Watching Arc 4 in The Theater of Despair

by Ostap Bender99

This fanfic is a prequel to the work "The Secret" by Continuer123. The cast is still trapped in an enchanted theater by the enigmatic "Warden". And now they are about to see the trials of Natsuki Subaru that took place in Sanctuary. P.S. - this work is a translation of the finished fanfic.

12. Episode 11

So, you ordered big portion of "Despairing Hero" with ''suffering loli" side dish, one portion of 'cruel plot twist' with betrayal and revenge sauces, MAXIMUM portion of crispy rabbit's carcasses and crazy-sweet yandere for a dessert.

Thank you for your order! The dishes will be delivered as soon as they are ready!

Traditional cudos to 'Cake' for the transcript of the episode. eh...just two are left. After that, I'll be forced to translate everything myself. And they say that Subaru's life is hard...Bah! What do they know!

Also, big thanks to Launciel' for beta reading. This time it wasn't so bad as the last one, eh?!))

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The opening scene shows Frederica steering the carriage, Petra inside alongside the sleeping Rem. Looking down at the oni for a moment, Petra then looks back up at the mansion, where Subaru and Beatrice still are.

"That's a good move. Get everyone out of harm's way before Elsa attacks." Felt approved of Subaru's actions. "Judging by the previous attempt, they should have some time before this bitch shows up."

"It would be a good plan if Elsa acted alone, but the mansion was also attacked by Meili, and Natsuki-san has not encountered her yet. At best, he will gain important knowledge in this loop, which he will use later." Otto argued with her in an emotionless voice.

He suppressed any emotions as best he could, stoically waiting for the signs of the final loop to come. Before that, he could only endure, like the rest of the cast.

"An ironic ending, huh?" Subaru's voice sounds against this background.

Beatrice did not reply, and instead grasped the book once again, holding her prized possession tightly, close to her chest.

"You get that from your precious book, too? You don't have a will of your own. Everything you do and say comes from those pages. That's what you're saying, right!?"

Beatrice looks away.

"Don't make Betty repeat herself."

'Roswaal's right, Betty was no different from him back then, I suppose. The only difference was that my Gospel didn't tell me anything. Who knows, maybe if the book told me to commit atrocities in order to meet 'that person', Betty would do it all with little hesitation, in fact…'

Subaru closes his eyes, inhaling deeply at her words.

"Man, I still can't believe how stubborn you are. It's definitely going to be a chore getting you out."

Finally, she looks up at him.

"Getting me out? What in the world are you talking about, I suppose? Betty doesn't recall ever—"

"As always, Subaru-kun won't give up on those he decided to keep close, no matter what happens." A kind smile spread across Rem's face.

Most of all, she liked to watch her beloved extend a helping hand, even to those who had previously treated him unfairly. For the girl, each such scene was a reminder that she, too, was among those whom Subaru had forgiven.

"Yes, he has already made a firm decision not to leave Beako alone, even if she kicks and screams." Emilia agreed sentimentally, and looked at the far end of the room.

"Do you see it, Beatrice? Subaru doesn't hold a grudge against you! He still wants to take you with him. You should stop blaming yourself and come back to your seat!"

But her attempt was unsuccessful. Beatrice simply ignored the half-elf, continuing to stare at the screen.

"Seems like you're surprised, but how can that be when everything I do and say is in that book of yours?"

He points towards the book as he says that. Beatrice takes in his words, opening the book on her lap as she begins to flip through the pages. There's a confused look on her face as she does this, suggesting that it truly isn't in her precious book.

"Quit clinging to that damn thing…!" Walking towards her, Subaru hisses out his next words. "When you're talking to me, I want you to look in my eyes—!"

He grabs the book from her, yanking it away as he does so.

"—not at some book!"

"N-No!" Beatrice stretches her hands out, but Subaru is taller, and he keeps it away from her. Subaru looks at the pages of the book, but, instead of being face to face with words, all that are seen are blank pages. Even as he begins to flip through the pages, no hint of any writing appears anywhere within the tome.

Beatrice stops clinging to his arm, her hands returning to her lap as she rests them on her dress, her face lowering in resigned defeat.

"It was some time ago…when that book stopped showing Betty's future. Many long years now…"

"Is the book empty? But why? Shouldn't this folio tell its owner about the future?" Emilia was surprised by this fact and turned to Roswaal for an explanation, who decided, for a change, to be useful.

"It seems to me that you somewhat misundersta-a-and the purpose of the Tome of Wisdom, Emilia-sama-a-a. This is not a book with a set of predictions abo-o-out the future of its owner. It is a tool to help you achieve what you want. You must wi-i-ish with all your might to achieve your goal, and then the Gospel will describe what steps should be taken to ensu-u-ure that goal is achieved in the most optimal way. The fact that Beatrice's book was empty only means that she-e-e had no desire to find or do a-a-anything. She was just waiting for the book to give her the answer to the question of wh-o-o-o was the 'right person'."

"Which left the book empty, and the spirit thought that the mother had forgotten about her." Said Priscilla, understanding the principle of the artifact.

"I suppose this revelation could have a positive effect on Subaru-dono." Wilhelm commented with a slight smile.

"How so, Old man Will?" Felix did not understand him.

"If no instructions have appeared in the book of the great spirit for many years, then all those cases when Beatrice came to his aid were her own decision." The old butler explained.

"And Sir Natsuki will probably think the same way. You're absolutely right, here's another piece of good news for him." Crusch said with satisfaction.

The young man on the screen had suffered so much in recent loops that now every drop of positive change was precious to the duchess.

"So now he will definitely not leave his beloved loli alone until he pulls her out of the library!" The duchess added confidently.

The Forbidden Library is swept upon, the many books of knowledge that the shelves hold clean and tidy.

"Maintaining and curating this Library is what Betty's contract demands, I suppose."

"A library of knowledge, huh."

"She enjoyed storing up knowledge more than anything else." She says that with a smile on her face.

Subaru had looked up from the library before he turned back to Beatrice.

"Beatrice, tell me, you're a spirit that contracted with Echidna, aren't you? There's nothing written in this book, yet you…"

"It was the last thing she told me, I suppose. 'One day, that person will appear in the library.' Betty's job was to wait for that day. I've been waiting for it all this time. But 'that person' never came, and the book didn't tell me who it would be. Time just continued to pass, and then…"

On her lap, she clenches her hands tightly.

"So… It doesn't matter if you're not 'that person.' If the one who can finish Betty, who can bring an end to my contract, who can take my life… Betty will settle for that, I suppose."

"Wh-What are you saying…? Are you saying you want to die?" Subaru literally refused to believe what he was hearing.

"To say that I want to die is not strictly accurate. Betty only wants you to free her from the contract that has bound her for eternity, I suppose."

"Does she just want to die without even trying to fix her situation?! How can you be so careless about your life?!" Felix jumped up from his seat and clenched his fists angrily.

It took him a lot of effort to stop hating Natsuki for his willingness to give up his life. After all, he did so not because he gave up, but in order to save everyone and live happily. The healer could not accept the young man's method, but agreed to tolerate it as long as he uses it to achieve his goal. But in the case of Beatrice, he saw no such purpose. Only the desire to turn away from everyone and throw away the most valuable thing in the world for no apparent reason.

"Don't rush to judge her, Felix. Spirits think differently than people. It is foolish to impose your standards of morality on such an ancient being. Maybe she has a reason which we just don't know about." Julius snapped at him.

He understood his friend's emotions well and shared his opinion when it came to mortals. But his knowledge and respect for spirits did not allow anyone to condemn them without appropriate grounds.

"How is that any different from wanting to die!? Don't even joke about wanting to die! You can say that to other people, but I won't let you say it to me!"

"That is a very selfish thing to say. What do you even know about Betty, I suppose? Betty has lived here in accordance with her contract for four hundred long years."

"Four hundred years?"

"F-four hundred…" Felix, almost choking with surprise, collapsed back into his chair.

The picture before him suddenly began to play with other colors. However, he did not want to give up his position so easily:

"B-but… but she wasn't a prisoner in the mansion! She was free to leave the library at any moment, we saw that! What prevented her from living a full life?"

"Beatrice-sama herself is not limited in her movements, but the mansion was a place of concentration of her powers. The further she got away from him, the weaker she became, and her mana replenishment decreased. She simply couldn't exist outside the mansion for a long time." Ram decided to explain the situation.

"For spirits, the ability to successfully fulfill the pact by which they are bound is much more important than freedom. This is an essential part of their nature. Without a sense of fulfillment of the pact, they simply cannot, as you said, live a full life. Since Beatrice has not been able to fulfill the condition set by Echidna for all these centuries… it's scary to imagine how much pressure this obligation put on her." Emilia noted, starting to empathize even more with her beloved's younger sister.

"Put yourself in her shoes, Felix. Imagine that prince Fourier did not die of that terrible disease, but continued to live, experiencing terrible torment, and you swore an oath to heal the prince no matter what. After that: many years of fruitless attempts to find a cure. Hundreds of failed experiments. His face is distorted with pain every time you visit him, and the feeling, with every failure, that you have failed as a knight, as a healer, and as a friend. Wouldn't you start dreaming to end this nightmare?"

Julius, who understood the psychology of spirits better than many, tried to recreate for his friend a situation that would make him understand what the spirit girl felt. Catching the disapproving gaze of the head of House Karsten, he guiltily lowered his head.

Crusch quickly understood the intentions of the best of the knights, but could not approve of them. Felix, who was clearly trying to imagine this picture, was quickly sinking into the depths of depression. So she hurried to hug her crying companion to her and start whispering soothing words in his ear.

"A terrible fate indeed. If I had fallen into such a trap, I would hardly have been able to endure even a hundred years…" Ricardo announced gloomily.

"It was never worrying, I suppose. Betty had the book. So many times, that very same dream had appeared where the last page was filled in. But every time someone has laid a hand on that door, Betty's heart has been betrayed, I suppose. As time went by, I realized something…"

"Realized what?"

She looks back at Subaru, her eyes slightly narrowed.

"The reason nothing further has been written is because that's where the owner's future ends."

"You're wrong! Why do you always jump to your own conclusions like that?! If you wanted someone to help you, all you had to do was clearly say so! If you'd just said you wanted help, even I could have—!"

"You should say such words to yourself more often!" Otto decided to vent his anger and bitterness.

Knowing how much effort it took him to get the same words out of his friend, he couldn't help but get angry when he saw Subaru demanding others to accept his help. Moreover, he practiced the opposite approach towards himself. How was he going to save everyone if he didn't think he was worth saving himself?

"…please, do something…"

"That's it! Just come right out and ask!"

She reaches her hand out, choking out the words "Please, help Betty…"

"Come on, Betty! Take Subaru's hand and save yourself with him!" Petra supported, sincerely wishing that her hero and his named younger sister would get together as soon as possible.

"Of course! Just hold out your hand and I'll help!" He said greedily, taking her hand in his.

"That's exactly why I asked you to kill me." She said, abruptly cutting off their contact.

Subaru could only stare in horror at the great spirit, tears streaming from her eyes.

"Do you have any idea how long I've waited for that? Did you think that Betty had just given up, I suppose!? Are you saying that you'll pull Betty out of this darkness so deep that Betty can't even see her own outstretched hands in front!?"

Subaru stood there, unable to say a word from the anguish in Beatrice's eyes.

"If you say that you'll do that for Betty… then why, why… Then why did you leave Betty alone for four hundred years!?" Beatrice had finally stopped holding back and was now openly sobbing, looking at the young man she had chosen as her executioner.

"You're going to help me? Save me? Then why did you do it sooner!? My pleas for help and the salvation I've longed for are wishes that have long since died away!"

"Why is she mad at him? The mini-boss offered to help her!" Mimi didn't understand this behavior. But this question did not stop her from shedding tears.

"She's not mad. She just doesn't want to believe that something can be changed for the better. That there is still hope. It's probably not the first time she's been offered help, and it's always ended in failure." Ricardo replied in a serious tone.

"For fo-o-our hundred years, people of various talents and backgrounds have visited the Forbidden library-y-y." Roswaal unexpectedly took the stage.

The magician wanted to give others a little more understanding of the situation in which his little sister figure had been for centuries. They should have realized that the behavior of the spirit girl has much deeper reasons than it might seem at first glance.

"Some wanted to obtain her power and knowledge contained within the library-"

"The Cap'n is not like that! He doesn't give a damn 'bout all kinds of knowledge and power! He originally wanted to…"

"To save a poor girl from the captivity of an unjust pact? There were those like that, and more than once. Tosca Astraea himself, the brother of first Sword Saint, came to this very mansion to free Beatrice. They knew each other and were friends even back when Echidna was walking among the living. None of them succeeded. No one was recognized as 'that person'. No one's desire was strong enough to override the power of the pact between Beatrice and Echidna."

"Four hundred years of loneliness and fruitless expectations that some special person will come to you and free you from this prison. No wonder, Beatrice-sama was in no hurry to accept his offer. After such a long period, even the appearance of Subaru-kun and his words won't look so impressive." Rem sadly agreed with Ricardo's words.

All her painful experiences were not even close to what the spirit girl went through. At least, her sister was always there for her, and Beatrice-sama didn't even have anyone to share her loneliness with.

"But if she dreams so much about death. Then why doesn't she end it herself? Or why did she try to save him in every possible way?" Al wondered.

"Spirits can't kill themselves. Especially if a pact binds them. As for the second question… maybe Beatrice-sama despite everything expected that Subaru would be 'that person'? That's why she started looking so desperately for something in her book."

She looks down for a moment, then she smiles.

"If you still say that you want to save me…"

Subaru gulps. "What can I do?"

"Make Betty… the first."

"—ah!"

"Put Betty first! Think of Betty first! Choose Betty first! Overwrite Betty's contract! Paint it over! Blot it all out and take Betty away from here! Pull Betty towards you! Hold Betty!"

"Make you the first…" Emilia repeated these words softly, trying to comprehend its meaning.

Did Beatrice want to be the only one for him? The closest one? To become his beloved? Did she want Subaru to devote all his time only to her? But why? Why such greed? Is it because she's Echidna's daughter? How should Emilia react to these words? Should she be jealous? Sympathize? Try to understand Beatrice and hug her, ignoring the protests of the little girl, and convince her that she is not alone now and will never be alone again?

"The longer you crave the fulfillment of your cherished desire, the greedier you become when there is a chance to get what you want, Emilia-sama." Rem answered her unspoken question.

"But it's not fair! Even I do not allow myself to monopolize my knight, although I am happy to spend as much time with him as my duties allow." The princess replied uncertainly.

"I didn't even realize how lonely I really felt until Subaru-kun appeared in my life. But as soon as I realized how important he was to me, I became very greedy. I wanted to get as much of his attention as possible every day. So I can understand Beatrice-sama's feelings."

Throughout this, Subaru could only stare at her. Truly, all he wanted to do right now was hold her tightly. But, for some reason, he did not.

"There is no way you can do that, I suppose. So instead, I want you to destroy this utter failure. Or… are you going to be that person for Betty?"

Subaru did not say anything, and a bead of sweat trails down his face. He couldn't think of anything to say to her at the moment.

"If you can't, then I want you…"

Then, with her arms, with her hands, she stretches them out towards him. A plea, a want, a wish, a dream that could be fulfilled by another. Whether it is that person…

"To kill Betty with your own hands, I suppose. Spirits aren't even capable of dying on their own."

Subaru places his hands on his face. Everything had gotten messed up so quickly.

"Why does it have to be me…?"

'Why are you doing this to him?… You knew very well that he would never do it, no matter how much you ask him. He's not that kind of person. So why are you torturing him?!' Beatrice clenched her fists in impotent anger at her past self.

"It's scary to imagine how hard it is for him to hear such a request. He's desperately trying to save everyone, and instead he gets a request to kill a dear friend." Reinhard said, lowering his head.

"Given his mental state, he's only going to get worse after this conversation." Otto agreed with him.

"Doesn't she realize how cruel it is to ask this of big bro?!" Felt was indignant.

"Apparently, it doesn't matter to her anymore. She just wants to be free of her pact. Everything else has lost all meaning to her." Frederica answered her, soothingly patting Petra's head.

"Commoners and their simple thinking! You don't even need the eyes of a goddess to see the obvious things. This spirit does not want to die at all! She is just as afraid of death as she wants to escape from her cage! This dog, with his usual stupidity, just showed up, confident that his appearance alone would be enough for the girl to rush into his arms!" Once again, Priscilla decided to open the blatant truth to a bunch of empty-headed fools, who irritated the goddess with their empty chatter.

"She wants him to show true determination! A real desire to make her his companion! That's what he's missing! Until he demonstrates the seriousness of his intentions, she will not be convinced! She will remain sitting in her dusty library, leaving the dog to perish!"

"I wouldn't be so resolute, Princess. Of course, you're right about the spirit's desire to become the most important person for a Bro, but I don't think she's just going to let him die if anything happens. No matter how much she pretended to be a heartless one, she came to his aid more than once."

"I don't remember giving you the right to open your arrogant mouth, Aldebaran!"

"The helmet-head is right! The spirit girl can deny it as much as she likes and pretend 'ta be a touchy-feely person, but we've seen the truth over the past year! She would ratha' let the world fall in 'ta the abyss than let anythin' happen to Cap'n!" Garfiel warmly supported Al.

Since his captain was asleep now, then the duty to protect the honor of Beako fell on him as the chief assistant in matters of defense.

"That didn't stop her from leaving mini-boss to the Bowel Hunter last ti- Ouch!" Tivey, who, as usual, did not read the atmosphere in the hall well, tried to remind everyone, for which he received another blow to the head from his sister.

"You're only making it worse, Tivey! They just quarreled that time because of a misunderstanding, and loli didn't have time to figure it out!"

"Why, I suppose. I know why. The reason I entrust my end to you is…"

Just then, the click of heels is heard. A familiar, soft, gentle, predatory voice fills the library. Subaru's hands retract from his face, his eyes widening.

"Sorry to interrupt, but could I become 'that person' for you?"

Subaru turns around, looking at Elsa. Somehow, she had entered the library. Beatrice immediately stopped crying, her cracking voice going away.

"Again?! How quickly she reacts to his arrival!" Otto voiced his surprise.

"That bitch! I'll tear 'er apart!" Garfiel growled.

"Apparently, this loop is coming to an end. Unless the great spirit deigns to lift a finger this time." Anastasia expressed her displeasure.

Even though he was able to figure out a couple of important moments for himself, but the overall picture remained unchanged. He was no closer to solving the question of how to free the Sanctuary or how to defeat Elsa. She was frankly tired of watching how the hero of the viewings was forced to face threats alone, and everyone around was either useless or hostile.

Few of the royal knights could do anything against the Bowel Hunter. The whole situation strongly resembled the years of her youth. Before Ricardo and the twins came into her life. When she was alone against a heartless world, but even then, she didn't have to deal with someone like Elsa.

"Beatrice, you are going to do something, aren't you? Please help Subaru-sama!" Petra pleaded, jumping up from her seat and turning to the girl sitting in the back row, but she didn't even look at Petra's pleading gaze. Instead, she stared at the screen with an unhappy look.

"I'm sure she'll come to Subaru-sama's rescue sooner or later. You remember how he defied danger and rushed into the burning mansion to find her! So Beatrice-she will definitely show him that she wants to sign a contract with him." Frederica tried to calm down with her pupil.

'Come on, Beako! Do something! Show the current you that Subaru chose you for a reason!' Emilia thought desperately.

"Who gave you permission to come here, I suppose? This is Betty's Forbidden Library. No one may enter without permission."

"The magic you use to isolate spaces uses doors as its medium, does it not? Once I knew that, all I had to do was leave every door open. Simple, no?"

At that moment, Subaru remembered that all the doors in the previous loops were open.

"Isn't such information usually kept as a closely guarded secret?" Tivey asked.

"The spatial door of the shadow magic, considered to be lost knowledge. Very few magicians have such skills. Therefore, there are even fewer people who know the methods of countering it." Julius said authoritatively.

"Most likely, in Emilia-sama's camp, only the great spirit herself, the margrave, and, possibly, the maids possessed this knowledge." Crusch mused aloud.

"Considering that we already know who contracted this maniac to attack the mansion, there is no point in guessing which rat the Bowel Hunter got this information from!" Felt declared sharply, throwing a look full of contempt at the clown.

"It did take a little time, but I'm relieved to finally find you. I'm so glad I managed to do it before Meili returned from the village."

"The village? Why the village!?"

"Well, that's where the targets fled to, so we've divided up the work."

"Divided up?"

"There are more of them in the village, but the target here is superior. It finally gives me the opportunity to open up a spirit and see inside!"

At the thought, she licks her lips. Subaru quickly defensively positions herself in front of Beatrice.

"As we feared. The plan to evacuate the inhabitants of the mansion to the village was doomed from the very beginning." Otto said sadly.

"My big bro is not to blame for this! He doesn't know who Meili is yet!" Felt came to Subaru's defense.

"I had no intention of blaming Natsuki-san for anything, Felt-sama. I'm worried about how this news that trying to get the girls out of harm's way only played into the enemy's hands will hit him."

"Of course, he will blame himself for their deaths. I don't give a damn that I couldn't have known about it in advance." Wilhelm agreed with his thought.

"You're protecting her?"

"Damn straight!"

In a mockery of being moved, Elsa brings her shoulders closer together, "You two are so close. How enviable."

She brandishes her blade in front of both of them. "I'll send you to meet the angels together."

Realizing that these words would be followed by an attack, Subaru decided to act:

"Sha—!"

But he was beaten to it.

"Shamac." Beatrice said quickly.

The dark cloud approaches Elsa, enveloping her. Surprised, Subaru looks back at Beatrice, but he does not waste this chance. Quickly, he picks her up under one arm, running past Elsa and to the open doors in order to escape, even if was for a few short moments.

"Yes! I knew it! I believed that Betty would not leave Subaru-sama!" Petra was so happy that she jumped on a chair and threw up her hands in a victorious gesture.

Frederica couldn't help but laugh into her fist. The girl went through so many difficult moments that the mentor decided to give her a break and enjoy herself. Emilia and Rem grabbed the hands of the sleeping youth, happily watching what was happening on the screen. Finally, there has been a positive shift in the relationship between Beatrice and Subaru. Perhaps this is exactly the moment that the girls have been waiting for.

'Come on, come on! Help him! Protect him! You want to be with him! I've always wanted to! Here's your chance to show him how much you care about him! Don't miss it!' Beatrice whispered furiously to her former self. She was afraid to believe it herself, but she still couldn't get rid of the timid hope in her heart. 'You came to me, I suppose. You asked me so desperately to accept your hand. So at least I did something right. Isn't that right?'

"Aldebaran?" Priscilla addressed her knight dryly and threateningly.

He was well acquainted with this tone. Swallowing in fright, Al turned his helmet in her direction, and immediately went to the floor because of a blow to the top of his head with a fan.

"If you dare to be right at my expense, then be ready to pay for such insolence! And for the future, keep your mouth shut until you're asked!"

"Yes, Princess." her companion replied dully from the floor.

"What do you plan to do, I suppose?"

"Head for the village!"

They had made it outside, and Subaru was still running as fast as he could.

"It won't do any good to go there now."

"Don't be stupid!"

"Doesn't he understands that it's too late to fix something? The Bowel Hunter directly said that her accomplice had gone to the village specifically to target the maids." Tivey muttered tensely.

"He understands, but does not want to accept this reality. We should be happy about that, and let him decide to dedicate this loop to collecting information, but, fortunately for us, he has not yet discarded his humanity. Therefore, the guy can only believe against all odds that it's not too late. Otherwise, he can lose all motivation to move on and simply give up like that time in the Capital. And this time there is no one like Rem to help stand again." Ricardo answered him in an uncharacteristically serious manner.

"The only question is how much longer he can hold on to his humanity. Before he breaks down and becomes someone… whom the human mind cannot understand." Anastasia added no less seriously.

However, seeing something, he stops. It's a little girl on the bridge, with blue hair in a braid, rosy cheeks, and wearing the same color schemes as Elsa.

"Meili!" Emilia said sternly.

"Oh, it's you two! Whatever are you doing all the way out here? That Elsa is so~ sloppy~."

"You… Wait, you're…"

"I had so~ much fun when you played with us that day~!"

Subaru's mind went back, remembering the girl.

She was the one that pointed in the direction that Subaru was bitten by the small mabeast. She had looked so innocent back then, but right now, she looked nothing more than a little devil.

Suddenly, mabeasts began to appear. They crawled, they slithered, they flew as they approached Subaru and Beatrice. Bats, ulgrams, serpents.

The little girl stretches her hand out, a bat coming and almost resting on her palm.

"Amazing! I've never heard of such a divine blessing. It has incredible potential! With the help of this girl, it would be possible to track down and eliminate the most dangerous mabeasts with ease!" Reinhard said admiringly.

"And traveling through lands teeming with mabeasts can become much safer! As I understand it, this girl was alive after the incident with Elsa. What did you do to her?" Anastasia was genuinely interested in this Meili.

Maybe she could strike a deal with Emilia's camp, take Meili under her care and hire her services? She's an assassin, isn't she? Therefore, she should fully understand the principles of money-based economy. And Ana was ready to offer a hefty sum to the girl for her cooperation. Such a blessing could be a real gold mine.

"She's in a dungeon. In the basement of the Miload Mansion. Emilia-sama and Barusu did not have the temerity to execute her, and we couldn't just let her go. Although she doesn't want to run away herself. She says that the head of their organization, known as 'Mama', will start hunting for her at large. Obviously, there is a worse punishment for failures than torture. We still haven't figured out who she is, except for one important fact. Even Elsa was afraid of this being." Ram gave a dry report.

"It's scary to imagine what kind of monster one have to be to inspire fear even in the Bowel Hunter." Wilhelm said tensely. Apparently, the list of enemies to be dealt with in the coming years will expand further.

"You're a mabeast user!?"

"I'm Meili Portroute. Don't call me by such an unappealing name~!"

The smoke above reaches past the trees, the cloud filled sky accompanying it.

"What did you do to Rem and the others!?"

"I don't know who this 'Rem' is~, but I did what I was asked to do~. The big maid and the little maid from the mansion. It's a shame the little one turned out to be Petra-chan, though!~"

"A shame? What are you…"

She clasps her hands together, smiling as if one was told they were to be given sweets. "Don't worry! She was my friend. I made sure it was over in one bite so she wouldn't suffer~."

"And this is her understanding of friendship?! No way I'm playing with her again!" Petra crossed her arms resentfully and turned her head away, but only for a second. She was afraid of missing something important.

"I understand your feelings, Petra, but Meili can't be treated like an ordinary girl. You know the peculiarities of her childhood." Frederica tried to calm her down.

"What's so special about her biography?" Crusch asked.

"Ther're always mabeasts roamin' 'round 'er." Garf replied, not taking his eyes off the screen. "Beatrice said she exudes a miasma that attracts 'em."

"We keep her in the basement not because she is serving her sentence there, but so that her miasma does not attract mabeasts to the mansion." Otto clarified.

"According to Meili herself, she was abducted by mabeasts as a young child. They raised her… as their own. Then the Bowel Hunter found her and took her under her wing. That's how she got into the organization of murderers. Subaru is determined to help her reform and become a decent member of society." Emilia explained.

"I would say that I am surprised, but we are talking about Subaru-kyun. He just can't pass by some loli and not charm her." Felix couldn't help but smile at the young man's character.

Subaru drops to his knees and hands at the information. Petra, Frederica, and Rem were dead.

"Now you are out of options to deny the obvious, Bro. What are you going to do now?" Al asked quietly, sympathizing with his fellow.

Beatrice walks in front of him, poised and ready.

"What's this? You want to fight me~? I hate it when my plans fall apart, you know~!"

"My condolences, I suppose."

"Oh, now someone's in trouble! Beatrice is on the warpath herself!" Garfiel encouraged himself and the others.

He had been waiting for this! When the captain's spirit contractor stands next to him, he will help him repel the enemy attack.

"You shouldn't have decided to go up against our Betty, Meili! She'll tear anyone up for Subaru-sama!" Petra declared triumphantly.

"So, I'll let my partner take care of you, per our agreement to split up the work!"

And Elsa comes dashing in, her blade at ready. "It wasn't very friendly of you to run away."

"Watch out!" Rem shouted unconsciously.

Beatrice raises her hand, a bright purple flash coming out of it. The impact of it was strong, forcing Elsa to back away for a few seconds.

And then, purple crystals began to stab at Elsa, attempting to impale her. Elsa dodges skillfully, flipping as each crystal tries to kill her. When the projectiles embedded themselves into the tree that Elsa had gone on to dodge, something akin to ice formed on the trunk.

"Co-o-ol!" Mimi, Tivey, Felt and Petra shouted at the same time.

"If you think shadow magic can't be used offensively, you're very naive."

"Combat shadow magic?! That's great! My little Nes will definitely have a lot to learn from the great spirit!" Julius declared admiringly.

Any new magic was an object of intense attention for him. His young maidens will need it. Therefore, he felt obliged to memorize every detail.

"Well, finally Natsuki-kun has some cards in his hand to strike back." Anastasia said contentedly, fondling her scarf. That was something she was willing to look at with interest.

The audience was so inspired by the change in behavior of the spirit girl that some even stopped, considering this was still a failed loop. They just wanted, for once, to be happy for their friend who got some support. They clearly liked the sight of a dangerous killer forced to go on the defensive against a volley of purple crystals.

"She's chasing her without even turning around! Here she is, our Beatrice!" Emilia said proudly.

Rem had nothing to say. She just pressed her hands to her chest and stared at the screen, sincerely hoping that her lover would finally get lucky.

"Hm! Woe to anyone who dares to underestimate the great spirit Beatrice-sama." Ram said contentedly. She definitely enjoyed watching how the killer had to dodge so as not to die.

"Don't stop, Beako! Tear apart this creepy lady!" Mimi supported his impulse.

'Come on! Deal with her! Show Subaru that you can be relied on!' Beatrice did her best not to start shouting those words.

Even the fact that the young mercenary dared to address her the way only her contractor was allowed, she did not pay attention. It didn't matter now. The only question that mattered now was whether she would be able to help her Subaru.

"What a surprise! I had no idea you could do that." She sticks her blade out horizontally. "How lovely!"

"Minya!"

Another bright flash of purple, and the purple crystals appear above her as she raises her arm. "Have a good taste of mana arrows of stagnant time, I suppose!"

The crystals are sent after Elsa, who begins to dodge and slash at a few of them. At times, Elsa attempts to approach, but is forced to fall back when more crystals come at her.

"Magic that makes time materialize and become like crystals?! Now I've seen everything!" Ricardo commented with surprise. "No wonder that the Witch of Envy was a supreme shadow magic user and can manipulate time!"

"So it's possible that Beatrice-sama can do something similar to the Witch? Like bring people back in time? Or create a connection between the worlds?!" Tivey's explorer's spirit was firing up.

"Although such magic inde-e-ed is possible for a powerful shadow-caster such as Beatrice, the amount of mana required for such magic is enou-u-urmous. One needs to have a potential equal to the Witch." Roswaal explained.

Subaru watches this, having got up from his position on the ground.

"One look at an attack like this is enough to—"

Beatrice narrows her eyes, and Elsa blinks. "—ah?"

Flipping away, she lifts her hand up. It had been overtaken by the crystal, and was now quickly spreading on her body. Elsa's skin and clothing began to be overtaken and glow purple, looking similar to wood.

"Well, this was a mistake on my part."

Despite her words, Elsa smiles as she licks her lips.

"I'm much older than you. Now fall where you stand, I suppose!"

Clutching her hands, more stagnant arrows are sent over to Elsa, who makes no move to dodge them. As they collide, large sparks of white follow the mist. When it clears just as quickly, Elsa was now nothing more than another crystal, her hand, elbow, and head gone. The statue falls backwards, shattering into pieces against the ground.

"YES!" A number of voices rang out in the hall.

It was the first time in their memory that Elsa had been killed. When Reinhard was fighting with her, they didn't see if Elsa was hit or just buried under debris, but this time there was no doubt about her defeat.

"She's finished!" Tivey said solemnly.

"Now only Meili need to be dealt with, and they can go to… the village." Crusch began enthusiastically, but her mood fell as quickly as it rose.

The positive atmosphere in the hall quickly disappeared. Everyone remembered that Subaru would not survive this loop.

"The Beast Master and her mabeasts attacked the village and killed Frederica-san and Petra-san. Subaru-dono won't be able to leave it like this…" Wilhelm said, looking down. Everyone quickly understood what he was hinting at.

"It's unlikely tha' the Cap'n himself will end 'tis loop. Dat bitch'is still alive." Garfiel said grimly. He knew better than anyone what terrible wounds Elsa could endure without any consequences.

"What do you mean, alive?! How is this even possible?! You saw it all yourself! She's turned into a crystal of glass and shattered into pieces!" Felt was indignant.

How could anyone survive after that?! Her big bro should have been lucky. At least this once!

"Believe me. When we were fightin' with the Bowel Hunter, I tore 'er apart, ripped open 'er belly, tore off half 'er head with one blow, but in a matter of seconds, she healed even a crushed skull and continued ta fight as if she hadn't even been scratched! I'm tellin' you, 'tis bitch is alive, but the Cap'n and Beatrice don't know about it yet."

It was unusual for the members of Emilia's camp to see a young rascal so serious, thoughtful, and devoid of any emotion other than quiet anger. Obviously, he spoke from experience. They could only accept his words and expect the worst.

"Aw~, I guess Elsa really was a fool~."

Beatrice turns around, facing Meili. "It's your turn next."

"Wow, Beatrice-sama, it turns out, can be very harsh." Otto noted to himself.

"Is she going to kill Meili now?" Even taking into account the tragedy in the village, Subaru will not be able to just let a child be killed." Emilia was afraid.

"Such excessive mercy can easily become his ruin." Al said with displeasure.

"Wait—!"

As Beatrice raises her arm, Subaru clutches her wrist tightly. "Hang on! She's just a child!"

"Child or not, an enemy is an enemy, I suppose."

"But… we should get her to tell us who sent her."

That's right. Subaru had to get enough information as possible in order for his next loops to go smoother. If he could figure out who sent these two—!

"Sorry, not happening~. I'll get in trouble~! Not a word out of me~!"

'What a resolute adherence to unwritten rules, girl. I must praise you for that.' Roswaal smiled wryly.

"But I don't want to see you kill a kid!"

"Natsuki-kun's mercy goes beyond all reasonable limits. Doesn't he realize that he's facing a cold-blooded killer? The one who is responsible for the deaths of his friends and possibly the whole village which he was so eager to protect!" Anastasia remarked with displeasure. Yes, even if Meili was a child no older than Petra, she didn't consider that an excuse.

"Apparently, in the Subaru-kyun world, killing a child, even a murderer, is a kind of taboo." Felix guessed.

"Not to say all over the world… but yes, where the Bro comes from is out of the ordinary. Although in this case, few people would dare to condemn him for taking harsh steps. But alas, the bro is too soft.

Forcing her hand away from him, Beatrice hisses out her next words. "You're still talking like that…!"

Suddenly, Beatrice's eyes widen. With all her strength, she pushes Subaru away. He falls to the ground, and looks up to see why. A blade had been stabbed through her chest by Elsa, who had survived the onslaught of attacks that Beatrice sent at her.

"NOOO!" Emilia and Rem screamed in horror.

"Told ya so!" Garfiel growled, gripping the armrests. Was that really it? Beatrice would die, and he would be left alone between a rock and an anvil. "Damn it, Cap'n…"

"But it wasn't even a minute after her body was smashed into small pieces! Can this even be called regeneration?! Such vitality is simply unnatural" Felix added in a panic.

Yes, he also naturally possessed an extremely high level of regeneration which allowed him to survive even fatal injuries, but not at such speed.

"Maybe she also has some kind of Authority that gives her the opportunity to be reborn in a new body? Look, she even has her clothes intact!" Ricardo noted.

"Amazing vitality! How did you manage to destroy her, Garfiel-san?" Reinhard asked the blonde demi-human.

"I just thought dat any ability has a usage cap. Even if she regen'd over and over again, but everythin's a limit. So I just dealt 'er one fatal blow afta 'nother, waitin' for 'er to reach 'er own. In the end, dat tactic worked."

"It's straightforward, but, probably the only way to deal with such an opponent without some particularly cunning plan." Julius commented.

"Oh, what a strange feeling. So, spirits really are different from the rest of us on the inside!" Elsa says, then brings the kukri blade down to her chest.

'I let you down again, in fact… forgive Betty, I suppose…'

"Finally… I'm finally free…" Beatrice said in a weak voice, accepting her demise with a melancholic sense of satisfaction. When the blade came out of her body, instead of blood, pure mana began to spread around.

'This is not the freedom that Betty wants now. I don't want to lose you, Subaru! I want to be with you! Always. Please, trust your Betty…'

"No! Not the loli!" Mimi cried out with tears in her voice.

"Betty…" Petra said faintly, pressing her hands to her chest.

He reaches out to her, Beatrice falling down. Wisps of light come from the wound as Beatrice falls to her knees and onto the ground. The wisps come from her, never ending, as Subaru reaches out to her.

"Wait—!"

His hand goes towards the wound that Elsa created, futilely attempting to keep it in. However, Beatrice is a Great Spirit, not a human, so his attempts do nothing to help her. He can only stare in horror as Beatrice slowly fades away in front of him.

"How… Why!?"

There's no reply, only the truly happy smile that Beatrice has.

"Just how grueling it must've been for him to witness such a painful scene when someone dies if front of him?" Rem remarked bitterly in her voice, not even attempting to hold back her tears.

"What do you mean? Big bro had seen the death of his loved ones so many times already!" Yes, he has not yet had to deal with the death of a spirit girl, but still." Felt argued, remembering all the previous loops in her head and trying to remember if Beatrice had died in at least one of them.

"That's not what I'm talking about, Felt-sama. This time, Rem's hero had to watch someone so close to him die slowly, right in front of his eyes. When he sees how life is gradually leaving them. Before that, mostly he himself had experienced such torment."

Rem's words made the others think, trying to remember if that was really the case. Subaru has seen the corpses of loved ones many times. How others were killed in front of him, but there has never been a time when someone died in front of him slowly. Otto died instantly from Garfiel's blow, Emilia, Felt and Old Man Rom, died quickly at Elsa's hands.

In an unsuccessful attempt to take down Petelgeuse, every tragedy happened in the heat of battle. The closest thing to this was when Rem was tortured by Petelgeuse, and everyone who thought about it remembered how that scene damaged the psyche of the young man.

Knowing that he won't be able to save her, Subaru wipes the tears that bud near his closed eyes.

"Elsa-a-a!" He shouted angrily, turning to the killer, but got hit on the head with the hilt of the blade.

"Is this as far as I can go this time?" He muttered. Lying on the ground, bleeding from a wound in his head, he continued to stare at Elsa with a look that said: 'I'm going to beat you anyway!'

"I don't like that look in your eyes."

And then, she stabs his eye out, leaving him screaming in pain as his hands come up to cover his eye.

"FUCKIN' BITCH!" Garfiel, screaming in rage, jumped up from his seat, tearing both armrests clean off the chair in the process.

He was shaking and fuming with rage. Oh, how he regretted now that during the first clash with Elsa he had killed her, and now he had no way to tear her apart again, and then again!

"I'll kill her, I'll kill her, kill her, kill her…" was all Rem could mutter, seething with hatred, completely forgetting the target of her revenge was long dead.

Ram, through her synesthesia, felt such a strong surge of wrath from her sister that she began to fear Rem would enter the demon phase even despite the absence of magic in the atmosphere. Although, Ram would lie if she said that she didn't agree with her sister's desire to rip the assassin on the screen limb from limb many times over.

"Just when, when will this fuckin' final loop come?! When will I be able to get my hands on this thin' and squish her into a fuckin' pancake?!" The young fighter growled.

Only the Warden's influence prevented him from turning into a tiger right here and rushing to the magic window in an attempt to get to the past and help his captain.

"Calm down, bro. It will come. We know it will come. Natsuki-san is getting closer to the final." Otto said coldly, taking Garfiel's hand and forcing him to sit down.

He was almost shaking with anger himself, but for the sake of the younger friend and for the sake of the rest of the camp, he made an effort to maintain an outward calm:

"He's almost got all the pieces of the puzzle together. He knows about Meili, about Elsa's immortality. All that remains is to reveal Roswaal's plans, and Natsuki-san will have the full picture."

"Gosh, Elsa, you're so cruel~! Don't you pity him?"

The smile returns to Elsa's face. "It's the spirit I pity. Imagine being sacrificed for a boy like him."

As she says this, she looks at Subaru. There is pure loathing as she says that. Subaru, though, is not looking at her, he is looking at Beatrice. Her hand is raised up as she says something. A familiar bright glow appeared next to the Subaru.

"Bea…" He started to utter her name, but the teleportation spell had worked earlier, and a bright flash of light is all that happens.

He wakes up on the floor of the cell that Garfiel and Ryuzu kept him in. Still having a palm over his bleeding eye, Subaru gets up slowly. Looking around with his one good eye, he wonders.

"She used her last strength to activate Frederica's crystal and send him away from Elsa." Anastasia said with some sense of relief. She absolutely did not want to watch the Bowel Hunter torture the young man anymore.

"No matter how the situation turned, Beatrice-sama did not stop trying to save him from death, even though she herself dreamed of her own. She was really quite attached to Sir Natsuki. It's not surprising that they are now partners, bound by a contract." Lady Crusch agreed with her rival.

Emilia looked pointedly at Rem. She managed to somewhat recover after the great spirit saved her beloved. Understanding her,istress' mute question, the blue-haired maid nodded in agreement. 'It's time' the girls decided simultaneously.

Rising from her seat, Emilia made her way to the far part of the room where the spirit girl sat alone, the one who waited for her contractor for four hundred long years. Emilia could feel the eyes of the others on her, but she wasn't interested in them right now. She had a mission. When she reached Beatrice, she looked at the little spirit. There were a lot of tear marks on her face. She sat huddled in a ball, hugging her knees to her chest. The girl did not even look at the half-elf who came up.

Betty herself was afraid that Emilia had come to tell what a useless spirit she was. That she doesn't deserve a contractor like Subaru, and, to her horror, Betty couldn't find any arguments in her defense. Her surprise was all the greater when Emilia silently bent down, picked up the girl in her arms and lifted her out of the chair. Then, just as slowly, she carried her in her arms, as if a little child, back to the first row.

"What are you doing, I suppose?" Beatrice said with difficulty in a hoarse voice.

"I'm bringing you back where you belong." Emilia whispered softly, looking tenderly into the eyes of the surprised spirit.

'You have really grown a lot in just one year, Emilia-sama. At this rate, by the end of the royal elections, I will be able, without flattering, call you a worthy ruler. He really has a huge influence on everyone around him, has he?' Roswaal mused, realizing what the half-elf was up to, and feeling deeply grateful that the girl decided to help the one whom the ancient magician once called his beloved sister.

'You are an amazing person, Natsuki Subaru. I wish our relationship could be built on a different foundation… so that we could trust each other… Who knows, maybe you would even agree to help me achieve my happy ending. Who, if not you, could understand my dream. '

By that time, Emilia reached the place where Subaru was sleeping. Emilia carefully placed Beatrice on his lap and sat down in her seat.

"I… can Betty really stay here?" The little girl muttered with difficulty.

Betty couldn't just believe that she was sitting on her beloved contractor's lap again. That she could look at his serene expression. It was very rare that she had ever seen him sleeping so peacefully. Probably, it was one of the few positive moments of their stay in the theater.

"I'm sure Subaru-kun would say that this is the only place where you should be, Beatrice-sama." Rem replied with her angelic smile.

"But… but I failed him… I… left him… I-"

"We are all to blame for what he's been through. We all treated him unfairly in one way or another, but Subaru-kun still forgave us. More than that, he did everything possible to make us an important part of his life, and to become important to us." The maid reminded her.

"And therefore we have no right to just turn away from him, even if we realize our guilt. He needs us, Beatrice, and we need him. Since he went through such trials in order for us to be with him, can we really refuse him this?" Emilia added on her own behalf.

"Can Betty really… be with him? Hold on to him? Touch him?"

"You're his contracted spirit, Beatrice-sama. It is not good for the great spirit of knowledge to shirk her duties!" Rem made a jokingly stern face.

"Otherwise, Subaru will scold you! He will deprive you of sweets and headpats for a who-o-ole day!" Emilia supported Rem's joking attitude, pretending to talk about the terrible punishment.

Beatrice hesitated for a while. Then she slowly hugged the sleeping youth, pressing her cheek against his chest. Feeling a familiar and pleasant warmth. Smooth and calm breathing. A steady heartbeat. He was alive. Her contractor was alive. Here. In her hands. She could be with him again. Tears began to flow from her eyes again, but this time it were tears of happiness.

"Su-baru… Subaru… Subaru!" She said it over and over again, burying her face in her contractor and sobbing with joy.

Rem and Emilia looked at each other with a satisfied look.

"It's a pity Subaru-kun can't see us right now. He would appreciate our efforts."

"You're right, Rem. I will definitely demand a reward from him for us for a job well done!"

"Rem will definitely remind him of this duty as soon as she gets the opportunity, Emilia-sama." The maid bowed respectfully.

The two girls couldn't help but chuckle contentedly as they watched the happy Beatrice huddling into the sleeping youth.

"What a beautiful scene. The spirit and her contractor are back together again." Julius said softly, after which he somewhat wilted. "How I desperately wish to be reunited with my little buds as soon as possible."

"Don't worry about them, Julius. I believe the Warden keeps his word and your spirits are fine." Anastasia tried to cheer up her knight.

For a couple more minutes, everyone waited patiently for Beatrice to come to her senses, wipe away her tears and get comfortable on Subaru's lap. Even the baroness chose not to make any complaints, if only because she found this scene extremely touching. At one point, she even allowed herself to feel sad because she couldn't press Schultz's cute face to her. When everyone was ready, the image came to life again.

"Where am I?"

Using the walls to support himself, Subaru rips off one of the sleeves of his tracksuit, wrapping it around his eye. It wasn't sufficient, but it was all he had at the moment.

Managing to get out, the air becomes colder as Subaru could see his breaths.

"This isn't funny…"

"It's snowing…" Otto said, startled.

"Not the rabbits… not again…" Whined Petra with fear, clutching at Frederica.

These words caused a wave of trepidation throughout the hall. After all, their hero, with the help of Beatrice successfully avoided Elsa's blade, although not completely. However, now he was back in the snow-covered Sanctuary, that left few options for how this loop would end.

"I never would have thought I would hope that Barusu would commit suicide himself. Or that he would be quickly killed by an enraged Garf. Anything to avoid those monsters again…" Those who knew Ram well were greatly frightened by her emotionless voice.

"But it hasn't been even a day since Subaru left the Sanctuary, has it? Why is it already covered with snow? Last time it happened a few days after the start of the loop." Reinhard became interested and turned to Roswaal for an answer, and he was far from the only one who did so.

"It was said in the book that snow should be called if Natsuki's Subaru fails to topple the Trials in five days or if he leaves the Shrine, and now, please continue watching." Roswaal replied in a serious tone. He didn't want to prolong the pause.

[The following scene is taken from the Manga]

In just a few hours, the entire area was covered in a thick layer of snow. It was easy to imagine the force of the snowfall that had created such a thing. The cold was intense enough that Subaru's body quickly began to freeze.

'If you feel this, please answer me.' Concentrating, he sent a mental signal, taking out Frederica's crystal from his pocket. If his mandate was still valid, then she would respond. The 'eye' watching the Sanctuary will answer the call of the apostle of Greed.

Because of the wind blowing around he didn't hear a sound, but gradually a figure appeared. Walking barefoot through the snow, Ryuzu, or rather, her exact copy, was approaching him.

"At least he doesn't lose his ability to think, even in such a situation. To remember that you have the authority to command copies of Ryuzu Meyer and call them for help, being in such a terrible state, one really needs to have a good head on their shoulders." Ricardo respectfully noted.

The mercenary commander highly appreciated the ability of others to act rationally and thoughtfully, regardless of the situation. This was one of the traits he loved very much about his mistress.

"Betty's Subaru is famous for not losing the clarity of mind even in the most desperate situation." Beatrice did not fail to answer this with a sincere smile on her face.

Finally, she could praise her contractor again, snuggling up to him, enjoying the softness and warmth, and the great spirit was determined to take advantage of every opportunity. For too long she had been deprived of this privilege.

"I had to come up with some way to distinguish you from the others…" He noted wearily. "Pico, I still think it's you… I have a request. Take me to the village. I don't have time to get lost."

When asked to point the way, Pico did not nod or answer, but simply turned her back on Subaru. Ignoring the snow covering the path, she broke into a brisk run, and Subaru chased after her with all haste.

The powers that he had unwittingly obtained were still in effect, and using the rights that the Witch of Greed had granted him had put him in an irritated mood. Of course, he was immensely grateful, but—

"How much of this did you foresee, Echidna?"

"I really wonder if Echidna could have foreseen such a development of events? She cast a spell on Petra's handkerchief beforehand, gave him the rights of the apostle of Greed, and told him how to get information against the Great Rabbit." Tivey listed.

"It's unlikely that Mother could have planned the way events would play out down to such small details, I suppose. The privilege of Greed gives you the thirst to accumulate knowledge, not the ability to see the future. Rather, she decided to provide Betty's contractor with all the resources she could provide him, given her position."

"It makes perfect sense. Having access to his memory, she should also understand that Subaru is capable of doing a lot even with very limited capabilities." Crusch nodded in agreement.

"Except we still don't know what her motives are. I don't believe that she just wants to help Natsuki-kun out of the kindness of her heart."

"Definitely not." Reinhard agreed with her. "Do you remember what she said at the end of their conversation? That if they met again, she would ask him for something."

"So we can only watch and wait to see if they have another meeting." Commented Julius.

"Somehow it seems to me that this is inevitable." Otto said cautiously.

And he remembered that it was at the entrance to the tomb that he met Subaru in the middle of the night in the Sanctuary, and from this very tomb, Patrasche pulled out his unconscious body.

A tremendous snowfall covered the whole of Sanctuary. A world of terrible cold that seemed ready to freeze his body turned his life and everything else white. Subaru had seen this sight before. Once he even lost his life in this whiteness. If the same thing was happening now as it was that time, then why?

"What the hell happened to you, Emilia?"

What was she really thinking when she apparently caused such a snowfall?

"Does he think it's Emilia-sama's fault?" Petra was surprised by these words.

It would seem that Subaru should be the last one to blame Emilia for anything in any situation.

"What else could he think about? It's we, who now know, what caused the snow. But Subaru currently has no idea about its origins. So it is very much expected that his thoughts return to the only girl with powerful cold magic." Frederica tried to explain the situation to her.

"But why doesn't he fear that the cause of this snowfall could be the death of Emilia and the awakening of the Beast of the End?" Tivey asked.

"Probably, my big bro just doesn't want to think about it. It's also a very traumatic experience for him. Moreover, when he spent the whole loop in the Sanctuary, nothing dangerous happened to Emilia. So there were no external threats to harm bis sis. Even the rabbits didn't come." Felt mused aloud.

His trek through the snowdrifts lasted more than an hour. Ahead, on the other side of the snow, he could vaguely make out a masonry building.

He still managed to return to the Sanctuary. But what got him intrigued was that there were no signs of people in the settlement at all.

"There are no lights in the houses… Is there really no one inside…?"

As far as he could tell, there was no light from crystal lamps or candles anywhere. However, in such a cold, not lighting a fire was tantamount to suicide. The silence made Subaru's insides clench. It occurred to him that this was indeed a snow-covered Sanctuary-and a terrible white monster was going to appear from there. Has the Sanctuary already been desecrated by the attack of the Great Rabbit?

"W-what if he's right? What if the Great Rabbit has already… e-eaten everyone and now Subaru will run into him again at any moment?!" Rem said in a frightened voice.

"It shouldn't be that fast. Last time, Barusu was teleported to a dungeon in the middle of the night, and he woke up when it was past dawn. Not much time has passed this time. Barusu should still have time. I think." Ram tried her best to rationalize and convince her sister and herself that the young man was not at risk of being eaten. At least right now.

"Hey, yer're back, ain't ya? Dunno what stupid face ya brought back with ya, though." A voice that hit the eardrums made Subaru reflexively turn around.

"Well, thank the spirits! If Garfiel is fine, then nothing has happened to the rest of the residents. Knowing him, he is always the first to rush into the fray!" Otto breathed with relief.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the figure of Garfiel approaching roughly through the snow. He stopped right in front of Subaru, making a face of obvious dismay.

"Ah? Seriously, the hell's with tha' face? Ya dropped yer left eye somewhere or somethin'?" The blonde man asked him.

"A lot of things happened." Subaru was in no mood to talk at all.

"Well, you don't have to expect sympathy from me."

"How strange it is to see Garf speaking so rudely with Subaru and using such a harsh tone." Emilia noted sadly.

From the first moment she met the blonde man, he was always full of respect and adoration for Subaru. Always addressed him as the captain and looked at him as if he was a real hero.

"Apparently, Garf has not yet decided how to treat Natsuki-san. He still doesn't trust him, but he doesn't consider him an enemy." Otto explained to her, no less worried about how things would turn out next. Now Subaru and Garfiel's relationship was on very thin ice, any wrong step could lead to a conflict.

"I can easily understand his skepticism towards Natsuki-kun. Especially considering the circumstances. As soon as he left the Sanctuary, a snowstorm began almost immediately, in the middle of summer. You will inevitably begin to suspect the guy of dirty play." Anastasia voiced her opinion.

"What about the others? Are they okay?" Subaru asked.

"I do not know who ya think the others are, but our old men and women and a group from your village are all in the cathedral. A noisy guy came up with an idea." Garf replied to him with displeasure.

"Otto…" Natsuki guessed.

"That's a very sound idea." Crusch nodded approvingly. "In a large building, a lot of people will keep each other warm, and you will need much less firewood to keep the fire going. Apparently, you are the Minister of the Interior in Emilia's camp for a reason, Otto-san."

"The years of traveling as a trader have given me a lot of useful knowledge in various fields. Including Gustenko, I had to go there more than once. So I have gained some knowledge in terms of survival in a cold climate." Otto answered her with a note of pride in his voice, flattered that even a candidate for the royal throne recognized his abilities.

"In a situation like this, dere're no enemies or allies. That's wha' he said. There's no reason to bite each other blindly." Garf quoted Otto as saying. "And he's just some guy involved in all this."

"I'm beginning to understand who is responsible for such a substantial expansion of the political influence of Emilia's camp over the past year." Anastasia said slyly.

With each episode, she became convinced that Emilia's camp value was not only in Natsuki Subaru. Somehow, a very diverse, but powerful group had gathered under the wing of the half-elf. No adequate leader will ignore people with such potential.

"Tha's right. Brotto is responsible fer the work tha' needs words, and I am responsible fer the work tha' needs fists, and the cap'n directs the general strategy, if there is any problem, like tha' time with the spiders!"

"Snow. Did Emilia do this?" For Subaru, this question sounded like an outright lie.

"I don't know that either. The princess has been hiding in the tomb since she entered it."

"What? Hiding in a tomb…?"

"Didn't you understand? You're the reason for all this. Your disappearance has hit the princess pretty damn hard. It confused her, and then she went to the tomb… and hasn't come out since. That's all."

"Yes, it could have happened. Due to Puck's disappearance and the stress of having to go through a painful Trial, Emilia-sama began to lean much more heavily on Subaru. When he just disappeared, without any explanation, she probably took it personally." Crusch mused aloud, shaking her head in displeasure.

Even knowing that Subaru was acting solely to save the others, she couldn't approve of such a move. Neither as a leader nor as a woman. He should have talked to the princess personally and explained his motives. Even a letter in such a situation can be misinterpreted. If you want people to believe you, be able to talk to them, looking them straight in the eye. That's what the head of House Karsten always thought.

"Especially considering that just the night before, he declared that he believed in her, and in the morning he just ran away without a trace. In this scenario, anyone's hands will drop here." Felix said equally disapprovingly.

"That's not to say that she unintentionally made it obvious to Bro that he was not someone important to her. Judging by their last conversation in this loop, she perceived him simply as an affordable substitute for her pet!" Al remarked ruthlessly.

He was very sad and angry that his bro could not even be given credit for his services. At least the lady he chose to serve, despite all the complexities of her character, always understood when to not only punish, but also reward.

Emilia wanted to object that vehemently, but she had nothing to push back with. Even she could see that with her thoughtless words, she had severely wounded Subaru's heart. Therefore, she decided to silently accept all the criticism that others would direct at her. She thought she deserved it.

"Another reminder that a half-witch is not meant to rule at all. Since she can't take a step without someone holding her hand and telling her what a good girl she is, that she doesn't pee out of fear at every step!

"It can't be! I mean, I left her a letter…

"The letter…? Garf did not understand him.

He, of course, slipped the letter under the door of Ryuzu's house. If Emilia had read this, she would not have been shocked to the point of despair.

"It looks like someone is playing their game, and it's not you or me."

"You'll figure it out later. We're going to the tomb now." Garfiel motioned for him to follow.

"The tomb, that is… will you let me meet with Emilia?!"

"Aren't you an optimistic bastard. I'm not dragging you to meet her. I'm going to make you talk your princess into stopping this snowfall. You're going inside. This is your damn job, not mine."

[End of the Manga excerpt]

Having successfully reached the entrance to the witch's crypt, he stopped to catch his breath. When he entered the Trial's room, he was surprised to find Emilia sitting there.

"Subaru?" The princess did not immediately recognize him.

"Emilia?" He answered with difficulty.

"Of course, Subaru! It's me!" The girl happily announced and ran to him

"I don't know about you, but I was afraid until the last moment that rabbits could attack them at any moment!" Ricardo was delighted.

"In tha' case, my amazin' self would've given those little shits a taste of hell! No matter how my amazin' self feels about the cap'n in this loop, I don't plan to kill him. Which means I won't leave him for the rabbits to gobble up! If necessary, I'll take him by the scruff of the neck and jump away together through the trees, as was the case when the Witch appeared."

"At least now the big bro doesn't have to be afraid of rabbits. Even if the big sis is very upset about the failure of the Trial, once she finds out about the attack of the Great Mabeast, she will show her magical power!" Felt declared confidently.

"Yes, and she looks quite cheerful. She moves very energetically, and sounds pretty lively. Is it possible that she was able to successfully pass the Trial? Felix suggested.

Managing to look up, Subaru sees that she is smiling. Her eyes are hidden, however. Her hands are also clasped together. With a groan, Subaru finally lost most of his strength as he fell towards her. Emilia quickly stretches her arms out, catching him.

"S-Sorry…"

Emilia, though, only hugs him tightly. A sigh of relief comes from her as she does so. Subaru blinks at the action, thoroughly worried now.

"Emilia…?"

"The half-wit has lost her mind! What a fitting outcome for her!" Priscilla gave away her ruthless guess.

For her, it was just another proof that the world had always worked in her favor. An impudent girl dared to show her her fangs? Well, now she will, as punishment, watch a terrible fate that've befallen her.

"As always, you don't go into your pocket for words, Bariel-sama. But there is a logic in your words. Such behavior is… unnatural for Emilia-sama." Crusch reflected on what was being shown.

"The way she is shown on the screen right now reminds me painfully of what Subaru looked like after his first meeting with Petelgeuse. They didn't show us his eyes then either." Reinhard recalled.

"B-but… what could have happened to me?! Why did I become so… clingy with Subaru?" Emilia was perplexed, fearing the most terrible thing for her: a repeat of the previous loop.

"If you're afraid that the Witch of Envy has possessed you again, then I don't think so, Emilia-sama." Rem hastened to calm her down, seeing how the half-elf's hands trembled. "Subaru-kun has never violated the taboo in this loop. Besides, that time she showed herself right away and attacked the Sanctuary, and did not wait for Subaru-kun to awaken."

"I agree, I think we can discard this option. But that doesn't answer the question of what could have happened to her." Anastasia thought aloud.

"Let's just continue. Maybe the answers we are looking for are in the next scenes." Otto suggested.

"I was so lonely… I was so lonely, Subaru. You just went away and left me behind…" Gently, she pushes him off of her, looking him in the eyes deeply.

Despite her words, a smile still graces Emilia's face. Normally, Subaru would be happy to see her smile. But there is something wrong, and not to mention his eye had been slashed out.

"She doesn't even react to the horrible wounds of the mini-boss! Mimi was amazed at this.

"Then there can be no other explanation. The girl has completely lost her mind and now does not even perceive the reality around her, in fact. The fact that Betty's contractor came back is enough for her. She just ignores everything else, I suppose. No matter how irritated Beatrice was at Emilia for not giving her contractor the desired answer for a year, she knew one thing for sure — Emilia would never calmly react to Subaru's injuries.

"N-No, I didn't…I left a letter… explaining everything."

"What are you talking about?" Emilia only laughs, turning around and stepping away from him. "You don't have to make any excuses. You've come back to me, after all! You know, I never stopped believing…"

"She didn't see Subaru's letter, in fact!" Beatrice guessed.

"But what could have happened to it? He put the letter right under the door of Emilia's house!" Frederica asked.

"Issat yer tricks again, ya painted snake?!" Garfiel bellowed, growling in the direction of Roswaal.

Everything shady that was going on in the Sanctuary back then was part of the clown's plan. So the most obvious target for the prosecution was him.

"Garf, stop blaming Roswaal-sama for any problem!" Ram habitually came to the defense of the margrave.

"Emilia-sama. Can you guess what you would have done if Subaru had just left?" Julius decided to ask her.

Although it was a lost loop that no one remembered, only Emilia could speculate on her possible decisions. For a few seconds, Emilia fell into deep thought.

"I… at that time, I would have thought that Subaru became fed up with me because of my uselessness, and that he… decided to leave me because of this." Emilia answered her sadly, pressing her fists to her chest. It hurt to even think about such possibility.

"And what would you do if you decided that he did what he should have done a long time ago?" The baroness continued to press on, ignoring a number of angry glances directed at her.

"I would… try to get out of the Sanctuary as quickly as possible to find him. To apologize to him and show that I was able to make it through. I would … go and take the Trial, wanting to prove that I am not just a burden." The girl's eyes widened with a sudden guess, and she looked at the screen in horror.

That's what could have happened to her over time, if Puck hadn't returned her memories and she wasn't motivated by Subaru?

"Where she would torture her mind over and over with fake visions of the past. Until she breaks down from accumulated stress and anxiety." Crusch summed up.

"So the princess… went crazy tryin' to pass the first Trial?" Garfiel was surprised by this news.

He had never imagined that a Witch's Trial could have such a devastating effect. Then he touched his scar on his face and wondered what would have happened to him if he had watched his mother death over and over again.

She then walks back towards him, burrowing her head into the space under his left shoulder, a hand on his chest.

"—that you'd come back to me. That if I did my best to fulfil my task, you'd come to save me! That's what you've always done, after all."

She breaks away from him, that smile never once leaving her face. "Right?"

The hand that was on his chest goes up, stroking his hair. Subaru makes a small, surprised noise at the action.

"Subaru, you know… how you'd always tried to touch my hair? I'm returning the favor!"

Finally, Subaru could see her eyes. Instead of the soft lilac that he is used to, it is a dark purple. Shadows swirl in her eyes, dancing like fire. For a moment, Subaru is reminded of the Witch of Envy. Despite this, he could see his reflection in her eyes.

"Big sis… just what happened to you?" Felt said with tears in her eyes, hugging Emilia in a fit of emotion.

But the half-elf was too stunned by her appearance on the screen to react. All she could do was stare with frightened eyes and her mouth hanging open in horror.

"Poor guy. Can you imagine what it was like for him at the moment? What a disgusting irony! The only way my Bro could get at least some affection from the girl of his dreams is if she goes cuckoo!" Al said angrily.

What infuriated him the most was the fact that after going through hell, his Bro didn't even get the reward he wished for. After that, one will not stop at just cutting hands.

"I was so-o-o scared… I thought maybe you'd actually gotten sick of me. I thought you'd grown to hate me. So I got scared and came here, but it didn't help at all. So I was rea-a-allly, truly happy when you showed up! Stay with me forever! As long as I have you, I don't need anyone else."

"I wonder if you're telling him your real thoughts here? Was this really on your mind?" Anastasia asked cautiously.

"By no means!" Priscilla unexpectedly spoke up for everyone. "What the crazy half-devil is blubbering now is only a reflection of her insecurities and the madness that broke her mind. She became totally consumed by the fear of loneliness and universal hatred. She knew what words this dog wanted to hear from her all along. That's why she's talking the sweetest nonsense right now, just so that the plebeian won't leave her again."

"So we are watching the scene of their quarrel after the start of the royal elections, only this time it turned into a maddening nightmare, and they switched roles…" Julius agreed with her conclusions.

"I'm so-o-o sorry about everything. I hope you feel the same way about me. Subaru, I love you!" She said without a doubt, looking at him with a crazy look.

Emilia covered her face with her hands, unable to hold back tears. Al's insulting words gained a new, much more repugnant sense for her.

'So that's how it is… I've already confessed my love to him… while being a broken, demented lunatic. Do I really always have to sink to this point just to confess to him? First, I did it being a puppet of Satella, and the second time, while being insane. What will Subaru think of me when I tell him how I feel for him after all of this? Will he think I've gone crazy again, or was possessed by the Witch? How can I even express my feelings after all this?!'

All that was left to her, it to silently sob and lament her stupidity and unfortunate fate, it seemed.

"Stop sulking, in fact". Suddenly, Beatrice's quiet words directed to her yanked her out of the depressing loop.

When the half-elf girl gave her a glance, she saw the sad eyes of the spirit girl, looking directly into hers.

"Betty's contractor never stopped dreaming about you, returning his feelings, I suppose. He lived through all that, but still didn't give up on you, so don't think that this horror discouraged him and don't let it discourage you either, in fact!"

Not finding the words to give her an answer, Emilia still nodded with gratitude. It was hard to believe the girl's words, but she still decided to hold onto them, so she won't fall into despair.

The scene changed to an evening landscape in front of the entrance to the tomb. Subaru came out without a jacket, barely moving his legs, looking ahead, but not paying attention to anything.

"What the hell are ya thinking about, huh?!"

As Subaru stood at the entrance to the tomb, he was greeted by Garfiel's voice full of rage. Garfiel is there, as well as one of Ryuzu's clones.

"Alone, alone… alone?! But wha' about the princess… the half-devil?! Wha' about the damn snow?!"

Subaru stops walking. "If you mean Emilia… she said she loves me."

"Huh?" He turns around at Subaru's words.

"She said she loves me, and as long as she has me, she doesn't need anything else."

"You bastard…"

Slowly, Garfiel begins to transform. Subaru makes no attempts to stop him.

"Damn it! Not again!" Garf pleaded, clutching the arms of his chair. Would he really kill the captain this time? And for nothing!

"With that cute face, in that cute voice, so close that we could've melted together…that's what she said."

"My big bro speaks as if he himself has become as insane, as the big sis!" Felt said worriedly.

Why did he sound so detached? Why did he come out without a jacket? Why didn't he bring Emilia along?

"It's hard to say. Maybe we just haven't been shown yet, but I don't see any signs of insanity in Subaru-kyun yet, similar to what happened Emilia-sama. Perhaps after the Witch of Envy appeared in that room, the concentration of the miasma increased and everyone who gets there goes crazy? She can control time, after all. So, hypothetically, her miasma could somehow…accumulated in one place every time Subaru-kyun loops? That would explain everything." Felix suggested, watching carefully at the screen and trying to understand the boy's condition from his body language.

"I would say that Subaru-dono is trying to distance himself from everything that is happening. Each subsequent discovery hits him harder than the previous one. He wants to close his heart so that he doesn't continue to suffer." Wilhelm explained sadly.

The most painful thing for the old man was to watch how a heroic young man was forced to close his heart in order not to lose his mind. After all, it was his open heart that was his greatest asset, capable of changing the fate of others, and yet, the world has been hitting this vital point over and over again.

At this point, Garfiel had transformed his right arm. To him, Subaru was saying complete, utter nonsense that wasn't relevant to the situation at hand. "You think this is the time for—!"

"There's no way Emilia would say she loves me!" Natsuki shouted in his face, coming out of his apathetic state. Which left the young ruffian pretty confused.

"It's not true! It's not true! You're wrong, Subaru! I do! I love you! I was just an impenetrable fool, who didn't understand it!" Emilia screamed, as if she believed that Subaru would hear her.

The words spoken by her knight on the screen hurt her. It was her fault. It was she who had brought him to such a state that he simply would not be able to believe in her feelings, even if she told him about it. Was she too late? Was it too late for her to tell him how she felt about him?

Subaru breathes heavily. He's tired, he's so tired. "Like there's any chance she'd ever say that! That she doesn't need anything else… never…"

"Wh-What are you—"

Subaru drops to his knees. His voice once again raspy as he almost whispers his words. "If only Puck was by her side… there's no way she would fall all over me like that. Someone pushed her to the point that she had no choice but to rely on me…"

"I think I can guess who is responsible for Emilia-sama's condition." Reinhard said sternly, casting an angry glance at the margrave.

"Well done, half-wit. With your empty-headed words, you have crushed the commoner's self-esteem again. You seem to have a talent for it."

Garfiel leans down, tightly grabbing Subaru by the collar of his shirt. "So that's why there's snow everywhere!? Drag that half-witch out here! If ya can't do that–"

"Princess. I'm… m'sorry for talkin' about you like tha'…

"You have nothing to apologize for, Garf. This is not our reality. Moreover, considering what the past you knew and saw in this loop, your reaction is quite understandable. You shouldn't blame yourself." Despite her awful condition, Emilia forced herself to look at the young man and give him a pained, but friendly smile. Her kind, almost maternal look made Garfiel blush slightly, and he nodded gratefully to her.

"Bring Emilia out here and have her stop the snow? I can't do that."

"Why the hell not!?"

"Emilia's not the one making it snow. It's someone else."

"Someone else!?"

"Where is Roswaal?"

Subaru's words sink into him as Garfiel gasps. Roughly, he lets go of Subaru, and he falls down onto the snow. Getting up, Subaru makes his resolve. "Getting an answer out of him is the last goal I need to reach in this world."

"So he has already set a point for himself, after which he will finish this loop." Julius said, closing his eyes. His friend's words and eyes sent conflicting signals.

"Subaru-dono looks literally like a completely broken man, and yet, at the same time, his gaze speaks of superhuman tenacity. He was determined that he would achieve his goal… no matter how much pain it cost him." Said Wilhelm, who was visited by the same thoughts.

"But what will remain 'f his soul in the end? We have already found out that he is very good at hidin' his real state of mind! What if his condition nowadays is even worse than we think, and now it is too l-?" Anastasia began to reason worriedly, but she was interrupted by an exclamation from Rem:

"-No! It's not too late! Rem's hero will not break! He can't break! This can't be happening! He needs us! He needs those who will believe in him, who will show him that everything he did and suffered for was not in vain! We need to finish these viewing as soon as possible, wait for Subaru-kun to wake up and tell him all the words of gratitude that he deserves!"

"I agree with the maid on one thing. There is no point in wasting time on empty chatter! Whatever happens to this commoner in the end, we can't change anything until we get out of here! So stop whining and keep watching!" Priscilla ordered.

Despite the rudeness of her words, there was no arguing with her logic. I should have continued watching.

At the small house Roswaal resided in, Subaru meets with him. The snow still flutters onto the ground.

"Well, well. What an unusual pair you two ma-a-ake."

As always, there is a smile on the face of the Margrave. Ram is beside him, always the loyal maid that she is.

"How it pisses me off to hear that annoyin' tone!" The young fighter growled.

"You took it off my tongue!" Felt replied in the same tone. The knight sitting next to him nodded in agreement.

'Could it be that now Natsuki-san will discover the true culprit behind all his suffering in the Sanctuary? It's easy to predict the reaction of others when it comes to light, but the biggest question will be Emilia's position on Roswaal. If she decides that he has to pay for his crimes — then it's over for our camp.' Otto thought, desperately trying to come up with the counter-arguments in case Emilia decides to let her emotions hold reign.

"You're the one making it snow in the Sanctuary, aren't you, Roswaal?"

The question makes the smile become a frown. "Subaru-kun, did you hear that from me?"

Natsuki clearly did not expect to hear these words, but Roswaal interpreted his reaction in his own way.

"Hmm… I see. I see. How unfortunate."

He had dropped the accent and the playful tone that he always holds.

"You're not gonna deny it!?" Garf said accusingly.

"I could feign ignorance, but you two clearly have some grounds for asking me this. So, I suppose I shall respect that."

"What a beautiful irony! He had revealed his own cards by overestimating the opponent's knowledge!" Priscilla didn't miss the opportunity to hurt the clown.

Roswaal could only nod in agreement to the baroness's words. His previous version really overestimated Subaru's knowledge. Not that it would've changed the final outcome by much, but the magician felt obliged to mentally kick himself for carelessness.

"Perhaps now the margrave will tell him about the other parts of his plan?" Julius asked.

"I sure hope so. So far, the only thing we know is that the margrave followed instructions of his Gospel. Just like any cultist would. But what is his end goal here, nya?" Felix agreed with his colleague.

"Ha! Thanks a lot for that!" He clenches his fist tightly. "Maybe I oughta show a little respect for your stupidity, too!" He begins to approach him, but Ram quickly runs forward and blocks off the opening.

"I will not allow you to insult Roswaal-sama."

"Do you think Ram will become a big problem when the knights will come ta apprehend the margrave? I admire her loyalty, but the man she decided ta pledge ta is of the worst kind. I know his type and can easily see 'em throwing her under the carriage ta gain even the slightest advantage." Anastasia voiced her concern about the maid's possible moves to the duchess.

"That is a valid concern, yes. Of course, we can give the knights instructions to be as gentle as possible with her. I'm pretty sure other maids won't try to defend their master after everything they saw and will see, but how Ram will act is still unknown. I'm not going to rule out the possibility that she'll defend her master aggressively to the end, and if the knights will be forced to react, things can get ugly." Crusch answered with worry in her voice.

"Not only tha'…if somethin' happens ta Ram, no matta' how justified, Natsuki-kun won't let it slide, and in case Rem wakes up, she won't let 'er sista' be harmed by anyone, no matter the reason."

"Agreed. This can lead to a disastrous result, which means such an outcome is unacceptable! We need to make sure that Ram won't be harmed. With or without the Rem's factor. What also concerns me is Roswaal and his possible actions. You think he can become hostile?"

"Doubt it. He still needs ta' be the royal candidate sponsor, to reach his goal. He said it himself. So I really doubt he'll go rogue. That's why we'll need ta' combine influence of other camps ta tear down the clown's plans through legal means." The merchant princess expressed her position.

The duchess nodded in agreement while trying to come up with a plan on how to punish the court mage without turning Subaru into an enemy. Maybe she'll be able to reach an agreement with him using their alliance? Promise him to give Emilia what she desires to obtain by winning the selection? Possibly making her a minister and allowing her to implement some of the equality policies the half-elf had in mind?

Emilia didn't look like someone capable of ruling an entire country in Crusch's eyes, but her heart was in the right place, and she always strived to help others. Perhaps, if someone directs her energy in the right direction, the silver-haired girl could become a true asset for the kingdom.

"This is no time for you to butt in!"

"It's you who needs to back off, Garf!"

"I don't wanna have to take this out on you!"

Ram does not reply, but the resolve in her eyes says it all. The two are silent for a second, but only for a second. Both of their eyes widen as the sound of flesh and clothing being ripped through, and the disgusting noises of blood following.

"GARF!" Mimi, Frederica, Ram and Otto screamed in fear at the same time.

The knights and warriors in the hall clenched their fists and teeth in anger. They immediately understood what the sound meant.

"What a shameless scum you are, margrave!" Crusch expressed her disgust in an icy tone. To attack cowardly like this? Hiding behind the maid? Unforgivable wickedness!

'You don't even know a fraction of my sins, duchess. Even a small fraction…' Roswaal answered her mentally, feeling an intense rage boiling up in him. After all, if he correctly understood the train of thought of the previous version of himself, then… 'How could you… you fiend!'

"Ram." Roswaal said calmly. He was standing behind the girl. Lowering down a little, the camera showed his palm piercing through Garfiel's body. "You truly are an excellent servant."

"What… what did you mean by that?" Emilia asked somewhat calmly, but she was beginning to shake with rage.

But when she looked at her sponsor, she was surprised by the expression of undisguised anger and rage that distorted the clown's face. She had never seen such an expression before, but immediately deduced, that this was exactly the face Roswaal would have when he firmly decides to kill someone.

And her thoughts were right on target. Roswaal really wanted to kill now, and the target of his rage was himself on the screen. As soon as the blow occurred, the ancient mage immediately understood everything. The position of his body and arm in relation to Garfiel, the surprised look of Ram's face.

He had no doubt about what they were about to see. In a second, Roswaal's brain calculated the most 'optimal' way in this situation to eliminate the threat in the face of the blonde demi-human. Considering that Subaru has already deviated from what is prescribed in the Gospel, it was easy to determine what his previous version just did. After all, this was the most effective and logical option.

The only difference was that the current Roswaal would tear apart anyone who would suggest such an option, and, by an ironic twist of fate, the one who committed such sin was no one but himself. What reactions would follow from most of the others were obvious. Especially from Rem and Garfiel. He was sure of them. The only thing that remained unknown to him was Ram's reaction, and this uncertainty made him really terrified.

Surprise and pain are visible on Garfiel's face. Blood flowed from his mouth. His attempt to say something only resulted in his blood splattering on Ram's face. Who looked at what was happening with a frozen look of surprise.

Falling to the floor, Garfiel recovered from the shock, clutched at the wound, choking on blood. Subaru stared at it all, hardly realizing what he was seeing.

"Little brother…?" Frederica refused to believe in what she was seeing. Even if it was only on the screen, her only brother was slowly dying there, and his killer was right here… The killer was a man she had served faithfully for half her life! The one who provided her with great education, and a place to belong. The one who allowed her to realize her dream and create a new home for the inhabitants of her native village.

And the same person turned out to be involved in unimaginable atrocities against herself, her family, friends, loved ones. The head maid felt that the whole picture of the world was crumbling to dust before her eyes, leaving only emptiness and a feeling of betrayal.

"Garf…" Mimi nearly jumped out from Ricardo's lap in panic to run to the screen, but was quickly stopped by her adopted father.

"Neva expected anythin' other tha' 'tis shit from ya, bastard!" Garfiel growled, making a mental note to self to never lower his guard around the margrave. No matter what happens around.

Ram finally reacted by turning her head slightly towards the margrave. Blood flowed from her mouth.

"Ros—"

"I am a man of my word. I shall offer this soul to you."

The camera finally showed a general view of the room. Roswaal's bloody hand was sticking straight out of Ram's chest. Taking it out, the clown allowed the girl's body to fall right into the arms of the dying Garfiel. Ram herself at this moment looked satisfied, if not happy.

"R-ram…" Garfiel barely muttered.

He wanted to scream, he wanted to roar, he wanted blood. But he was simply too shocked by the images on the screen. His mind was doing it's best to ignore the terrible scene.

"Sis…sy?" Rem stared in disbelief at the screen, where the man they had served faithfully for many years had used her only sister just as a… a ruse… it was unthinkable. It couldn't have happened. Not with her sissy!

Emilia froze, unable to believe what was happening. For her, Roswaal who raised his hand on Ram was a sight more jaw-dropping, than Subaru's main secret. This just simply impossible! And yet, that's exactly what they were seeing on the screen right now.

Members of other camps simply turned their gazes full of pure hatred to the mage. Who completely ignored them, watching intently on the screen

"Ros… Ram…!"

Gently placing her on the floor, he started chanting. "Ram… Ram, Ram, Ram…!"

He places his palm over the wound, trying to heal her. "Ram, Ram, Ram, Ram…! Ram! Ram!"

Ram couldn't stand it anymore and covered her ears. The only thing more terrifying than that, for her, was watching Petelgeuse slowly kill Rem. Now she had to watch her own death, delivered by the hand of her beloved, and right before that, she doomed a young man who had been looking at her with eyes full of adoration for years. She even had the disgusting audacity to look happy at the same time, as if she had achieved some long desired goal.

It was really rare for Ram to feel such intense disdain for herself.

'Garf… Frederica… Rem… Barusu… please… forgive me…'

Slowly, he begins to transform, ready to attack Roswaal for what he had done.

"RAAAM!"

The young man's last cry was interrupted by a kick from Roswell, which shattered his head like a ripe watermelon. Subaru, spattered with the young man's blood, was still in a state of shock and did not react in any way.

Garfiel's corpse falls on Ram's. Both of their blood mixed together and filled the floor. It was sickening, disgusting. It was incomprehensible to Subaru.

The screen froze at this moment, as if feeling that there was no point in showing further now. For several seconds, there was dead silence in the hall… and then the dam burst.

"BASTAAAAARRRD! Rem screamed in a voice not her own. For Garfiel and Frederica, this was a signal to snap out of shock and act.

The blue-haired maid turned out to be the fastest. In a blink of an eye, she managed to jump up from her seat, turn around, and literally propel herself at the margrave. Flying over the rows of chairs, she intended to rip his head off with her bare hands. Slightly lagging behind her, Garfiel and Frederica were stopped by the Warden and secured with restraints before they could leave their respective places. Rem was less than half a meter from her target before she was stopped by the magical tendrils of the owner of this place.

Ram instinctively jerked to the left to cover her master, but a hand firmly gripped her shoulder, preventing her from even getting up. She turned angrily towards the unfortunate individual who was about to become a one-armed cripple until the Warden cured the injury, but was surprised to realize that Roswaal himself had prevented her from protecting him. Who, without flinching away, stared into the eyes of a furious and sobbing Rem.

"SHE TRUSTED YOU! SHE SERVED YOU! SHE DEVOTED ALL OF HERSELF TO YOU! AND THAT'S HOW YOU REPAY HER?! WHY?! HEARTLESS FIEND! WHY?!" She didn't care about the restraints, the Warden, or anyone around her. Right now, there was only the target of her hate she had to make suffer! But no matter how strong her fury was, she couldn't fight the magic of this place, and was left twitching helplessly in the air.

"Please, don't hold her back. She has every right to her revenge." Roswaal asked the Warden in a calm, but saddened tone.

He knew for sure that no matter how mercilessly Rem will beat him, the Warden won't let him die in this place, but at least this way Roswaal will be able to come to terms with his past's self actions.

At the same time, he did not dare to take his eyes off his maid. It was extremely rare in all four hundred years of his life that someone looked at him like that. With so much hatred, resentment and betrayed trust in their eyes. Once again, he was reminded about what kind of monster he turned himself into for the sole purpose of bringing back his beloved woman.

"I have already told you many times. In this place, you will not solve your conflicts by resorting to violence. No matter how justified it is. Rem, go back to your seat."

Realizing that it was pointless to resist, Rem, who had already been returned to the first row by the restraints, stopped struggling and stood on the floor, but not before she told the margrave in an ice-cold tone:

"We won't be sitting here forever, and when we get back, if I wake up… I will come for you! And If you try to run away… I'll find you… you hear me?! I'll find you!"

Roswaal did not reply. He just kept looking at her with an unflinching gaze. The ancient magician did not know what to say. Only the will of a man who had been pursuing his goal for centuries allowed him to remain composed, despite the sense of guilt before the two maids so dear to him.

All Otto had to do was bite his hat, so as not to start going through the most favored swear words he had learned over the years of traveling. All his attempts to keep Emilia's camp afloat were successfully torpedoed time after time, and by the camp members themselves no less! When these screenings are over, Roswaal will most likely be torn apart by the maids right in the mansion. Even before the royal knights arrive to arrest the magician.

Frederica and Garfiel had already calmed down and only glared at the margrave, baring their sharp teeth.

"Please, Rem-san, sit down. I know that this will not change anything and I do not want to justify the margrave in any way, but I feel that he himself is now overwhelmed with guilt and hatred. Self-hatred." Reinhard tried to calm the girl down.

"That's the least he should be feeling right now, Reinhard-sama!" Rem answered him politely but sternly. Nevertheless, she decided to take her seat anyway, continuing to stare at the ancient magician.

"Maybe you can at least explain yourself to us? What was your goal when you decided to kill everyone?!" The duchess asked coldly. Since they couldn't get the desired retribution, they should at least get some answers.

"I'm afraid any attempt to explain the actions of my past self will be perceived as an attempt of justification, and the last thing I want to do now is to justify his actions." The margrave said sternly, looking back from Rem to the screen.

"Speak!" Emilia hissed.

Clenching her fists, she looked at her sponsor with fire in her eyes, almost as much as the flame in Rem's gaze. "Look into my eyes, Roswaal!"

But Roswaal didn't look at her. Any punishment the half-elf could come up with for him meant nothing to him right now. There was a heavy silence in the hall for several seconds.

"Please…" Came a strangled voice from his right.

Ram couldn't find the strength to look at her master, or at anyone in the audience, for that matter, but she needed to know the reason. She wanted to know what she had died, doomed Garf, and inflicted another mental scar on Barusu's memory for. She felt like she was being torn apart by a torrent of differing emotions. Ram felt anger at Roswaal for killing Garfiel using her as a meat shield. Guilt before her sister, Barusu and the rest of her camp for willingly following his plans. Despair at the thought that she couldn't find any means to justify her beloved's actions, but still wanted to find them. Anything. At least for herself.

"Please, Roswaal-sama. Tell us… why would you do something like that?"

Roswaal would gladly prefer to be beaten half to death by all the knights in the room, just so he won't have to hear those words in that tone, with those emotions.

'Ironic… it seems fate was able to find a suitable punishment even for a heartless man like me.' He thought bitterly before indulging Ram her request.

"Because I knew that Natsuki Subaru would revert time anyway, and prevent all of this from happening." The clown said gloomily without his accent.

No one reacted. Everyone was waiting for the continuation. The level of hostility in their eyes also remained unchanged.

"My predecessor decided to have an honest conversation with Natsuki Subaru, but he understood that once he'd start telling the truth, Garfiel would transform from anger and start destroying everything around him. In such a limited space, I would not have been able to put up with him. So it was necessary to take him out with one hit so that he would not have time to react. When Ram stepped between him and Garfiel, my predecessor saw an opportunity and took it."

"And that's all… you just like that… without any doubts… killed your most loyal companion just because it was… convenient?!" The Duchess literally couldn't believe what she was hearing. She wasn't sure that such a level of inhuman cynicism could be found even in Vollachia.

"My predecessor decided to do this because he knew that everything was over. He, Ram, and the whole world were already doomed to oblivion. The moment it became clear Subaru Natsuki had left the Sanctuary and headed to the mansion, the past me realized that this world has no future. He deviated from the writing in the Gospel. So all that remained was to follow the command described in the book for such a case — to cause a snowfall, which would mean the death of the Sanctuary and all its inhabitants. This tragedy would leave Natsuki Subaru with no choice, but to go back in time and start over."

"But why even do this?! What was your goal?!" Emilia wouldn't let him go.

"Is it still not clear to you? Make him the perfect figure for my plan. An invincible knight who will be ready to protect you and only you from any threat. A man who will stop at nothing to achieve his goal — to save his beloved and make her the ruler."

"So you specifically tried to make Betty's contractor a monster who doesn't value his life at all! Well, you almost succeeded in it, in fact!" Beatrice declared fiercely.

"Did you do all this… to turn him into my protector?" The princess couldn't believe these words.

"I've said it more than once already, have I not? Your victory in the royal selection is my top priority. To guarantee your success, it was imperative to have a knight by your side who would not allow you to fail. Regardless of the circumstances."

The girl could not find what to say to this statement. She turned to the screen, deep in thought. She couldn't let go of the frightening thought that she was the main cause of all Subaru's agony. If she hadn't agreed to take part in the selection, would none of this have happened? Or if she didn't insist on taking him to Roswaal's mansion.

'Was it all really my fault?' She thought with fear.

"I cannot have you transforming in here. Now, in accordance with my vow, shall we talk… Natsuki Subaru-kun?"

The sounds that filled the air would make anyone not used to such grisly sights sick.

"…Why did you kill them?" Still dazed, Subaru asked quietly.

"They were interfering with our discussion. It was an awful thing to do to Ram, but had I not created an opening, I had little chance of defeating him."

"Had you not created an opening?! From the look of it, killing my sister is as easy for you as swiping a bug off a table!" Rem growled.

It took a lot of effort for her not to rush at her former master again. She didn't care if it was useless. She just wanted to get to his neck and squeeze it.

"Nevertheless, it's true, Rem. Ram, as well as Natsuki Subaru, are indispensable to achieve my goal. Losing any of them would mean the collapse of my dream."

"You don't have to scratch your tongue in vain, you bastard! Your smooth-talking won't work with me anymore…" Rem hissed, clenching her fists.

The blue maid's rage was so strong that even Ram became afraid of her. What should she do now? On one hand she felt a surge of happiness. Neither Crusch nor the Sword Saint said that Roswaal lied, so it was true that she was important to him! That she was needed by him! The thought alone made her blush. She didn't endure all these years in vain and indeed became essential for her beloved. Even if just as a tool. But an indispensable one!

But at the same time Ram understood that her situation became much worse! Rem was out for Roswaal's blood. And Ram had zero arguments to talk her out of this. Rem deserved her revenge by all means! But to let sister satisfy this bloodlust meant to let her beloved master die!

How can she choose between her sister and her beloved? Will she be able to repeat the success of Barusu, who did not wish to focus on just one person and instead set out to save everyone? Ram understood that either she would find a way out in which Rem would abandon the desire to take revenge on Roswaal, or she would forever lose an important part of herself. Regardless of which side is left.

"Huh?"

"An unexpected reaction. I have always known you to be the type to blindly fly into a rage in situations such as these."

"After everything he's been through, could it be that he has become impervious to the deaths of others?" Tivey asked bitterly.

"Nyo. It seems to me that Subaru-kyun is more in a state of shock. Like us, he couldn't even imagine that a clown would do that, nya." Felix shook his head. At least he wanted to believe in what he was saying.

That's true, Subaru would fly into a rage. "What are you getting at, you bastard?" He manages to whisper as he clenches his fist. "There's no way I'm gonna…"

"Let me get away with this?"

"—ah…? Stop… Stop looking at me like that! Who the hell are you!? You killed them! You said all that about the Witch's Cult…! You've been dodging me over and over!"

"Over and over… Yes, over and over, Subaru-kun."

"The sight of Petelgeuse did not make me shudder as much as the smile of this clown!" Julius commented with disgust.

"You bet. The former one was just a sadistic lunatic, and here is not just a maniac, but a maniac who knows Bro's biggest secret."

"The music is creepy too." Tivey added his own two cents.

"Yeah… I called the wrong guy creepy." Mimi whispered in his ear. The twin nodded in agreement.

Seeing how Natsuki froze in surprise, the Roswaal decided to elaborate:

"Very well, then. Since you do not understand, I will explain it to you as if I do. You feel no grief over their deaths. You feel shock and indignation, but not genuine sorrow. Is it not because you feel that this is something you can undo?"

"…You knew?"

For a moment, Subaru thought that the hand would come. That same shadow hand that stopped him from telling anyone about Return by Death, that crushed the heart of Emilia in a failed loop. However, it did not come.

Roswaal walks towards the bed. "Showing you this will most likely be the fastest way to explain."

Then, using his bloodied arm, he grabs something from behind the pillows. Then, he pulls out a familiar, big black book. Roswaal proudly presents it to him.

"It's not a Gospel. Not a defective one, but the genuine article, of which only two exist."

"You have one, too?"

"So far everything is in order with what we have learned." Otto commented to no one in particular.

"It appears I don't need to explain who is in possession of the other one."

Subaru could only stare at the book, remembering Beatrice, and what she had said.

"Judging from your expression, I presume that Beatrice fulfilled her dearest wish to 'disappear'?"

"Gh… ngh…! Her dearest wish…? Are you saying that dying in such a brutal and pointless way was her dearest wish!? Is that what you're saying!?"

He remembers how she reacted when Elsa stabbed her, when she dragged that knife down her body. Her smile, a genuine, happy smile that makes him want to cry.

"That is what she wanted. I envy her. It would seem I am incapable of fulfilling my dearest wish."

Beatrice didn't know what to say to these words. After all, she died in front of her contractor with the words that her wish was fulfilled.

'It's not like that, Subaru. Thanks to you, Betty doesn't want that to happen anymore. Trust your Betty, I suppose…'

"That bastard even has the audacity to think that he made someone happy by doing this. This level of hypocrisy is making me want to puke!" Priscilla said with distaste.

"What is it you want to do!? Why are you like this!?"

"I cannot say. I have made a vow of my own. I will, however, say this: I am constantly doing my utmost to fulfil my dearest wish. All of my schemes, my inhumanity, and the assistance and backing I offer are for that purpose."

"You're following that book, too?"

Rushing towards the window, Subaru gestures widely to the snow that still falls in the Sanctuary. "Is this snow in the book too, then!? Did it tell you to make snow fall!? Cause I wanna know why!"

"What else? To keep Emilia-sama isolated."

"H-Huh?"

"An unseasonal snowstorm where she happens to be, in a place with a deep connection to the Witch. Garfiel would condemn her, and the villagers have experience with cold spells. Emilia-sama would then be isolated and become emotionally unstable."

"So we guessed correctly. You drove the princess crazy on purpose, you bastard!" Garfiel growled.

"Her madness was never part of my plan. The text in the Gospel implied that Subaru-kun, seeing how hard it was for Emilia-sama, would pass the Trials instead of her. Which will l bind her to him even more." Roswaal decided to answer.

"So you wanted to make a weak-willed puppet out of a half-wit? A cowardly mutt, who would cling to a commoner in search of support and comfort? And control him by threatening to destroy her in case of disobedience? And thus take over the kingdom?" Priscilla made her guess. Many in the audience nodded, agreeing with the logic of such a plan.

"If it makes it easier for you, you can think whatever you want, Bariel-sama." Roswaal did not argue with this thought. He was in no mood to talk about his real plans, let them think what they want.

"Are you…"

"That's right. Emilia didn't have much confidence in herself, and without anyone to support her, she makes really bad mistakes, and the loss of Puck… And you could never distance yourself from her if she were to lean on you."

"Bastard… that explains what you did to my letter…"

The reaction Roswaal gives, though, is unexpected. "Letter?" However, the smile comes back onto his face immediately. "In any case, your current self cannot bring about the future indicated in the text. If there's a discrepancy, it must be corrected."

Slowly, he walks towards Subaru.

"So it wasn'thim who's hidden the letter for Emilia-sama. But who else is left then to do this?" Frederica asked in surprise.

Right now, the young woman was so angry at the margrave that she even allowed her self to commit a severe violation of etiquette by addressing her master without the appropriate respect. For those who had known the maid for a long time, it was a sign that she was still extremely resentful.

"He may as well be lying." Said Julius.

"I don't think so. Given the state of affairs, there was no point in my predecessor lying to him about such small things. On the contrary, the past self tries to be as open with him as possible. Keeping silent only about those things that he cannot reveal."

"Are you going to kill me?"

"Killing you would be putting the cart before the ground dragon. No matter what happens to you. I need you ready to try again at the next opportunity."

"Huh?"

"I cannot kill you, but there are other things I can do."

With these words, Roswaal made a powerful blow to the young man's stomach, and when he bent over, struck his neck with his palm.

"I start to find the taboo more and more useful despite how cruel it is. Can you imagine what this clown would do, if he knew the trigger for Natsuki-kun's ability?" Anastasia addressed her knight with a displeased expression.

"I can easily imagine him tricking Subaru into some unsavory pact that would force him to follow Roswaal's orders or die at any sign of disobedience." Julius answered, clenching his fists in seething anger.

"Considering the future you and I share, this may not be a su-u-uper smart way to do things. Did I use that right?"

Then, quite literally, Roswaal began to kick him as he was down. They were enough to bruise and cause pain, but nothing to kill him like what Roswaal did to Garfiel and Ram. Subaru's grunts and shouts of pain filled the room as Roswaal kept on kicking him in an attempt to make him reset and create another loop.

Each blow to their friend caused the audience to have an acute desire to respond tenfold to the margrave. Even Ram could feel the rage starting to boil in her. No one was allowed to use physical violence against Barusu except her! No one! They were stopped only by the understanding that any attempt at violence would be prevented by the Warden.

"Just you wait! Soon we'll get out of this theater, and then you'll be at the receiving end of the many fists!" Felt hissed through her teeth. The girl was literally shaking with overflowing anger.

Rem silently and with an ice-cold concentration counted the number of hits to determine how many times she would break all the bones of her former master, then heal him, and repeat the procedure.

Finally, Subaru crashed through the table. The splinters and legs of the table flew through, ending at Roswaal's feet stained with some of Subaru's blood, and mostly Garfiel's.

"Even after all this, you have no mind to start over?"

"Roswaal… you're talking about starting over, but planning what you do to someone based on the assumption that they'll just start over is insane…"

"You were telling the truth, after all. You really didn't know that Natsuki Subaru had to die in order to carry out the transfer." Crusch noted.

"You didn't believe me, even despite your gi-i-ift?" Roswaal asked her.

"When it comes to the likes of you and your deviousness, even when you answer questions directly, one should still expect deception."

"A reasonable thou-u-ught. However, I was telling the truth. I'm afraid, in our situation, any lie about these events makes no sense. The truth will still be shown on this screen anywa-a-y."

Roswaal looks outside the window and noticed that dozens of red eyes were watching the house.

"It appears our discussion is over."

A Great Rabbit ran through the snow, jumping at the window to try and feast.

"Goa!" Roswaal says, and the fireball incinerates the critter that breaks the window.

"Shit! These devils've come!" Ricardo growled tensely.

Most of those present stiffened up, fully expecting to see how the rabbits will swarm the house and devour those inside.

"Not the rabbits… not again." Petra muttered incessantly, staring at the screen in horror before her face was forced into Frederica's ample bosom.

"I see, I see. So this is how it ends."

With one hand, he lifted Subaru up and threw him through the broken window. Subaru falls down onto the snow. He looks up to see what had broken through—

"So the fact that you didn't know what the snowfall will lead to also turned out to be true." Emilia noted coldly to herself.

"I hope they eat you alive, clown! You deserve to go through the same hell as Betty's contractor, in fact!" Beatrice, who had been all this time silently accumulating hatred, declared without a drop of pity.

"I think your wish will come very true soon, Beatrice. This loop is coming to an end. My predecessor told Subaru-kun almost everything that could be said at this point. They have nothing more to talk about, and that means their end is near." Roswaal answered her without a drop of emotion in his voice.

"The Great Rabbit? But… it's only the second day…"

"Most likely, it is due to the snow."

"Daphne said that the Great Rabbit is drawn to large amounts of mana…" Forcing himself to get up, Subaru addresses Roswaal. "Roswaal, I'm calling a truce for now. We have to join up with Emilia and get everyone outside!"

Roswaal shakes his head.

"And how would we do that? Until the Trial is completed, those in the Sanctuary cannot leave the barrier." He begins to walk towards the Great Rabbit, his intentions unknown to Subaru.

"Is he going to suffer through this again?" Anastasia whispered, ready to dive back into the depths of her Od at any moment, just not to see what would happen.

"Maybe at least now the clown will make the right move and burn all these monsters?!" Garfiel blurted out, hoping for any end other then what he expected.

"Extremely unlikely. My predecessor is sure that Natsuki Subaru can return to the past at any moment at will, therefore, he is not in danger. At the same time this Roswaal has already accepted his fate and is ready to accept death. It's pointless to expect any help from him." Roswaal explained in an emotionless voice.

"So that's what the end of this loop is going to be?! Of all the possible endings, will Sir Natsuki get the worst one again?" Crusch asked absently, preparing to close her eyes and ears at any moment.

The last thing she wanted was to hear his screams of agony again. Maybe at least this time the screen will be more merciful to them and will not show everything in detail?

"I'm not finished yet! You might think it can wait until next time, but—!"

"You seem to be mistaken about one thing, Subaru-kun. Perhaps, you can start over, but I cannot. My present self will end here."

A single Great Rabbit hops forward.

"But that is fine. Another me, one who is not myself, will be there after you start over. So long as 'that me' fulfills my goal one day, it makes no difference."

More of the mabeasts hop forward.

"… That's not how any normal human thinks."

"Damn straight they don't! No matter how you look at it, for us there it is always the golden loop. I can't even imagine what it is like to be on the verge of death, and think that mini-boss will go back in time and make sure I stay alive. It would seem like the future me who will be saved is an entirely different person!" Ricardo mused with heavy and unpleasant thoughts in his head.

How did time travel even work? Did the whole world get 'rewinded' or was it just the boy's soul? Then what happened with the rest of the world? The mercenary captain decided not to fill up his head with such dark thoughts. It was definitely above his pay grade, And he definitely did not like the possible implications.

"The day will come when you truly catch up to me. Listen to me, Subaru-kun. There is one thing that is truly, truly the most precious to you. You must get rid of everything but that, and think of nothing but protecting that one most precious thing. By doing that…"

One jumped up, taking a chunk of Roswaal's flesh as it bit down into him, but Roswaal did not cry out in pain, and that smile never once left his face.

"Roswaal-sama…" Ram muttered in horror, on pure instinct reaching out to the screen with her hand.

Her outstretched hand was quickly covered by the margrave's palm, which Ram squeezed hard and pressed to her chest, to convince herself that her beloved was here, next to her.

"Roswaal!"

"…you, too, can become like me."

Then, he falls to his knees and onto his stomach. The swarm of white rabbits completely swarmed over Roswaal's body, devouring him.

"What a pity tha', unlike the Cap'n, ya don' remember what it was like!" Garfiel growled angrily.

No one condemned him for that phrase, and if he had turned around at the time, he would have been surprised to see his older sister nodding in agreement, looking at her master with hatred.

In the next scene, Subaru was running as hard as he could through the snow, being chased by a horde of rabbits. Taking out the crystal, he gave a mental order. Soon, two dozen of Ryuzu clones came to his aid, starting to cover the apostle of Greed with their bodies and fighting rabbits with bare hands.

"Come on, Cap'n! Run! Don't let these rodents get to you!"

"Subaru-dono is still fighting to the last. He's still not ready to give up, no matter what happens. Even knowing that the loop is doomed, he will seek knowledge and information to the last in order to achieve victory later." Wilhelm noted not without pride.

"But where can he run to? What is he trying to find?" Tivey was curious.

"Maybe he wants to know if there is an option to barricade in the Cathedral and fight back against the rabbits with joint effort?" Otto suggested.

"Or get to Emilia-sama and ask her to help? She may not be in her right mind, but she shouldn't have lost her strength." Frederica suggested.

Despite their small bodies, the elven blood gave the clones considerable physical strength, and, when dying, the bodies disappeared in an explosion of mana. Despite Roswaal's words, he was in no hurry to discard the idea of trying to save the inhabitants by using the Cathedral as a point of defense.

But his hopes were dashed when he was able to see the building through the blizzard. The whole cathedral was in flames. Everyone who was inside the building had either died from the fire and smoke or were doomed to die soon, and the Great Rabbits tried to jump inside, but were burned into a crisp almost immediately.

"What a terrible fate…" Frederica said, covering her mouth with her palm, looking at the infernal picture with horror.

"There should have been more than a hundred souls along with the residents of Arlam!" Garfiel gnashed his teeth in anger.

Falling to his knees from the overwhelming feeling of despair, Subaru broke into hysterical giggles, while the cathedral building collapsed on itself. Several surviving Ryuzu clones formed a living wall around him.

"Suffocating in smoke is a much easier death than becoming the dinner of these monsters. Whoever came up with this idea among those hiding, he chose the merciful option." Al said in a completely serious tone. "But it doesn't make it any easier for bro. Once again, he is going through his own personal hell."

"For him, It's the horror of the Arlam massacre all over again. It is amazing that these monstrous images did not break him completely. Sir Natsuki's mind is indeed inhumanly resilient." the Duchess said sympathetically.

"This sight is truly hellish. It's like the world is actively trying to break him completely. The amount of horrors he witnessed in this loop alone is more than he saw since the beginning of the arc, and there is still the Great Rabbit chasing him." Reinhard remembered with fear, everything his friend went through in just one day.

"Protect me with your bodies. As soon as I get to the tomb, do whatever you want." he ordered them dispassionately, rising from his knees.

"The Cap'n is doing it right! He quickly got his bearings back, and he doesn't coddle with the husks!" Garfiel said sternly.

He always forced himself to treat blank copies as expendables. There was no personality in them. They weren't his grandmothers. Just 'tools' which looked similar to his grandmothers. Nothing more.

"Nevertheless, this scene once again shows us the changes in his mind. Back in the beginning of this very loop, he wanted to give each empty copy a personal name, despite them lacking personality." Anastasia commented sadly. "He even thought about finding a way to distinguish them from each other. Now he sees them as nothing but simple tools."

"What else is he supposed to do? Take care of them and become rabbit food?!" Felt began to get angry.

"We don't judge his actions in such a way, Felt-sama. We are lamenting how the world puts Subaru in a position where he can only preserve his ideals at the cost of his life." Reinhard tried to calm her down.

"It's not the world who's at fault, but this scum with make up, that is sitting behind us!" Felt sad with anger, pointing her finger in the direction of Roswaal.

The replicas met the wave of snow-white rodents with their bodies. They were devoured, but had the opportunity to take revenge with a final explosion, and gave Subaru time to run with the last of his strength towards the tomb.

The scene changes to the interior of the tomb of Echidna. The camera shows the young man's legs dripping with blood. His heavy, ragged breathing can be heard.

"He got there! He survived!" Emilia was delighted.

No matter if he still was doomed. No matter if she's gone crazy! She won't let any hungry mabeast get to him! She'll protect him in any state! Emilia was sure of it!

"What's there to be happy about? He's going to die again soon anyway." Tivey did not share the princess's joy.

"I think Sir Natsuki will agree that although no death can be called pleasant, they clearly differ in the amount of anguish one experiences. Personally, I can hardly imagine a more terrifying way to die than to become a victim of the Great Rabbit. Since he was able to get to the tomb, we can at least expect that a more…merciful end awaits him." Crusch commented dryly, trying not to let her feelings run wild.

She was emotionally devastated. In the last few episodes, the black-haired young man was hardly given any break, being thrown from one crisis to another, and they haven't even reached the breakthrough loop yet!

"Subaru?"

She looks up, she had been cuddling his tracksuit that he leant her before he had to go. She was clinging onto it like it was the only reason why she was alive, that it was all she needed.

"Subaru! It is you!"

[Melody Playing — Deceptive Music Box]

Humming and giggling happily, Emilia throws away the tracksuit, getting up as she runs towards him with a bounce.

"Gosh, where have you been?" She reaches down, tightly grabbing one of his hands. "I was so~ worried."

His hand is covered in blood.

She leans forward. "Are you exhausted?"

Subaru nods.

"Hehehe~ I see! Alright, then!"

Although he tries to keep his eye open, Subaru still closes it as he leans against the wall. He just wants to die right now. He just wants—

"And she still doesn't even notice his horrible condition. He lost an eye for Od's sake!" Tivey was still indignant at such indifferent to the boy's suffering.

"It's foolish to expect Emilia-sama to react adequately to anything nyow. Most likely her mind is submerged in some lovely fantasy to protect itself from the horrors of fake visions, nya." Felix tried to defend the half-elf's lack of caring.

"Subaru, Subaru!"

Subaru opens his eye. Emilia is sitting down on her knees, and pats her legs. "You like resting your head on my lap, right?"

Making his way to her, Subaru's knees finally give in as he rests his head on her soft thighs. Despite the fact that he knew this was not right, he still did it in order to comfort Emilia. He closes his eye as he feels her rest a hand on his face.

"Subaru, are you sleepy?" After he settled in her lap, she began stroking his cheek, looking at him with crazy eyes.

The image was starting to twitch as if the tape had been damaged. The camera moved from her face onto Subaru's torn, lacerated body. He was rapidly losing blood.

Petra held on for a long time. She was brave, she didn't let Frederica close her eyes. She convinced herself and her mentor that she intended to see everything to the very end, but this picture made her close her mouth and whine softly in horror. She couldn't even imagine how Subaru felt then.

"S-subaru-kun …" Rem barely breathed out, seeing the terrible state of her hero.

The girl unconsciously squeezed the sleeping youth's hand to her. Without taking her wide-open eyes off the screen, she started feeling it to make sure that there were no bleeding lacerations.

"This world has a very repugnant and vile sense of mercy." Felix said softly, shaking his head. "Due to the frost outside, Subaru-kyun's sensitivity should decrease significantly. So at least we can hope he feels almost no pain."

"To die of blood loss while resting on a lap pillow… life seems to be deliberately mocking Betty's contractor. Will there be at least something he cherishes that will not be distorted by association with death?" Beatrice said rhetorically, not even attempting to hold back her tears.

Emilia, who was sitting next to her, could not find the words to answer. The spirit girl said it better than the princess could have. These episodes progressively ruined all her most cherished moments with Subaru, both those that have already happened and those that could be. It was as if the universe itself had decided to mock the half-elf and the one who dared to love her.

'My confession… His favorite way to rest… What else will they take away from me?!' The girl thought desolately, clutching her knees to her chest.

The others preferred to remain silent.

Mimi and Tivey clung to Ricardo for comfort. Felt was crying quietly, clenching her fists in concern for her friend. Anastasia mentally communicated with her spirit in order to somehow distract herself. Crusch was just quietly mourning the fate of the young man who made her heart beat faster, and almost everyone was thinking a similar thought — what can they do to help him forget these horrors? Was there anything they could do to help him at this point?

"Don't force it~. You're always pushing yourself too hard for other people's sake. It gives me mixed feelings. If I'm being honest, I only want you to push yourself hard for me. But then again, I wouldn't like a Subaru that wouldn't look at anyone else. I'm sorry. I'm so selfish, aren't I?"

Slowly, the light begins to leave his eye. Emilia only smiles brightly, then, she closes her eyes as she leans down. She takes him, the silent Subaru, and—

Slowly, bending down, she touched her lips to his.

Natsuki Subaru died.

[Screen caption: Taste of Death]

"S-s-shit… there goes the guy's first kiss…" Al commented gloomily on the last scene.

With each episode, he became more and more convinced that his, far from the most fun life in this world, was still much better than the fate of Subaru.

"As well as an exceptionally bright memory of a favorite way to relax." Ricardo added in the same tone. "I wonder if he will be able to perceive rest on laps normally now?"

"I would not worry so much about this." Ram confidently and deliberately loudly declared, first of all trying to make her words heard by the mistress. "Immediately after the fight with Garf, when Barusu passed out from overexertion once again, Emilia herself gave him a rest in his favorite way, and I don't remember him reacting negatively to waking up on the princess's lap."

But, contrary to the maid's hopes, the half-elf did not respond in any way. She was still sitting in the chair, huddled into a ball.

"We can only hope that Natsuki-kun didn't remember this moment." Anastasia said dryly.

'You do remember that terrible moment, don't you. To let you die before that would be mercy, and this world doesn't have a drop of it in relation to you, in fact. But Betty does. Betty will be with you even if the whole world turns against you. I swear!' Beatrice lamented internally, squeezing into her contractor.

Even Priscilla decided that making barbs at the half-elf at this moment would be in poor taste. The world had punished her enough with this scene. There was no honor in kicking a dead dog.

"At such moments, you start to think that for Subaru-dono to become an insensitive being would not be the worst outcome. Just to stop reacting to the nightmarish reality in which he is forced to exist." Wilhelm said in an empty voice.

"Indeed. Perhaps if Subaru-kyun had become addicted to the bottle, it would have been easier for him to live with such memories." Felix replied sadly, who at this stage was ready to come to terms with almost any way Subaru could deal with his nightmares.

"Although I do understand what are you implying, Felix, I can't agree with you. Alcoholism may destroy even the most noble and loving people." Reinhard suddenly answered his friend with calm manner.

Too calm, those who knew him well thought. Like he used some kind of Divine Protection to empty his voice of any emotions. The images of his father, the way he used to be in his childhood and what he turned into due to his acquired habit to swing the bottle came to the redhead's mind. And it really scared him. He already lost his father to the bottle. He won't lt his friend meet the same fate!

"Y-yes…my bad! Sorry, Rein. It's just…" Felix, who also understood what his implication evoked in the Sword Saint tried to explain himself, but Reinhard stopped him.

"No need to apologize, Felix. I know that you meant well. Just like you, I also wish to look for any way for Subaru to let out his stress."

"I seriously have concerns that any traditional stress relief methods will be of little use here. Alcohol and narcotic substances not only relax, but also loosen tongues. It is very likely that Subaru is afraid that by losing control over his thoughts, he will slip about his ability." Otto shook his head.

"And given his fear that the Jealous Witch might kill those to whom he blabbed…" Felt continued the thought.

"You gotta be fuckin' kiddin'! It turns out that the Cap'n has no ways to deal with 'dis shit at all?!" Garfiel was horrified by this conclusion.

It was cruel and unfair! The captain had gone through so much, saved so many, and in the end couldn't even have a good rest? Once again, the blonde boy felt completely useless.

"Wilhelm-sama, is there any training to help Sir Natsuki clear his mind of such creepy thoughts?"

"I doubt it will help him, Crusch-sama. Certainly I can teach him how to clear his mind but it's nightmares that torment Subaru-dono when he tries to forget himself in sleep. Those cannot be defeated by training and self-discipline. I'm pretty sure that Subaru-dono already tried those. He is very diligent after all.

"What about light magic?" Petra suddenly thought.

Spells of light magic could restore mental balance, relieve fatigue and worries. After all, she was studying exactly such magic, and if she could use her skills to protect her hero from nightmares, then she could be useful to him. The girl nodded to herself, firmly deciding that she would definitely find a way to help him! If necessary, she will become the greatest light magician in the kingdom to help the hero.

Rem, who was sitting next to her, thought the same way. If it helps him even a little, she will spend every night with him, holding his hand, and trying to calm his sleep with her magic.

But what really frightened her was the intentions of the distraught princess on the screen. The girl, who had lost her mind, did not even realize the young man had died on her lap, so she thought he was just sleeping. As soon as they saw the attempted kiss, the last private conversation with Emilia resurfaced in Rem's head. When she proudly declared that Subaru had kissed her, and how, after that, she was afraid that because of the kiss they would have a baby.

So, to Rem, it was clear that Emilia, who had fallen into madness, wanted to conceive a child from Subaru and did it in the only way she knew how. Rem inwardly shuddered and could only thank Od Laguna that Emilia was too innocent back then to know how children were really made. Otherwise, this already gruesome scene could've become even more grotesque and macabre. Rem shook her head to not such allow such dreadful images come to her mind.

Behind her Frederica and Ram shuddered while having similar thoughts.

Emilia, on the other hand, was in too comatose a state due to self-loathing to even touch her knight. She really wanted to just run to a wall and bash her head until she loses her mind again. She didn't want to remember what she just saw. Her confession of love… her lap pillow…her first kiss…it turns out that all those happy and intimate things that happened or would happen were already tainted…corrupted…despoiled by the stench of death. Nothing was left untouched.

Emilia wanted to wail, to scream, to condemn this ugly world that seemed to hate her so much for no reason. But all she could so right now was to curl in a ball and silently sob, disregarding everyone around and not even noticing sympathetic back pats from Beatrice and Felt respectively. She just wished to have any personal piece of happiness that wasn't associated with suffering.

"We can't do anything about what happened. The only thing left for us now is to continue watching." Otto said calmly. It took a lot of effort for him to control himself.

The only bright thought that was on his mind was the realization that Subaru had become even closer to his goal. Now he knew about Roswaal's teachings. The last piece of the puzzle remained — to find out it was Roswaal who hired the assassins. Then he will have the full picture, and then the breakthrough loop will be just around the corner. Otto believed it with all his might. He had nothing else left to hope for.