Chapter 127: Midnight Meeting
YN pushed away branches, moved vines, stepped over twigs, logs, and rocks as he navigated the terribly rough path Subaru was trailblazing.
Along the way, despite the frustration of the terrain they were navigating to the place the black-haired boy had in mind to visit, the two had discussed what talks they had been engaged in while separated about only an hour ago.
Subaru first told YN of his heavy discussion with Garfiel, and how he would now more than likely be on high alert the next morning, meaning if they were to do any real detective work this Loop, it had to be tonight.
In turn, YN told Subaru of how his emotional argument with Ram went, and how he had probably caused any further help from her in this Loop to be near non-existent.
Both of them though took solace that at least to themselves, individually, one wasn't alone in the fact that relationships had been squandered, and potential opportunities were lost this early on into the Loop.
But as all information was shared, and the destination they were heading to was still not before them, the topic of it directly came up now.
The place Subaru sought out in this moon-lit safari was somewhere in the direction he'd seen Garfiel come from before. The black-haired boy thought he might have been to this destination before though technically, when he had died to the Great Hare two Loops ago. He had stumbled upon a recently ruined structure where hadn't remembered seeing anything before, all in an area he sure was just vacant forest.
This mystery location was seemingly far on the outskirts of the Sanctuary, opposite from the side the Tomb was, which was closer to where the Emilia-camp had originally traveled in from. To say the least, one would need to know of this place in advance to suspect anything was out here to begin with.
YN: —but why did you think it was recently destroyed? Some of these structures here have to be close to half a millennia old if the Witch's Tomb is already four hundred years old.
Subaru: Because, it was the way the snow had fallen on everything. The amount on the ruined part was way less than anything else around it. It either collapsed, or was knocked down before I got there. If the Great Hare was going to kill everyone in the Sanctuary, someone wanted whatever was in there hidden so it couldn't be found afterwards.
YN: So you're saying it had something worth hiding in there.
Subaru: Exactly. It's as good a place as any to start looking for clues. If we can unravel the mysteries of the Sanctuary, that's our best shot at escaping it I think.
With only a few more paces of thick undergrowth before them, by the time Subaru finished explaining, they had reached a small clearing of sorts. As Subaru stopped, he was silent, and YN closed the distance behind him.
Across the way, lit up by the moonlight, was their destination.
Subaru: I don't believe it...
YN: W-What? What is it?
Shaking his head in disbelief, it didn't appear as if this was a bad revelation.
Subaru: I've already been here before. Twice additionally, actually.
YN: Huh?
Subaru: I never realized it until now.
Talking a few steps forward, Subaru walked ahead and turned to face YN once more.
Subaru: —When I was captured, this was where Garfiel kept me. Maybe it was because I was half-blind, but I really did end up running right back without noticing it the first time, huh?
YN: And the other time?
Subaru: In the last Loop, where the shadow's were consuming everything, Garfiel and I had escaped to this place's roof... I didn't realize then either that this was really all the same place...
Turning to face the structure again, Subaru shook his head one last time before rubbing his nose.
Subaru: Bring it on, oh inevitable fate.
Catching up to his fellow wayward traveling companion, they stopped at the single wooden door that led inside.
YN: I'll take point.
Hand on the door, YN pushed open the swollen wood door with a moderate amount of effort, forcing its hinges to creak as the bottom and tops of the door struggled against their stone framings.
It was the first step inside though, YN smelled it.
YN: Agh... Yuck...
The stench managed to make him curl his lip up with its unpleasantness. It was a dank smelling fog of sorts. As Subaru entered too and breathed in, he pinched his nose in reaction.
Subaru: Bleh. It's like my high school locker-room and a discount fish-market rolled into one.
While it wasn't debilitatingly strong, it was definitely a pungent aroma.
YN looked about for whatever rotting animal carcass was making this smell, but for whatever reason, nothing obvious seemed to be the origin of the rank smell. In fact, there seemed to be a distinct lack of bugs or other small creatures that might normally be brought in by such a foul stench. No cobwebs littered the walls and ceilings, and neither did any flies buzz around.
Subaru: It's pretty empty in here...
Spare what looked to be a few cluttered workbenches with various tools upon them made of rotten wood and rusted out metal, the room's only other feature was another door on the opposite end of where they were now.
YN: Let's check that other door...
Stepping across the floor, they reached it, and with YN taking the lead once more—
YN: —Huh, this one isn't as jammed as—
Halting his words, the warm, bluish-white glow that resonated throughout the whole room now sent his senses into a frenzy. Just from how little the door was open, he could feel warmer, more moist air rush past him as the light fell on his face.
Subaru (whisper): There's a buzz too...
Spoken low, Subaru also had his nerves up now too upon the odd sensation and visuals.
Looking back to Subaru, YN nodded, and pressed onward. Taking the first step inside, YN's eyes grew wide, with Subaru doing the same.
Before them, was a large glowing crystal inside a circular chamber, sat upon a podium of sorts.
Realizing quickly what it appeared to be, and also who appeared to be inside it, YN extended his arm, palm out, to hide any glimpse of indecency he might be subjected to out of respect.
Subaru: ...is that, who it looks like?
YN: From what I'm allowed to see, yes, it would appear to be her...
Subaru: I know she has clones... but I wasn't expecting this too.
Hugging her knees, curled up like a baby, was none other than what appeared to be Ryuzu. She was seemingly in a suspended animation of sorts, and her fetal-position posture and lack of consciousness inside this crystal made her appear more like a test subject in some sort of sci-fi medical bath-tube thing of sorts.
YN & Subaru: What the hell?
They each were stunned to uncover such an oddity here of all places.
Subaru: Right here... Right where this crystal was, there was a huge hole in the ground, like everything underneath here just sank in and was destroyed.
Looking around the room more, it wasn't just the crystal that was glowing. Moss of a variety that glowed was thriving in this damp environment, and just like the previous room, various workbenches and tools littered this space as well, but were in much worse condition.
Subaru: In six days... this place gets destroyed to the point you could never tell what was here... That has to be Garfiel's doing.
Doubtful though, YN shrugged.
YN: Why would he destroy this place though? He's a meathead, remember? He's the farthest thing from being a mad scientist.
Unconvinced by YN, Subaru put a hand to his chin before he kicked over some of the disintegrated tools on the ground nearby.
Subaru: Let's have a look around before we jump to any more conclusions... There's gotta be something of a clue in this mess...
With the decision made to start looking around, YN started thumbing through any of the various workbenches and tools strewn about the room whilst Subaru found what appeared by a closet, beset with mountains more junk packed inside.
Getting into the storage space, Subaru began to look more in depth while YN had moved to looking more towards the entrance of the space.
YN: There's nothing but shit in here...
Rummaging through more rubbish, YN came to what appeared to be a pile of translucent-amber crystals of sorts, like the kind normally found that glowed with the four colors of the day.
YN: Huh...
Bending over and moving a few of them, they clanged around like a bunch of discarded beer bottles, but as the dull rings echoed about, another sound entered YN's head.
*ba-dum-ba-dum-ba-dum-ba-dum-ba-dum-ba-dum—*
The sound of drums echoing in his mind caused his senses to kick into overdrive. Standing so quickly, he turned and felt lightheaded for a moment while he tried locating the source of the sound.
Usually when I hear that noise, it means something or someone is about to—!
?: — — —
Having managed to silently open the door to the strange space both Subaru and him were in, YN saw and recognized who was here now.
?: — — —
YN: Uhh... Hello?
Standing there, speechless and emotionless, the person of short stature did not respond to YN.
Rather, the short elf simply walked, barefoot across the stone floor to the inner room with a light "pat-pat-pat-pat" as she did.
Paying YN no mind, he figured this must be one of the clones he'd heard of.
YN: H-Hey, Subaru.
Still busy with the closet, Subaru looked up just as the small visitor entered into the main room with the large crystal that housed her look-alike.
Subaru: What's up? —Oh, hello there.
Just as stunned as YN was by this guest, he had followed her into the room, just behind her.
Watching as the small figure briskly walked to the center of the room by the large crystal, YN pointed to her as he looked to Subaru.
YN: Is that... Uhhh—
Subaru: —Yep. That's a Ryuzu clone.
YN: Huh.
Simply accepting it as fact, it felt surreal to see both this clone and the one it was seemingly cloned from imprisoned in the crystal just above it, all in the same frame of vision.
Wasting no time though, the short elf of long pink hair knelt down at the crystal's podium and opened what appeared to be a small cabinet that had been disguised as part of the base.
And as soon as it did open—
Subaru: Phew!
YN: Ugh...
Waving the air away from his nose, Subaru tried to bat the awful smell away while YN brought his shirt over his nose to mask the stench.
An even more awful aroma permeated the room with the opening of this podium's cabinet as the small clone remained unphased, even being right by its source.
Despite the bad smell though, YN and Subaru observed the clone as she worked.
Reaching into one opening that glowed intensely, she removed what appeared to be a crystal, not unlike the ones YN found in the other room. Rather though, this one glowed the familiar cold blue that lit up the whole room from the large crystal at its center. Shutting that door, the clone opened a second cabinet while still on her knees.
Inside was a single dimly lit crystal. Using her free hand, she yanked the crystal from its holder. Out of the contraption, the crystal burned out with a small flicker before becoming just like one of the many YN had seen in the other room; amber and translucent.
Without even looking, the Ryuzu clone chucked the crystal over her shoulder, discarding it without a second thought as it hit a nearby wall and fell behind a collapsed workbench.
Then, the more vibrant crystal she held was then forced into where she had pulled the dull one from. From its insertion, another array of blue lights slowly began to glow as an audible hum could be heard now.
Subaru: Finally, now we get to see magic circles.
Recalling the typical magical glyphs one might typically envision when thinking of a fantasy world's arcane arts, to YN, they looked more like circular electrical circuits.
I had to take a small unit on electrical components in that educational app... this reminds me a lot of them...
But, as the circuit or glyphs were fully lit up, the two felt the air vibrate with a great magnitude.
Subaru: Woah, woah, woah... what was that?
Saying that as the clone shut the cabinet door before her, YN let down his arm he had instinctively braced with as he felt the wave of energy be released by the crystal being installed.
YN: Whatever it was, that just let out a ton of mana into the air...
And while that was true, both Subaru and YN weren't the only ones to react to the flood of mana now in the local atmosphere.
Algol: —!
Excited by the sensation, YN's contracted Yang spirit emerged from wherever it was that allowed it to remain hidden normally. As the spirit fluttered about, Subaru commented on it.
Subaru: Did the mana excite Algol into coming out?
YN: Maybe? I don't—
While YN was answering his fellow wayward traveling companion, he was forced to cut off his own words.
YN: —H-Hey Algol, cut it out, Ryuzu— er, Clone-san needs to work.
While the clone appeared to be inspecting if things on the larger crystal were nominal after performing its maintenance, the spec of light that was the Yang spirit, Algol, circled and danced about around her figure.
Algol: —! —! —!
Paying its contracted individual no mind, YN stepped forward to get it to stop.
YN: Cmon, cut it out. You shouldn't be so rude.
YN waved his hand about as he tried getting the Yang spirit to leave the clone be. To this, Algol simply evaded any swat he tried to give it.
Being forced to swat more aggressively, YN ended up brushing the shoulder of the small clone as she went to stand suddenly.
Subaru: —Aiyeee!
Subaru braced as if he expected something to be thrown at him as the clone moved.
YN: What's gotten into you now?
Moving the fingers on the hands that covered his face and eyes, Subaru peered through the gap before dropping them and answering once he regained his composure.
Subaru: Sorry. It's n-nothing...
Even garnering the attention of the clone and Algol with his sudden shrill of fear, Subaru felt all the eyes on him eat into his conscious. Scratching the back of his head, he nervously gave a better answer as a mumble under his breath.
Subaru: It's just that... Remember how Garfiel used the unnamed clones as improvised explosives against the shadows in the last Loop? They detonated from just touch.
YN: Oh jeez, thanks for waiting to share that.
Feeling like he had narrowly avoided stepping on an active landmine, the clone before YN went to turn and moved around him, having completed its task.
Subaru: Woah, woah, hey wait a minute!
The clone paid the black-haired boy no mind as it went to depart.
Subaru: J-Just hang on a second! Is there anything you can show us about this place?! Anything at all?!
Blocking the clone's path to the way back to the entrance area, Subaru took a wide stance with his arms out. But only hesitating for a moment, the small clone got on her hands and knees, and tactfully crawled between Subaru's legs.
Subaru: H-Hey!
Unsure if he could flank the clone before it reached the final door, it was someone else's turn to stop the short, pink-haired elf.
Algol: —!
Rushing past Subaru and reaching the clone, the Yang spirit danced in her immediate vision. Memorized by the white spec of light, the clone came to a complete stop halfway to the door, and looked upon Algol with a blank expression that still somehow managed to have a wonder of fascination to it.
With Subaru now fully enthralled trying to get some sort of clue out of the clone herself now, YN couldn't help but turn his attention back to the glowing blue crystal before him.
YN: — — —
The structure continued to hum and radiate mana as it sustained the figure of what could only be another Ryuzu clone inside.
What... What is this thing? What's its purpose? What are the mechanisms in the pedestal doing?
Fully confused by what this massive crystal's function was, YN could only figure it had something to do with the Sanctuary's many mysteries.
I really wish Rem was here to help me brainstorm... I don't have the faintest clue...
Deep down, YN felt there was some sort of small piece of information he lacked that Rem would easily be able to recognize, and from there, the mystery could begin to be unraveled with Subaru's help.
I don't think we realized just how much of the dream-team we were back in Saluzzo and then later, the Capitol...
Thinking back to how well everyone really worked as a team, without Rem, it felt like the entire synergy of the camp was thrown off.
Rem really was a keystone, wasn't she?
And that keystone had chosen to love him of all people. Reflecting on this, YN felt his heart begin to be heavy.
YN: Rem...
Looking at the hue of blue the crystal radiated in its illumination, although different, it did remind him of Rem in a way.
Reaching out with his hand, YN let his fingertips reach the crystal. While cold at first, YN for a moment thought maybe this crystal was actually ice, and the mechanism under it was some kind of magical cryogenic facilitator which—
Hot...
Unsure if it was so cold, his body felt the stinging freeze as heat, YN quickly had the sensation double.
Hot.
No, there was a definite temperature shift here now. It was as warm as a cup of tea now.
YN: Hot...
Warmer and warmer, the sensation grew, and exponentially so.
YN: Uhh—
Trying to remove his fingers due to the discomfort, he could not.
YN: Hot!
Like his fingers had been frozen to the crystal from the initial cold, like one's tongue could be against a flagpole in the middle of a blizzard, the sensation was the same except what coupled the frozen bondage was now an immense heat.
YN:—Gah, let go!
Subaru: Huh?
Hearing his friend say something odd, Subaru took his attention off the clone, and looked up to YN.
Near searing was the heat now felt on his fingers that eclipsed the crystal's surface.
YN: —It burns!
Finally bracing his other hand on his arm, YN used both arm's strength to try and detach himself from the overwhelming heat.
Feeling like his skin was about to melt to the crystal, YN used his mana to augment his strength, and using enough force he might just tip the whole crystal over—
YN: —Gah!
Falling backwards from the release, YN immediately brought his hand to his mouth.
Subaru: Y-YN!
Abandoning the clone, YN's fellow wayward traveling companion rushed to his aid.
Subaru: YN! What happened?!
With Subaru standing over him now, YN removed his fingers from his mouth and went to inspect the damage.
YN: —Huh?
Except there was none.
In fact, all the pain had instantly subsided.
YN: The burn... It's gone?
Subaru: Did you try touching the crystal?!
YN: Yeah, but that's only because I didn't think much of it...
As they both tried to look back to where YN had made contact with the blue surface, a white spec of light crossed both of their visions.
Algol: —! —! —!
Circling and orbiting YN's hand that had touched the crystal, Algol danced about.
Subaru: That's strange... It's really odd that Algol-san seems to be so active all of sudden...
YN: I've got no clue... Maybe Emilia might know why? I wonder if the mana in the crystal clashed with my own... But it's weird that the pain is all of a sudden gone, normally my Gate stays bruised-feeling if anything abnormal happens to it.
Subaru: Maybe you got the magical equivalent of a cramp?
While the two helplessly speculated over the details, the soft "pat-pat-pat-pat" of the clones bare feet rushing across the stone floor could be heard behind them. As they each turned to look—
?: — — —
Right before them both, the clone stopped, and bowed her head.
YN & Subaru: —Huh?
Both caught off guard, the two looked to each other in question at the clone's sudden change in prerogative, which only became more odd when Algol once more rushed to her side.
?: — — —
Algol: —! —! —!
Rushing and racing all around the Ryuzu doppelganger, Algol was immensely excited about something that was lost to the two humans here.
But even more surprising, was that the clone was no longer interested in Algol it seemed, and what she did next shocked them both.
YN & Subaru: —!
Dropping to a single knee, the clone bowed like a servant would to one's master.
Utterly confused by this gesture, the two turned their vision back to the crystal behind them, each wondering if YN's touch had somehow altered it and that's what the clone was bowing to.
While YN expected the Ryuzu inside to all of a sudden be awake inside, Subaru predicted that cracks might be forming on the crystal, and it was ready to burst.
As each looked through, nothing had changed. Inside, the Ryuzu clone remained in a suspended animation of sorts, and the crystal itself was unaltered.
Yet as they went to look back the the Ryuzu clone bowing—
?: — — —
YN: —!
Only perhaps with enough room for Algol to fit between them, the Ryuzu clone had silently moved much closer to YN while his and Subaru's visions had been turned.
Right before him, face to face, and practically nose to nose, the blank expression of the Ryuzu clone's entire face filled YN's viewscape.
YN: Uhhhh...
This is a little too close for comfort...
Taking a half step back though, the clone reached out with her tiny hands, grabbing YN's shoulder, and tugged at him.
Subaru: Huh?
Standing again, the clone kept hold of YN's arm, and with her blank expression still, continued to tug at him.
YN: W-What's wrong? D-Do you want me to follow you somewhere?
?: — — —
With no obvious answer to his question, Subaru relayed what he learned whilst YN had been busy with the crystal not even a few moments ago.
Subaru: *Sigh.* It's no good. She won't respond to anything you ask or say.
Feeling more tugs on his arm, YN, still sitting on the floor and more or less level with the Ryuzu clone, was at a loss of what he should do.
But coming up with a possible answer, Algol floated on back over to her.
Zipping around her vision, Algol seemed to be going from eye, to blue eye of the Ryuzu clone. Stopping though, it returned back before YN's face. With a motion of going up, and then down, and repeating that three or so times, it appeared as if the Yang spirit had something it wished to communicate.
YN: Is... Is that a 'yes?' She wants me to follow her?
With Algol repeating the same upward and downward motion, YN could only assume this was a nod of approval or agreement.
YN: Okay then—
Being helped to stand by Subaru, as soon as YN was standing, the clone immediately took his free hand.
YN: —lead the way.
Pulled along like this clone were an eager child, YN was lead out of the structure and into the night-time air of the outer Sanctuary.
Subaru: Huh... I figured it was going to try and show you something inside that place, not somewhere else. Oh well, I guess you can't get the tiger cub without going into the tiger's den.
YN: I suppose so.
Now outside, the clone led them to the edge of the clearing in a similar direction they had originally come from.
YN: Umm, Ryuzu-clone-san, are we going far?
With the clone stopping, Algol once again surfaced and danced around the small elf's head before returning to YN to relay the answer. Swaying side to side, he could assume the answer was "no."
YN: Hmm, alright.
Subaru: Really? I don't think we passed anything of note getting here...
Trying to maybe think what the clone's definition of "close" might be with a hand on his chin, Subaru was startled by a sudden appearance of someone new behind them.
?: What a funny trio you all are.
With a familiar voice being heard, all in attendance turned back to the center of the clearing where the voice came from.
Standing where the light from the moon above was unobstructed by the tree canopy, was the third Ryuzu they'd seen this evening now, only that this one possessed the crystal topped staff they had originally met her with.
As this figure of white and pink stood after speaking, the first to "speak up" was Algol, who rushed over to her small stature. Spinning from top to bottom all around her, the Yang spirit then returned to the clone that still held YN's hand, and made a similar gesture before flying back up to YN's face once again.
Algol: —! —! —!
Swaying from side to side as if happy, Ryuzu commented on the spirit's presence.
Ryuzu: Ahh, forgive me for not noticing; tis' quite the quartet we have here.
Continuously swaying as if they were ecstatic to be mentioned, Algol danced about.
YN: I uhh, hope this isn't awkward for you, Ryuzu-san.
Worried the elf would be put off by her doppelganger holding his hand, Ryuzu shook her head, making her long pink hair sway from side to side.
Ryuzu: I am certain Y-bo has a lot of things he wishes he could ask that little one there. —And Su-bo too, about what they saw inside.
Clearly un-hostile to the two, Subaru lost any sort of defensiveness he might have had.
Subaru: If you could entertain our questions, we'd be grateful.
Excitedly replying to what he believed was an offer for information, Ryuzu smiled with her eyes as she slowly approached the two, her face still concealed by the tall collar of her coat.
YN: That'd actually be really helpful if you'd be willing to, Ryuzu-san.
Ryuzu: A change in location may be for the best then, yes?
YN: Yeah. That works. Better privacy too.
Ryuzu: I'm glad you see it that way.
More or less silently confirming they all would prefer to not be interrupted by a certain golden-haired Sanctuary resident, Ryuzu had agreed as she passed by her doppelganger.
I guess we're going to get some answers then.
Following the elf into the forest, the two wayward travelers, the clone, and the Yang spirit followed suit.
The small trek had been marked by a rather quiet time of walking in the peaceful silence of the moonlit forest. It wasn't until they all had finally arrived at Ryuzu's own shack that anyone spoke again.
As everyone crowded into her small hovel, it was clearly constructed with someone as short and small as Ryuzu in mind. YN and Subaru each took seats on relatively small and uncomfortable chairs, and sat at a table their knees ultimately bumped into. If either of them would stand too quickly without great care, they could easily put their heads through the low ceiling.
Yet, trying her best to be a gracious host, Ryuzu began to make tea for them all. As the finished product was made, a cup was placed before each of them, including one of her own.
With Ryuzu and Subaru both taking a sip of the hot liquid, things finally began to move along in terms of there being a dialog.
Subaru: I guess I can start now...
Ryuzu: Hmm, go right ahead, Su-bo.
Subaru: For starters then—
Looking over to YN, Subaru stared not at him per-say, but rather the small, pink haired elf clinging to YN's arm, which, had decided that the best possible spot for herself to be was the already cramped space between the two of them. Admittedly, Subaru was a little annoyed by this choice, as her stature took up any room for his arm and elbow to be as he sat.
Subaru: —is there a reason Pico here is so fixated on YN?
Having not let go of this arm the entire time since she had taken it originally, the clone blankly stared out across the table as Subaru commented on her behavior, not reacting to it at all.
Amused slightly by it though, Ryuzu answered his question with a question for YN.
Ryuzu: Is there a meaning behind this name you've given this little one?
Only able to shrug with one of his arms due to "Pico" hanging on the other, YN answered.
YN: That was one of Subaru's ideas, not mine I'm afraid.
Ryuzu: I see... Su-bo has quite the creative mind it seems.
With Ryuzu and Subaru both taking a second sip of their tea, YN felt obliged to take one of his own now using his one free hand, if not to appear rude.
Yet, even despite his best effort, YN had a rougher reaction to it then he would have liked to have had.
Ryuzu: You must forgive me, good tea leaves are hard to come across in such a place as the Sanctuary.
Clearly noticing it, Ryuzu had commented on his scrunched face upon taking a sip of the tea, which made YN feel somewhat ashamed as he did not wish to be rude to her hospitality.
Subaru: It's really nothing so simple. YN struggles with anything not made by Rem. Even though Frederica is really good in the kitchen... It's a similar story.
Coming to his conversational aid though, Subaru spoke up to defend YN.
Ryuzu: There's no offense taken.
As Ryuzu held up one tiny hand in innocence, she did slightly tilt her head afterwards.
Ryuzu: Certainly though, Su-bo means Ram, correct?
YN: —No.
Sharply answering, YN recomposed himself as he cleared his throat.
YN: *Ahem...* Pardon... But no, he does mean Rem. The blue-haired girl we showed to you and Garf.
Ryuzu: Ahh. That is right... I do apologize, it was not this one who was in audience for that, but I had heard of it.
Giving each other a side eye upon Ryuzu answering in such a cryptic way, their curiosity was obvious.
Ryuzu: —That will make more sense in a bit, for now, let us return to where we were about Rem. This was the girl who had her place in this world removed by the Archbishop of Gluttony, yes?
YN: Yes...
Ryuzu: And you two were close, I can understand why this has affected you so greatly.
As YN became more quiet with Rem on his mind, Ryuzu and Subaru spoke more in depth as the groundskeeper wallowed in his own mental bog of misery.
The two spoke of things regarding Garfiel, and namely, how Ryuzu was used to warning others about the hot tea, as the golden-haired youth did struggle with eating hot food, which struck Subaru as odd, given all the macho bravado he liked to flex.
Rem... I miss you...
Still though, YN felt his heart sink lower the longer he dwelled on thoughts of Rem. It seemed to fuel his heartache the more often things in the real world were affected by Rem's absence.
Yet as a dark cloud once more threatened to send YN's mind into a much more dispirited state, he felt a warm tug trying to cast away such clouds.
Huh?
Gripping his arm tighter, Pico's tiny fingers must have been squeezing with all their strength. As this garnered YN's attention, it brought him out of his stale state of self, and he looked upon the one responsible.
Pico: — — —
With her two blue eyes looking up at him, the elf's little face with her two pointed ears and fluffy hair of pink stared up at him with the same blank expression she always wore; ultimately emotionless.
Is... Is this Pico trying to show me sympathy of some kind?
Unsure of the Clone's intention with this sudden grip of his arm, there was thankfully a break in the conversation between Subaru and Ryuzu, allowing YN to ask about it.
YN: Umm, Ryuzu-san, again about the clone—, err, Pico... Is there a reason behind her clinging on to me?
With a sip of her tea, the clone's identical counterpart answered him flatly.
Ryuzu: 'Tis a consequence of touching things he shouldn't have.
Looking to Subaru now, it seemed the conversation had finally moved in the direction he had been hoping for, something which Ryuzu knew he was waiting for. As Subaru folded his hands and set them on them on the table, a look of determination flashed in his scary eyes.
Subaru: I hope you've got answers... because I've got questions.
With a simple nod of affirmation from Ryuzu, the conversation in her small shack finally could get down to it's purpose; unraveling the mysteries of the Sanctuary.
To say the least, a plethora of things were discussed between the black-haired boy and the elf. While YN silently nursed his tea, a wealth of information was sprung from Ryuzu.
Not to any surprise, but the Sanctuary was founded by Echidna. It had been a place for her laboratory, the place they had stumbled into before bumping into Ryuzu outside. This brought the conversation to the laboratory itself, and the Ryuzu "clone" encased in the crystal, which as they would come to find out now, was the original Ryuzu. "Ryuzu Meyer."
The Ryuzu before them, across the table currently telling them all this, and Pico, off to YN's side still, diligently holding his arm, were all copies of Ryuzu Meyer.
All Ryuzu clones or copies were born hollow and without any personality. "Ryuzu" across from them was no different. It was only after many, many years did she become the person she was. Over that time, her personality was born from filling that empty vessel with experiences.
During all this discussion, YN had sat silently with baited breath the entire time. With such an elaborate past woven into this place, it was no wonder the inhabitants were somewhat stand-offish. But silent, YN could remain no longer. With the topic of the small girl hanging onto his arm and blankly staring across the room as if this conversation revolving around her very origin wasn't going on, he felt duty-bound almost to speak up in her place.
YN: Ryuzu-san, does this mean Pico here is also empty on the inside?
Gently nodding at the concerned tone in his voice, Ryuzu found YN's earnest question endearing, and was happy to answer.
Ryuzu: That little one wasn't born that long ago... she's only just been given her role. She can understand basic instructions, but otherwise, she is like a newborn child. —Only, she also doesn't cry or need to be fed, so she's much easier to take care of.
YN: I—I see... That's convenient.
Subaru: Wait a minute though... How's that possible? Even someone born a clone would need things like food and water to function... So why not them?
Confused, Subaru was only given a wry smile by the elf across the table from him.
Ryuzu: Is it not obvious by the information you already have?
Asking this with her palm up, gesturing to Subaru, the answer quickly, and almost intentionally, came from YN.
YN: —It's mana. Isn't it?
Ryuzu: That would be the accurate thing to say, yes.
Elaborating more, Ryuzu went over how hard it was for Echidna to actually create the copies, and how they were virtually made from nothing. The Witch of Greed had found a way to synthesize artificial Od. While even Ryuzu herself was unfamiliar with the process, to create artificial Od, have it become able to manipulate mana, —mana that wasn't even the kind just in the atmosphere, and to then allow it to form a physical body, was something of immense skill and knowledge that Echidna had figured out.
While the basic description of the process reminded YN and Subaru of Beatrice or Puck, it also spoke highly of how skilled the Witch of Greed was.
Subaru: I get that this is all more or less Echidna's legacy, but what was the purpose behind her doing all this?
YN and Subaru both knew the Witch was simply greedy for knowledge, sure. But to put so much focus on a singular goal, there had to be a very specific purpose for it.
YN: Was Ryuzu Meyer special to Echidna? Was this some sort of attempt to maybe give her a new body? I can only guess maybe if she's encased in the crystal and has been for four hundred years... maybe it's because she's ill? Or on the verge of death?
Solemnly shaking her head, the Ryuzu copy before them gave YN a weak smile.
Ryuzu: You think too optimistically about the Witch unfortunately. Ryuzu Meyer was only an acquaintance of the Witch. Her sealing inside the crystal is of a different purpose.
With puzzled looks on each of their faces, YN and Subaru truly couldn't come up with anything else that made sense. Seeing their disheartened state though, Ryuzu spoke back up.
Ryuzu: It seems you two are also under a false assumption of sorts.
YN & Subaru: —?
Getting each to give her a look of questioning, the short elf went on.
Ryuzu: We are not the results of failure. We were all successfully created for our purpose.
YN: Really?
Subaru: Huh? How does that work?
Both still ever more clueless to what this meant, Ryuzu seemingly coached them on further, gesturing to Pico as she did.
Ryuzu: This is what we're supposed to resemble at first.
Subaru: But why? Why make a body that's devoid of anything but the ability to take simple orders?
YN: I mean, it can't be something as shallow as wanting mere servants, right? Why would someone smart like Echidna want empty vessels as minions?
Recalling the Witch of Greed he knew in his memories, YN could say with certainty that she'd not have done this for such a stereotypical purpose.
If anything, she's a tad antagonistic... but not full blown evil.
But prompted by YN's choice of words, Subaru snapped his fingers and slowly started to point to the groundskeeper, the twinkle of an idea in his scary eyes.
Subaru: A 'vessel...' Ryuzu-san, even you referred to yourself as an "empty vessel" at one point... If you're all successful creations... that means you were all left empty on purpose... Pico and all the other clones were created empty, intentionally.
YN: What are you getting at?
Genuinely curious about where Subaru was going with this, to YN it felt like he was grasping at straws at first, but as he went on—
Subaru: —Why do you create an empty vessel? To fill it.
Speaking of their true purpose, Subaru gave YN rather foreboding expression as his tone changed to be lower.
Subaru: If they're essentially complete, but just lack a personality, —or in a better sense, a soul...
As Subaru delicately stepped around outwardly saying it, it jogged YN's memory in the exact direction.
A 'soul' is all Echidna is... That means—?!
Subaru: Immortality. The Witch of Greed wanted immortality. She created the 'empty vessels' as a way to hold her own soul so it could go beyond death.
To YN, this made complete sense.
That explains why she was so enthralled with Return By Death then... Someone—, Subaru, came along with a power that was exactly like the one she was trying to make.
Thinking nearly the same thing, to Subaru, it now painted a better picture as to why Echidna was so friendly to him, but paid YN not the time of day.
Unable to truly share his thoughts about this to YN directly with Ryuzu right before them both, Subaru had to take solace in the fact that YN at least understood roughly the same idea.
It's no wonder she understood the hardships of having that power... someone as smart as her... she's contemplated the feeling of death in detail.
As Subaru surprised even himself now that Echidna of all people might be able to sympathize with him and YN the most now, it only was due to his own ignorance that he knew not of the one another who at least knew second hand the horrors of experiencing death.
A certain blue-haired maid.
To Subaru's revelation though, Ryuzu could only nod slowly as she set her cup of tea down on the table again, gently enough to not make a single sound.
Subaru: So she made copies of Ryuzu Meyer... that part was successful. But what of the other half of things?
YN: Yeah... Creating empty vessels is no small feat I'm sure... but preserving and moving a soul—, especially your own... That's comparing molehills to mountains.
Ryuzu: There were... complications involving that. The results never truly came to fruition. The Witch had perished before it could be solved.
YN: So, she wasn't able to figure it out before the Witch of Envy came through?
Ryuzu: Not entirely. There was one copy that the Witch had managed to transfer a copy of her soul to, but the end result was an erratic, and dangerous copy. It has all of the Witch's powers, but was insane.
Subaru: 'Insane?' If it was a copy of her soul, what could have happened?
While Subaru thought of the idea of a "botched copy" in terms of a digital standpoint, like corrupted data of sorts, Ryuzu tried her best to explain given the perplexed look on his face.
Ryuzu: Not all Od's are the same. What occurred was no more of an issue of overfilling a tea cup from the pot.
Subaru: I'm... I'm afraid I don't understand.
Reaching for the teapot on the ceramic plate it sat upon in the very center of the table, the small elf went to refill her tea, and used this as an example of sorts.
Ryuzu: If this teapot is someone's Od, and is poured entirely into this cup, who's to say what parts stay inside the cup, and what parts are lost?
Now explaining it in the realm of simple analog volumes, the problem now made more sense to Subaru.
YN: So, the 'Echidna' that went into that copy wasn't entirely Echidna. Some spilled over.
Subaru: In other words, all of Echidna couldn't fit...
YN: And the reason it went insane could have been due to her sense of morality or values being one of the things that spilled out. It's like a sociopath not having certain parts of their brain operable, it makes them so questionable at times.
Trying his best to recall a long forgotten unit from the educational app on his phone, YN at least was pretty sure that was correct.
Subaru: So, Echidna never figured out how to get herself all into one Ryuzu clone then...
Ryuzu: While the Witch had figured out a way to correctly mend a soul to a body, the Witch of Envy destroyed all that before she had the opportunity to test it.
Subaru: So in a way, she even discovered data-compression...
YN: That is impressive...
More so saying that to YN than to Ryuzu, Subaru didn't mean to be rude, and of course tried tying that back into the conversation with her.
Subaru: So, if the first replicant was erratic, than you must be—
Ryuzu: —I am the third copy created.
Subaru: I see...
Correctly guessing his question, YN and Subaru both knew what that meant.
She's been safeguarding this place for almost four hundred years...
From here, the conversation shifted back to Ryuzu herself, specifically, the one that sat before them. She described how at first, when she did not have her own sense of self yet, the days went by slowly and monotonously. Being an empty vessel did come with times where she couldn't fondly recall good memories.
Looking to his side as she went on about this, YN couldn't help but sympathize with the identical elf still clung to his arm.
I wonder if that's what she's experiencing right now too... Hopefully she's not struggling as much since there's other copies to help her.
As Subaru and Ryuzu spoke more, many more things were revealed as YN took more labored sips of his tea, each drink was progressively becoming colder and colder as time wound on.
What surprised them both though, and kept their attention piqued, was the information being brought up.
All the Ryuzu copies could relay thoughts to each other, which allowed any silent or "young" copies like Pico to serve as the "eyes and ears" of the Sanctuary. This is what functionally allowed Garfiel to know practically anything that went on within the Sanctuary. The four that had been around long enough to form personalities had the task of upholding who "Ryuzu" was to the villagers and any outsiders. One of the four would serve, and upon completing a "shift" would need to rest out the cycle until the other three copies had served. This was done entirely due to their nature as clones. Since they were made of mana, it took them roughly the length of the cycle to recoup the mana needed for their next "shift." Upon being called up, the Ryuzu being relieved would relay all she learned to the fresh Ryuzu, and from there they would carry out their purpose.
That's gotta be like a rumor passed around at a school though... enough times of information being retold is bound to warp it here and there... And if they're different personalities anyway, they each can interpret that information differently...
To YN, this smelled like a future issue.
We can't so safely assume that one Ryuzu will be on board with the same ideas as another one.
While YN was contemplating the astounding amount of variables this added now, the conversation shifted again, now focusing on the topic of the original Ryuzu Meyer at Subaru's bequest.
The original Ryuzu Meyer had struck a deal with Echidna. She wanted the Sanctuary preserved, and in exchange, she offered herself for the purpose of experimentation.
This perplexed Subaru again however. Why would she want to preserve the Sanctuary if it's purpose truly was to just hold half-demi-humans away from the rest of the world?
Ryuzu answered this rather simply though. The original had found salvation here, and because of that, the contract still stands to this day, binding all the Sanctuary's residents.
Ryuzu: The real question you should ask, Su-bo, is whether you both think that contract is still being upheld.
Turning to YN now, Ryuzu's calm expression looked on as her hands gently gestured to him and her doppelganger still hanging onto his arm.
Ryuzu: Y-bo, do you feel that is still being honored upon seeing this young one?
YN: I... I don't think I can pass judgment like that, not at this point at least.
As YN looked down at the small elf still holding tightly to his arm, he looked back to Ryuzu and explained his answer.
YN: When we first ran into Pico, she didn't even acknowledge our existence... She had a task and that was all. But before I knew it, she was clamped onto my arm.
Realizing he was doing this in a roundabout way, YN tied this back to Ryuzu's question and topic still at hand.
YN: What I'm getting at is; before I can understand the original Ryuzu Meyer, and know why she did what she did, I need to understand Pico first, and I'm no closer to being able to do that than I am the other.
Eloquently managing to say what he meant, YN essentially punished himself for being long-winded about it, and forced himself to swallow the last mouthful of cold tea in his cup.
YN: *Phaw!* I'm a long way away from being able to know any of that. Hell, I don't even know why Pico decided to hang off me all of sudden.
Professing his cluelessness, Ryuzu was actually able to shine some light on the last bit of his curiosities—
Ryuzu: Her newfound attachment to you is not unlike my own towards you now.
Subaru: —?
Confused from what she meant by that, Subaru kept looking between the small elf on the opposite end of the table and YN, as if trying to figure out if this was code for something. Yet, YN was just as lost as he was.
YN: Ryuzu-san, I'm afraid I don't follow...
Ryuzu: Y-bo touched the crystal that contains the original Ryuzu Meyer, correct?
Only nodding in affirmation to her question, Ryuzu went on, delivering the consequence of the innocent action.
Ryuzu: With that contact, the Command Authority was conferred to you.
Subaru: —Huh?!
YN: Uhhh...
Sounding ominous and not unlike the "Authorities" of Sloth, Greed, and Gluttony they'd heard of before, the mere mention had made both Subaru and YN's neck hairs stand on end.
Seeing their alarmed nature though, Ryuzu could only sigh.
Ryuzu: It is not as dramatic a thing as you both seem to believe it is. I could explain it in length, but it will be easier for to understand by doing it.
With her hand again, Ryuzu gestured to her doppelganger.
Ryuzu: Give Pico an order.
As a small moment of silence descended upon those at the table, it was the result of the bluntness of the request.
YN: An... order?
Simply nodding, Ryuzu reconfirmed it.
Ryuzu: Yes. It can be anything.
With the depth the word "anything" could inspire, Subaru leaned forward across the table to look over to his side, and give YN an expression of worry. Seeing this however, Ryuzu sighed once more.
Ryuzu: At the very least, I should be thankful it was Y-bo who garnered the Command Authority and not Su-bo... I fear he'd ask Pico to do something indecent. She's identical to me after all...
Hugging her own shoulders, Ryuzu's flat, near-monotone voice only made her teasing worse, something Subaru hadn't taken too kindly to, protesting by falling back into his seat.
Subaru: I'm not into that!
Nearly falling backwards out of his seat where he protested, as Subaru regained his composure, YN turned back to Ryuzu, who with just one more gesture to Pico, got him try something.
YN: Alright... Pico, pour me more tea.
Making eye contact with YN, it seemed like a spark went off in the small elf's expressionless eyes as she first looked up at him before releasing his arm. Taking his empty cup in one hand, and grabbing the teapot from the center of the table with the other, the pink haired girl set about the task she was levied.
Yet, with zero grace, the tea was splashed out of the pot as Pico poured it out by nearly tipping the whole pot over on its side, splashing some of the lukewarm tea as she did. And to make matters worse—
YN: —AAAh! P-Pico that's more than enough!
Even after YN's cup had been filled and then some, the elf girl had gone about continuing to pour tea, causing it to spill everywhere as if totally unconcerned by the mess she was causing.
As YN simply used his sleeve to try and mop the tabletop though, this request of his had been exactly what Ryuzu had been hoping for.
Ryuzu: As Y-bo can tell, she will understand the concept of an order, but, things will continue to have results like this if he doesn't take the time to properly instruct her.
Just like any inexperienced child, Pico struggled with new things at first, even if she did follow orders in a near robot-like fashion.
I guess what Ryuzu is trying to say here is, either Pico will get better at things as time goes on and her personality develops, or I need to be really specific with any commands I give her to avoid this kind stuff.
YN: That's enough. Here, go back to how you were.
With a simpler order, Pico returned to holding YN's arm with a small hint of determination in her grip as she did.
Seeing this display of "competency," or the lack thereof, it prompted Subaru to speak up in question of it now.
Subaru: I don't mean to be harsh, but given how the Copies probably aren't the best when it comes to orders, and how easy it was to get this 'Command Authority,' isn't the security for such an important thing kinda lax?
Ryuzu: It has the defense of being hard to come across on accident. And besides, one must be an Apostle of Greed first before they can take the power.
Subaru: 'Apostle of Greed?' Just... what is that? It must be different from the Command Authority...
Ryuzu: Both of you have ventured into the Tomb and taken the Trial... Surely you received something from the Witch.
As Subaru and YN looked at each other, their first assumption was the handkerchief that Echidna had imbued with magic in the previous Loop. Yet, as Subaru went through his own memories—
Subaru: —UUUUUghhhhh...
Going face-down on the table, the black-haired boy moaned in disgust at his realization.
Subaru (muffled): The tea.
Knowing he wasn't speaking of her tea, Ryuzu looked to YN for answers.
YN: The uhhh, body fluid one?
Subaru (muffled): Yeah...
Sitting up straight again, Subaru regained his composure after running his hands down his face and patting his cheeks a few times.
Subaru: I drank it twice... That's gotta be what it is... Damn it! Damn Witch...
Ryuzu: So it was Su-bo who... partook in this 'tea' only? Not Y-bo?
YN: Only he.
As YN was about to question if Echidna's tea was truly the reason as to why he supposedly had this 'Apostle' status too, as he had not drank it as Subaru had, it suddenly made sense to him.
Echidna did say Subaru and I are linked in a way. Originally only he was given the Qualification to take the Trials, but due to that link, thus, so was I.
To YN, it only made sense that this "Apostle of Greed" flag was also transferred then.
All the 'benefits' of the tea without actually having to drink it... I'll take it.
Ryuzu: Regardless,—
Going to continue, Ryuzu looked back to YN with a twinkle of sincerity in her eyes.
Ryuzu: —thanks to however he came to have it, Y-bo has been given sole command over all the copies of Ryuzu Meyer, including myself.
With that last detail stunning them both, Subaru leaned forward in his chair and asked for clarification.
Subaru: Ryuzu-san as well? I figured it only worked on the Copies that are still empty...
Ryuzu: Yes. It will work on all the copies, even the four who fill the roll of 'Ryuzu.' While our willpower is stronger than that of the empty vessels, we still will ultimately comply and follow any command he might issue.
Speaking more to YN with that last statement, the small elf then turned back to Subaru and continued.
Ryuzu: Hopefully with this information Y-bo won't be forced to make me do anything dirty for Su-bo. If he does, let it at least be one of the innocent Copies...
Subaru: —tch.
Obviously offended by the joke, YN held up his hands to get Subaru to calm down.
YN: No need to worry, Ryuzu-san, even if Subaru was a nonce, I wouldn't let him.
Subaru: Just who's side are you on when you say it that way?!
Crossing his arms in frustration as he sat back in his chair, the scowl on his face melted away after a moment as he thought of something worthwhile YN could instruct Ryuzu to do.
Subaru: Actually, I have to admit, there is something I'd like YN to request of Ryuzu-san.
YN: —?
Only tilting his head in question to Subaru, he spoke to YN of what he meant.
Subaru: A question; who held the Command Authority before YN? If he's the 'sole' holder of it, who was the one before him?
Ryuzu: — — —
Looking down at the table before her and tapping her small finger on the surface, Ryuzu gazed back up at the one asking her this question.
Ryuzu: Surely you don't need to ask Y-bo to get me to answer that, do you? You are already aware... I can tell.
Subaru: —tch...
Casting his gaze away too now, Subaru complained under his breath.
Subaru: Garfiel...
To be fair, the answer was obvious.
YN: When the Command Authority exchanges hands, is the previous owner aware of that?
Worried Garfiel might immediately come looking for them, YN asked this out of caution.
Ryuzu: They will be none-the-wiser. You would need to inform them yourself or let them realize on their own.
YN: It's that last part that worries me... *Sigh.* Ryuzu, keep Garfiel under the assumption he still has the Command Authority. Do so convincingly but don't turn on us. Feint incompetency or ignorance if you must. Just keep the wool pulled over his eyes. Don't tell him I have the Authority, and certainly don't tell him we've been in contact.
Getting a solemn nod for his order, Ryuzu did not protest or question it.
YN: —As for you, Pico.
Prompting the Copy to look up at him as she continued to hang to his arm, the small elf gazed up at YN with wide eyes of cerulean blue, almost like how a little sister might patiently await an elder brother's instruction.
YN: Go out and continue to be a part of the Sanctuary's eyes and ears.
Without a nod of her own, the pink haired girl released YN's arm and headed towards the door with a quick pace as her bare feet once more made the light "tap-tap" they did across the plank wood floor.
YN: —Pico.
Just as the Copy had opened the front door and was to set out, YN's final call made her stop and turn.
Pico: — — —
Awaiting what she thought would be another order, Pico remained as silent as ever.
YN: Do you best, okay?
Pico: — — —
As if processing what he said to her, after a few moments or silence—
Pico: —!
Bolting down the steps to fulfill her task, she hadn't done so before actually trying to nod to YN herself. Somewhere between a nod and a bow, it looked awkward, but seemed about right for a small, learning child to do for the first time.
With the door left open though by the innocent and well-meaning young copy, YN and Subaru both took the chance to get up, go outside, and stretch as Ryuzu followed them.
As they each extended their limbs for the first time in what felt like forever, they both looked upward and saw the sky was now a light shade of pink.
It was now the dawn of the second day.
For YN, this was also the first time in a long while he had seen the morning sky. Since losing Rem, he'd gotten into the bad habit of rising from his slumber quite late in the day from his difficulty sleeping. To make matters worse, since his body had gotten into the routine of the maid gently waking him every morning, it had lost sense of its internal clock on when it should naturally do so.
Mornings like this really make me miss the days of lazing around Crusch-sama's Manor...
Everyday there was a day spent just enjoying Rem's company. She was there when he went to bed, which was as late as they wished, and she was there when he woke up, and they were able to linger in bed for as long as they wished, all due to their responsibilities being put on hold.
It really was such a blessed time...
Compared to the first Loop of their Whale and Thief fiasco, it was such a stark contrast from how things would become in later Loops, and even more so compared to how things were now.
YN and Rem had gone from being at peace with the world in each other's arms, to separated in ways they could have never fathomed.
But, outside now, Subaru made it a point to note that they had five days from now to get things under control, for both the Sanctuary and The Mansion. Joining them now though and ending that conservation, Ryuzu inquired what they planned to do with the new day ahead of them.
Ryuzu: What are your goals now? Certainly this information has helped shape your intentions...
With this being an unknown to YN too, he looked to Subaru as well.
Subaru: Our plan? I still want to do some more information gathering. I've got everything I think I can get from you, so now that I know what I know, I want to try to bounce that off a certain someone who's hard to get a hold of back at the Mansion. And maybe while I'm doing that, YN can try speaking with Frederica too.
As Subaru professed his intention to have YN inquire more about the Sanctuary with Frederica of all people about what they'd come to learn, Ryuzu's demeanor towards them both seemed to shift upon hearing that.
YN: Ryuzu-san? You aren't afraid of our intentions towards Frederica, are you?
While YN knew this "certain someone" had to he Beatrice, what confused him was Ryuzu's reaction to hearing Frederica's name be listed as someone of interest.
The only thing he could assume was that Ryuzu had picked up on Ram or Subaru's suspicions of the one she held a certain guardianship over, like she did with Garfiel.
She has to view Frederica like she views Garf... She wants to protect them all the same.
Wanting to quell any perceived worry the short elf had for the golden-haired maid's well-being at their hand, YN spoke with the utmost sincerity, fueled mostly by the fact he himself held no suspicion of Frederica unlike everyone else seemed to have.
Ryuzu: No. No... It is not that. Please pay me no mind...
Seemingly wishing to not have her reaction questioned, YN pushed still, purely for the sake he did not wish to squander the trust he felt Ryuzu now had for their intentions in the Sanctuary.
YN: Ryuzu-san, if there's something regarding Frederica we ought to know, or any worry you have for her, please tell us. We're all facing great odds, and I want to trust you.
Ryuzu: 'Trust me?'
Questioning not that they should or shouldn't trust her, Ryuzu wondered now why they would trust her from such a short interaction.
YN: Trust requires trust. I don't want to have to resort to using the Command Authority to share information vital to our needs. I'd rather you trust us enough to freely say what needs to be said.
Looking down as she held her crystal staff, Ryuzu seemed to be greatly considering his words. As she turned her gaze back up, her mouth remained hidden behind her collar as she answered.
Ryuzu: I dot not fear for Frederica's safety—, at least not at your hands. Rather, it is her absence from this place that troubles me.
Subaru: Can we ask you to elaborate more on that?
Seeking more clarification, both Subaru and YN watched on as Ryuzu more or less recomposed herself.
Ryuzu: Since she has left, the entire Sanctuary has been greatly unsettled. The replicants, the residents, Gar-bo... all have been teetering on the edge of chaos since she departed.
Ryuzu declared with that, how vital Frederica had been to this place and how with her attitude, had been a balancing force to the innate complexities that the Sanctuary faced.
YN: I... I see. It does make sense her departure at such a time would cause further strains from these difficulties you currently face... But, that just means any input she can offer us is all the more invaluable.
Bowing to Ryuzu, YN truly wished to help quell the edge Frederica's lack of presence had caused in the Sanctuary.
YN: I can not thank you enough for your trust. With that, we can now look to Frederica as our next source to help prevent the looming crisis.
As Ryuzu's cerulean eyes lit up in mild surprise at YN's honest words, a warm smile of relief peeked out from behind her tall coat collar.
Ryuzu: ... I have great expectations for you.
Turning her gaze to Subaru, she spoke to him now.
Ryuzu: —And Su-bo as well.
Ryuzu then shut her eyes, and held her staff before herself and hung her head.
Ryuzu: Please... Free this place that has long served it's purpose.
Now formally asking this of them, the light of legitimacy seemed to blanket Subaru and YN both as the morning sun climbed above the horizon line finally.
Ryuzu: Ryuzu Meyer's wish, the lingering effects of the Witch's experiments, even the Sanctuary's mission as a whole... I can only hope that it will be you two that help bring a conclusion to it all... One that justifies everything that has happened, and everyone involved.
Both agreeing to take up that challenge, the topic now turned to Ryuzu's departure. If she stuck around for any more considerable time, her body made of mana would begin to break down, and she'd fade away. It was time for one of the other four main Ryuzu's copies to take her place.
Even as Subaru asked how this truly made her feel, be it that she only lived a quarter of her conscious life, he halted himself before YN had to, realizing his questions might be cruel. But, Ryuzu could only profess that she had come to terms with it.
With no real time left now, Ryuzu asked what they planned to do now, thinking they'd at least try to get some rest before actually going off to the Mansion to accomplish their goal, to which Subaru could only reply—
Subaru: —We're setting out. But, we're going to need to borrow the Copies.