Pride continued to stare into the mirror, his gaze fixed on his broken reflection. He felt himself sinking into an endless abyss, his mind unable to form a single coherent thought.
"Nyahello," Felix purred, a smugness dripping from his voice. He lifted Pride's head, forcing him to witness his own ravaged appearance. He saw a face drained of color, eyes hollow and lifeless.
Felix was satisfied.
"Looks like no one's home," he mocked, noting Pride's lack of reaction. "Well, enough for today, I guess, nya. I'd like to play more, but I've got more important business to attend to than catering to a witch worshipper." Felix turned to leave the cell.
Julius paused at the door, glancing back at Pride. Something felt off. Pride was neither physically nor mentally as resilient as an Archbishop should be. He turned back once more, a flicker of doubt in his eyes.
?: "Sorry to make you wait. I'm ready."
She had changed into a garment called kinomo, a traditional costume from Kararagi. It was a long dress made from white fabric with aniseed floral patterns. Certainly, a type of clothing that you hardly saw in Lugunica, but Anastasia looked great in it.
Julius: "I don't think I'll ever get tired of saying how good you look in your dresses, milady. It is as if they were made specifically for you."
?: "Jeez, he doesn't know when to give up… Well, not that it bothers me" — she smiled
greedily, a little embarrassed.
Julius offered his arm to his lady, who gently accepted with her hand.
Julius: "Milady… Are you sure about wearing the scarf? I believe you will feel hot considering the weather today."
As pointed out by the knight, despite the kinomo, she was still wearing her fox scarf, which, apparently, seemed to be her favourite. Although it was beautiful scarf, and clearly one of the highest qualities, it really didn't make sense to wear it on hot days.
?: "Ah, well, you're right, but… I don't mind it."
Julius: "… I understand. And where are we going today?"
Sensing that it was a delicate matter, Julius didn't insist and changed the focus of the conversation.
?: "An impeccable knight indeed…" — whispered the girl, only to herself.
Julius was struck by the same sharp pain again, but this time it was more intense, a jolt that sent a wave of disorientation through him. He instinctively recoiled, a primal fear gripping him, and quickly fled the prison cell, convinced that Pride was somehow responsible.
He stumbled out into the bustling market district of the capital, seeking the anonymity of the crowd. He splashed water on his face at a nearby fountain, trying to shake off the lingering unease, then sat heavily on a nearby bench.
His mind raced, trying to make sense of the fragmented memory. "Who was that girl?" he wondered, his brow furrowed in confusion. "Why did I call her 'Milady'?" A cold dread washed over him. Had Pride somehow tampered with his mind? The thought made his face pale with fear.
Meanwhile, at the Karsten Manor
Crusch sat at her desk, surrounded by a mountain of paperwork. Since returning from Watergate City and losing her memories, even the simplest tasks had become incredibly tedious. The sheer volume of documents left to sort seemed insurmountable.
She picked up a few at random, glancing at their contents. "Invitation to a ball. Invitation to a ball. Compensation for the families of the fallen soldiers during the Subjugation of the White Whale. Marriage proposal."
Crusch sighed, the sound heavy with frustration. "This has been more difficult than I assumed it would be," she thought, the weight of her responsibilities pressing down on her.
"Ferris!"
But just as Felix was about to burst into tears, he heard a voice.
Even framed by leaping crimson flames, even in a place thick with the smell of rot, Crusch was beautiful.
"Thank goodness you're safe," Crusch let out a sigh of relief.
Crusch looked up, narrowing her eyes as she confirmed that the source of the fire was above them.
"Ferris, are your parents…?" Crusch Asked scared of Felix's response.
"Get—! Get me out…now…!"
"Get me out of here! Take me away, just like before…! There's nothing here! If I stay here, I won't be me anymore…! Make me…human… Keep me by your side. With you, Lady Crusch, and His Highness…!" he begged her, stumbling over his words. Emotions ran through Ferris that seemed alien even to him.
Crusch answered, "—All right. Let's put an end to this injustice you've endured till now." She held him close, patting him comfortingly on the back.
Crusch suddenly felt the same sharp pain, a jolt that caused her wheelchair to lurch against her office table. It took a few minutes for the throbbing in her head to subside. She took a sip of her tea, noticing it was nearly spilled when she'd bumped the table.
She wheeled herself closer to the window beside her desk. The sun was setting, painting the sky in hues of orange and purple. She gazed towards the main gate of the manor, a flicker of anticipation in her eyes.
"Ferris!" she exclaimed softly, a genuine smile gracing her lips.
Since waking with amnesia, Felix had been her constant companion, the only one who consistently came to her aid during his daily checkups. He had told her stories of her "other self," a person of strength and unwavering will. She was amazed by these tales, finding it hard to believe that the formidable person Felix described was truly her.
She waited in her office, eager for Felix's arrival and his routine daily report.
Felix entered, his steps heavy with exhaustion, both mental and physical. Pride's antics had taken a far greater toll than he had anticipated.
"Ferris-sama," a deep, calm voice called out.
"Old Man Will!" Felix replied, a touch of nervousness in his tone.
"Ferris-sama, you look exhausted," Wilhelm observed, concern etched on his face. "And you have bags under your eyes. You should rest." He noticed the wooden box overflowing with documents Felix was carrying. "Ferris-sama, let the maids take that to your room," he suggested, his concern growing.
"Oh, thank y—"
Felix's words were cut short as he collapsed, his body giving out from mana exhaustion after overusing his healing magic. Wilhelm, thankfully, was quick enough to catch him before he fell. The box tumbled from his grasp, scattering documents across the garden, including a blood-soaked handkerchief.
"Ferris-sama! Are you alright?!" Wilhelm exclaimed, his voice filled with alarm.
"Yea I am alright Nya, I just need some rest to replenish my mana" Felix replied.
"Ferris!" A sweet yet concerned voice called out from the distance, Coming closer to Felix and Wilhelm.
"Lady Crusch" Felix shocked.
Crusch, with the assistance of a maid, rushed to the scene in her wheelchair, her face etched with worry as she saw Felix collapse, barely caught by Wilhelm.
Felix, visibly panicked, scrambled to gather the scattered documents, shoving them into his pocket, desperately trying to conceal them from Crusch's view. He held the papers tightly behind his back.
"Ferris! Are you okay?" Crusch asked, her voice filled with concern. "Your face is pale. Are you alright?"
Felix, already sweating profusely, forced a smile. "Lady Crusch, no need to trouble yourself. I'm fine, nya," he insisted.
Wilhelm, standing behind Felix, glanced at the documents he was clutching. The Human Anatomy. The Investigation on the Witch Cult. A Nutritional Diet Chart. And, most disturbingly, a hand-drawn diagram of a human body – a boy, around 17 or 18 years old, approximately 172 cm tall. The diagram was covered in scribbled markings, clearly indicating points of torture. Wilhelm instantly understood the implications.
"Wi…"
"..lh.."
"Wilhelm-san!" Crusch called out, snapping Wilhelm from his grim observations. "Wilhelm-san, I'm worried about Felix. Would you please take him to rest?" she requested, her concern evident.
"Yes, I will," Wilhelm replied, his voice strained. He gently helped Felix up and escorted him away. He instructed a maid to take the box and documents to Felix's room.
Felix, as he was being led away, glanced back at Crusch. Her face was still creased with worry.
Meanwhile, back in the prison cell, Pride whispered, "Why? Just why?" His voice was filled with despair. "Where did I mess up?"
"My plan was perfect; this loop never should have never failed" He groaned in pain.
"Oh!"
"I know it was all their fault, they all betrayed me"
"If only Emilia-tan was here she would have saved me" Pride face had a broken smile.
"No"
"It's you who failed"
"This is the consequences of your own actions" a voice echoed in Prides head.
"SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP"
"Who do you think you are?" Pride yelled.
"I am you," the voice whispered back, echoing in the emptiness of the cell.
"SHUT UP!" Pride screamed, his composure finally breaking. He slammed his head against the cold stone wall, the impact jarring his already broken body.
"I AM NATSUKI SUBARU!" he roared, the name a desperate plea.
"THE SIN ARCHBISHOP OF PRIDE!" he proclaimed, the title a bitter curse. Blood trickled down his forehead, adding another scar to the collection etched onto his skin.
Pride sat silently in his cell for hours, his mind a whirlwind of fragmented memories. He meticulously reviewed every detail of that day, that loop, searching for the point of divergence, the moment where everything went wrong.
"Thank you for the meal -Tsyu"
An ominous voice echoed through the smog and rubble of Watergate City's center.
"GLUTTONY!" Subaru screamed.
"You call yourself an archbishop, right?"
"Then face me head-on!" Subaru yelled again, using his whip to clear the smog and debris from his sight.
Slowly, the air cleared. Subaru scanned the area, searching for any civilians caught in the chaos. Then he saw her. Emilia was running towards him.
"Emilia-tan, are you alright?" Subaru asked, his eyes filled with worry.
"Emilia-tan?" Emilia echoed, her brow furrowed in confusion at the unexpected nickname. "I am sorry," she replied, her voice hesitant. "Do I know you?"
Emilia's memories, recently unlocked by the breaking of the seal placed by her contracted spirit/father figure, were only just beginning to return.
"No… N… no," Subaru stammered, panic rising in his chest.
Suddenly, a flood of memories washed over him – his very first loop, the time he had mistaken Emilia for Satella.
"I am sorry, I recently started remembering my past so please don't hate me, I may not remember you now, but I promise I will try hard" Emilia replied trying to calm Subaru down but to no avail.
"You are joking right?"
"This must be a joke cause if it is, it's a damn "good joke" come on Emilia, I didn't know you had such a good humor" Subaru spoke as he stepped closer.
"El Minya!"
Subaru froze in his tracks, not daring to move another inch. A massive El Minya crystal stabbed into the ground directly in front of him, a stark warning to stay back.
"Em… emil… Emilia," Subaru stammered, his voice laced with confusion and shock.
"Stay away from Betty's contractor, I suppose," a drill-haired loli spirit declared.
"Be… ako?" Subaru whispered, his mind reeling. He was in too much pain to fully comprehend the situation. He tried to stand.
"Beako, I'm sorry," he pleaded. "I won't make you angry anymore with my jokes, so please stop being angry." But deep down, he knew this was no laughing matter. He tried to crawl closer to Emilia and Beatrice.
"PRINCESS!" a loud scream echoed.
A blonde, tiger-like boy leaped between them, his fist slamming into the ground beneath Subaru. The sheer force of the punch sent tremors through the ground, throwing Subaru off balance and sending him sprawling onto his back, widening the distance between them.
"DON'CHA DARE TOUCH MA' PRINCESS!" the boy roared, his eyes blazing with fury.
"EMILLIA-SAMA!" x3
A merchant in green, clutching his cap to his head, rushed towards Emilia and the group. A pink-haired maid, her one visible eye filled with concern, followed close behind. A tall, well-built, red-haired knight, faster than the others, surged forward, positioning himself as Emilia's shield.
"Reinhard, Otto, Ram!" Subaru called out, desperate for someone, anyone, to come to his defense.
"Emilia-sama, are you alright?" the pink-haired maid asked.
"Hmph! Betty's contractor isn't that fragile, I suppose," the loli spirit huffed.
"Ram, I know you hate me, but please, help me make them understand," Subaru begged.
"I am Subaru"
Subaru tries his best to not show his desperation.
"Huh! Ram doesn't know who this Subaru person is, even if she does, remembering such meaningless stranger would be a waste of her headspace" Ram spoke mocking Subaru.
"Why don't you remember me?'
"Why"
Subaru starts to breakdown.
"Emilia-sama, stay back" Reinhard urges Emilia to stay in cover.
Subarus remembers a very similar situation.
"Subaru"
"Who is Rem?" Emilia asks in confusion why riding in the ground dragon carriage with Subaru.
"Gluttony" Subaru murmurs.
Ram get into her battle stance as she sees the Subaru gets silent suddenly.
"ILL KILL YOU ILL KILL YOU ILL KILL YOU ILL KILL YOU ILL KILL YOU ILL KILL YOU ILL KILL YOU ILL KILL YOU ILL KILL YOU ILL KILL YOU ILL KILL YOU ILL KILL YOU ILL KILL YOU ILL KILL YOU ILL KILL YOU ILL KILL YOU"
Subaru screams while holding his head with tears flowing from his eyes.
"Beatrice" Subaru called out.
Don't you remember me at all, All the fun times we had, all the memories we made together.
"You choose me BEAKO!" Subaru spoke
"How dare you force a one-sided contract on to a great spirit"
"Betty doesn't need anyone else as long as see has her amazing contractor by her side, I suppose" Beatrice spoke threatening Subaru to take back his words.
"Huh, such worthless existence, to think that a pathetic excuse of a man would be able to form a contract with the great spirit" Ram cracks a laugh at Subarus situation.
"Emilia-tan, try to remember, I am your knight Natsuki Subaru" Subaru pleaded.
"OI STOP TH' CRAP MA AMAZIN SELF HAD AND WILL BE THE STRONGEST KNIGHT FOR PRINCESS"
The Blonde tiger boy yelled at Subaru.
"I am Subaru," Subaru said, trying desperately to project an air of calm despite the turmoil within him.
"Huh! Ram doesn't know who this 'Subaru' person is," Ram sneered. "Even if she did, remembering such a meaningless stranger would be a waste of her headspace."
"Why don't you remember me?" Subaru whispered, his voice cracking. "Why?" He began to break down, tears welling in his eyes.
"Emilia-sama, stay back," Reinhard urged, pulling Emilia behind him.
Subaru's mind flashed back to a similar, agonizing scene.
"Subaru…"
"Who is Rem?" Emilia had asked, her brow furrowed in confusion as they rode in the ground dragon carriage.
"Gluttony," Subaru murmured, the word heavy with dread.
Ram shifted into a battle stance, her eyes narrowing as she observed Subaru's sudden silence.
"I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU!" Subaru screamed, clutching his head, tears streaming down his face.
"Beatrice!" he called out, his voice filled with desperation. Don't you remember me at all? All the fun times we had, all the memories we made together?
"You chose me, BEAKO!" Subaru cried.
"How dare you force a one-sided contract onto a great spirit!" Beatrice retorted, her voice sharp. "Betty doesn't need anyone else as long as she has her amazing contractor by her side, I suppose!"
"Huh! Such a worthless existence," Ram scoffed. "To think that a pathetic excuse of a man would be able to form a contract with the great spirit."
"Emilia-tan, try to remember," Subaru pleaded. "I am your knight, Natsuki Subaru."
"OI! STOP TH' CRAP! MA' AMAZIN' SELF HAD AND WILL BE THE STRONGEST KNIGHT FOR PRINCESS!" the blonde tiger boy roared, his eyes fixed on Subaru.
"Garfiel, we are brothers," Subaru pleaded, his voice cracking. "You call me Captain all the time. Please, try to remember?"
"MA' AMAZIN' SELF? CALL YA CAP'N?" Garfiel roared, his temper flaring. "HOW DO YA EVE'N THINK MA' AMAZIN' SELF WOULD BOW TO YA?"
"Hold it, Garf!" the pink-haired maid interjected, cutting off Garfiel's outburst.
"RAM!" Subaru exclaimed, a flicker of hope igniting within him. He saw a chance, a possibility that Ram, his nee-sama, would remember him.
"Ram wants to confirm," Ram said, her voice cold and analytical. "How do you know so much about our camp? Are you a spy? Which camp sent you?" She shattered his hope with her interrogation.
"I am a butler under the Margrave manor," Subaru replied, still clinging to the desperate hope that she would recognize him. "Remember me, Ram!"
"Huh!" Ram scoffed. "Ram has never heard of such a butler at the Margrave manor during her years of service." She seemed satisfied with her assessment.
"Ram, try to remember," Subaru pleaded again. "You are always at my neck whenever I comment on Ros-chi's obsession with his clown make—"
A sudden gust of wind, sharp as a blade, whipped past his cheek. Subaru felt a stinging sensation. He touched his cheek and saw blood on his fingers. His eyes widened. There was only one person with wind magic so powerful and precise.
"Insulting Roswaal-sama will have you pay a heavy price," Ram said, her voice laced with icy fury. "I won't let you spout any more nonsense. Keep your delusions to yourself and go die."
Ram was disturbed by the sheer amount of information Subaru possessed, despite being a stranger. She wanted to know how he had acquired such knowledge before she killed him.
But she had to shut him up or he would get himself killed with that loudmouth of his.
"Emilia-tan try to remember; I helped you to form the alliance with Crusch camp in order to defeat the white whale"
"Beako! I saved you form the burning mansion, You and me together defeated the great hare"
Subaru on his knees somehow someway or the other he just wants to prove who he really is.
He had never cared about accolades, nor did he now. His only desire was to prove his worth and loyalty through his actions. It was his way of repaying the kindness the half-elf had shown him on his very first day in Lugunica.
"How pathetic," Otto sneered. "Claiming Emilia-sama's achievements as your own. How delusional can you be?"
"No, that's not true! Believe me!" Subaru pleaded, crawling back slightly, desperate to find a way to prove his words.
"ENOUGH!" Emilia's voice rang out, cutting through the tension.
"Emil—" Subaru began, but was silenced by her sharp command.
"SHUT UP!"
He was confused, trying to understand the reason behind Emilia's outburst, but she gave him no chance.
"I was worried that you might be a civilian caught in this mess," she said, her voice strained. "But even so, I won't take insults towards my camp members lightly." Her eyes narrowed as she glared at Subaru.
"No, these are all truths! Believe me!" Subaru insisted once more.
Otto, Ram, and Garfiel stood poised, ready to defend Emilia if necessary, their glares fixed on the raven-haired boy.
"Truth, you say?" Emilia challenged, her voice hard. "Prove it. Show me something that proves everything you've said is true."
"Well… I, um…" Subaru stammered, at a loss for a reasonable reply.
"Nothing, as I thought," Emilia sighed, disappointment etched on her face. "I understand you may see me as the witch, but don't worry. I will save you," she said to Subaru, a strange mix of pity and resolve in her voice.
Emilia herself was confused by this boy, his sudden appearance, and his knowledge of her camp.
"I have the proof," Subaru declared, the words hanging in the air.
Every face around him registered shock.
"Emilia-T—"
"No," Emilia interrupted, her voice firm.
"Emilia, I can return b—"
Time stopped.
Subaru's vision dimmed, fading into darkness. His eyes closed, but he could still perceive two shadowy claws reaching for him. The touch was icy, like frostbite. The hands caressed his heart, the chilling sensation a clear and present warning.
Time resumed.
Subaru gasped, clutching his chest.
"The witch's smell…" Beatrice's voice was filled with disgust. "This boy reeks of miasma."
The color drained from everyone's faces.
"The smell is on par with that of the archbishops," Beatrice continued, explaining to the rest of the group. "The Archbishop of Pride, I suppose."
"No, you're getting it wrong!" Subaru cried, realizing his desperate gamble had backfired spectacularly.
"Al Fula!" Ram shouted.
"El Minya!" Beatrice echoed.
Ram and Beatrice unleashed their magic without hesitation. Garfiel, meanwhile, leaped towards Subaru, his right hand transforming into a massive tiger paw.
Subaru braced himself, accepting his failed loop, ready for the end. He waited. Waited… Waited… but nothing happened.
"Huh?" he whispered. "Nothing's happening?"
"Reinhard, what's the meaning of this?" Emilia asked, her voice laced with confusion.
Subaru looked up and saw Reinhard standing before him, a protective barrier. He had neutralized both Ram's and Beatrice's attacks and blocked Garfiel's powerful strike with his bare hand.
"Emilia-sama, I request you to think carefully."
"Instead of killing him it's better to take him as a prisoner and let the sage council be the judge" Reinhardt spoke as he stood between Emilias camp and Subaru
"YA DARE BLCK' MA AMAZIN SELF" Garfiel threatened Reinhard.
"He is correct no one knows what's this new archbishop is capable of we need to end it right here before it grows as a threat" Otto gave his verdict.
"HELL YA BROTTO" Garfiel rejoiced at his bro coming to his aid.
"Emilia-sama," Reinhard said, his voice calm but firm, "I fully understand the risk I might be taking, but you yourself are confused and anxious about the outcome."
"Emilia-sama," Ram added, her gaze fixed on Otto, "he knows more about our camp than has been made public. It's best to interrogate him for possible spies within our ranks."
"Why is it always me?" Otto groaned under his breath.
"Very well then," Reinhard said, turning his attention to Beatrice. "I hope Great Spirit-sama is also in agreement."
"It's okay, I suppose," Beatrice replied, her expression petulant. "Just keep this filthy witch worshipper away from my amazing contractor."
Reinhard turned to face Subaru. "Sin Archbishop of Pride, Natsuki Subaru," he announced, his voice ringing with authority. "You are under arrest for genocide, arson, and murder. Anything you say or do will be used against you in the royal court."
Panic seized Subaru. He grabbed a handful of debris and threw it at Reinhard, making a desperate attempt to escape.
"El Fula!" Ram cried, sending a blade of wind towards the fleeing boy.
Subaru narrowly dodged the attack, but his injured foot hampered his escape. He stumbled behind the rubble of a broken wall, gasping for breath. He had run as fast as he could, the image of Reinhard's superhuman speed burning in his mind.
He peeked through the cracks in the wall. Seeing no one, he decided to make another break for it.
Subaru was consumed by rage and frustration. How could the tide of battle have turned so drastically with a single counterattack from the Witch Cult? He looked around, his eyes stinging from the dust and smoke. He stumbled forward, his thoughts a chaotic jumble.
And walked…
Something snagged his foot. Subaru looked down, his face paling. He stumbled backward, tripping over a rock and scrambling out of the smoke-filled area.
BODIES.
BLOOD.
DEAD.
THE STENCH OF ROT filled the air. He vomited violently, then turned and ran in the opposite direction.
After a while, he stumbled upon a partially destroyed house, miraculously spared from the worst of the attack. He dusted off a bed and washed his face with the water he carried in his pouch. He went outside to refill it, but exhaustion weighed heavily on his limbs. He couldn't even tell which direction he was heading.
He reached the fountain. A wave of pleasant memories from his first visit to Watergate City washed over him, bringing tears to his eyes. He remembered his impromptu singing duet with Liliana.
"Eureka!"
"Listen to this!"
"Doowawa! The difference in years of love!"
The beautiful song echoed in his mind, but his eyes felt heavy, so very heavy.
AND TIRED.
Subaru fainted, collapsing face-first into the fountain. It was as if every last drop of energy had been drained from him. He tried to crawl out, his vision blurring, his eyelids heavy. Then he saw them, his face draining of all color.
A red-headed knight in shining white, flanked by two other figures: on the left, a purple-haired man with golden irises, and on the right, a feminine-looking demi-human cat. All three gazed down at him, their expressions a mixture of emotions. Reinhard's hand was outstretched, as if he had just cast a spell.
Subaru lost consciousness.
NATSUKI SUBARU FAINTED FROM MANA EXHAUSTION.