"No! I want to come too!"
Meili's shrill voice rang out through the corridor like a child denied her favorite treat. She stomped her feet, fists clenched at her sides before placing her hands on her hips with exaggerated defiance. Her cheeks puffed out, and her lower lip trembled just slightly—a perfect image of rebellion dressed in ribbons.
Subaru, standing with his coat half-buttoned, sighed heavily. He tilted his head and rubbed the bridge of his nose as if trying to physically relieve himself of the pressure.
"Meili, it's really unnecessary. Three of us are already heading to the village. More than that would just slow us down."
His tone remained soft, almost sympathetic, but carried the steady firmness of someone who'd made up his mind.
Near the doorway, Beatrice and Rem waited with composed patience. Beatrice rocked slightly on her heels, her arms crossed, a grumble of disapproval faintly audible. Rem stood still and ready, her eyes occasionally darting between Meili and Subaru. Ram had already declined to join, having no intention of wasting energy on a village errand. Emilia was, as usual, lost in her studies, buried in books deep within the mansion's library as if building an empire one chapter at a time.
"But I still want to go!"
This time Meili's voice cracked at the edges, laced with the beginnings of a whimper. Her brows furrowed, her eyes shimmered. She looked up at Subaru, desperation blooming behind her gaze. "Please, Subaru-nii..."
The nickname was delivered with practiced sweetness, but there was real emotion behind it. Something trembled in her tone—a small, fragile hope. And then Subaru saw it. In the way she looked at him, in the innocent stubbornness on her face—he saw a ghost.
Hikari.
His breath caught in his throat. The image of his sister flashed in his mind like a stray breeze carrying memories he hadn't meant to recall.
From the corner of the hallway, Elsa watched the entire scene unfold with unreadable calm. Her posture was relaxed, but her eyes were sharp, calculating. A barely-there smirk played at the edge of her lips. She wasn't intervening, merely observing, as if weighing motives and emotions on invisible scales.
Subaru straightened his posture, drawing in a long, measured breath. Then, shifting his voice into a more formal register, he spoke with an authority he rarely used.
"Absolutely not, young lady. It's bitterly cold outside, and I will not be responsible for you catching a cold." He clasped his hands behind his back, his stance and tone reminiscent of a knight laying down the law.
But Meili wasn't finished. Not even close.
She stepped forward, closing the space between them, her face tilted up in exaggerated innocence. "Subaru-nii... this morning... when you were asleep..."
Subaru's spine stiffened. He blinked once. Twice. And then, before she could utter another word, he lunged forward and slapped his hand over her mouth.
"Ngh—!"
His face turned scarlet, ears burning, the heat of sudden panic flushing across his cheeks. What Meili had started to hint at—it wasn't just embarrassing, it was dangerous. She'd overheard him muttering Emilia's name in his sleep earlier that morning, and heaven only knew what else he might have unconsciously revealed.
He spun around toward Beatrice, eyes wide in alarm, scanning her face for any sign that she might've caught even a whisper. Thankfully, she seemed distracted, tapping her foot against the floor with a grumble of impatience, her mind clearly elsewhere.
"...Alright, Meili. You win. You can come with us."
His voice was low, defeated. His cheek twitched from restrained embarrassment. He leaned down and whispered directly into Meili's ear:
"But for the love of all things sacred, don't ever use that card again. Please."
Meili giggled, a victorious twinkle lighting up her eyes. Her expression was radiant, triumphant, and altogether too pleased with herself. "Yay! Let's go! Elsa-nee, see you later!"
She waved enthusiastically.
Elsa's only response was a slow, singular raising of her eyebrow. A thin, bemused curve graced her lips—there and gone again in a breath. She offered a quiet nod, her amusement buried deep beneath layers of icy detachment.
As Meili skipped ahead toward Rem and Beatrice, Subaru followed with the slow gait of a man whose dignity had just been casually bartered away.
And yet, despite the embarrassment, a quiet warmth stirred in his chest. For a moment, among memories and mischief, he could almost believe things might be alright.
Subaru, Rem, Beatrice, and Meili arrived at the village riding two horses. The morning breeze kissed their cheeks as it swept across the fields, the crisp chill of dawn mixing with a calm silence that blanketed the land. It was the kind of peace that made the weight of one's burdens feel momentarily lighter, even if just by a fraction.
While Rem went ahead to notify the village chief of their arrival, Subaru and Beatrice branched off from the group, heading toward the site where the windmill was being constructed. Subaru's pace quickened slightly, the sight of wooden beams and stone foundations igniting a spark of anticipation in his chest.
Meili and Petra, on the other hand, had already been swept up in playful excitement. As soon as their feet touched the ground, they dashed off, laughter echoing behind them. Yet even in their games, the presence of responsible adults acted like a magnet. Children had a way of gravitating toward seriousness, trying to understand it with wide eyes and open hearts. Subaru and Beatrice found themselves repeatedly interrupted by excited calls and giggles.
Though she wore her usual scowl, Beatrice's eyes were alert. With meticulous care, she documented every minor detail of the construction—the angle of the blades, the alignment of the base, the quality of the materials. Her small notebook seemed on the verge of bursting, the pages filled edge to edge with tiny, precise handwriting and diagrams. It was almost smoking with data.
The windmill stood tall, though still incomplete. Its skeleton was impressive, already catching the wind with promise. But it lacked one essential element: the millstone. A grinding stone large and precise enough to handle village grain. Subaru knew sourcing it would be neither easy nor quick—it was the kind of task that required patience and persistence.
Shortly afterward, Rem returned, her expression calm but her steps purposeful. "Subaru-kun, Beatrice-sama, the village chief and the selected representatives are ready. It's time for the meeting."
Subaru blinked in surprise. Time had flown.
"Let's not keep them waiting then," he said, straightening up. He turned to Beatrice. "Come on, Beako. You're coming with me."
He then directed his gaze to Meili, his voice taking on a soft but instructive tone. "Meili, we're heading into a discussion. I want you to be on your best behavior and stay aware of your surroundings."
Meili gave a playful nod, eyes gleaming with mischief and loyalty. "Don't worry, Subaru-nii. I'll stick with Petra, promise."
Petra, arms crossed and nose slightly upturned, huffed with exaggerated authority. "Hmph. She'll be safe with me. I'm the boss while you're gone."
With a brief smile, Subaru entrusted Meili to Petra's care, then walked alongside Rem and Beatrice toward the meeting house. The air seemed to grow denser with each step. This wasn't a simple conversation—it was a pitch to shape the future.
Before opening the door, Subaru paused and inhaled deeply, centering himself.
"This world… it always finds a way to test me." He pushed open the door.
"My apologies for the delay," he said, his voice carrying clearly across the room, imbued with polite conviction.
A wooden chair sat in the middle of the circle of benches and stools. Subaru gestured toward it. "Beako, that seat is yours."
Beatrice looked at him, her eyes narrowing slightly with curiosity. Then, without a word, she made her way to the chair. Her steps were small, but each one was full of gravity. In her eyes, the eternal fatigue that once loomed seemed softened, replaced by something newer—an interest in what came next.
The village chief, a grizzled man with deep lines around his mouth and thoughtful eyes, turned to Subaru. "Welcome, Subaru-dono. As requested, I've gathered those among us most skilled in their crafts. They're ready to hear you out."
Subaru looked around. Seated in a semi-circle were men and women of various trades—blacksmiths, masons, farmers, woodworkers. Their hands were calloused, their backs worn from years of toil, but their eyes were sharp, flickering with curiosity and tempered skepticism.
For a moment, the room felt still. The air was thick with expectation.
Subaru took another breath and began.
"Thank you all for coming," he said. "I am Natsuki Subaru. I serve as the unofficial knight of Royal Candidate Emilia-sama."
His voice carried no arrogance, just an unwavering conviction that turned the simple statement into something heavier.
"I've asked you here today to present ideas—ideas that could make your work easier, your lives less burdened, and your future more secure."
He paused. Not because he faltered, but to allow the weight of his words to settle.
A man near the front, his hands deeply lined with years of harvesting soil, raised his arm. "And what sort of ideas might those be, Subaru-dono? What kind of change are we speaking of?"
Subaru reached into the bag slung over his shoulder and pulled out a rolled piece of parchment. He walked forward and handed it to the man, the sound of the paper unfurling echoing in the quiet.
Then he handed out several more, moving between the villagers with quiet care.
"These," he said, "are designs for machines and tools from my homeland. Innovations that transformed agriculture and industry. Things like Air-powered grain mills, seed drills, and systems of crop rotation that yield more food with less effort."
He stepped back and met their gazes one by one.
"I want to bring these to Lugunica. To you. Together, we can reshape how this village survives—not just this season, but for years to come."
The entire room had fallen into a deep, contemplative silence. Every villager present was fully engrossed in the documents they held, their eyes scanning intricate lines, diagrams, and unfamiliar scripts. The tension was palpable yet electrifying—each person weighed the future with every turn of the page. Some furrowed their brows as they tried to make sense of the unfamiliar terminology, while others blinked in awe, their expressions flickering between curiosity and revelation.
Amidst the stillness, Beatrice quietly reached out and claimed one of the documents for herself. With a subtle flourish, she pulled out her notebook and began scribbling furiously, the soft scratch of her quill forming a delicate counterpoint to the heavy silence in the room. The sound was faint, almost melodic, like a whisper of wind rustling through ancient parchment.
Standing near the center of the room, Subaru cleared his throat. His presence alone demanded attention, but his tone was unusually solemn.
"The sheet you're reading describes a structure called a 'Windmill,'" he began, speaking with the calm confidence of someone who had lived with such conveniences. "It harnesses the power of the wind to grind grains like corn and wheat into flour. With this, our village's women—and men, if they wish—won't need to rely on laborious hand-grinding anymore. Just load the grain, and the wind does the rest."
A few murmurs passed through the crowd as heads lifted from the papers. One man—middle-aged, with a weathered look and hands shaped by decades of manual labor—raised his voice politely.
"That's extraordinary, Subaru-dono. Forgive my curiosity, but... where do you come from? Surely a land with such knowledge must be far from Lugunica."
Subaru hesitated, if only for a moment. If I tell them I'm from Japan, it'll only confuse them, he mused. He forced a small smile, opting for something more comprehensible.
"I hail from Karagiri," he replied smoothly. "A place that, in terms of technology and invention, has surpassed even the boundaries of Lugunica's imagination."
The village elder, who had remained silent until now, gave a slow nod, his aged eyes narrowing in thought. His face relaxed into a look of approval.
"That explains much. Your insight is valuable, Subaru-dono."
Nearby, Beatrice let out a faint, audible sigh as she jotted another note in her book. Subaru noticed but didn't comment. He knew her well enough to leave her be.
What followed was a detailed explanation of improved agricultural techniques—crop rotation, irrigation systems, soil preservation methods, and seed preservation. Subaru patiently answered each question, no matter how repetitive or seemingly trivial. His tone remained calm, instructive. He wasn't just introducing innovation—he was inviting these villagers into a world of possibilities.
Beatrice occasionally glanced up, her sharp eyes catching nuances others missed, while Rem, ever-diligent, filled in the occasional gap, clarifying or expanding on Subaru's points when he paused for breath.
After nearly an hour of discussion, Subaru clapped his hands together gently.
"And now, one last thing I'd like to show you—something I believe could change your daily lives just as much."
He stepped aside to reveal a covered object resting beside him. With a single pull, he unveiled it—a sleek, hand-built sewing machine.
The shift in the room's energy was immediate. The low buzz of conversation stilled as all eyes turned to the device. The curiosity was almost tangible.
Rem stepped forward with a folded piece of cloth in her hands, something she had prepared earlier. Subaru nodded to her, then took his place by the machine and began rotating the side wheel. A soft, steady mechanical hum filled the room.
Rem, poised and graceful, began sewing. Her hands moved fluidly, guiding the fabric as the needle dipped and rose in a smooth rhythm. The machine sang its mechanical lullaby—a steady cadence that hypnotized the onlookers. Each pass of the needle stitched not just fabric, but dreams of what could be.
Gasps of wonder broke the silence. One woman leaned forward, eyes shining with unshed tears. "This... this could change everything. We could make clothing so much faster, with less strain on our hands."
Her declaration was a spark. One by one, others began chiming in. Ideas flew through the room like wildfire—tailor shops, winter garments, school uniforms for children. Hopes that had once been idle now took shape in the form of practical application.
Subaru stood silently, watching it all unfold. His chest swelled with quiet satisfaction. This is why I do it, he thought. To help people see a future they hadn't dared to dream.
When Rem finished, she held up the result—a small white dress, elegant in its simplicity, the stitching flawless. Applause erupted like a wave crashing against a cliff.
The meeting drew to a close not long after. Plans were made, roles discussed. Subaru's ideas would be implemented, tested, and improved upon. A fresh chapter for the village had begun.
As the last few villagers exited the hall, Beatrice snapped her notebook shut with finality. "Betty's work here is done. I'm returning to the library," she said in her usual clipped tone.
Subaru raised a brow. "Beako… are you really walking back? After all this?"
She glared at him as if he'd insulted her lineage. "Betty can teleport. She's tethered to her library—obviously," she replied, flipping her curls with indignation.
Without another word, she gave Subaru and Rem a quick glance. "See you both at the mansion. Don't dawdle."
And then, with a shimmer of magic and a puff of displaced air, she vanished—leaving behind only a faint breeze and a lingering sense of wonder.
Subaru chuckled softly and turned to Rem, who was still gently running her fingers across the dress she had sewn.
"What do you think, Rem?"
She looked up at him with quiet confidence. "I think this is only the beginning."
Subaru blinked slowly, his eyes heavy with the lingering tension of the day. "Phew... That was exhausting," he murmured under his breath. He leaned back gently, allowing his shoulders to loosen as he let out a deeper sigh, as if releasing the burden of hours of effort and attention. A faint breeze passed through the now-empty hall, the faint echo of voices and applause still lingering in his ears.
At that moment, Rem approached quietly from behind. Her steps were soft, barely audible, but her expression radiated warmth and joy. "You were incredible during the meeting, Subaru-kun," she said, her eyes shining with admiration and pride. "Everyone was so impressed by you. You really changed something in them today."
Subaru turned his head slightly, offering her a tired but genuinely grateful smile. His heart felt a little lighter just from hearing her voice. "Thanks, Rem. I honestly didn't think it would go that well... But we pulled it off. Let's go deliver this machine to its owner—" Just as he took a step forward, his foot slipped awkwardly against the smooth stone floor.
Rem reacted instantly. With swift, graceful movement, she reached out and caught him, wrapping her arms around him before he could hit the ground.
"Subaru-kun? Are you alright?" She held him close, her voice now tinged with gentle concern. Her arms tightened slightly, protective and steady.
Subaru, breathing a little heavier than before, rested his head softly on her shoulder. The warmth of her presence was reassuring, like stepping out of the cold into the comfort of home. "I'm okay, Rem... Don't worry," he said in a low, hushed tone. "I just... feel really at peace right now. Everything's finally quiet inside."
His words trailed off with a kind of serene exhaustion. For a moment, all the chaos, pressure, and fear he had carried seemed to dissolve in the simple comfort of her embrace.
Rem smiled softly and leaned her cheek gently against his hair. "If that's what you need... then of course. Let's stay like this for a little while." She adjusted her arms slightly, drawing him in with a tenderness only she could offer.
For several long seconds, time itself seemed to pause. No one spoke. No wind stirred. Only the steady beat of two hearts could be felt in the stillness.
But then—
Tiny footsteps echoed suddenly from the hallway, breaking the silence like a pebble tossed into still water. Meili and Petra burst into the room, their eyes wide and sparkling with mischievous glee.
"Subaru-nii is ours!!" They shouted in perfect sync, charging straight toward him like giggling whirlwinds of energy.
Subaru flinched, surprised, but there was no time to react. Meili flung herself onto his right side while Petra latched onto his left. Within seconds, he was being smothered in a barrage of playful affection.
Rem stepped back just enough to laugh, hiding a smile behind her hand.
The room exploded into joyous chaos—laughter, squeals, and overlapping voices. It was a beautiful disruption, one that filled the air with warmth.
After a few moments of teasing and laughter, Subaru finally wriggled free, still smiling, and gathered the sewing machine carefully into his arms.
"Alright, alright, you little rascals. Let's head over to Petra's house. We've got one more stop to make."
The group stepped outside, their steps falling into rhythm on the cobbled road. The golden light of the late afternoon filtered through the trees, painting everything in a soft, glowing hue.
"Petra, if your mother's home, could you call her for me?" Subaru's voice was gentle but purposeful, a mix of polite request and quiet urgency.
Petra nodded with bright enthusiasm. "Okay, Subaru-nii! Just a second!"
She darted toward her house, feet barely touching the ground. A short moment later, Clara appeared at the doorway.
She looked a little worn, as if the day had taken its toll on her, but her smile was warm and sincere. A simple apron hung around her neck, dusted faintly with flour, and her hands bore the marks of a long day's work.
"Ah, Subaru-dono! What a pleasant surprise. Is there something you need?" Her voice was as kind and welcoming as her daughter's.
Subaru stepped forward and bowed lightly. "Good evening, Clara-san. First of all, thank you for attending the meeting today. It meant a lot to have your support." He lifted the sewing machine slightly, presenting it to her. "I'd like to give you this. It's a gift—for you and your household. If you'll accept it, I'd be truly grateful."
Clara's eyes widened in shock. Her hands fluttered slightly, unsure whether to reach forward or pull back.
"I... I don't know what to say," she whispered, clearly moved. "Are you sure? This is... quite generous."
Subaru nodded with sincerity. "Very sure. I know you'll make good use of it."
Finally, Clara smiled, a little overwhelmed but deeply thankful. "Then I accept, Subaru-dono. Thank you—truly."
She stepped aside and gestured warmly. "Won't you come in? Please, you're always welcome."
Petra's voice piped up immediately. "Yes, Mom! Subaru-nii has to come in! He's my guest today!" She puffed out her cheeks a little in pride, arms crossed in a cute but defiant pose.
Subaru chuckled quietly. There was no point in arguing with Petra when she got like this, and honestly, he didn't mind one bit. He exchanged a knowing glance with Rem, then nodded.
"Alright. Just for a bit."
Inside, they shared a short but warm conversation. Subaru explained the basics of how to use the machine, Clara took careful notes, and Petra asked questions faster than he could answer them. The evening passed gently, filled with light chatter, soft laughter, and the scent of fresh bread still lingering in the kitchen.
Eventually, it was time to leave. The sky had shifted from gold to dusky violet. The sun dipped below the horizon, casting the village in a peaceful twilight glow. Long shadows stretched across the paths, and a cool breeze drifted through the trees.
Subaru felt the exhaustion settle into his bones. By the time he climbed into the cart, lulled by the steady clop of hooves and the scent of the forest, his eyes had already begun to close.
When they finally arrived back at the mansion, night had fully taken hold, blanketing the world in deep indigo. And yet, in Subaru's chest, there was a quiet warmth—a quiet, lasting peace that promised tomorrow might be just a little brighter.
Meili burst into the room, her footsteps ringing sharply across the cold stone floor of the hallway, a rhythmic patter that broke the stillness of the late afternoon.
"Elsa-nee!"
Her breath hitched from excitement as she called out. Her eyes sparkled with a joy too large for her small frame, cheeks flushed, hair slightly disheveled from running.
Without even a heartbeat of hesitation, she sprinted across the room and hurled herself into Elsa's waiting form. Her tiny arms wrapped tightly around the older woman's waist, clinging with the fierce desperation of someone seeking refuge from the world. It wasn't just affection—it was trust, raw and unspoken.
Elsa instinctively leaned back, a flicker of wariness flaring in her body as it always did—but this time, she didn't move to push away. Her hands lifted slowly, deliberately, and settled gently on Meili's back. Her touch was light, unsure, like someone reacquainting themselves with something long forgotten. Her fingers curled slightly, holding the girl close in a way that felt foreign yet natural.
There was a softness in Elsa's gaze, subtle but real. Something unfamiliar had begun to stir beneath her composed surface: the ache of connection. An old, dormant warmth blinked awake, hesitant and tender.
"What's with the rush, Meili?" she asked, her voice smooth and even. It carried no overt affection nor icy distance—just the steady presence that defined Elsa. Constant. Unflinching.
Meili leaned back just far enough to meet her eyes, her cheeks glowing pink, her breath still fast and bright.
"I had so much fun today! Subaru-nii took me to the village, and I played with Petra, and Rem-nee helped me sew a dress! A real one!"
Her words tumbled out like an overflowing stream, each syllable practically tripping over the next. She looked up at Elsa like she was offering a treasure—every memory, every joy, something worth sharing.
Elsa listened in silence, then gave a slow nod. Her lips curved upward, barely, but unmistakably.
"Sounds like you had a full day," she said softly. "I'm glad."
She lifted a hand and gently raked her fingers through Meili's hair, combing it with a tenderness that surprised even herself. Her strokes were steady and slow, as if trying to memorize the texture, the shape of this moment. Meili closed her eyes and leaned into the touch, a soft hum escaping her lips.
The world seemed to hush around them.
In that fragile silence, Elsa's thoughts turned inward. A quiet voice echoed deep in her chest:
"Someone like me... could I really be allowed to protect this?"
But she didn't speak it aloud. Instead, she let the moment linger, let the warmth sit in her heart for just a little longer.
Subaru lingered in the shadows, watching Meili and Elsa share their tender moment for a while longer.
A subtle, fleeting warmth flickered in his tired eyes; no matter how much the world hardened him, a part of his heart stubbornly clung to these rare, quiet displays of happiness.
But beneath that fragile facade, deep within the layers of his weary mind, an immense and suffocating burden waited, whispering of duties left unfulfilled.
That knowledge pulled him back, stealing him from the moment as he quietly turned away.
Even though every step weighed heavy as iron chains, his resolve remained unshaken, carved into his bones by countless trials.
Tonight, despite his exhaustion, there was a conversation he could no longer delay.
He needed to see Beatrice.
With his footsteps echoing through the vast, cold, and silent corridors of the mansion, Subaru made his way toward the entrance of the forbidden library.
He stopped at the imposing door, resting his forehead gently against the cold wood, letting out a breath that trembled with both fatigue and resignation.
"Every time I cross this threshold... it feels like I'm walking deeper into the corners of my own soul," he thought, a bitter smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.
Then, gathering what little strength he could summon, he took a deep breath, placed his hand firmly on the worn handle, and pushed open the heavy door.
Inside, the library was cloaked in its eternal, suffocating stillness.
Rows upon rows of ancient books towered over him like silent sentinels.
In the middle of that ocean of knowledge, Beatrice sat curled up in her armchair, her small figure illuminated by the flickering glow of the candlelight.
Her golden hair shimmered like molten gold in the dim room.
"Oh? You've come back, I suppose," she said, not bothering to lift her gaze from her notebook.
Her voice held that familiar mixture of cold sarcasm and buried warmth, a melody Subaru had come to cherish despite everything.
Subaru plopped into the seat across from her, letting his weary limbs rest.
"Hey, Beako. Good to see you again. So... what do you make of everything that happened today?"
Finally, Beatrice looked up at him.
Her piercing gaze still dripped with her signature sarcasm, but beneath it, he could see the faintest traces of something softer—a hesitance, perhaps?
"Betty thinks you're quite the talker, I suppose. But... your drawing skills are catastrophically terrible. Honestly, they hurt Betty's eyes."
Subaru dramatically clutched his chest as though struck by an invisible blade, throwing himself back in his chair.
"An invisible knife... straight to my delicate heart!" His chair groaned under the exaggerated motion, sliding back a few inches.
Beatrice couldn't hold back a small, reluctant chuckle.
"There's no need for such dramatics, I suppose. It's merely the unpolished truth," she said, her attention drifting back to her notes.
Subaru shook his head, putting on a mock pout. "Beako, my heart is sensitive, okay? Have some pity on a wounded man."
She shrugged, utterly unmoved.
"Betty has no intention of sparing you from bitter truths, I suppose."
"And that's what I love about you, Beako... though sprinkling in a little mercy now and then wouldn't kill you, you know?" He smiled, but the mask quickly slipped away as his expression turned solemn, voice lowering into a more serious tone.
"Beako... yesterday, in that book you let me borrow... I read about something called a 'Mana Heart.' I want to try making it. Can you help me?" His voice was filled with raw hope, but it trembled ever so slightly, carrying the fragile uncertainty of someone bracing for rejection.
Beatrice met his gaze for a brief moment.
For a heartbeat, surprise flickered in her eyes, only to be swallowed by an iron-hard resolve.
"Betty cannot help you, I suppose," she said.
Her voice was quiet but heavy, like chains forged from sorrow.
"The knowledge in this library... it's not for you. It's only meant for Betty and the one she's meant to make a contract with."
Subaru furrowed his brow, frustration flashing across his features.
"But... why? Why does that rule even exist?"
Beatrice tilted her head ever so slightly, as if straining to listen to a distant voice echoing from an era lost to time.
"Because... that was Mother's final command," she whispered, her words flickering like the unstable candlelight surrounding them. "She told Betty to protect this place... until 'that person' arrives."
Subaru's expression tightened.Of course he remembered this.
The witches' tea party, Echidna's lies, the cruel manipulation Beatrice had endured for centuries...
He leaned in closer, his eyes locking with hers, refusing to waver.
"Beako... who is 'that person'?"
Beatrice hugged herself, curling up tighter as if trying to disappear into the folds of her dress.
She stared into the emptiness beyond the bookshelves.
"Betty doesn't know, I suppose... I just waited... for four hundred years..." Her voice was hollow, an empty echo of a girl who'd long forgotten how to live.
Subaru felt a dagger twist inside his chest. To endure such endless solitude...
To exist only for a promise she couldn't even define...
"Then tell me..." Subaru's voice softened, wrapping her in a warmth she'd been starved of.
"Did your mother really want you to wait for them? Or... did she want you to choose them yourself?"
Those words shattered the stillness of the room like a stone thrown through glass.
Invisible walls crumbled.
Beatrice's eyes widened as if the entire puzzle of her existence had suddenly begun to unravel in her hands.
She froze, breath caught in her throat, trembling on the edge of something she couldn't yet name.
Subaru clenched his fists, swallowing the words he so desperately wanted to say:
"In my previous life... even if it was unbearably hard, I made a contract with you, Beatrice."
But he couldn't rush it now.
He had to wait. To endure. To let her take the first step herself.
As Beatrice sat there, lost in the swirl of her broken thoughts, Subaru rose quietly.
His gaze lingered on her small, delicate back—so strong, yet so fragile under the weight of centuries.
Without another word, he turned toward the door, letting the silence stretch between them like a fragile bridge neither dared to cross... yet.
The air in the corridor had grown noticeably colder, thicker, and heavier, pressing against Subaru's skin like an invisible weight. It felt as though even the ancient, creaking walls of the mansion were breathing alongside his turbulent emotions, reflecting the unease that gnawed at his heart.
When Subaru finally reached his room, he noticed the window had been left ajar, allowing the outside world to intrude upon his fragile space. A cool, almost icy breeze drifted inside, brushing against his face and causing the curtains to sway like ghostly figures dancing in the shadows. Subaru approached the window cautiously, reaching out instinctively to close it.
But...
From the dense forest beyond the mansion grounds, a familiar coldness seeped through the night air, brushing against his skin with a biting chill that went beyond the physical. It was a coldness that slithered into his veins and coiled tightly around his spine. His instincts screamed at him, and he narrowed his eyes, straining against the darkness, desperately trying to make out any shapes or threats lurking within.
"Witch beasts? No... it can't be," he murmured under his breath, though the uncertainty gnawed at his nerves.
With a weary, hollow smile, he shook his shoulders lightly, attempting to shake off the dread crawling beneath his skin.
"I'll... deal with it later," he whispered, his voice lacking conviction. Right now, he lacked the strength or the will for yet another battle, not tonight.
Slowly, he shut the window, sealing the night outside, and returned to his room, though the oppressive darkness still clung to him like a second skin.
Hours bled away in restless insomnia, each minute stretching on like an eternity as he battled the endless parade of intrusive thoughts. Time slipped through his trembling fingers like sand, and yet, eventually, the crushing fatigue of his body finally overtook the frantic flickers of his mind. His eyelids grew heavier, his consciousness teetering on the fragile edge of sleep—
When suddenly, an acrid, metallic scent invaded his senses, piercing through the haze of sleep like a dagger to the heart. Metal and salt, mixed into an ominous blend... Blood. The exact same sinister stench he'd once been all too familiar with, the stench of Elsa.
From the deepest, most guarded corners of his mind, a sharp voice rang out like a whip:
"Wake up, you fool!" Flugel's voice. A warning, cold and urgent, impossible to ignore.
Subaru's eyes snapped open, blazing with clarity. This was no nightmare. And now, the scent of blood was choking the air, thickening it with the unmistakable promise of death.
Threat.
His body reacted before his mind could catch up. He summoned Etherfang without hesitation; the dagger materialized in his grip, its blade glowing faintly with an ethereal blue shimmer that pulsed in sync with his racing heart. Subaru moved silently, slowly cracking the door open, his every nerve on high alert as he scanned the suffocating darkness beyond.
Footsteps... soft, deliberate, but undeniably present.
More than one. Their cadence was foreign, unfamiliar. None of them belonged to the mansion.
He couldn't pinpoint their exact positions, but he could feel them. Two presences... dangerously close. To the right—
In front of Meili's room!
A cold spear of dread twisted violently in his chest, suffocating him. There was no time to hesitate.
Like a bolt of lightning, he shot out into the corridor, Etherfang humming with mana, its glow intensifying alongside Subaru's hardened resolve.
And then he saw them. Two figures cloaked entirely in black, emerging from the shadows like phantoms. One wielded a long, elegant katana, its blade gleaming wickedly even in the gloom; the other carried a dagger that glittered ominously, reminiscent of Elsa's own sadistic weaponry.
The moment their eyes locked onto Subaru, the assassins lunged forward without hesitation, as if they had expected him.
Subaru braced himself. But then—
He sensed something behind him, swift and purposeful.
Turning his head sharply, he saw Elsa charging forward, her twin daggers already in hand, her expression an icy mask of deadly seriousness.
In the chaos of his mind, Subaru allowed himself a grim, fleeting smile:
"Well... at least it's not two against one."
Clinging to that bitter thought, he lunged toward the dagger-wielding assassin, Etherfang cutting through the thick air with a predatory hiss.
Slash!
His opponent parried with unnerving precision, but Subaru didn't give an inch. He pressed forward, unleashing a barrage of relentless strikes.
Clang! Clang!!
The symphony of steel upon steel shattered the oppressive silence of the corridor, filling it with chaos and violence.
At the same time, Elsa was locked in a savage dance with the katana-wielding assassin, her daggers meeting the lightning-fast katana strokes with brutal elegance, their battle a flurry of sparks and bloodlust.
In the midst of the frenzied combat, Elsa found a narrow window and shouted toward Subaru:
"SUBARU! THEY'RE FROM AN ASSASSIN ORGANIZATION!!"
Subaru's eyes widened in terror and realization. The scale of the threat he'd stumbled into had suddenly become excruciatingly clear.
Without wasting a second, he hurled himself at his opponent with renewed ferocity.
Gripping Etherfang with both hands, he poured as much mana as his body could muster into the blade, pushing its limits to the brink of collapse. He remembered... The last time he'd attempted this, the cheap daggers he'd looted from bandits had disintegrated in his hands.
But now, he prayed Etherfang would endure.
And then—
BLAST!!
A violent surge of condensed mana erupted from the tip of Etherfang like a cannon blast, obliterating the assassin's weapon and sending the attacker sprawling backward, crashing into the wall with a sickening thud, propelled by the unleashed torrent of raw energy.
Subaru exhaled heavily, his breath ragged, the weight of the battle pressing down on him—but there was no time to savor the advantage. The night had only just begun.
The mana in the air vibrated sharply, an electric pulse echoing in the stillness of the corridor. The system's translucent screen flickered before Subaru's eyes, illuminating the darkened space with its ominous glow.
[Ding!!]
New Skill Obtained!
Name: Overburst
Type: Active Skill
Features:
-Condenses mana at the tip of a weapon and detonates it in an explosive burst.
-The greater the concentration, the more devastating the effect.
Subaru lowered his dagger slowly, a subtle, weary smile tugging at the corners of his lips. His entire body still throbbed from the aftermath of the clash, adrenaline coursing through every nerve, but in the deep, silent corners of his mind, one thought echoed louder than anything else: This fight was far from over.
His gaze snapped toward the assassin he'd blasted backward. The man's weapons were now nothing more than shattered, twisted fragments of useless metal, scattered like confetti across the corridor. Overburst had obliterated them entirely, reducing them to pathetic wreckage.
Subaru's breath came out ragged, but his eyes remained sharp as he swept them across the battlefield. He found her immediately. Elsa.
She remained locked in vicious combat with the katana-wielding assassin. Her daggers shimmered crimson in the suffocating darkness, each swing a deadly, elegant arc of violence, blurring the lines between attack and defense in a seamless, hypnotic dance.
And Subaru saw it— That expression.
A smile.
But not one born of duty or survival instinct. It was something deeper, darker. A predatory grin tinged with unsettling satisfaction, as if she relished the warmth of freshly spilled blood and savored the intoxicating proximity to death. Her eyes shone with a sickly, euphoric gleam, a dangerous hunger igniting within their depths.
A shiver crawled down Subaru's spine like a phantom hand. "Why... does she seem to enjoy this so much?" he thought, the question stabbing through his already fraying nerves.
Elsa's daggers moved with haunting precision, each block and parry delivered with the finesse of a maestro. Her counters sliced through the smallest vulnerabilities, as if she danced upon the very edge of mortality itself.
She was more than an assassin. She was the personification of death incarnate—silent, graceful, merciless, and utterly inescapable.
Subaru swallowed hard, forcing his breath to steady. He knew well that even the slightest mistake here wouldn't merely cost him his life. It would doom Meili, Elsa, and possibly the entire mansion.
Tonight wasn't merely a battle. It was a desperate struggle for survival, and the stakes couldn't be higher.
With Elsa's final flourish, the katana-wielding assassin faltered, stumbling back with a gasp. For the briefest of moments, the battle paused, tension hanging in the air like a noose.
Elsa approached Subaru, her steps slow and deliberate, her presence predatory. Her daggers still dripped with the residue of violence, the smell of blood clinging to her like a shroud.
Her lips curled upward in a sly smirk, tongue flicking across them as if tasting the lingering chaos in the air.
"Your way of using mana... it's fascinating," she purred, her gaze fixating on Subaru's Etherfang, gleaming ominously in his grasp.
Subaru stiffened but forced a strained grin onto his face.
"Heh... let's save the compliments for later, okay?" he replied, though the tightening knot in his throat refused to loosen. Elsa's aura was suffocating even in the middle of battle, a miasma of dread and seduction mingling into something uniquely terrifying.
Both of them redirected their focus to the remaining assassins still standing before them. And at that precise moment, one of the masked figures stepped forward, breaking the oppressive silence.
"Elsa. You and Meili should withdraw. Mother will not tolerate disobedience," he stated, his tone as cold and heavy as steel.
The words sank into the air, weighing it down like wet cement. Subaru felt Elsa's body tense beside him, her breath hitching. Her shoulders trembled, caught between instinct and logic.
"Think carefully, Elsa," the assassin continued, his voice like an icy whisper, barely concealing its venomous undertones. "We're not the only assassins lurking inside this mansion tonight. Mother is never careless. You of all people should know that."
Elsa's grip on her daggers faltered slightly, trembling under the strain of the storm raging inside her. The fury she'd tried to suppress radiated outward like a suffocating heatwave, crawling over Subaru's skin, making it prickle.
She wanted to slaughter them all. Rip them to shreds. Bathed in blood.
But if she acted recklessly, Meili would become a pawn in their sick game. And she knew that.
"I..." Elsa's voice cracked, breaking into a ragged, breathless whisper.
Subaru clenched his fists tightly, his heartbeat syncing with a simmering, silent rage that boiled within his chest.
And then— He opened his eyes.
The mana in the air surged violently, resonating with a deep, guttural hum. An invisible, suffocating weight rippled outward from Subaru, warping the very fabric of the corridor itself.
It was as if the walls, the ground, even the stagnant air bent under the oppressive force of his breath, thickening with an ominous gravity.
His pupils darkened into a shade that devoured all light, and his gaze pierced through the shadows, a promise of inescapable death radiating from every fiber of his being.
From his lips, a cold and merciless threat spilled forth, his tone sharpened like a blade honed for execution:
"If you lay even a finger on anyone here...I'll erase you... Your so-called Mother...And every last one of your pathetic organization."
The words didn't merely echo—they roared through the tense corridor like a storm, crashing into the assassins with a force that bypassed logic and training. Even these killers, sculpted by relentless years of desensitization, flinched involuntarily. Their rigid discipline faltered, overtaken by an instinctual, bone-deep dread they had long since forgotten how to feel.
For these moments, they weren't assassins. They were prey.
Because on the battlefield, it wasn't merely blades and sorcery that clashed. It was willpower. And Subaru's will, burning at the heart of this confrontation, radiated with a ferocity sharper and heavier than any weapon.
One of the assassins swallowed thickly, throat bobbing like a man about to drown, while another's tightly-coiled shoulder muscles quivered beneath their cloak, betraying the terror clawing at them from within.
Their instincts screamed— "Run. Escape." Yet their bodies, bound by duty and the looming shadow of their enigmatic "Mother," held them fast in place, shackled before the nightmare Subaru had become.
It was then, slicing through the suffocating silence...
Click.
A door creaked open—the door to Meili's room.
The small girl stepped into the corridor, her tiny, bare feet eerily quiet against the floor, surrounded by her crimson-eyed, winged familiars that swirled like phantoms around her shoulders. Despite her sleep-mussed hair and the exhaustion clouding her eyes, her voice was calm, her tone as cutting as steel.
"There are nine assassins in the mansion, Elsa-nee. I just killed one."
Subaru's gaze locked onto Meili, and something twisted painfully inside him, a bitter ache that suffocated his chest. He never wanted her to shoulder this burden of death. Never wanted her tiny hands to bear the stains of murder.
But... At least she could defend herself. That truth—harsh and unforgiving—loosened the suffocating knot in his throat, even if only for an instant.
Beside him, Elsa exhaled softly, her tense body loosening, as if the crushing weight she'd carried had momentarily been lifted. Meili was alive. And for Elsa, nothing else in the world mattered more than that.
But for Subaru, it was far from enough. Meili might be safe right now... but what about the others? emilia? Ram? Rem? Beatrice?
Roswaal? Subaru barely spared the clown any thought. The Court Mage would protect himself. He always did.
Without a word, Subaru gathered mana into his legs. The surge of energy coiled violently through the lower half of his body; muscles tensed like drawn wires, tendons stretched until they felt as if they'd snap. And then, defying the laws of nature itself, Subaru launched forward.
Etherfang pulsed, almost humming with bloodthirst.
[Mana Blade - activated]
[Phantom Drift - activated]
Subaru became a spear of pure intent, tearing through the shadows.
The first assassin had only the briefest heartbeat to register the blur descending upon him before the blade erupted through his chest. His eyes widened in stunned disbelief. No scream left his lips. He simply crumbled, like a puppet whose strings had been cut.
The second assassin reacted quicker, katana slicing through the air in a desperate arc aimed straight at Subaru.
But Subaru's perception was no longer tethered to the ordinary. The world crawled at a sluggish, deliberate pace. He saw the katana's path as if glowing lines traced its motion in the darkness.
He tilted his head a fraction to the left. The katana grazed his cheek, a whispering sting that left a cold line against his skin.
Subaru retaliated mercilessly, thrusting his hand toward the assassin's throat. Mana, condensed to a deadly edge, sheathed his fingers like an ethereal blade. He gripped the man's neck. A sickening, visceral crack echoed from within the assassin's throat.
Then—
Head and body separated in a spray of crimson, like fruit plucked from an overripe tree. The second assassin hit the ground with a dull thud.
And Subaru... Stood among the carnage, his expression a void, untouched by even a flicker of emotion.
After a tense pause, heavy as lead, he turned to Meili with a voice as flat and cold as the steel in his hand: "Meili. Where are the rest?"
Meili stared at him, her crimson gaze flickering, sensing something monumental had shifted deep within Subaru. A merciless, unwavering resolve now simmered behind his eyes. He would kill without hesitation.
Her voice wavered slightly, barely a whisper: "Four downstairs, Subaru-nii... and three waiting outside..."
Elsa stepped forward then, her steps light, almost playful, as if the scent of blood fueled her joy. A wild grin stretched across her face, her predatory nature fully unleashed.
"I'll deal with the ones outside, Subaru. You tear through the basement."
Subaru nodded slowly, eyes gleaming like twin voids in the darkness.
"Don't lose yourself too much out there," he said, voice icy and detached. "I'll kill them all and come back."
Elsa's smile sharpened, but she offered no reply. She walked to the window, her silhouette framed by the moonlight. With a graceful leap, she vanished into the night, her long black hair trailing like a river of shadows. Tonight, the predator was free once more.
Subaru turned his attention to Meili.
"Meili. Stay in your room. Summon more demon beasts if you can. Protect yourself at all costs."
Meili stepped forward, her small fists clenched, her lips trembling: "Subaru-nii! I... I can fight too!"
Yet Subaru only stared at her, the weight of countless deaths pressing down on his shoulders. This night had only just begun.
Subaru closed his eyes for a long, drawn-out breath, letting it sink deep into his lungs as though trying to anchor his trembling spirit.
Then, with a voice that was both gentle and impossibly firm—one that allowed no argument—he finally spoke:
"Listen closely, Meili. I want you to stay here. No exceptions. No one here wants you to get hurt. So please... stay. And wait."
Meili's lips quivered, her eyes glistening, threatening to overflow. She hated this. She hated being left behind. Yet Subaru's tone brooked no disobedience; even a child like Meili could feel the gravity in his words—an immovable will she could not defy.
Lowering his head ever so slightly, Subaru offered her a soft, fleeting smile. His hand reached out, ruffling her hair in a gesture both comforting and resolute. A silent promise passed between them.
Then, with no further hesitation, Subaru gripped Etherfang tighter and bolted down the stairs. Like a shadow melting into the pitch-black corners of the mansion... He descended toward the battlefield awaiting him.
The shift in the mansion's air was palpable the moment he reached the lower floors. The suffocating tension of death clung to every stone, wrapping the corridors in an unnatural silence that made every footstep echo like a scream. Beatrice was nowhere in sight; she had likely hidden the library again, as was her custom in times of crisis.
From a nearby room, broken, gasping voices drifted through the cracks—Ram and Rem.
Subaru's heart clenched, dread lancing through him like a spear. He raced toward them, the pounding of his steps muffled only by his desperate heartbeat.
At the doorway, an assassin lay sprawled on the ground, his corpse twisted, face-down, pooling in his own blood. Crimson trails streaked across the floor, smearing the scene of a desperate battle where every drop of blood had been hard-fought.
Inside, the sight that awaited Subaru froze his breath in his throat. Ram was huddled behind Rem, her leg mangled, the wound gruesome and leaking dark blood. In front of her, Rem—tiny, yet ferocious—swung her morningstar wildly, her forehead horn radiating with a fierce, bluish glow that sent ripples of mana vibrating through the suffocating air.
The assassin they faced, however, moved like a phantom, slipping past every strike as though dancing through the chaos itself.
Subaru's instincts screamed—'I need to get there now!'
But just as he prepared to move, he felt it. A cold shadow against his back. A razor's edge of intent.
The strike came without warning. A sickle tore into him, and a geyser of hot blood burst from his lips. Agony crashed into his senses like a tidal wave. His knees gave way, collapsing him onto the cold, merciless floor.
Behind him, the sickle was ripped free with a wet, sickening sound. A voice, dripping with mockery, slithered into his ear:
"Never fall for an act, buddy."
The assassin's laugh was like the stench of rotten fruit, vile and suffocating.
Subaru's vision flickered, tunneling into darkness. But still, his mind clung to a single burning thought: 'I can't... I won't die without taking this bastard with me...'
His lungs filled with blood, each ragged breath slicing his insides to ribbons. He couldn't breathe. Couldn't think. But he refused to falter.
Clenching every ounce of his will, Subaru gathered his dwindling mana into his heart.
In the chaos, Rem's eyes caught sight of Subaru's bleeding form. Her movements hesitated for an instant. A single falter—a single mistake.
And the assassin before her seized it without mercy. He lunged forward like a demon unleashed.
"Fura!" Ram's shriek pierced the room, panic overwhelming her stoic mask. "Sister! Get it together!"
Terror and rage bled together in her voice, desperate and raw.
Subaru blinked away the haze clouding his sight. No. This wasn't how it ended.
Even as agony consumed him, he forced his battered body into motion. His blood boiled, mixing with mana, filling his veins with a furious storm. He was dying. That much was certain. But all that mattered now was landing one final, decisive strike.
Subaru dropped to one knee, choking on the blood flooding his lungs, spilling through clenched teeth. His vision dimmed like a candle flickering in a storm. Yet... He would not yield.
Even as the suffocating weight in his chest crushed him, he pushed the gathered mana from his heart into every corner of his failing body. His muscles screamed. His nerves burned.
Etherfang trembled violently in his grasp, hungering for vengeance.
The assassin, still sneering, stepped back, sickle twirling mockingly in his hands.
"Still standing, are we?" he jeered. "You're... one stubborn bastard... guh..."
But the sentence never found its end.
Subaru hurled himself forward like a thunderbolt unleashed from the heavens.
His first step splattered the floor with his blood. His second made his lungs tear themselves apart. His third raised Etherfang high, poised to strike.
The assassin swung his sickle, but Subaru slid under it in a last-ditch maneuver, the blade whispering death above his head.
Etherfang, infused with Subaru's final surge of mana, gleamed with wrath as he prepared to bring it down with all the fury his broken body could muster.
As struggled to his feet, every muscle in his body screamed in protest, but he ignored the pain. He wrapped his fingers tightly around the hilt of Etherfang, the blade that had become both his weapon and his final hope. With gritted teeth, he poured every last drop of his remaining mana into the weapon's edge, forcing it to absorb his essence.
[Mana Blade - Active]
The blade trembled violently, glowing with a blinding intensity. Sparks of condensed mana danced along its length, casting eerie shadows on the bloodstained floor.
And then Subaru let out a scream — more than a war cry, it was the sound of a soul tearing itself apart, of grief, fury, and undying determination given voice:
"DIE!"
The dagger drove forward, straight into the assassin's chest. There was a sickening crunch as bone shattered beneath the force, followed by the wet sound of steel slicing through organs. The assassin's eyes widened in disbelief, his mouth gaping as if to scream, but no sound emerged.
Etherfang buried itself deeper. The weapon pulsed, releasing the searing mana stored within. It surged through the assassin's body like wildfire, burning away every trace of life from the inside. Subaru gave a subtle twist of his wrist — just enough to rupture the assassin's heart completely.
The killer crumpled to the floor, a lifeless heap. Yet even as he fell, his glare remained locked onto Subaru, filled with unrelenting hatred.
But Subaru could barely remain standing himself.
Etherfang slipped from his trembling hand, clattering against the stone. His legs buckled, and he fell to his knees, breathing heavily.
Distant voices pierced the haze in his mind — Rem and Ram, shouting, crying. Someone was calling his name, but the words were jumbled, meaningless. All he could see was Rem's figure, running toward him, her face a mask of desperation and sorrow.
His vision blurred, and his chest heaved. The weight of mana depletion, of pain, of everything he had endured, crushed him. But before darkness took him, a final thought anchored him to the moment:
Meili… Ram… Rem… Beatrice… Emilia… Did I… save anyone… this time?
As his eyes slowly closed, the last thing he saw was Rem, her face trembling, tears streaking her cheeks.
And then, Subaru's body went limp. Death embraced him.Yet, before the world completely faded, a whisper echoed in his ear — faint, but unmistakable:
"I love you."
[Return by Death - Active]
With a sudden gasp, Subaru's eyes shot open. He was back. Back in that familiar moment — just before descending the stairs. A transparent system screen hovered before him.
[Ding!!]
A new ability has been copied through [Resonance by Death].
Name: Fade
Type: Active Skill
Effect:
-While active, this skill blurs the user's visibility.
-Enemies struggle to detect or pinpoint the user's exact location.
-Does not require mana to activate.
Subaru stared at the glowing letters. "Fade, huh...?" he muttered. He skimmed the description again. 'Blurs presence. Makes it difficult for enemies to notice the user.'
"So that's how the assassin slipped past me."
A cold realization gripped him. And yet, despite everything, a sliver of hope cut through the fog. This new ability might be the edge he needed.
"Useful..." he whispered.
Clenching his fists, he steadied his breath and took a step forward. Every cell in his body burned with exhaustion, but he couldn't afford hesitation. Not this time.
He descended the stairs.
Once more, the scene unfolded just as before — Rem and Ram, struggling. The same assassin lay on the ground, unconscious or perhaps pretending. The air was thick with tension, and for a brief heartbeat, it felt like time had frozen.
Subaru narrowed his eyes. No mistakes.
He gathered the last motes of mana flickering in the air, guiding them to the blade of Etherfang.
[Overburst - Active]
A radiant surge of energy burst from the blade like a lance of divine judgment. The blue-white mana shot forward and pierced the assassin's chest, obliterating any chance of survival.
The silence that followed was absolute. Then Subaru exhaled, a shaky but victorious breath, and a small smile crept onto his face.
"This time... you're not getting back up "buddy"," he said, voice rasping. His tone was low, but it carried pride, relief, and vengeance fulfilled.
He turned toward Ram. Her shoulder was soaked in blood, her lips pale. Rem was close by, trembling, her breath ragged and uneven. Her legs gave out beneath her, and she dropped to her knees.
Subaru felt his body sway. The aftershock of mana burnout dulled his senses, and the world spun slightly. But he gritted his teeth and stayed upright. He had to.
Suddenly, the assassin locked in battle with Rem froze in place. Like a puppet with its strings severed, he went stiff, unmoving.
A familiar voice cut through the moment:
"Subaru! Rem!"
Emilia's voice, filled with panic and urgency, echoed from across the room. She rushed toward them, her silver hair flowing behind her like moonlight.
From the corpse of the frozen assassin, Puck emerged. His tiny form floated into the air, surrounded by a swirling halo of glimmering ice crystals.
"I'm fine, Mili. Help Ram," Subaru said, his voice cracked but firm. He turned to meet Emilia's concerned gaze.
She nodded without a word. Taking Rem gently by the arm, she guided her to Ram's side. Together, the two women knelt and began to chant healing spells in hushed voices.
Subaru turned to Puck, blinking away the haze. "Puck... how many have you taken out?"
Puck floated higher, his tone calm, but eyes sharp.
"Including this last one, that makes three. There are still three more outside. Betty and Elsa are handling them."
Subaru's heart leapt. A thrill coursed through his weary body.
"I want to see that with my own eyes," he said with a grin. And summoning his final reserves of strength, he turned on his heel and ran toward the exit — toward the next battle, the next breath of hope.
When stepped outside, the chilling remnants of battle painted a grim scene before him. The moonlight cast eerie shadows across the courtyard, illuminating the blood-soaked earth and the broken forms that lay upon it. Beatrice and Elsa stood side by side, their backs straight despite the exhaustion that clung to their frames. Their weapons, stained with the blood of their enemies, hung low in their hands.
Around them, the lifeless bodies of the remaining assassins were scattered like discarded puppets, their limbs twisted at unnatural angles. Only one of them still clung to life, trembling in the final throes of death.
The dying man coughed weakly, flecks of blood painting his lips. His voice, barely audible, rasped with venom and regret. "Mother... won't forgive you..."
With that final breath, his eyes dimmed and shut, never to open again.
Subaru stepped forward, his gaze lingering on the fallen for a few long seconds. There was no triumph in his expression — only fatigue, sorrow, and a quiet, grim acceptance. The air was heavy with the stench of blood and iron, suffocating in its stillness.
Slowly, he turned toward Elsa. His voice, strained and low, carried across the space between them. "Are you okay? Any wounds?"
Elsa gave him her trademark half-smile, though this time, it was tempered with something more genuine — a softness Subaru had never seen before.
"No need to worry about me," she said gently. "I've had worse. But... thank you. It's nice to be asked."
Subaru nodded, brushing past the subtle undertone in her voice. There was no room for banter tonight. Not after everything they had been through.
His eyes drifted over the corpses. "These assassins... were they from your past? From the same place you came from?"
Elsa's gaze dropped to the nearest body. She exhaled through her nose, a bitter smile forming.
"Yes. According to them... they came to bring us back."
Subaru's jaw tightened. A slow breath left his lungs as he processed her words. Every inch of his body screamed in protest, but still, he managed a small, resolute smile.
"That's not happening," he said quietly, but with unwavering resolve. "Not while I'm still breathing."
Elsa gave a small nod, her eyes glinting with something unspoken. Then, without another word, she turned and walked toward Meili's crumpled form, her movements almost reverent.
Subaru watched her for a moment, then shifted his gaze toward the small figure nearby. Beatrice stood with her arms crossed, scowling in her usual fashion.
"Thanks for helping protect the mansion, Beako," Subaru said, his voice sincere.
Beatrice gave a huff, turning her face away with a sharp flick of her head.
"Hmph! Betty merely grew tired of all the bothersome noise these insects were making," she retorted. "Their screeching was unbearable, in fact."
Without waiting for a response, she spun on her heel and stalked off, her twin-tails bouncing behind her.
Subaru allowed himself a faint chuckle, then looked once more at the battlefield. The assassins' bodies lay still, their blood soaking into the cold ground. Slowly, Subaru dropped to one knee, his breath shaky, his expression distant.
Tonight, he had killed three men with his own hands. And no matter the justification, that weight settled into his chest like lead.
The silence stretched on, thick and oppressive.
Then, through the hush, a familiar set of footsteps echoed across the stone. Roswaal approached, as flamboyant as ever, his multicolored robes trailing behind him like a theatrical curtain. His expression was unreadable, a peculiar mix of curiosity and mock amusement.
"My, myyy... What an interesting group of visitors we've had tonight," he mused aloud, his voice drifting like silk through the death-laden air. The tone was so glib, it bordered on grotesque.
Subaru remained kneeling. His hands pressed into the ground, his shoulders trembling with a mixture of exhaustion and something darker. He swallowed hard, fighting the bile rising in his throat.
This... it shouldn't have been this easy. It shouldn't feel so empty.
Then, like a dagger through his thoughts, a cold voice echoed in his mind.
"Don't be so soft," Flugel's voice rang out — sharp, metallic.
"You've already died once. You know what war is. Emotions... they're a liability, Natsuki Subaru."
Subaru's fingers dug into the soil. His fists clenched until his knuckles turned bone white.
Some battles end when the blood stops flowing. But others only begin in the silence that follows.
Slowly, Subaru pushed himself upright. The motion was painful, but necessary. His limbs moved like lead, but he forced them to obey. He turned to face Roswaal, and in that moment, his eyes were unreadable — a storm held at bay by sheer will.
"Roswaal," he said. His voice was rough, like gravel. "Did you alert the assassin organization?"
It wasn't a question. It was an accusation.
Roswaal blinked, then offered a theatrically shocked expression. He raised both hands in mock defense, his lips curling into an exaggerated smile.
"Oooh? Subaru-kuuun, how could you think such a thing? Me, betray you? Never! You're far too important! Why, I'd never allow harm to come to my dear ally!"
Subaru stared him down. He could hear the lie — could feel it — nestled in every saccharine syllable. But this wasn't the time.
Without replying, he turned and walked past Roswaal, heading back toward the mansion. Each step thudded with the weight of his exhaustion. His body cried out for rest, but his mind was a storm of unanswered questions and simmering anger.
The battle was over. For now.
But Subaru knew better.
War always left echoes. And some of them screamed the loudest when everything else went quiet.
(A/N: Give me those powerstones.)