Life is nothing more than a game played with the cards you're dealt.
Whether it was the circumstances of your birth, your appearance, your talent, the skills you'd honed through effort, or the personal charisma you'd cultivated — when you lumped it all together, it amounted to the same thing.
Subaru was well aware that he was lacking in every single one of these areas.
Comparing himself to the Natsuki Subaru that existed in his ideal, the cards Subaru had in his hand were few, and each one paled in comparison.
But when it came time to face the stakes, no one wanted to hear such complaints.
Everyone had no choice but to play the hand they were dealt.
All that remained was knowing when to play a card, how to play it, and how well you could bluff.
"—The
Of all the face-down cards, this one would deliver the greatest impact. The moment those words reached their ears, the complexions of everyone in the room shifted.
Crusch narrowed her eyes with keen interest, Felix cast a quick sideways glance of concern at his master, and Russell, ever the merchant, furrowed his brow in distaste at the accursed name. And above all else— "—!"
For a single instant, everyone in the room felt it on their skin — a surge of dark, dense sword pressure that swept through the hall.
Crusch, who was accomplished in martial arts; Rem, who belonged to the Oni race; and Felix, who served in the Royal Knights — not only those practiced in the martial arts, but even Subaru and Russell, who had little connection to the sword, felt that oppressive weight press against their very organs through their skin.
And the source of it was— "My apologies. I am still... rather inadequate, I'm afraid."
Wilhelm, who had been sitting with his eyes closed, opened one of them without changing his expression and offered his apology. The old swordsman, whose honed sword pressure had swept every corner of the room, touched the hilt of the sword at his waist as if embarrassed by the attention from everyone.
"I'm terribly sorry for interrupting the discussion. I would rather not take my leave, but..."
"No, you'll stay. I want to hear your opinion."
Crusch rejected Wilhelm's quiet suggestion with a curt refusal, then turned a meaningful gaze toward Subaru.
She propped an elbow on the armrest, rested her cheek in her palm, and prefaced with, "So?"
"The White Whale, eh? That's quite a sudden card to pull out. When you speak of the White Whale, you're referring to the 'Mabeast of Fog,' is that correct?"
"Yeah, that's right. A giant whale that swims through the sky, scattering fog everywhere. —That White Whale. I know where and when it'll appear next. I want you to judge that information as a bargaining chip for an alliance."
Subaru tilted his head at Crusch, leaving the judgment to her.
Crusch rested her chin in her hand and assumed a contemplative posture. But before she could deliver her preliminary verdict— "May I ask a question?"
—it was Russell who raised his hand and requested permission to speak.
When Subaru nodded in assent, Russell said, "Then if you'll excuse me," raised a single finger, and began.
"First, I must confirm something... Does Lord Subaru truly understand the value of the claim that he knows the White Whale's appearance in advance?"
"At the very least, I think we can reduce the number of traveling merchants caught up in the White Whale's appearance. We can revise cargo transport plans ahead of time and reduce human casualties."
"That is far too shallow a way of thinking."
Russell spoke over Subaru's half-hearted response with a firm tone.
He grandly raised one arm and swept it toward the great windows of the hall, gesturing outside.
"Do you have any idea how many lives have been lost to the White Whale, born from the hands of the
Russell's attitude as he described the White Whale's horrors was brimming with passion. It was a manifestation of the self-discipline born from weakness — a plea for others to share in his negative emotions. Subaru understood this now.
When faced with an overwhelmingly powerful enemy, people would adopt an attitude of almost revering that enemy's power in order to protect their own fragile hearts.
"Avoiding an encounter with it is paramount. If one can foresee the appearance of the White Whale — a symbol of calamity for merchants — then it is worth more than ten thousand gold pieces!"
Russell clenched his fist and passionately finished his argument for the value of Subaru's information.
But— "However—"
He suddenly extinguished the passionate light in his eyes, opened his clenched fist, and waved it dismissively.
"—that value of ten thousand gold pieces is only meaningful if the information's accuracy is trustworthy. You claim to know the White Whale's location and timing of appearance. But if you have no means of proving it, then your words are nothing more than empty talk to keep people's hopes up."
"Roughly speaking, what I'd like to say mirrors what
Crusch followed up with a shrug and a mild smile, then pressed Subaru for proof of the information he'd presented.
Hearing this, Subaru felt cold sweat trickle down his back.
But on the surface, he managed to suppress any sign of weakness with a defiant grin. While maintaining that front, he prepared to play his next card against the women who had taken the initiative.
Carefully, meticulously — just as he had rehearsed beforehand.
"The reason I can know the White Whale's appearance is because of this."
He reached into his coat, pulled something out, and slammed it down onto the table.
As it slid across the table to the center of the hall, where everyone was seated, every person's expression stiffened almost imperceptibly. —Then, in unison, confusion surfaced in their eyes.
"Natsuki Subaru."
"Yeah."
Crusch called his name in a calm voice, and Subaru met it without flinching.
Without commenting on his brazen attitude, Crusch pointed at the object resting in the center of the table.
"What exactly... is this?"
Pointing at this otherworldly item with its striking black sheen, she tilted her head at Subaru.
—She was pointing at a cell phone.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ Subaru had been able to learn the White Whale's time of appearance precisely because of a convergence of countless coincidences — a prank of fate.
In general, the coincidences of fate tended to trigger situations that were fatal for Subaru, but this time alone, they had worked in his favor.
When Subaru had encountered the White Whale in his third life, he had been holding his cell phone.
On the driver's seat of the dragon carriage in the darkness, he had been searching for light to read his map, and had just managed to pull the phone from his luggage and power it on.
With barely any battery remaining, the phone's screen cut through the darkness beautifully, accomplishing its purpose.
Of course, immediately after that, he'd encountered the White Whale, and checking the map had become pointless — even securing the dragon carriage and any means of escape had been an exercise in futility. But— "That moment. That instant."
The dragon carriage running beside him had vanished, and Subaru had held up his phone to peer into the darkness.
And there, from beyond the dark, a colossal eye had appeared as if peering in at him — and their gazes met.
Immediately after, Rem's preemptive strike had thrust them into battle, and even as Subaru was sent flying through the sky by the White Whale's roar and the sweep of its tail, the continuous, frame-by-frame images of the disintegrating world had been burned into his mind.
And among those sequential images was the cell phone, fallen from Subaru's hand mid-flight — and on the screen facing him, the time was clearly displayed: 15:13.
At the point of his Otherworld Summoning, day and night had been reversed, so that time had no meaning in the purest sense. But if considered as a reference point for other events, it carried enormous significance. Above all— "There's no reason you'd know about this. This is what's called a 'Magic Tool' back in my world. And it's the basis for what I'm saying."
—The phone itself, an object of unknown origin, could serve as a weapon useful to the negotiation.
Russell's eyes widened at Subaru's words, and as always, it was Russell who was the first to reach for the phone. Just before his fingers touched it, he seemed to catch himself — "May I?" he asked, seeking Subaru's permission. Subaru nodded and watched as Russell picked it up.
"What an extraordinary texture. It appears metallic, yet it isn't. The surface is smooth... Does this part... open?"
Russell opened Subaru's old-fashioned flip phone and gasped softly as light spilled from the screen.
The screen's wallpaper was normally an anime character, but before the meeting, Subaru had switched it to a standard clock face. Even if he fiddled with it randomly, the only thing that would come up was the memo screen with its limited entries.
"The light shifts, and the image changes... No, I can't make sense of the content. These are characters I've never seen — or perhaps images?"
The screen displayed a ticking animation of a second hand, but to people in this world whose very concept of a clock was different, the meaning of the displayed clock face was incomprehensible. The numbers indicating the time at the bottom of the screen were no different — they would appear to be nothing more than geometric patterns dancing about.
Subaru received this same bewilderment on a daily basis, so it was only natural.
"They're special characters from my world. I don't think anyone here can read them."
"But you're able to use it... is that so?"
"I can't use all of its functions, but yeah."
To Crusch's question, Subaru chose his words with the utmost care.
In dealing with Crusch — no, in any situation where Crusch was present — there was one condition he absolutely had to avoid.
With all his might, Subaru's brain worked to select the right words, steering clear of that untouchable minefield.
"So in essence, you're saying this — this Magic Tool of yours serves a role similar to a 'warning stone,' alerting you to the White Whale's approach?"
"That 'warning stone' thing doesn't ring a bell, but yeah, that's about it."
From the name, it was probably some kind of magical ore that served as an alarm in this world.
He guessed it was a tool that reacted to sound, presence, or the movement of mana, emitting light or issuing a warning sound — something along those lines.
"A Magic Tool that alerts you to the White Whale's approach... What say you, Russell Fellow? Can you appraise it?"
"Honestly, I'm at a loss. Magic Tools vary widely from piece to piece, and finding two identical ones among excavated relics is exceedingly rare. Replication methods have only been established for items like the Two-Way Mirror, and those are exceptions within exceptions. ...Therefore, verifying the authenticity of this Magic Tool's function is difficult."
When asked to pass judgment on an object outside his expertise, Russell wisely refrained from offering groundless speculation. As things stood, Russell's position was still neutral — he belonged neither to Subaru's side nor to Crusch's. He was simply a well-meaning third party.
The outcome of the negotiation would greatly affect his own standing. Naturally, his gaze was sharp as he assessed which side — Subaru or Crusch — would be more beneficial to align with.
As a result, Crusch, denied a definitive answer from Russell, furrowed her brow thoughtfully.
"That being the case, it seems there's no way to verify the truth. In that case, I can hardly take your claims at face value. So... what do you propose?"
"It's a tough situation, alright. I wish I had some way to prove it."
Subaru spread both hands and turned to Crusch with a gesture that said he was at his wits' end. She narrowed one eye skeptically at his attitude and words, then let out a quiet "Hmm" before continuing.
"Shall we test it by bringing it near an actual Mabeast? Or is there something that can prove this Magic Tool reacts to Mabeasts?"
"One correction."
Subaru raised a finger and wagged it, returning Crusch's earlier jab.
"The Magic Tool doesn't react to Mabeasts in general. If it did, it'd be going off constantly for every Mabeast in every territory where they roam."
"—So it only reacts to the threat of a Mabeast?"
Crusch picked up on Subaru's clarification, then started to dismiss it with, "How convenient—"
But before she could finish— "—Ah."
A small sound of realization had escaped from someone else.
It was Rem, who still had her fingers resting on Subaru's sleeve.
She covered her mouth in embarrassment at having inserted herself into the conversation, but before she could apologize— "Something caught your attention, Rem? Do you have an idea?"
Crusch's probing voice fell on Rem, who for a fleeting instant glanced at Subaru's profile. Seeing the gratitude and concern in her expression, Subaru nodded reassuringly.
"If there's anything on your mind, you can say it."
"—Yes. If Subaru-kun says so."
With permission granted, Rem stepped forward, turned to Crusch, and gestured toward the cell phone on the table.
"It happened within our territory, so I can't go into great detail... Recently, there was an incident involving a Mabeast. In that case, it was Subaru-kun who moved first to resolve the situation — even Master Roswaal acknowledged that."
"A Mabeast-related incident — and you detected it with this Magic Tool?"
"It would have taken exceptional intuition to notice without any reason, so..."
Rem tilted her head slightly and looked toward Subaru with a hint of trepidation.
She had privately been turning over in her mind how Subaru had sensed the Jagannath. That doubt — or rather, that pure question — was being gradually resolved by the "Magic Tool" Subaru had produced.
"—"
Crusch's gaze pierced into Rem in silence.
Her sharp eyes seemed to inject their consciousness into Rem's, creating the illusion that she was seeing through to the very depths of her being.
In terms of time, it was only a few seconds, but the oppressive force that washed over them drained one's energy as if it were being physically squeezed out.
"—You're not lying."
Crusch delivered her assessment of Rem's answer with a degree of understanding and trust.
Hearing her words, Subaru fought to keep any obvious relief from showing on his face, while inside, he clenched his fist and barely restrained himself from pumping it in a victory pose.
Regarding the function of the Magic Tool "cell phone," everything Subaru had said was, of course, nothing but a string of shameless lies.
It was a farce built on bluff upon bluff, and had the truth been exposed, it would have been a grave offense in a negotiation where he had claimed equal standing — grounds for being thrown out on his ear.
But Subaru had managed to muddy the waters through careful word choice and manipulation of the topic.
In response to Crusch's questions, Subaru had not told a single lie.
The phone wasn't the kind of tool that reacted indiscriminately to every Mabeast's presence, and Subaru, who couldn't even be bothered to use its email function, certainly hadn't mastered all its features.
For situations where he couldn't lie his way through, he relied on silence and topic shifts. And the most difficult hurdle — having the Magic Tool's function verified by a third party — he had achieved by subtly redirecting Crusch's interest toward Rem, who had unwittingly become his ally.
Subaru had predicted that if the topic of the Magic Tool reacting to Mabeasts came up, Rem would connect it to the Jagannath incident. Sure enough, Rem linked the Jagannath incident to the phone, and that reaction captured Crusch's interest beautifully.
Rem had simply spoken what she believed to be true.
That understanding was not equal to the actual truth, but— "You're saying that like you can tell whether someone's lying or not."
"If you'll allow me to boast — that's exactly right. My observational ability, you might call it — though in truth, it's the benefit of the 'divine blessing of Wind Observation' bestowed upon me."
Crusch responded to Subaru's probing remark with an answer he hadn't anticipated.
Subaru had always assumed that Crusch's "ability to see through lies" was simply a matter of keen eyesight.
"The wind carries things invisible to the eye. Naturally, I can see the 'wind' swirling around the person before me. When someone speaks a lie, there is a particular wind that blows beneath them. —Rem had none of that whatsoever."
"Huh, is that so? I didn't know that—"
"A wind of agitation is blowing, Natsuki Subaru. Well, it's rather unfair of you to negotiate without knowing about my divine blessing of Wind Observation."
Subaru couldn't fully conceal his inner turmoil at Crusch's casually malicious remark, managing only a strained smile.
A divine blessing that allowed one to see through lies — that was essentially a cheat. Even if it only enabled yes-or-no judgment, it was a devastating tool in a negotiation where every word was a card.
In any case— "Regardless of your attitude just now, there was no falsehood in Rem's words. At the very least, this constitutes grounds that you possess the means to detect a Mabeast's threat in advance."
Crusch, having verified the truth of Rem's words through her own "divine blessing of Wind Observation," had overlooked the cunning little loophole Subaru had prepared.
Subaru felt a twinge of guilt about using deception against such an honorable opponent, but he let none of that inner conflict show on his surface. He understood that it wouldn't even serve as an excuse — since he had no intention of resorting to fundamental lies.
They had both made their positions clear and agreed to face each other at the negotiating table.
Then there was no reason to feel guilty about choosing the method that made his cards look best to his opponent. And to not have the resolve to lie completely through his teeth would be the height of rudeness.
"Can you believe in the Magic Tool's effects?"
"That's still premature. Even if the third party's verification was genuine, it could still be seen as protecting one of their own. This is about the future of the Royal Selection — and by extension, a decision that could determine the kingdom's fate. I cannot act rashly."
Subaru's hope of swaying her at this point was dashed, as expected.
The White Whale's appearance information — he had gained a minimum level of trust there. But it was merely at the level where they wouldn't laugh him out of the room and would continue the conversation.
To raise that trust level and draw out the answer Subaru wanted— "—Hey, mind if I get in on this deal for that Magic Tool of yours?"
The voice that suddenly rang through the hall was different from anyone who had been present until now.
Subaru turned in surprise. There, leaning against the opened door to the hall with the back of her hand rapping lightly against it, stood a figure.
"It's funny how the person who invited me is the most surprised, isn't it?"
She looked at the dumbfounded Subaru, her gentle features curving into a mischievous smile as she lightly ran her fingers through her wavy, light-purple hair.
Her soft hair reached to her waist, and her placid features naturally gave others a sense of ease. But behind the smile in her eyes gleamed an unyielding sharpness, and inside her head, numbers jostled for position like monsters from the world of economics.
"—
Crusch murmured the visitor's name in a low, quiet voice.
Anastasia, called by name, smiled and said, "Much obliged."
"What a rip-off, huh? I was summoned in a rush, and now you've gone and started the deal without me. But I'm not about to miss out on a moneymaker like this... Mind if I join in?"
She spoke with undisguised delight despite the complaint, then crossed the hall toward the center.
Subaru swallowed at the sight of her approaching, and for just a moment, his flicker of weakness traveled behind her retreating figure. The door swung slowly shut, and there was no sign of any other visitors— "Julius is outside, so don't worry about it, okay?"
"—!"
Seeing through Subaru's inner panic, Anastasia murmured as she passed by him. She caught the surprise in his eyes and shrugged with a helpless expression.
"Julius is currently on suspension under the captain's orders. He's being punished for acting without his lord's permission — discipline from his lord that he's bringing on someone else's behalf. What a troublesome knight."
" Suspension..."
Subaru repeated the word in astonishment at this new information.
He had assumed that the incident at the training grounds had been settled internally by the Royal Knights, and that his own humiliation would be buried without ever reaching the public.
He glanced at Felix out of the corner of his eye. Felix returned his gaze with an innocent smile — if he had known about this and chosen not to tell Subaru, that was remarkably harsh.
Or perhaps, had Subaru been the person he was even half a day ago, he would have heard the news and laughed at Julius's predicament, not giving a second thought to any lesson for himself.
Maybe his knight had known that.
In any case— "So you were summoned... Does that mean Natsuki Subaru was the one who called you?"
"His cute little attendant, actually. Normally, I'd have been turned away at the gate, but when you hear that someone involved in the Royal Selection — with information about the 'White Whale' to sell, no less — wants to meet, you can exactly refuse."
Anastasia responded to Crusch's question while glancing at Subaru.
Meeting her gaze, Subaru nodded, feeling the ground shift beneath the negotiation.
—Now, everyone he had wanted at this negotiating table was gathered in one place.
Crusch, as an equal alliance partner. Russell, summoned to match wits with Crusch and additionally representing the merchants of the
"Sure, what is it, Russell?"
Russell raised his hand and, keeping Anastasia in his peripheral vision, posed his question.
At Subaru's nod, Russell touched his chin beard and prefaced with, "I hesitate to ask, but—"
"I would like to know the true reason you've invited Lady Anastasia here. The Royal Selection candidate and the Hoshin Trading Company carry influence among the merchant community in the Royal Capital, despite being newcomers. If my own position at this meeting is going to become unclear, I must ask."
"If I said it was to put you on a scale, would you be angry?"
Subaru closed one eye and responded. The atmosphere in the room shifted in an instant.
Russell's face showed displeasure at his suspicion being confirmed, and Crusch's expression grew severe even with her eyes closed. Only Anastasia's demeanor remained unchanged — but the predatory gleam in her eyes, honed from the very beginning, hadn't wavered in the slightest.
"So you're saying this? —You want Anastasia Hoshin and the Karsten family to compete over who will buy the White Whale's information at the highest price, and then choose your alliance partner from there?"
"—"
"If that is the case, then that is a far too reckless choice, Natsuki Subaru."
Crusch declared this over the silent Subaru with authority, then rose from her chair and stepped in front of Anastasia. Naturally, given their height difference, Anastasia was looking up at her.
"Oh, I love it, Crusch! A person in power, trembling at the prospect of being toppled from below... Watching that expression gives me chills."
"That's a rather twisted hobby. But then again, if your path is to follow your greed wherever it leads, perhaps it's only natural. ...However, my course remains unchanged."
Crusch weathered Anastasia's provocative words with a straight face, then looked away from her and fixed Subaru with a piercing stare.
"You heard it, Natsuki Subaru. If you expect a bidding war to start between my family and the Hoshin Trading Company, I must tell you that you're sorely mistaken. Unlike the merchant faction, my family has no compelling reason to obsess over the White Whale's information. Therefore, I have no reason to play along with your scheme—"
"Hey, easy there, easy. Both of you, calm down."
Subaru thrust his palm toward Crusch — who seemed ready to cut off the entire alliance negotiation, let alone the discussion about the White Whale — and, hiding his considerable panic, said this.
Crusch's lips tightened and she fell silent. Behind her— "An early conclusion, you say? Then the purpose isn't to drive up the price between candidates?"
Russell, who had been observing the proceedings with an eye toward profiting from the situation, tilted his head. At his question, Subaru nodded.
"Did you really think I could manipulate someone like that? I'm well aware my hands are small. ...Just holding one person's hand takes all I've got."
As Subaru idly waved his empty hand, a warm palm gently wrapped around it from the side. It was Rem. She softly enclosed his trembling fingers in hers, and when Subaru turned to look, she gave a small nod, a faint blush on her cheeks.
"Just holding one person's hand is about all I can manage..."
"Ahh, how sweet. So, where does the story go from here?"
"You're too kind. So, here's the thing..."
Flush and flustered by Rem, who had become noticeably more affectionate since opening up to him, Subaru drew courage from the warmth in her palm and resumed his proposal.
"Playing the White Whale card, inviting two of the Royal Capital's most prominent merchants, creating this grand situation — and on top of all that, I have a proposal to make."
He snapped his fingers, capturing everyone's attention, and bared his teeth in a fierce grin.
Strong, bold, without a trace of timidity or hesitation, Subaru slowly extended his snapped fingers toward Crusch.
"Can you hear me out?"
"—I was the one who interrupted and reached the wrong conclusion. Therefore, I have a duty to consider your proposal. Speak."
Standing tall, Crusch crossed her arms and faced Subaru with a commanding presence.
The wind of intimidation bearing down on them had grown stronger, and Subaru couldn't suppress the goosebumps rising on his skin. Even Anastasia was looking at him the same way — the pressure was doubled. Alone, he would have tried to joke it off and escape.
"—"
A gentle squeeze from the hand holding his brought sensation flooding back.
Not because his name had been called, nor because they had exchanged any signal. Simply and purely, Rem's feelings made Subaru happy.
That alone was enough for Subaru to stand against even a Witch.
He closed his eyes, held his breath for a moment, and felt thoughts and oxygen circulate through his brain.
They would take the bait. He was certain of it. He had thought about it, considered it, and thought it through. He had replayed the first, second, and third lives in his mind countless times, piecing together the information he'd gathered into a picture of prediction.
It wasn't certain. He hadn't heard it from anyone's mouth. But the information available from this negotiation supported it, and that picture suggested a possibility.
Whether it was a convenient fantasy of his own making, or a miracle that would make his three deaths not entirely in vain — it was time to gamble.
"Crusch. The 'White Whale' hunt you're planning—"
"—"
"—My information will be absolutely invaluable to it."
—Subaru's future information, and Crusch's long-held objective.
The coincidence of two people both targeting the White Whale — that was the reason Subaru had judged
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ —In that instant, the silence that fell over the hall gave everyone time to think.
To Crusch, Anastasia, Felix, Wilhelm, and Russell.
Each one closed their eyes to contemplate Subaru's words and weigh their content.
That interval of silence — only a few seconds at most — became an overwhelming pressure that wrung Subaru's insides dry.
His stomach groaned, his organs screamed, and a piercing pain rang through his skull as if it were being struck directly with an iron rod, shaking him to the roots of his teeth.
He had taken the gamble. He had made his move.
From here on out, it was nothing like the flow of conversation so far — this was uncharted territory. He couldn't predict their reactions and could only adapt to the situation as it unfolded.
First off the mark — how would Crusch respond?
"Allow me to pose one thought, Natsuki Subaru."
Breaking the silence, the first to speak was, as expected, Crusch.
She uncrossed her arms, raised a single finger, and pointed it at Subaru.
"Where did that radical idea come from? Why do you believe my family is planning something like that?"
Her voice was flat, devoid of either agitation or confusion — no emotion carried through at all.
The weight of her statesmanship overflowed from her dignified bearing, and Subaru, naturally cowed by it, let his eyes dart about before prefacing with— "Rem."
"Yes."
"Hey, give me a good hard slap on the back."
"Yes."
He thought, "Ah, I shouldn't have said 'good and hard,'" but it was too late.
A tremendous impact erupted with a violent crack. Subaru felt as if his organs had all fallen out through his stomach from the sheer force.
She had surely held back to some degree, but the imprint of her small palm was probably seared into his back as a vivid red mark.
Setting that aside, Subaru used the pain and heat to steel himself, then turned to the others who were watching the exchange in bewilderment.
"Terribly sorry. I just needed a little push."
"—It's only natural to steady your resolve before a challenge. I won't fault you for it. Before facing great undertakings myself, I've sometimes relied on an old superstition — writing 'enemy' on the palm of my hand, swallowing it, and letting it swallow the enemy in return."
"Crusch, Crusch. That's a charm Felix made up ages ago. You still remember it?"
Felix sidled up and whispered this revelation of his past mischief. Crusch showed a flicker of surprise in her brow.
"...It was a lie?"
"If it gave you the strength to overcome your doubts, even if it was unique to you, then it wasn't a lie. Feli is happy she could be of help to Crusch."
"I see. You did it for my sake. Then I forgive you."
Watching Crusch so easily succumb to Felix's coaxing, Subaru felt the negotiation's difficulty level had dropped slightly, giving him a small boost of confidence.
Meanwhile, watching this master-servant exchange from the side, Anastasia also tilted her head with a finger on her lip.
"I do a little charm before important deals too. Fill a bag with gold, silver, and copper coins and jingle them by your ear for courage... What? What's with that face?"
"I'm just realizing that this is a conversation between people competing for the top of a country. That's all."
Shrugging it off as a small matter before the greater task, Subaru closed his eyes to their words.
Anastasia pouted in dissatisfaction at his reaction, idly fiddling with the fur shawl on her shoulders — the same one she'd worn at the Royal Selection that day.
"Well, enough with the breaks. I want to hear the rest of what you were saying. Fill me in, will you?"
"Yeah... Sorry to trouble you."
Subaru murmured this, his voice barely above a whisper. Anastasia gave a small wave to acknowledge it, without mentioning whether she'd heard.
It was clear that this exchange had been a courtesy to buy Subaru time to organize his thoughts. With Crusch and the others, it was likely genuine, but Subaru took advantage of that kindness to gather himself before speaking.
"The first time something felt off was when I heard about iron goods — specifically, weapons being bought and sold at inflated prices."
Slowly, deliberately, Subaru began picking up the scattered pieces of information.
It was knowledge gleaned from his first life, his second life, and his third life.
"There's an organization stockpiling weapons and armor that had previously been practically worthless. And it turned out to be Crusch's camp — well, if you spend enough time on Commerce Street, you pick things like that up."
Someone among the traveling merchants had joked that they must be preparing for war.
In truth, Subaru read that Crusch was indeed preparing for war.
The difference between them was that her enemy was not human, but a colossal Mabeast.
"It had enough impact on the market to suggest they were gathering them at quite a pace. And in such a hurry, too — stockpiling weapons not in their own territory but in the Royal Capital. Any reasonable person would think something was up, right?"
"But linking that to the 'White Whale' is quite a stretch. The word 'Whale' doesn't even come up. It's true that my family is gathering weapons and iron, but you can't assume it's for a White Whale subjugation. Perhaps we're simply amassing military power with the intention of seizing the kingdom by force, ignoring the Royal Selection entirely."
"There's no reason for you to do something that extreme, and I can tell you're not that kind of person."
When facing someone as formidable as Crusch, Subaru believed he had the eyes to see them clearly.
Someone like Crusch — even from a distance, her character never wavered. She was the very embodiment of integrity and nobility. How could he harbor suspicions against someone like that?
Crusch said, "Is that so?" with a brief sigh, then looked at Subaru with interest.
"Still, I'm somewhat surprised. I had assumed your excursions to the lower districts during the day were merely idle entertainment — but it seems I was the one lacking in judgment. Forgive me for underestimating you."
"Ah, yeah, that's right. It's not like I was just goofing around or anything."
Watching Crusch let out a sigh of admiration, Subaru felt a prickle of guilt. In truth, her assessment was extremely accurate. His character, retroactively justified through hindsight, was more than adequately confirmed by the contempt she'd previously shown.
Shaking his head, Subaru refocused and continued looking at Crusch.
"When I found out about the weapons, I assumed it was war preparations, of course. The question was, who were they preparing to fight... That part came from a certain merchant who let something slip."
"A certain merchant."
Following the thread from the lower districts, Subaru vaguely alluded to the part where he'd received his hint. Crusch narrowed her eye and cast a meaningful glance at Russell with the one that remained open.
Russell shrank back as if affronted, shaking his hands and head in denial. Whether Crusch found truth or not in his reaction, she could only let out a dissatisfied sigh.
In truth, it would be impossible to detect a lie from Russell in his current state.
But her suspicion wasn't wrong. The person who had planted the idea in Subaru's mind that Crusch was targeting the White Whale was none other than Russell.
Subaru had first met Russell in his previous life as the merchant was leaving Crusch's mansion after a meeting.
The meeting between Russell and Crusch had apparently broken down, but Subaru hadn't forgotten what Russell had said in response to Wilhelm's parting question.
—That if Crusch's plan succeeded, it would be good news for merchants like himself.
If it was a statement made in anticipation of Crusch becoming queen, then the fact that the meeting had ended in failure didn't add up. But if there was another possibility that would benefit Crusch and Russell — and by extension, the merchants of the Royal Capital— "Crusch has been running almost solo at the top of the Royal Selection, but apparently, the merchants aren't too fond of her. The fruit vendor I've been chatting with let that slip."
"I won't deny it. It's most profitable to take money where it can be found. The taxes that cut into my territory's trade — I acknowledge that."
However, she continued after conceding his point— "In return, I believe I provide security and stability — but I'm well aware that from an outside perspective, those benefits are hard to see."
"In truth, unlike the people in your territory who actually benefit from that, the merchants in the Royal Capital can only judge you based on surface-level information."
She was, in fact, a capable ruler who managed her territory well.
But those who couldn't verify her abilities firsthand had no choice but to judge her based on superficial hearsay.
Just as
Crusch, too, was resented by those who only saw the harsh side of her fierce way of life.
"So here's what I thought. You probably don't like people who judge by appearances, Crusch, but sometimes you need to win over even those types. So the question becomes, how do you change their impression for the better..."
"If you're dealing with people who judge by surface impressions... then you just have to paint over that surface with a better story, right?"
Anastasia took the end of Subaru's thought and delivered the conclusion. She then looked up slightly as if reflecting on the conversation, and her lips curved into a smile.
"Well, that's a nice convenient theory, isn't it? Things don't work out that simply, and there's a high chance the whole premise is wrong. You're making some awfully convenient assumptions, aren't you?"
"I can't deny it. The fact that Crusch is stockpiling weapons and trying to win merchants over for something big — that much is true. Whether it connects to the White Whale or not is just wishful thinking. Maybe I'm just linking them because I happen to know the White Whale will appear soon."
But, Subaru continued, looking straight at Crusch.
Crusch's expression betrayed no emotion, and her inner thoughts remained unreadable. But neither did she offer a denial. Then— "Let me state this again. For the alliance between Emilia and Crusch, the Emilia camp can offer mining rights for magic ore in the Elior Great Forest, along with information on the time and place of the White Whale's appearance. In short — the glory of subduing the Mabeast that has terrorized the world for so long!"
"—"
"If my words are off the mark and completely miss what you're after, then just toss me aside. If I'm wrong, then we can make this a simple trade for the White Whale's appearance information alone."
Even that alone, with the two merchants present, would surely prove profitable enough to preserve Crusch's reputation. The merchants of the Royal Capital might very well look upon Crusch more favorably.
But— "However, if your goal and my wish align—"
Subaru extended his hand forward, reaching out to Crusch.
He offered his hand — the hand that would prove the value of the future he had seen, and break down the wall between them.
"Let's subdue the White Whale together. —Let's go on a hunt."
The abomination. The nightmare-like, colossal Mabeast.
The symbol of calamity for traveling merchants. The seed of wretched memories for Subaru.
Subaru proposed to Crusch the subjugation of the Mabeast of Fog.
"—One question."
Crusch looked down at Subaru's outstretched hand and raised a finger of her own.
Subaru intuited that this question would be the final gate he had to overcome.
Until now, Subaru had managed to skirt around the power of her "divine blessing of Wind Observation." And he had succeeded in bringing the negotiation to this critical juncture.
All that remained was the final showdown — what would she ask? Subaru held his breath— "Can you guarantee — with certainty — that you know the time and place of the White Whale's appearance?"
—Ah, it's no use, Crusch.
He murmured silently, then gave voice to the words he'd swallowed— "Yeah, it's the truth."
—Because I can't lie to you.
"The time and place of the White Whale's appearance — I guarantee them. I'll stake my life on it."
Literally information bought with other people's lives, paid for with his own.
He had no doubt about its certainty, and this was no time for second-guessing.
"—There are still questions remaining, but I must admit, you've seen through my intentions. Well done."
Crusch exhaled softly, and with a look of resignation, closed her eyes.
At first, Subaru couldn't grasp what she meant. But as her words slowly sank in and took shape, the meaning became clear— "Then—"
"There are suspicions. There are doubts. Many points remain unclear, and it's difficult to agree immediately. But—"
Crusch closed her raised hand into a fist, then extended that fist toward Subaru. His outstretched hand was clasped from above by hers.
"I will trust the spirit that created this situation, and my own eyes."
The negotiation was a success.
Watching the handshake, one person let out a great sigh of relief — Russell. He let out an exaggerated breath and shook his head wearily.
"I was on edge for a while there, but I'm glad it worked out. Lord Subaru, you've kept your promise from before the meeting."
"Yeah, sorry for all the losing hands, Russell. Once the White Whale subjugation is done, I'll hand over the phone as promised."
Subaru returned Russell's easy smile with one of his own. Hearing this exchange, Crusch grimaced openly.
"So you were colluding after all."
"I was the one who invited you here! After your meeting with Russell fell through this afternoon, I tracked Russell down and filled him in on the plan."
"I hope you won't think ill of us. In truth, we made sure not to show any unnatural favoritism. We're simply positioning ourselves for after the alliance is established."
As Subaru and Russell spoke offhandedly, Crusch closed her eyes and sniffed in irritation.
After finishing his information exchange with Rem, Subaru had immediately contacted Russell. He had caught Russell on his way home after the failed meeting at Crusch's mansion and proposed this plan.
With someone he didn't have to worry about detecting lies, Subaru had proceeded from the start as if he already knew about "Crusch's White Whale subjugation," and secured the reluctant cooperation of one of the few people in the Royal Capital outside of Crusch's camp who knew of her plans.
The Magic Tool "Mabeast detector" talk had gone exactly as rehearsed — though Subaru had neglected to inform Russell that the phone didn't actually serve as a detection device.
Hearing these answers, Crusch now slowly turned her gaze to Anastasia. Anastasia met her look with a beaming smile.
"What is it, Crusch?"
"I understand the connection between Russell Fellow and Natsuki Subaru. But then your position here becomes unclear. Why were you summoned?"
"Well, for one thing, it adds credibility, doesn't it?"
Anastasia looked around the room with a cheerful expression, running a finger along her fur shawl.
"Two Royal Selection candidates and one of the Royal Capital's top merchants — having that many parties gathered for an alliance negotiation means no one can afford to make careless remarks or leak information. So just by being here, my presence adds weight to his words. Right?"
She tilted her head at Subaru as if reading his intentions.
Inside, Subaru was breaking into a cold sweat, but outwardly he could only offer a diplomatic smile. That was, in fact, exactly why he had invited her.
Gathering Royal Selection candidates was supposed to make people think, "Surely they wouldn't dare spout a pack of lies," and if that had worked even slightly, his plan had succeeded. That Anastasia had seen through all of this and attended anyway proved she was a formidable opponent indeed.
"And the other reason?"
"That's even simpler. —I'm a merchant."
She covered her mouth with her hand and smiled slyly, then bounced forward.
Then she gently placed both her hands over the clasped hands of Subaru and Crusch.
"I'll wholeheartedly support the subjugation of the White Whale. The White Whale is a matter of life and death for us merchants, so if you'll take it down, we'd be immensely grateful. And if you'd favor the Hoshin Trading Company with the preparations and such, that would be even better—"
"One moment. In that regard, the Royal Capital's Merchant Guild should have priority. Lady Anastasia, if you're going to cut in line, I'd appreciate it if you understood proper etiquette."
It was Russell who butted in to challenge Anastasia's commercial ambitions.
As the two merchants locked eyes and sparks flew between them, Crusch — who had been listening to their exchange — fixed Subaru with a look that held a trace of doubt.
"Wait. From what you're all saying, it sounds like time is rather short?"
"I didn't hear the full details, but the way you set it up had that feel. And honestly, you are a bit pressed for time, aren't you?"
Meeting her narrowed, sidelong gaze, Subaru couldn't help but hold his breath.
But at this point, concealing any more information would cause problems. He decided to cut his losses.
"Yeah, that's right. —According to the Magic Tool, the White Whale will appear approximately thirty-one hours from now. The location is... near the Great Tree of
"Thirty-one hours...!"
"The Great Tree of Flugel?"
Crusch gritted her teeth at the shortage of time, while Anastasia tilted her head at the location.
This was, after all, a race against time. Information about the White Whale's time and place of appearance was only valuable right up until the moment it appeared.
If the goal was to subdue the White Whale— "Within thirty-one hours, we need to deploy a subjugation force along the Lifaus Highway and take out the White Whale the instant it appears."
"What we need for that is..."
Crusch absorbed the situation swiftly, and Subaru surveyed the room's occupants. The one who stepped forward, continuing where Subaru left off, was the elderly swordsman — Wilhelm.
Breaking his long silence, he spoke— "First, assembling the subjugation force. This has been proceeding without issue for several days now. In fact, preparations to coincide with the White Whale's appearance have been underway. That it lined up almost exactly with the start of the Royal Selection — I believe that is the work of Crusch's great fortune."
"Now you're talking! The timing of the White Whale's appearance..."
Subaru expressed his surprise — was there a pattern?
In the previous world, from what Otto and others had said, the White Whale's appearances seemed completely random in both time and place, which was precisely why it was feared as an unpredictable monster.
"It's all thanks to Wilhelm's obsession, nya. He's been doing nothing but thinking about it for the last fourteen years, nya."
Felix answered Subaru's question with this remark. He stepped up beside Wilhelm and touched the older man's broad arm.
"Training and morale aren't a concern since Wilhelm's here, but we can't deny we're short on supplies, nya. When word got out that Crusch was leading a force to the Royal Capital, it would have stirred up all sorts of trouble, so we gathered everything on the down low, nya."
"Indeed. Weapons and supplies are still not fully prepared, but..."
Wilhelm nodded at Felix's words. Then the old man turned his sharp gaze from Subaru to Anastasia and Russell.
"That is precisely why these two are present. Lord Subaru."
"Well, you know, I figured this might come up?"
Subaru scratched his head and answered Wilhelm's remark with a modest deflection.
Receiving Subaru's half-hearted affirmation, Russell touched his chin and said— "I've already mobilized the guild and begun preparations. By tomorrow afternoon, I'll have gathered everything we need from every shop in the Royal Capital."
"The Hoshin Trading Company will do the same, naturally. Everything outside the guild's jurisdiction is our domain, and we've got plenty of goods ready, so you can count on us, nya—"
Russell was followed by Anastasia, who declared her full support.
Then she turned to the taciturn Crusch, stuck out her tongue, and said— "Missing a business opportunity is against a merchant's nature. That's why I answered the summons. Ah, there's nothing quite like the thrill of selling something to someone."
She couldn't hide the shiver of delight, her cheeks flushed and her expression one of pure ecstasy.
Her blushing cheeks and lovely features made for a very picturesque scene — but since it was all rooted in her money-grubbing nature, one could hardly call it endearing.
"It's not just about goods, either. When it comes to selling, favors are the best. They're formless, they can't be diminished — and they don't even have a price tag."
"Right now you're on our side, but hearing that again, this merchant is seriously scary!"
At Subaru's outcry, Anastasia beamed. Watching this exchange, Crusch let out a wry sigh.
"So you were the one blocking the path before the negotiation. I see. In this situation, it was I who lacked sufficient preparation. I'm impressed, Natsuki Subaru."
"It was just thorough preparation and review. Honestly, I'm relieved from the bottom of my heart."
The first stage of the negotiation — the first wall that had to be overcome — was breached.
Though it was the result of meticulous advance planning, the margin of success had been razor-thin. The irregularities that had worked in Subaru's favor were also something to reflect on.
Even so— "We managed to keep some face back in the Royal Capital, Rem, didn't we?"
"—Yes. As expected, Subaru-kun, you're wonderful."
She said this while gently squeezing his hand — the one that had been held by hers all along — opposite to the one he'd offered to Crusch, sharing in the victory with Rem.
Come to think of it, she was probably happier about the negotiation's success than anyone.
When they had first remained in the Royal Capital, Rem had been unable to confide in Subaru, and she must have faced Crusch's negotiations in solitude. She had negotiated with whatever limited authority she'd been granted, yet had still been unable to maintain the alliance. If it fell through, Emilia's camp would remain in crisis, and Subaru's treatment — though progress was being made — would leave the future uncertain.
It was undeniable that all those anxieties had taken a toll on her mind and body.
Had he been able to return even a fraction of what she'd been through and the worry she'd invested?
If so, that was all Subaru needed right now.
And— "—Lord Subaru."
As Subaru shared his joy with Rem, a voice suddenly called to him.
Wilhelm had approached and was looking at Subaru with a solemn gaze. Straightening instinctively, Subaru met the old man's eyes. After a deliberate pause, Wilhelm said— "My gratitude."
Then, in a single motion, he knelt on the floor in a gesture of profound respect.
At this sudden display, Subaru couldn't hide his astonishment. But he was the only one surprised — the others all seemed to understand Wilhelm's actions on some level. Even Rem. Even Anastasia.
"I offer the same gratitude as I owe my lord, Crusch. For granting this unworthy body the opportunity to take my revenge — I am profoundly thankful."
"Uh, um... what?"
"As you have no doubt already seen through, Lord Subaru, but let me say it again—"
Wilhelm ignored Subaru's confusion, unsheathed the sword from his hip, and placed it on the floor.
Resting his hand upon it in the deepest bow, he declared— "The name Trias I gave before was my former family name. I married
Drawing a breath, Wilhelm's eyes blazed with renewed fighting spirit.
"For the chance to slay the accursed Mabeast that stole my wife — I am grateful for this old body's chance at vengeance."
Deep, penetrating words from Wilhelm.
Everyone in the room listened intently, waiting only for Subaru's response.
Bolstered by their expectations, Subaru took a small breath— "A-Ah, of course I knew that. Naturally, I was counting on Crusch joining the White Whale subjugation with that in mind—"
"Natsuki Subaru."
Crusch cut in, her voice sharp.
She fixed the flinching Subaru with her gaze and, still holding his hand, spoke in a quiet voice.
"A wind of falsehood is blowing from you."
—for the first time, catching Subaru in a lie he couldn't keep up, proving the power of her "divine blessing of Wind Observation."