of bones breaking.

The two look and see that Frederica punched Roswaal so hard that he was sent flying into the forest. Both Ram and Emilia went to help Roswaal while Otto and Petra were praising Frederica as they were preparing for their turn. Garfiel turns towards Subaru and bumps his elbow.

"C'mon Captain, ya gotta'd th's while ya can."

"You are not going to stop until I do something, are you?"

Garfiel nodded with a smug smile, wanting to make sure that everyone gets their payback on the bastard that nearly got them all killed. Garfiel shoves Subaru to encourage him to enter the line and get closure. Garfiel shoots Subaru a thumbs up from, looking like he's imitating things from Subaru.

With that send-off from his yet-uncomfortable brother surrogate, Subaru goes to the very end of the Roswaal Closure line. Incidentally Petra just slapped Roswaal's face with a soaking cloth. A wet, satisfying thwack echoes throughout The Sanctuary. Petra was satisfied by this, allowing Otto to be next.

After a while they all enter the cathedral with Subaru and Sora managing to get the group to allow Elsa and Meili to join them in their conversation. The three knights were extremely hostile towards Elsa more than Meili since they know Elsa as the most dangerous woman in Lugnica yet Subaru was able to convince his friends to let her be with them unharmed.

"Newbie, we are trusting you on this but if she pulls some shit, we will act."

"I understand. If she does something foul, you three can take her down."

"My My, you all are all very tense."

Yabuto, Kishida, and Waraki gave the Bowel Hunter a look of disgust which she enjoyed, making the three knights even more angry. As the three knights sat nearby the Bowel hunter to keep an eye on her, Ram and Rem both sat next to each other with Ram allowing Roswaal to have a lap pillow.

With the two sisters having a chance to speak, Ram looks at her twin sister she doesn't remember and is very unsure how to start the conversation. Rem looks at her twin sister she has no recollection of and is also very unsure how to speak. Having had some information of being the twin sister of Ram, the only thing Rem could come up is,

"So you and I are sisters?"

"...yes..." Ram answered with a hesitant tone of voice, surprised that her sister doesn't know who she is which somehow makes her feel sad. There was silence while Ram messed a bit with Roswaal's hair until Rem broke the silence by giving her sister a smile and lending her hand to shake.

"Well then, I was told that I was once a maid so I will trust in you to teach me how to be a maid once again, sister."

Ram looked at Rem and was at a pause for a moment before smiling as well, wanting to get to know her sister. The two sisters shook hands before looking forward with Rem being curious on a few things.

"Do we have a last name?"

"No."

"Who do you mostly rely on?"

"Roswaal-sama."

"Wait, despite all the things he did, you trust him?"

"Roswaal-sama made a mistake, we all do."

"Even you."

"Rarely but yes."

"Okay...um who do I end up with mostly?"

"Hmm...well as my sister I would rather you end up with anybody but Barusu."

"Barusu? Do you mean Subaru?"

"Barusu, he is useless and a pathetic man."

"I don't know, he was able to hold his own...though I think he is the sole reason that the mansion I woke up in was burned to the ground."

"What?!" Ram took note of this and was tempted to get up and beat the ever living shit out of the boy yet she managed to calm down and continued to take care of Roswaal. She looked at Subaru with an angry look before saying, "He will be punished after this."

"Okay. Is there anything else I should know?"

Ram took a moment to think before answering that she should devote herself to Roswaal and to her considering that the two are twins. Rem nodded and quickly sat down to process everything until Ram quickly asked Rem about her horn which confused the blue haired girl.

This caught Ram's attention and she quickly explained that since the two were twins, they each have only one horn. Rem tried to pull out her horn but she didn't know how, making Ram take a mental note in training Rem how to use her horn. As the two sisters continue their conversation, Sora and Subaru both start theirs while they wait for Emilia to join them.

"Look at this Master, our group has doubled."

"Yeah. We had the people from the Mansion being Emilia, Rem, Ram, Beatrice, and Roswaal. Then we have the three newcomers being Otto, Frederica, and Petra. Your three knights being Yabuto, Kishida, and Waraki. Both your parents and the guardians of Sanctuary, Garfiel and Ryuzu. And we even got Elsa and Meili on our side."

"I don't know if it is wise to have those two with us. They could hurt Emilia-tan's reputation."

"That is true but we will find a way to make things work."

Subaru smiled at his master's optimism and quickly enjoyed the view of seeing everyone managing to have a conversation without trying to kill each other. He looked around and noticed his parents having a conversation which ended with Kenichi having his ear pulled by Naoko.

'I kinda wonder what they were talking about.'

He looks at his parents and smiles as he feels happy for once yet his happiness would be interrupted by something that makes him even more happy.

"I hope that I didn't keep you all waiting too long."

"Oh don't worry Emilia-tan, we were just talking about how big our group has gotten."

"It has, hasn't it?"

"Yeah. We probably should start this meeting." Emilia nodded to this and quickly got Subaru to get the room's attention. Sora nodded at Subaru which gave the boy the confidence he needed to start the meeting.

"Let's get this meeting started. So we all know what happened in Sanctuary and at the mansion? Now I'd kinda like to exact some responsibility from the guy who triggered it all, or ask for some details, but..."

Everyone in the room turns to look at the topical mastermind. Roswaal lies limp in a corner of the cathedral in Ram's lap. His eyes open as he notices the gazes upon him.

"Oooooooooh? After you have all tormented me so thoroughly, you stiiiiiiiiill must brutalize me further before you aaaaaaaaaare satisfied?"

"You get what you pay for. Emilia-tan even healed you, so stop saying this shameless junk. But anyway, I'm more surprised about Ram."

"...For what?" Ram asks with a deadpan face while Rem was also curious what Subaru was going on about.

"I'm just impressed on how you just kept quiet and watched the Roswaal Closure. I was certain you'd flip."

"Foolishness, Barusu. ...I don't believe in the least that Roswaal-sama is utterly incapable of mistakes but I do wish to take his side when his path is mistaken. Of course I would find myself thinking that way and you cannot see even that? How foolish."

"Don't open and close by doubling up on the fool business! But anyway with that logic you..."

"Exactly. You were justified to strike Roswaal-sama. So I accept that he was stricken. That I tend to him with care and kindness afterwards is my convenience."

"You have odd tastes, I suppose. After all if Sora wasn't there...who knows what he would've done, in fact."

Beatrice spoke her mind having been next to Subaru.

"I give you my gratitude to Sora-sama but I would prefer that you all not meddle with affairs of my love."

"Betty isn't generous to do that, I suppose. If you're going to devote yourself to this wrongdoing man, even if it hurts you again, that's at your liberty, in fact."

"—It won't happen again."

Beatrice gives Ram her harsh reply when Roswaal hears her and sits up. The two of them catch their breath and Subaru also gulps. Everyone looks at Roswaal as he begins to speak,

"I will never achieve anything by so arrogantly making sacrifices of us ever again. I swear it on the soul of my mentor."

"..." Everyone in the room stood silent with Beatrice annoyed at Roswaal for saying this since he isn't the original Roswaal that was with her when Echidna was still around. After a moment Subaru quickly returned the focus to him.

"Anyway, the gospel and the events currently happening are now different. Meaning that you will have to deal with a world without the gospel guiding you."

All Roswaal did to this was shrug, knowing that he now needs to abide by the contract Subaru and him made regarding him having to focus all of his attention in helping Emilia pass the Royal Selections.

"So hey, Captain" Garfiel enters the conversation, "Are yer ser'sly thinkin' t'add this guy t'our team? Honestly, I still ain't quite agreein' with that."

"Garfiel..."

"Well, fuckin' duh! Th'fuck was this prick thinking he was doing in SANCTUARY and th'mansion? Sayin' you weren't there, Captain, th'village'd be rabbit food n' my Sis n' this girl'd be killed fer fun by the guts lady over there!"

Garfiel points at Elsa which makes the tension in the room grow, interesting her since she is always ready for a fight.

"Garfiel, I told you that Elsa is on our side now. Yes she was trying to harm us before but now she is on our side." Sora spoke on behalf of Elsa which caught Garfiel's attention.

"Th's' th'point! We protect this guy, 'n we don't know when he's gonna go back t'slicing our necks! Same with guts lady."

Sora and Subaru both looked at each other, knowing that what Garfiel says is true yet they are aware that Emilia needs Roswaal to successfully win the Royal Selection. Subaru turned towards Garfiel and was the one to respond to his points.

"I understand that Garfiel but we need Roswaal, without him Emilia will lose the Royal Selection. We'll make him pay, of course...but, we can't just say 'okay goodbye now!' "

"Yer really fuckin' telling me to forgive th'guy and gut lady, th'two who tried to kill my family!?"

"..." Subaru stayed silent as he knows what Garfiel is saying and feeling due to having witnessed loops where most of them if not all of them died because of Roswaal. He clenched his fist and was tempted to punch Roswaal in the face again for all the people killed in the failed loops yet he remained in control. He took a deep breath before responding to Garfiel's question.

"I know how you feel, that bastard almost got my parents killed, almost killed us all and I want to get true payback but until Emilia wins, we can only just keep an eye on him."

"Tsk. You don't know when he'll betray—"

"Erm, I apologize for this when you're so enthusiastic, but would you mind if I interjected?"

Garfiel attempts to argue but Otto quickly enters the conversation, turning everyone's attention towards the merchant. Garfiel gives a furious gaze to Otto, who has his hand raised but Otto lets the glare wash off him as he soothingly says,

"Now just calm down, calm down. We'll put aside Garfiel's emotional argument for a moment, and consider Margrave Roswaal's likelihood of committing something like this again... I think we're safe to believe that he won't, at least momentarily."

"Eh? Fuck're yer sayin' prick. Yer fuckin' asleep? I'll put yer lights out, oi."

"The contract, remember? The instant that this affair reached an obvious conclusion, a contract was bound between Subaru-san and the Margrave. Correct, Margrave?"

Otto turns the attention towards Roswaal with Garfiel doing his best to restrain himself.

"Otto-kun iiiiiiiiiiiis correct. Owing to the contract between myself and Subaru-kun, I cannot defy Subaru-kun's course."

"Course, bein'?"

"He dumps the gospel and helps make Emilia Ruler. That's the contract between me and Roswaal. He can't pull this crap any more."

Subaru joins in to answer with confidence, knowing that Roswaal is obligated to help Emilia out. Garfiel thinks for a moment before commenting on what his captain said.

"That still don't close th'books on what he did! 'F we settle this with a 'I'm so sorry I won't do it again', we ain't ever getting' ROGOS'S REVENGE DEMANDS MORE THAN ONE HAND!"

Subaru and Sora both look at each other, knowing that they won't be convincing Garfiel since the blonde boy wants Roswaal dead. The two quickly looked around and can see that there is a division in the group regarding Roswaal. Yabuto, Waraki, Kishida, Petra and Garfiel certainly want Roswaal to face the consequences and be killed or kicked out of the group.

Subaru, Sora, Frederica, and Otto already let go their hatred towards Roswaal. Emilia, Rem, Kenichi, Naoko, and Ryuzu are the ones undecided. Elsa and Meili are both indifferent with this since it is not their place to say anything considering that they were accomplices to Roswaal's plan. Ram and Beatrice are the most uncertain on where they stand since their relationship with Roswaal differs from the rest. Sora turns to Petra to speak with her about her opinion on things.

"Petra..."

"I'm still against it no matter what you say, Sora... -sama. The Master tried... our Lord tried to do something terrible to the villagers. Even though everyone trusted him. Even though I thought our Lord was a good person!"

"...It does hurt toooooo hear that."

"That's your own fault." Subaru spoke to Roswaal before turning to Petra. Everyone in the room knows that disclosing the information to the people of Arlem village and the people of Sanctuary could cause a lot of problems yet they trust Petra to not go and talk about it. Before they say anything, Elsa decides to chim in a bit.

"My, I see that we have a divided room here."

"Shut yer trap, we haven't even gotten't ya yet!"

"Calm down Garfiel, she is with us now."

"Sorry Master but I don't trust her! Gut lady tried to kill sis!"

"Not only that but she is the infamous Bowel Hunter." Waraki added as he really disliked Elsa which only made Elsa smile as she enjoys the smell of anger directed towards her. Kishida and Yabuto both also were getting hostile towards the Bowel hunter which did not help at all with the situation.

"Okay, let us not get off topic here. Garfiel, we need to find a compromise. What do you want Roswaal to do that will satisfy you for now? And apologies but we can't have you kill him."

Garfiel crossed his arms as he heard his captain question him. He took a moment to really think on what Roswaal can do to help calm his rage. After a moment of thinking, he turned towards the man he hated and started to give his demands.

"First is securing th'necessities fer th'gramps n' grans in Sanctuary. Yer gonna make sure everyone's safe, no matter if they're stayin' or goin'. 'S the first concrete step t'achieving what Sis's trying t'do."

"Very well, accepted."

"I ain't gonna be hearin' any excuses 'bout not havin' th'funds 'cuz the mansion burned down."

"The building that burned was an auxiliary residence of the Mathers. The main residency is elsewhere. I try not to be so grossly unprepared as to fall into something as ridiculous as bankruptcy."

Roswaal's confident reply shocks both Subaru and Sora. It's news to both keyblade wielders that the incinerated mansion was a side residence.

"N'following from that condition, two more promis... no, a Contract."

"—"

Garfiel raises two fingers which Roswaal remained silent to before Garfiel lowered one of his fingers.

"First's what th'Captain said. You pledge t'everyone here that you'll stick t'those terms. That you ain't pullin' any more of this shit."

"...Yes, of course. And the other?"

"Easy. —You violate that, and my amazin' fangs mash your head to pieces."

Roswaal was silent for a moment, having a little bit of fear in him since he knows that Garfiel is capable of killing him should the boy actually try.

"Very well. —Let us tie the contract."

Roswaal accepts this with Sora and Subaru both sigh in relief that Garfiel got something out of this yet the guardian of Sanctuary was still unsatisfied by this. He sat down annoyed yet he turned towards Petra and began to tell her, "...'S all I got for th'moment. You best leave it there too, miss."

"But..."

"It ain't gonna make yer friends or family happy if y'tell them."

Petra, on the bordering on tears, looks up at Frederica beside her. Frederica nods and Petra suffocates her sobs by pressing her face to Frederica's chest. It's enough to pain anyone's heart. After a moment, Subaru and Sora both asked if there was anything else they needed to clear up with Roswaal. Just as it seems like things are done, Emilia quickly joins in the conversation.

"Roswaal hasn't done the most important thing yet. This discussion isn't over until he does."

"Most important thing...?"

"When you do something bad, you have to say you're sorry."

Everyone stood silent by this, even Elsa was a bit shocked to hear this. Naoko had a smile on her face as she felt some pride for her future daughter in law. Emilia continued to speak with her face turning red each second,

"Everyone's been telling Roswaal to do this and do that to prove that he's repented, and Roswaal swore to his Teacher that he won't do anything bad again, but before we even get to that, isn't there something he has to say? Roswaal, did you say it even once? I didn't hear it."

This was the first time everyone was witnessing Emilia getting angry. Roswaal was caught off guard by this himself yet he notices a very smug looking Subaru preparing to say something to him.

"Roswaal, Apologize. If we're going to do things together, then you're obligated to, just as a person."

Subaru shares Emilia's stance along with Sora, the sentiment spreading to everyone in the cathedral. Roswaal perceives what this sea of gazes is seeking from him, and swallows his breath.

"—Mm, that'll do." The way that Emilia smiles after seeing Roswaal's apology leaves an incredible impression. The conversation quickly turns on Elsa and Meili with Sora defending the two, stating that they can assist in taking down the witch cult. This idea made Waraki somewhat hesitant since his life goal is to get his vengeance on the witch cult for destroying his home.

"Maybe we can at the very least keep an eye on her, making sure she doesn't backstab us."

"Waraki, are you sure about this?" Yabuto asked with some concern for his friend, knowing that the moment the witch cult is involved, his friend's judgement can be clouded.

"I know that you are worried about me but I know what I'm doing."

"You sure about that?"

"Don't worry Yabuto, I won't let the fact that she can help take down those bastards cloud the fact that she is the bowel hunter."

"Okay, just try not going overboard."

Waraki nodded at Yabuto and quickly returned their focus on Sora. The keyblade wielder quickly gained the conversation by saying,

"If we can at the very least work with Roswaal, then we can work with Elsa. I know it's a stretch but I do feel like I can trust her...my friend."

Elsa somehow felt warmth in her heart hearing that yet she was still very skeptical by this feeling, thinking that Sora did something to her yet she doesn't know. Everyone can see that Sora has a heart of gold, a pure hearted kid yet they were still hesitant to allow Elsa to join them until Rem stood up and spoke on Sora's behalf.

"I believe in...Sora, was it? Well I believe in him."

"What bases are you believing in Sora-sama?" Ram asked her sister, a bit skeptical yet curious. Rem looked at Ram and quickly responded to her reasoning.

"I know I don't know any of you...I don't have any recollection of things and I probably would be asleep still if it wasn't for Sora...he helped wake me up and I can feel like he can bring people together regardless of what they have done in the past. If we can forgive and work with the man that was behind all of this, then we can work with the woman who was just a part of the scheme."

Everyone stood silent as they noticed what Rem said, understanding that if they can work with someone like Roswaal after being the mastermind behind the attack on the Mansion and the Sanctuary. They all stood quiet for a moment before Emilia turned towards Elsa and looked at her with a serious facial expression.

"Do you promise to not harm anyone else?"

"What?" Elsa asked with a curious voice.

"Do you promise that you won't harm anyone else from here on out?"

"Wait why?"

"Because we can't trust you if you don't promise."

Elsa looked at Sora with a confused face, knowing that this wasn't the deal with the two yet all the Keyblade wielder did was just give a simple nod.

"...fine, I promise."

"You have to mean it." Emilia said with a pouty face.

"Okay Okay, I promise." Elsa said as she wants to get this over with, making Emilia smile with confidence. As Emilia walked away, the others were still skeptical yet they had to give their trust to the bowel hunter and her partner.

After having the meeting finished, Subaru and Sora both went to the tomb per Roswaal's request with both Roswaal and Beatrice having been talking alone for a bit. As the two chatted, Subaru and Sora chose to chat about everything that had transpired.

"Do you think people will accept Elsa and Meili into the group?"

"I mean Waraki only cares regarding the fact that Elsa can help deal with the witch cult. Yabuto and Kishida are both hesitant since they absolutely don't trust her yet they are willing to trust you. As for the rest, I'm unsure but all I can say is that she can change...maybe."

"...well let's just hope that she can at least show that she does have a good heart..."

"Don't worry Master Sora, I know it's risky trusting someone like her but knowing you, I'm sure you made an impression on that crazy girl."

"Hehe thanks."

Sora and Subaru both chuckled a bit before the two keyblade wielders thought about Rem, surprised how brave she was when speaking on Sora's behalf. The two stood silent for a moment before Sora broke the silence with, "We might have to deal with the fact that it is a new Rem, different from the original Rem."

"I know but even so, we will still get our Rem back but for now let's not be afraid to greet this new Rem."

"You are right."

Sora looks at the sky and all he thinks about is the friends he left behind, knowing that despite the fact that they are not with him or he may not see them, they are still with him through the connection of his heart with them. That connection is also to the original Rem, having a feeling that the two will reunite once again.

As they were thinking, they noticed Roswaal get slapped by Beatrice once again which got their curiosity. The two approached Roswaal and Beatrice to check on what happened to which the great spirit just told them that everything is fine.

"You sure about that?"

"Yes Sora. I just need time on my own, I suppose."

"Okay but don't go too far."

Beatrice nodded before walking for a bit to process the revelation she learned about Roswaal. As she left the boys, Roswaal asked the two to follow him inside. Both Sora and Subaru followed with the two preparing themselves for whatever scheme he might be up to. As the three walked inside the tomb and reached the grave of Echidna, Subaru and Sora were both surprised to see her.

"Whaaaaaaat an impolite face to make whiiiiiile looking at my Teacher."

"This is honestly your Teacher, the Witch Echidna?" Subaru says with Sora tempted to correct his apprentice yet he let it slide this once. Roswaal noticed what Subaru said and quickly responded to what the boy said regarding his teacher.

"Iiiiiiiiindeed. Her body rests eternal in the spellstone, her mortal beauty preserved. Living was worth it, when I can meet her again as I am now."

"How exactly?" Sora asked to which Roswaal quickly explained that he had been soul hopping through each of his descendants, making sure that he stays alive in order to reunite with his teacher. Sora stood silent by this while Subaru commented on Roswaal's method.

"All I really have to say about your descendant-hopping super-motivated faux-stalking is euch."

"Beatrice hit me with the eeeeeeeexact same comment."

Roswaal seemed to be having fun yet Sora and Subaru were both silent about it with the two having suspected something on how Roswaal knew Echidna 400 years ago yet having learned of the Margrave's trick, they were not comfortable with this information.

"Do you feel guilty at all about your descendants?" Sora asked yet Subaru answered his master's question.

"...The answer is obvious with all due respect, Master Sora."

"The Mathers family was made for that purpose. I began it, I continued it, I constructed it. It doesn't discomfort me, no matter who criticises me."

"The quintessential stalker."

"Surely not. Regardless, there's something I'd like tooooooo confirm. About this person you saw in the Trial, who is not my Teacher called Echidna."

Sora and Subaru were a bit surprised by this due to the fact that the Echidna from the trials looks younger to the Echidna they are seeing, making it seem like they could be mistaken as sisters.

"So, who was the Echidna in the Trial? It was her, but with her youth restored... isn't what it feels like either. They're different people. I can tell that this isn't just a thing about ages." Subaru says with uncertainty only for Roswaal to quickly reply.

"Anyone intruding on the Trial must be connected. If this person was the one managing the Trial, they are assuredly connected. Perhaps some external party took action while I was unaware... would be conceivable but..."

Roswaal doesn't continue but Subaru and Sora sense that he has dismissed whatever he was going to say as impossible. He doesn't have any basis for it but perhaps Roswaal is confident in his stalking proficiency. It's a confidence telling him it's impossible that someone could do something bad to his Teacher without him knowing about it which is gross.

"I feel that you're imagining something rather iiiiiiiimpolite."

"Blame your imagination or actually just blame you. Anyway Master Sora, Emilia, and I all saw Echidna during the Trial or at least, an Echidna that isn't this one."

Sora and Subaru both thought about how this Echidna is different from the other one, making them question who exactly was the Echidna they met. The two stayed thinking for a moment before Sora broke the silence.

"Is there a way to return to the dream realm from the Trial?"

"The tomb's functions were ceased by a destruction of the algorithm. The art for it is lost and the requirements are complex and the miasma permeating this tomb has escaped. This tomb is just an ordinary, historical stone structure now."

"Okay." Sora says with a disappointed tone of voice with Subaru also disappointed to hear this since there is no way to confirm anything now. He takes a look at the older looking Echidna before speaking.

"...We'll put the unchangeable stuff off for later. So, what are you thinking to do with the woman in the coffin? Bury her?"

"I'll neither bury nor burn her. Subaru-kun, Sora-kun, I'd like you both not to misunderstand. I desire reunion with my Teacher but that doesn't mean I've been yearning toooooo meet my Teacher's cadaver. This is merely one step along the way."

"What do you mean?" Sora says with both him and his apprentice looking at the Margrave with a confused look.

"I desire to speak again with my Teacher, with blood running through her, soul housed inside her, life breathed within her. Retrieving her corpse is simply the first step."

"You are planning on bringing Echidna back..."

"Yes Sora-kun, this possibility is present because it is her. There is no way to bring back lives that have met a conventional death. The Od Lagna would never permit such convenient magic as resurrection"

"Od Lagna?" Both Sora and Subaru questioned this in unison, both never having heard this word before.

"Od Lagna is... how to say, a stockpile of mana in the fount of the world. No, supposing that the world itself were a living creature, then it would be its nexus, and the od of the world. Though we can only imagine as to its exact location, and whether it is sentient or not."

"The od of the world... what does that mean?" Sora asked with a curious tone of voice.

"Weeeeeeeeell to explain that would require quick perusal of the entire history of magic to this day."

"In three sentences." Subaru says in a serious voice.

"How harsh!"

Roswaal quickly thinks carefully on his words before explaining everything regarding the od of the world, giving the two keyblade wielders a history lesson. As they were learning some more of the world and learning that Roswaal will revive Echidna in a way that doesn't defy the Od Lagna, Sora crossed his arms and started to puzzle something together.

"That is why you want Emilia to win the Royal Selection. That is a part of the plan to reunite with your teacher."

"Sora-kun, that is very impressive of you."

"Hmm. So I assume that you won't screw with us from here on out and help us in getting Emilia to win this Royal Selection."

"Cooooooorrect Subaru-kun. That is veeeeeery impressive."

Sora nodded at the praise he got despite it being from Roswaal. The three stay silent for a moment before Roswaal asks Sora to leave the room for a moment for Subaru and him to speak. Sora was very uncertain yet Subaru reassured him that he will be fine. With this Sora nodded at him and left the room, leaving Subaru and Roswaal alone. Once alone, Subaru started the conversation by asking what he wanted.

"I have lost my guide the gospel, and lost sight of the path of how things should be. But that doesn't make me abandon my goals in the least. Our contract prevents me from using my past approach and even supposing I laid pointless obstacles before you, Garfiel would rip my throat open, so I am also barred from that."

"...Yeah, exactly. So what can you do? What path can you pick except one where you reveal your goal, and come to us for help?"

"That is simple. —I will oversee you."

"..." Subaru stayed silent while Roswaal continued to speak.

"Fortunately, your goal of making Emilia-sama the Ruler overlaps with my path to achieving my goal. This is where you were supposed to secure an unshakable will of iron, devoting yourself to Emilia-sama no matter the loss, and become a Knight riddled in wounds. But that route is defunct. You instead chose to walk a more painful, more agonizing path of thorns. Though I do respect you for it, I also pity you."

"Excuse me?" Subaru says with a glare at Roswaal, not liking this. Roswaal could only look at Subaru with pity and disappointment.

"This is where you should've learned what it is to lose something. You should have become a Sage, who even in the face of loss, stringently protects only what is precious. I know how it sounds, but I wanted to save you."

"What's so sagely about that? What is so clever about accepting loss? Also I'm a keyblade wielder, I rather be a Keyblade Master than a Sage."

"You have rejected loss, chosen to salvage everything and you will hurt for it. You will repeatedly suffer wounds beyond repair, repeatedly suffer loss, frantically attempt to regain what you lost, the invisible hurt compounding perpetually and I pity that."

"You..."

"And so I will not be lenient about your refusal to be a Sage and decision to be a Fool as expected, yes? After all, you're the one who chose this."

"..."

"—Should you lose anyone who you needed to protect, I will swiftly incinerate the survivors."

"You son of a...?!"

Roswaal patted Subaru in the shoulder while continuing to speak.

"You've chosen to save everything. You must not miscarry a single thing. A world of loss must not lead to the future. So long as a future where you accept loss could lead to a future I do not desire, I will invalidate it. Now that the gospel is gone, you are what guides me to my goal, Subaru-kun. Only you, and your path."

"You do realize that Master Sora will stop you. He won't easily be defeated by the likes of you."

"You are right that Sora-kun will be a difficult one but I will find a way...but leaving that matter aside, there's no need to be so scared. Provided that you continue to fulfil your roles, I will offer you my utmost assistance. —That is the contract between us."

"...Really taught me to be more careful when looking at contracts."

"Your duty is to ensure that not a single person present today is lost, Subaru-kun. Without ever losing a single person, lead Emilia-sama to the top. Should you achieve that, I will also fulfil my goal. I will see my Teacher again."

Subaru was very hesitant by this yet kept his composure, knowing that Roswaal wouldn't dare to do something to him with Sora nearby. Roswaal sigh for a long moment before standing tall.

"Upon my name of Margave Roswaal L. Mathers, once we return to the main estate, I shall appoint you, Natsuki Subaru, as Knight. —The promise will be fulfilled."

Subaru stood silent for a moment before allowing Roswaal to leave yet there was some information that the clown gave him.

"Right. I did just tell you that I'd be helping you wholeheartedly, so heeeeeeere's another piece of information."

"...What is it."

"—I hired the Bowel Hunter to kill Beatrice, but both this and the previous attack from the Beastmaster are completely unrelated to me."

"—Huh?"

"There's nothing to add. I was the commissioner for the affair in the Capital, and requested Beatrice's assassination. But I never asked anyone to kill Frederica or Petra, and had no time to tell them the particulars. I had been following the gospel's writ and placed the order before the Selection started, you see."

"But, that can't... I mean, she and Elsa are from the same group, so..."

"Someone other than myself was operating to attack the mansion, iiiiiiiiiis what it means."

"..."

"Adversity never seems to end, and isn't there worth in resisting it?"

Subaru stood silent by this and quickly left the tomb, having told Sora that he needed some time to think where he ended up reuniting with Beatrice.

"You look depressed, in fact."

"Beako."

"I don't know what Roswaal told you but my contractor needs to stop making that face, I suppose. It reflects poorly on Betty, in fact."

"That's a real issue. And I just told you how awesome I'd be oh hell this is pathetic."

Beatrice looks at Subaru and quickly gets into eye level of his.

"It seems that he said some terrible things, I suppose...I don't mind hearing out your whining, in fact. As a temporary, special service, I suppose."

"Just the sentence 'whining into a little girl's chest' is abysmal so I'll give that a pass. If it really is looking bad then I'll instantly be there though."

"Well, if you're so inclined then I'll deal with it with you, in fact."

Beatrice snorts as she gets to her feet while Subaru lifts himself up as well. As the two were going to leave to catch up with Sora and Roswaal to walk back into Sanctuary, Subaru quickly saying,

"Although we didn't get a chance to do a spiritual arts things, I can't wait to do some cool stuff."

"...Ahm, I suppose."

"Though that was another case of be being completely dependant on you so I can't go bragging about it. I mean I can say I'm a spiritualist, but it hasn't exactly hit me yet."

"Subaru. —I have something important to tell you, in fact."

"Yes?"

"Your contract with Betty means you're a spiritualist, but... Betty is very different from most spirits, in fact. So you would best consider yourself as being slightly different from a genuine spiritualist, I suppose."

"Betty is... well, strictly speaking, Betty and Bubby are diverged from the principles of other spirits, in fact. Mother... the Witch Echidna made us, meaning that we are man-made spirits, I suppose. With that said, it's logistically difficult to create us by infallible means... while Betty is inestimably powerful compared to ordinary spirits, I do have some flaws, in fact"

"Flaws...?"

Beatrice looks ashamed as Subaru voices the word. Beatrice is prideful and has incredible respect for her mother. It must hurt her to acknowledge that she has flaws at her most fundamental aspect but Beatrice casts that weakness away with a sigh,

"Bubby and Betty each have different flaws, but...one of my flaws is monopolization of my contractor, I suppose."

"Monopolization of your contractor?"

"Put simply, merely by preserving a contract with Betty, the contractor exhausts practically all of their capabilities as a spiritualist. So... erm, being that you're in a contract with me, Subaru, you can't contract with any spirits except Betty, I suppose. That applies be the spirit minor or lesser, in fact."

"...Okay, got it. Well that's kind of a disappointment, but I'll accept it anyway. There's heaps of benefits to a contract with you, ignoring the cons and I'm not going to let go of you to go making contracts with some dumb minor spirits."

"G-Good."

Hearing that reply made Beatrice's tense cheeks relax somewhat but she instantly erases that expression, clears her throat and continues to speak.

"Th-there's still more left, I suppose. Though it's a very minor thing compared to that other one, in fact. No need to think too hard as you listen, I suppose."

"Okay."

"Erm, so well, Betty is a little, yes, just a little higher grade compared to most spirits, and, erm… I have poor mileage, in fact."

"Mileage... makes you sound like a car."

Subaru pauses himself and begins to think carefully about what Beatrice told him. He begins to think about how in a video game when using a powerful ability, it takes lots of MP.

"Huh? But for having poor mileage you used tons of magic against the Great Rabbit..."

"That was using mana from the stockpile I had amassed over a long period, I suppose. Had I been taking the mana I needed for that fight, not even thousands of you would suffice, in fact. You can thank me for that, I suppose."

"W-well sure. I can't imagine how strained I'd be if I tried doing any of that...But we can't keep doing that, can we? I'm your contractor, so of course I need to supply you with mana."

"I'm expecting you to, in fact. Man-made spirits like Betty and Bubby are substantiated od, meaning we don't naturally produce mana, I suppose. So we need to get mana from the atmosphere or our contractor, in fact and I can only receive my mana from people, I suppose."

"Okay. ...Then how were you getting by in the mansion?"

"...I-I was taking bits from everyone there, in fact."

Beatrice looked away in shame with Subaru thinking back on their first meeting in how she zapped him. As he recalled the event, he turned towards Beatrice and started to say to her,

"Wait, why didn't you get Master Sora?!"

"...His mana felt off, I suppose."

"Off?"

"I just didn't want to, I suppose!"

"Okay Okay...aside from that, how much mana do you have?"

"—None, I suppose."

"...What?"

Subaru was surprised to hear this and quickly asked why is that only for Beatrice to say that she used all her mana in the fight against the Great Rabbit. As he heard this, he made a realization of this.

"So... did we just make a team of a spirit and spiritualist that can't use magic!?"

"W-well, I suppose that's one way you could put it, in fact."

"How else could you put it!? The hell! Are you kidding me, is this seriously happening!?"

Going from the results, what Subaru achieved by becoming a spiritualist was acquiring a little girl.

"Actually I'm really worried about where this is going now!? Are you sure we'll be okay!?"

"Whoopsie, I suppose."

"It's not funny!"

This is the newborn pairing of two people that create half a spiritualist.

Author's note:

So with that, we are technically at the end of Arc 4 but there is still an interlude that is very important for the story. This interlude I made is mostly original and yes, Roswaal will have a punishment but I'm saving that for later since there will be something that will take the attention away from the clown for now.