Morally Logical
Suzune reached the domain in less than half an hour. The lizard ground dragon beneath her snorted as it skidded to a halt in the village square, dust kicking up in thick clouds. The journey had been fast—too fast, honestly, for the poor creature, but Suzune wasn't in the mood to take things slow.
The moment she dismounted, heads turned. Eyes locked onto her with blatant curiosity, confusion, and something that made Suzune's brow twitch in irritation—interest.
It was the outfit.
Her absurdly tight, revealing maid uniform clung to her form, emphasizing parts of her body she would rather people not notice. The bodice was suffocating, the skirt was impractically short, and the lace detailing did nothing but make her look like some kind of novelty attraction rather than a warrior who had just punched a giant whale out of the sky.
Men in the village stared.
Their wives smacked them, hard.
Suzune ignored it.
She marched toward the village square with long, purposeful strides. The crowd parted instinctively, villagers whispering among themselves, trying to piece together why someone they all recognized as Subaru was now this... person. Tall, intimidating, her long braided hair swinging like a dark rope with every step—she radiated a completely different presence from the bumbling young man they were familiar with.
Somebody muttered, "A-A demon?"
Another murmured, "Did she get possessed?"
She had no patience for their nonsense.
Suzune stepped onto the raised platform in the square, folding her arms behind her back in a rigid, commanding posture. Her cold jade-green eyes swept over the villagers, her expression impassive.
"Listen carefully," she announced, her tone like ice. "One of the Great MaBeasts—the Great Rabbit—is approaching this domain."
Silence.
The villagers exchanged uneasy glances. A few shuffled their feet, murmuring to one another, uncertain whether to take her words seriously.
Then, someone scoffed. "You're joking, right?"
Suzune's gaze snapped toward the man.
Joking?
Did she look like the kind of person who would joke?
She took a step forward, eyes narrowing as she let out a fraction of her killing intent.
The effect was instant.
The air became heavy, suffocating, as if invisible hands were wrapping around every throat in the square. A cold sweat broke out on the villagers' faces, their knees buckling under the sheer pressure of it. Some dropped to the ground, gasping, while others trembled, frozen in place.
Suzune tilted her head, her expression unchanged.
"I don't joke," she said, her voice cutting through the silence like a blade. "Now go."
Nobody questioned her again.
Men, women, children, elders—everyone sprang into action, scrambling to gather their belongings, their loved ones, anything they could carry as they made their way toward the sanctuary. The once-lively village square became a chaotic rush of movement, carts rolling, doors slamming, voices overlapping in a frantic symphony of survival.
Suzune exhaled slowly. Good.
She turned away, finally taking a moment to glance down at herself.
And groaned.
The maid outfit.
She was still wearing this ridiculous thing.
She needed her tracksuit.
ASAP.
This wasn't about vanity—this uniform was impractical for battle. The fabric clung uncomfortably, the skirt hindered her movement, and the lace was beginning to itch.
She flexed her fingers, considering just ripping the thing apart, but then sighed. No, that would be a waste of perfectly fine clothing.
She had to go to the manor anyway.
Rem, Petra, Frederica… and Beako.
They were still there.
The thought of them staying behind while that monstrous swarm of demon rabbits approached left a bad taste in her mouth. She needed to get them out of there before it was too late.
With that in mind, Suzune swung herself back onto the lizard ground dragon's back, gripping the reins tightly. The creature rumbled in protest, clearly exhausted, but she gave it a firm pat on the neck.
"Move."
It obeyed without question, bolting forward at her command.
The wind howled past her ears as she rode, the village disappearing behind her. The path to Roswaal's manor stretched out ahead, the sky above darkening ever so slightly.
She had a bad feeling about this.
Û~Û
Suzune stormed into the manor, ignoring the grand decor, the lingering scent of tea in the halls, and the footsteps that hurried to meet her the moment she entered.
Rem.
The blue-haired maid wasted no time. The instant she laid eyes on Suzune, her face twisted with suspicion and thinly veiled hatred. She didn't attack outright—perhaps she was still cautious, uncertain if the thing standing before her was truly Subaru. But her voice was sharp, venom dripping from every syllable.
"Where is Nee-sama? Where is Emilia-sama?" she demanded, stepping forward, her grip tightening on her morningstar. "Did you finally kill them, like the monster you are?"
Suzune didn't answer.
Rem didn't deserve an answer.
She walked right past her.
Rem followed, not letting her out of sight for even a second. Suzune didn't acknowledge her, instead heading straight for one of the guest rooms. She slammed the door shut, locking it behind her. Rem, of course, began knocking—pounding, really—but Suzune ignored that too.
She peeled off the suffocating maid uniform Ram had forced her into, throwing it aside like a cursed relic. The fabric was stretched, the seams nearly torn from how tight it had been. Ridiculous.
Then, finally, she put on her signature tracksuit.
As the zipper clicked into place, she exhaled.
Better.
She stepped out of the room, Rem glaring at her as if she were waiting for some confession of guilt, some admission of wrongdoing. Suzune brushed past her again.
At the entrance of the manor, Petra and Frederica stood by the door, their expressions uneasy. The little girl clutched the hem of Frederica's sleeve, eyes darting nervously between Suzune and Rem.
Suzune didn't waste time.
"There's a Great MaBeast approaching—the Great Rabbit." Her voice was cold, direct. "It'll be here in less than eight hours. Go to the sanctuary, or die miserably."
The words settled like a lead weight in the air.
Petra gasped, her tiny hands shaking as she instinctively clung to Frederica's side. Frederica, to her credit, remained composed—but her golden eyes darkened, lips pressed into a thin line.
"As the head maid of this manor, I cannot leave," Frederica said, standing her ground. "I have a duty to protect this place—"
Suzune stepped in close. Too close.
Frederica stiffened.
"You know how your brother is," Suzune murmured, her voice almost a whisper. "If he gets in my way, he'll regret it. I'm sure you won't mind if I humble him a little, right?"
Frederica's expression twisted in horror.
But Suzune wasn't done.
"And your duty," she continued, her tone dropping lower, "is to look after Roswaal's manor. Tell me, if the Great Rabbits smell a little kitty in the manor, won't they break in? Destroy everything while feasting on you?"
Frederica paled.
"If you don't stay here, if nobody stays here, the rabbits can't smell anything, and the manor will be safe." Suzune tilted her head, watching as Frederica's breath hitched. "Unless, of course, you like adorable little wild animals that eat everything?"
Petra, now visibly shaken, let out a whimper, tears spilling down her cheeks. Frederica's hands clenched into fists.
Then—
A whistle.
Something large came flying straight at Suzune's head.
She caught it midair, her fingers tightening around the handle of a familiar weapon. A morningstar.
Her eyes flicked to Rem, who stood at a distance, arm still outstretched from her throw, her teeth clenched in frustration.
Suzune narrowed her gaze.
"You too," she said, gripping the morningstar firmly before tossing it back to Rem, who caught it with ease. "If you die, who will look after your pathetic, weak 'Nee-sama'?"
Rem's face twisted with fury.
Her fingers twitched around her weapon.
But she didn't argue.
Frederica broke the tense silence with a slow, defeated breath.
"Fine," she muttered. "We'll go."
Petra let out a relieved sob, clinging to Frederica's waist.
"But Lady Beatrice—" Frederica hesitated.
"Leave that to me."
Suzune turned on her heel, striding towards the nearest door without hesitation.
Petra and Frederica watched in shock as she reached out, placed her hand on the knob—
And pulled it open.
A familiar scent drifted out. Dusty parchment. Old wood. A slight trace of mana hanging thick in the air.
The Forbidden Library.
Everyone froze.
How?
How did she find it in a single try?
The door slammed shut behind her before anyone could voice their shock.
Frederica, Rem, and Petra exchanged uneasy glances.
Then, with heavy steps, they turned to prepare for their departure.
Beatrice sat atop a pile of books, cradling a thick tome in her small hands. The golden glow of the library's lanterns flickered, casting long shadows against the countless rows of shelves. She had lived here for centuries, waiting, waiting, waiting—an eternity stretched across the bindings of dusty books and unread words.
Then, the door opened.
She looked up, her brows furrowing as a familiar yet unfamiliar presence stepped into her sanctuary.
The anomaly known as Suzune Natsuki.
Beatrice narrowed her eyes, the weight of her contract with Roswaal pressing against her thoughts. Something about this girl—this person—felt unnatural. Like a piece of reality had been snapped in two and put together wrong.
Still, she didn't move from her seat. Instead, she stared down at Suzune, waiting.
"…What do you want, I suppose?"
Suzune, arms crossed, met her gaze without hesitation.
"I want you to leave this place."
A scoff.
Beatrice huffed, shifting in her seat as she snapped the book shut.
"This is about the bunnies, I suppose?" she mused, tilting her head, her curled twin-tails bouncing slightly. "Well, those mindless creatures cannot invade Betty's library, hmph! I am perfectly safe, I suppose."
"It's not just about the Great Rabbit." Suzune's voice was steady, calm. "Elsa the Bowel Hunter and Meili, the MaBeast Controller, are coming too."
Beatrice blinked.
Her lips pressed together, eyes flickering with brief hesitation before she leaned forward slightly.
"…Huh? Why—"
"Roswaal sent them."
Silence.
Then, laughter.
A sharp, incredulous chuckle escaped Beatrice's lips as she waved a dismissive hand.
"You're lying, I suppose. Why would he do that? There's no reason for—"
"He wants to bring Echidna back."
Beatrice's breath caught in her throat.
For the first time since the conversation began, her confidence wavered. Her fingers clenched around the book in her lap.
"That's outrageous!" she snapped. "Why would Roswaal do that? His ancestor—he was her student—"
Suzune's expression remained unreadable.
"Roswaal is a freak," she stated, matter-of-factly. "He takes over his own child's body over and over again. He's been doing this for over a dozen generations."
Beatrice's heart pounded.
"…What?"
"The Roswaal you see today has the mind of the Roswaal you saw with Echidna centuries ago," Suzune said, her voice slow, deliberate. "He is the same man, reincarnating himself into his descendants, chasing a goal that has long since left him behind."
Beatrice's hands trembled.
Impossible. That was impossible.
And yet.
And yet.
A chill ran down her spine. She stared at Suzune, trying to find a crack in her words, a lie, a falsehood, anything that would prove her wrong. But Suzune wasn't looking at her like a liar.
She was looking at her like someone who had seen it.
"…How do you know all these?" Beatrice whispered, her voice barely above a breath.
Suzune's lips parted.
She hesitated.
If she said it, there would be no going back.
As Subaru, she would never have lied to Beako. Never.
But Suzune…
Suzune was different. Suzune was logical, cold, efficient.
"I am that person."
Beatrice froze.
The book slipped from her grasp, landing on the floor with a dull thud.
Suzune took a step forward.
"I am the person Echidna spoke of, Beako." Her voice was gentle, yet firm. "Come with me."
She extended her hand.
Beatrice stared at it.
Her breath quickened, her vision blurring slightly as everything she had ever known crumbled like dust between her fingers.
Really?
Could it be?
Could it truly be?
Her entire existence had been waiting—waiting for that person. The one Echidna had promised. The one she had long since given up on.
And now—
Beatrice's throat tightened.
"…Indeed."
She lunged forward, grasping Suzune's hand, clutching onto her like a lifeline before wrapping her arms around her in a desperate hug.
Suzune stood still, letting the small girl cling to her.
Her eyes flickered.
She had finally done it.
She had betrayed her own morals.
But it was for the greater good.
Û~Û
Hope you enjoyed this chapter.
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Till next time!