The first thing Subaru felt upon waking was the ticklish sensation of someone's fingertips touching his forehead.
"The slenderness, softness, and tentative way those fingers are touching me—that's
"You're… right, but is it just me, or did that feel like a really creepy way to guess someone's identity?"
The palm resting against his forehead blocked his view as Subaru opened his eyes, but catching a glimpse of that beautiful face through the gaps between her fingers, he let a small smile cross his lips.
"Mmnya. I just figured Emilia-tan's the only one who'd be poking at me like this right now, so I guessed. I can't actually identify someone by the feel of their fingers, you know?"
"Oh, really. That's a relief. …Can you sit up?"
"Somehow… yeah, I think so."
Exchanging a few light quips about waking up, Subaru pushed himself upright on the rickety bed he'd been lying on. Rolling his neck and taking in his surroundings, he found himself in an unfamiliar building. The bed was crude and plain—nothing compared to the bedding at the Roswaal mansion, where he'd grown so accustomed to rolling around.
In any case, trying to recall what had happened before he lost consciousness…
"How much of that was an image, and how much was real?"
The tomb—stepping inside, and then feeling himself caught up in a collapse. That was the last thing Subaru remembered from the real world. After that, encountering that spaced-out woman inside the tomb—the
Brooding over memories that refused to come into focus, Subaru pressed a hand to his forehead and looked at Emilia. She sat quietly in a chair beside the bed, patiently waiting for him to collect his thoughts. With an "Umm," he prefaced his words.
"There are a bunch of things I want to ask, a bunch of things I want to talk about… but there's something I ought to say first."
"Hmm, like what?"
Emilia tilted her head cutely. —But her eyes weren't smiling.
Pierced by the keen light of her violet irises, Subaru shrank his shoulders slightly.
"I'm sorry for causing you so much worry. I got a little full of myself."
He'd been smug enough to think he could at least handle a preliminary sweep of the tomb for Emilia.
And the result was stumbling at the very first step—where he stood now.
Receiving his apology, Emilia let a small sigh escape her lips.
"Geez. I was really, truly worried, you know. The moment you stepped in, you screamed and passed out."
"The screaming aside—I actually passed out?"
"Your eyes rolled back, yeah. You even started convulsing, and I really didn't know what to do. You didn't look injured, and it didn't seem like some strange magic had hit you, so…"
As Emilia trailed off, Subaru became freshly aware of just how pathetic he'd been.
So that was it. He could safely assume that from the moment he entered the tomb—from the sensation of that fall—he'd already been drawn into the Witch of Greed's dream.
The real Subaru had collapsed right at the entrance, placing an unnecessary burden on Emilia. A thoroughly hopeless situation.
The resolve he'd once held—to investigate the tomb so Emilia wouldn't have to—now seemed like nothing more than a cruel joke.
Just as Subaru grimaced in self-loathing— "Oh? Well, well, look who's finally awake. Must be nice, sleeping in like that."
A creaking door opened, and in walked a blond young man—Garfiel.
He cast a quick glance at Subaru on the bed, then turned to Emilia.
"See, I told ya there wasn't a damn thing wrong with his body. Just look at him."
"…But of course I'd worry. If someone collapses so suddenly from an unknown cause… You might be used to that sort of thing, but nobody should have to get used to this."
"Heh, playing tough, playing tough. When this guy went down, you looked like you were about to cry, running around in a panic. 'Bluer than a blue hibiscus'—that was you, alright."
"Wh—?!"
Emilia fired back at the rough-mannered Garfiel, but his response left her blushing furiously.
At his remark, Emilia shot up from her chair with a clatter.
"I-I wasn't crying! I was worried and flustered, sure, but that doesn't mean—"
"Oh, sure, sure. It was a secret. Sorry, sorry. But hey, no big deal, right? It's not like there's anything to hide."
"That's not what I—if people heard that I was worried and… about to cry…"
Her protests faltered halfway, and Emilia shot a glance sideways at Subaru.
All this time, Subaru had been watching their exchange in silence. And what was the silent Subaru doing at the end of her gaze?
"Hm? Oh, please, go on. By all means. Hehehe. So that's how it was. Emilia-tan was so worried about me she was about to cry. I see. Heheheh."
"I just kind of figured he'd react like this."
Emilia's shoulders drooped listlessly. In front of her, Subaru flared his nostrils wide, practically glowing. The girl he liked had been genuinely worried about him—improper as it was, he couldn't hide his joy.
Watching this hopelessly shameless Subaru and Emilia's reactions, even the ever-blunt Garfiel murmured, "I see," with a look of deep sentiment.
"I guess that one was on me. Yeah, that's rare. Me being honest and admitting I was wrong."
He reflected on himself over a statement that was hardly anything to brag about.
※※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ "With proper training, even a dog can hold back from eating until given permission."
The voice was cold, sharp enough to cut at a touch.
It spoke slowly, pausing deliberately between words, yet each gap carried a fierce intensity that brooked no rebuttal.
"In other words, following orders is the bare minimum promise that even a dog can keep."
Click, click—the sharp report of high heels striking the wooden floor.
The rhythm was steady, pacing back and forth directly in front of him.
The regular intervals actually underscored the composure of their owner, and Subaru could feel them grinding away at his own mental composure without mercy.
"Now then—"
The voice, the footsteps, and those eyes—devoid of any emotion—pierced straight through Subaru.
"A creature that can't even keep a promise a dog could manage—what would you call that, I wonder? Barusu, any ideas?"
"I'm sorry for not listening to your advice—!"
Dropping to his knees before the petite girl, Subaru bowed his head to the floor and shouted his apology.
But the recipient of his wholehearted cry simply tilted her head.
"'I'm sorry'? That didn't sound like an apology I was looking for. You can't even hear my question, let alone the conversation around it. Considering your ears never picked up
"Could you cut the barbed passive-aggressive jabs!? I'm reflecting on this, I genuinely feel terrible, and it's crushing my spirit! I'd honestly rather you just yelled at me straight!"
"Then you should have died."
"That's TOO straight!"
Receiving the merciless scolding from the girl—Ram—Subaru clutched his head on the floor. But thinking about what he'd actually done, this was a tongue-lashing he could only accept meekly.
He'd trampled all over a warning that had been given specifically for his sake, and then caused enormous trouble for everyone around him.
"Aaah, aaah. Ram, why don't you ease up around there? No matter what, he probably got the same lecture from Emilia-sama too. Repeating it's pointless, and you're only making the masochist Subaru-kun happy."
"I don't have any masochistic tendencies! I just have a habit of stepping on landmines!"
Or, in other words, he simply couldn't read the room.
Beaming proudly over something entirely unpraiseworthy, Ram let out a long, deep sigh as though utterly, fundamentally exasperated, then silently turned her back toward Roswaal.
Quietly taking her place beside him—still lying on the bed—she settled in facing the rest of the room. Roswaal took up the thread.
"Wel-l, I'm just glad you've returned safely. If you'd stumbled before the 'Trial,' all sorts of plans would have been thrown into disarray. Subaru-kun's situation was entirely a miscalculation on my part, though."
A meaningful chuckle was directed at him, and Subaru crossed his arms with a small sniff. As if to chide his attitude, Emilia pinched his side from beside him.
"Ow! That hurts, Emilia-tan."
"Normally I'd want to defend you, but today this one's on Subaru. …If I'd known Ram had said all that to you, I never would have—"
She cut herself off, as though she'd been about to add that she never would have let him go ahead first. Subaru gave her a wry smile while muttering to himself, That's exactly why you couldn't bring it up. Had Emilia known he'd been warned beforehand, she never would have insisted he take on the dangerous role of advance scout.
Conversely, had Ram not warned him, Subaru might not have been so determined to sweep the tomb ahead of Emilia in the first place. In other words, "Your advice didn't make anyone happy, Ram."
"The way you phrase that, it sounds like Ram was the one who started all of this, you dog. …My mistake. I should correct that to 'less than a dog,' or I'd be insulting dogs."
Ram met Subaru's blame-shifting with the most withering contempt imaginable. He found himself almost admiring the maid's undimmed venom. He suspected she held a similar opinion of him.
Setting aside that exchange between the two, which had nothing to do with anything, Roswaal shifted his legs comfortably on the bed.
"So then, Emilia-sama—how was the tomb?"
"…Between everything with Subaru, I didn't get much of a chance to look around. But I remember the foul stench in the air and the unpleasant prickling sensation against my skin."
Emilia spoke with a slight furrow of her brow as she described her impressions of the tomb. Coming from someone who typically softened her words around negative assessments, this blunt evaluation spoke volumes. Roswaal smiled faintly and said, "I see."
Then his mismatched eyes drifted to the corner of the room—where Garfiel stood leaning against the wall, watching the discussion unfold.
"Garfiel. Were you able to confirm the 'qualifications'?"
At the word "qualifications," Subaru raised his eyebrows and looked toward Garfiel.
The blond young man roughly mussed his short hair, baring his sharp canines.
"I could only get as far as the entrance, but… the candles inside the tomb were lit, alright. There's no mistaking that Emilia-sama has the qualifications to undergo the 'Trial.'"
"Candles in the tomb…?"
As Subaru tilted his head at the unfamiliar explanation, Garfiel waved his hand in irritation.
"There are things like candles all over the inside of the tomb. When the sun's out and someone qualified steps in, they light up and start glowing. The one who gets that welcome has the qualifications to face the 'Trial' at night."
"And conversely, if someone without the qualifications forces their way into the tomb, they end up like Subaru-kun or li-i-ke me."
Taking over from Garfiel's explanation and delivering the final blow, Roswaal spread both hands wide. The gesture indicated his own body—still wrapped head to toe in blood-stained bandages, a painful sight to behold. —If that was the punishment for forcing entry into the tomb, then…
"You and I got pretty different penalties. I just walked in, but you must've done something bad, right?"
"Something bad, you sa-aay?"
"Like peeing next to the entrance or something. The tomb's caretakers would get mad at that."
"If tha-aat were true, then Subaru-kun's collapse would mean my pee was drenching the place he fell, wouldn't it?"
Subaru brushed off his body with a grimace as Roswaal volleyed his quip right back. Smiling at the gesture, Roswaal shook his head.
"The size of the damage differs even though the rejection is the same… You're quite perceptive about that. In fact, the injuries I and Subaru-kun sustained are vastly different. But the reason is simple."
"…The mana gate went berserk."
A soft murmur inserted itself into the middle of Roswaal's words.
Turning toward the voice, Subaru found it was Emilia who had spoken, a finger resting on her lips. She looked pensive, absently twirling the tips of her silver hair.
"When I entered the tomb, I felt absolutely terrible. I think that was because the gate received a one-sided interference. Since I didn't meet the conditions, I was apparently let through… but for those who don't meet the conditions, that interference bares its fangs."
As she put it into words, her certainty seemed to grow, her tone steadily gaining force. Emilia lifted her gaze, taking in Roswaal's battered form within those violet eyes.
"The interference attacks its target through the gate. …In that case, the more gates someone has—and the larger they are—the greater the interference they'd receive."
"Correct. In someone like my-se-elf… well, it's a miracle I didn't burst apart, isn't it?"
Roswaal said something terrifying with casual ease, then closed one eye and aimed a barb at Subaru: "Good thing you have no talent."
"So people who are magical or talented are more likely to die from this. The fact that I only passed out is because my capacity as a magician is small—guess that's a blessing in disguise."
"That's… that's true, but… doesn't that self-assessment hurt?"
"Being reminded of everything I can't do or can't reach is pretty much my daily life. It's fine—I'll show Emilia-tan my love through things only I can do. For starters, how about I start by whispering sweet nothings to her?"
"I'll think about it after the royal selection is over and things have settled down."
"That's at least three years from now!?"
And even that was no guarantee.
Subaru shrugged at Emilia's cold shoulder. Then, continuing with "Still, though—"
"Setting aside the qualifications, this is basically a space designed to kill magicians. I don't know who set it up, but it's a rotten thing to do."
"As long as the management has passed down through the Mathers family, the one who devised the formula would have to be one of my ancestors."
"Oh, that's definitely bad… but wait. Seriously, your ancestors are exactly what you'd picture. It's like they're being reincarnated—the Roswaal family line."
The theory about a puppet-like bloodline where the previous head's will resides in the next.
Subaru shook his head at the thought alone—it was too creepy. At Subaru's words, Roswaal laughed as though he'd heard the best joke.
"There was a family that researched that kind of magic, but they should have been destroyed lo-o-ong ago. …And you called the environment in that tomb a space that kills magicians, but there's a more accurate name for it."
"Like what?"
"It's simple. —That place is filled with miasma. An environment that drives people mad through the gate, channeling mana to corrode the mind—a living nightmare. That miasma… that's what you call it."
At the appearance of the word "miasma," Subaru furrowed his brow, searching his memory for where he'd heard it before. He was sure the last time he'd encountered that term was— "It's about the Witch of Envy. I think they said the place where the witch is sealed is filled with that miasma or something…"
"You're we-ell-informed. Well, it's a famous tale, after all. Even now, the shrine of the Sealed Witch Stone, where the Witch of Envy slumbers, is filled with miasma so dense you can barely see. If the tomb's miasma rejects those who don't meet the conditions, this miasma is something else entirely—true, undiluted malice that devours the mind, annihilates the body, and defiles the soul. Even the
"Even those Witch Cult guys can't get in… well, I guess that makes sense. If getting in meant they could break the seal, they'd just sneak into the shrine, and that'd be game over."
The witch's resurrection—he recalled Petelgeuse, who had screamed about it as his supreme purpose.
Even that madman who had done nothing but cry out his selfish love had never resorted to a direct method of freeing the witch. Considering his true nature as a spirit, he was likely powerless against the miasma.
"In any case, because the witch's seal is surrounded by the witch's own miasma, no one can get close enough to break it. And if you wanted to approach the shrine, you'd have to slip past the eyes of
"That name again—Sage Shaula. That's the second sage I know of.
Subaru wondered about the overlapping titles, but the strangeness didn't seem to bother anyone else. At his unspoken question, Roswaal smiled.
"Flugel—the great tree Flugel, you mean? Tru-uly, he's also called a sage, but comparing him to Sage Shaula is a biiiit of a stretch."
"What do you mean? He's a sage too—don't play favorites. Flugel-san did me a huge favor, so if you badmouth him, there'll be hell to pay."
He'd gotten enormous help from the man's legacy during the
Flugel himself probably never imagined the tree he planted four hundred years ago would end up being useful for slaying monsters. Whether he'd be happy about it was another matter.
"That thing was enormous, so I'm sure the broken parts got put to good use in various ways… or wait, maybe the time bomb commotion blew some of it away?"
"I have a fee-eeling there's still plenty we need to reconcile. In any case… Emilia-sama."
Shifting his gaze from Subaru—still rubbing his chin—to Emilia, Roswaal's voice dropped low. Hearing that, Emilia looked up and responded, "Yes."
"Returning to the main topic—I'm glad you have the qualifications. This means Emilia-sama can now undergo the tomb's 'Trial.' And so, there is one question I must ask."
Roswaal's tone had shed all trace of mischief, low and solemn. Emilia met it with a serious gaze, urging him forward. Seeing that, he continued.
"It's a simple question. —Will you undergo the 'Trial'?"
The brief question fell into the room, and Emilia pressed her lips together, creating silence.
It was, naturally, the logical next step. They had gone to confirm whether she had the qualifications to face the 'Trial.' Finding that she did, they had returned. This question was the inevitable conclusion. And yet— "Before I answer, I've got a question—is this 'Trial' something she absolutely has to do?"
Before Emilia could respond, Subaru stepped forward and raised his hand. Ram's eyes went sharp with hostility at the question, but Roswaal checked the maid with a raised hand.
"That's a very you kind of question. If one with 'qualifications' doesn't undergo the 'Trial,' they cannot leave the
"I know that. But that's not a reason Emilia-tan has to be the one to do it. The Witch of Greed's tomb is a godawful place. Who knows what kind of danger could pop up. Sending Emilia—someone important and a participant in the royal selection—into a place like that? How is that okay?"
"Hmm. We-ell, that's a fair point. If it were just a matter of someone taking the 'Trial,' any other qualified person would do… the man standing right there, for instance."
"Huh? Me? Sure, I'm game. I'd march in, breeze through the 'Trial,' and be done with it. You could even call me the right hand's right hand's left of Balbaalmoa or whatever."
Called upon, Garfiel grinned and pointed at himself with his thumb. The phrase he'd used somewhere in there sounded like it ultimately just meant "to the right," but Subaru ignored that and focused solely on the useful part of the statement.
In truth, if the 'Trial' only needed one person to clear it, there was no reason it had to be Emilia. Someone with qualifications and greater certainty could take it on.
—Worst case, Subaru himself, who had been given "qualifications," could be the one to challenge it.
"Now then, that would be a bit of a problem."
A voice—unfamiliar to everyone—suddenly came from the entrance.
Subaru, who had his back to the door, turned in surprise at the unknown sound. Garfiel, leaning against the wall beside the door, caught Subaru's gaze and waved a hand dismissively.
"It ain't me. It's this old bag over here."
As he spoke, he gestured with the same hand toward the space beside him. Subaru's eyes followed—and there, next to the already-small Garfiel, stood an even smaller figure.
"Who are you calling old bag? Such a foul mouth on an insolent brat."
A small, tiny girl with long, pale-red hair spoke with an attitude far too mature for her appearance.
She had well-defined, adorable features—roughly the same age as Petra, perhaps eleven or twelve. Her pale-red hair had a gentle wave to it, and combined with its fine texture, it looked impossibly fluffy. She wore a white robe so oversized that the hem dragged on the floor, the sleeves so long that her hands didn't poke out—utterly adorable.
And above all, given how she spoke and what she called Garfiel— "I knew you'd show up eventually, but here you are, you loli granny!"
"Oh my, I seem to recall an awfully unwilling form of address—is it my imagination?"
"Um, I think I've used that 'loli' before with
At Subaru's shock, the girl looked up at him with an unhappy expression. Emilia, having heard his muttering, nodded with the conviction of someone whose long experience with Subaru had given her modern knowledge. Subaru raised one finger.
"That's right, Emilia-tan gets it. To be more specific, it means 'too young to be in my target range.' When you combine 'loli' and 'granny,' you get the miraculous collaboration of someone who looks young on the outside but is an old lady on the inside! Personally, loli characters are off-limits for me, but I can appreciate the appeal of the gap!"
"The gap… what?"
"A girl who normally acts all cool and mature but occasionally reveals childish quirks, or is kinda clueless about common sense, or is totally honest and gets easily tricked—that kind of thing falls under the gap appeal too!"
Rattling on at length, Subaru had Emilia pressing a finger to her lips and nodding with an "Oh, so there are girls like that…" The fact that the very characteristics she'd just described applied perfectly to herself seemed to completely escape her notice, which was endearing beyond words. Meanwhile, the person who'd been the subject of this monologue looked thoroughly displeased.
"And so? I still don't understand this 'loli' business, but 'granny, granny'—that's me you've been going on about, isn't it? First meeting and already more disrespectful than Roz-bou. What a rude one we've got here."
"Oh! My apologies, mademoiselle! The name's
He gave a thumbs-up and announced himself with vigor, the self-introduction fizzling out at the end. Then he turned his palm toward her, and when the puzzled-looking girl didn't respond, he prompted with "Come on, come on."
"I gave mine, so now it's introduction time for you. Quick profile, hobbies, special skills. Feel free to add your personal charm point if you'd like."
"…Ryuzu Meyer. I'm the one who serves as the de facto representative of this Sanctuary."
Ignoring Subaru's nonsense, the loli granny—who had introduced herself as Ryuzu—poked just her fingertips out of those billowing sleeves and scratched her forehead.
"I didn't notice when you were sleeping, but you're an even more pathetic fool than I thought. Lending you my bed was a waste."
"The bed—wait, was I sleeping at your place until just now?"
"Yes. Ryuzu-san's house. It was close to the tomb, so Garfiel carried you over… Thank you so much for everything earlier."
As Emilia bowed her head, Ryuzu gave a loose wave of her hand. From their exchange, it was clear the two had met during the time Subaru had been unconscious.
In any case, she had done him a kindness.
"I had no idea—sorry for being rude. Thank you for lending me a bed. And sorry for being late with my thanks on top of that."
"My… oh, how surprising. Unlike Gar-bou, you can actually apologize. Natsuki—was it Subaru? I'll call you Su-bou."
"Sounds like something you'd start a weather forecast with, but sure, that works. I'll call you Ryuzu-san, if that's alright."
Having expressed his gratitude, Ryuzu's displeasure was momentarily defused. With their forms of address peacefully established, Subaru continued, "By the way."
"Earlier you said it'd be a problem—is there something wrong with Garfiel clearing the 'Trial'? What'd happen?"
"What a quick switch you've got. Oh yes. It would be a problem. A major problem. Because if someone born to the Sanctuary challenges the 'Trial,' it would break the contract."
"Another contract…"
Subaru scowled at the repeated appearance of contracts and pacts and all their baggage, his gaze shifting to Roswaal. The man shrugged.
"It's a bummer, but that contract isn't related to the Mathers family… or rather, it's not entirely unrelated, but we're not the main party. My family plays a supporting role, tha-at's all."
"Spare me the self-preservation talk and just explain. The details of the contract, three lines or less."
"Harsh. We-ell, simply put: the condition for freeing the residents of the 'Sanctuary' is clearing the 'Trial.' But the one who challenges it must be an outsider with qualifications. So, as things stand…"
"Meaning, I'm the only one who qualifies."
Emilia finished Roswaal's explanation in a quiet tone. Roswaal nodded in confirmation, then glanced toward Ryuzu.
"And the residents of the 'Sanctuary' have all accepted that. They're hoping Emilia-sama will challenge the 'Trial' and overcome it."
"I don't want to sound hesitant, but… what would happen if someone other than me challenged the 'Trial'?"
Emilia's violet eyes turned to Garfiel as she continued with a hypothetical. Ryuzu was the one who answered.
"That's the thing—ever since I was born, at least, no one has challenged the 'Trial.' So that hypothetical is impossible to answer. Neither residents nor outsiders have ever attempted it."
"No one, ever? …Sorry to ask, but Ryuzu-san, how old are you?"
Thinking about the universal archetype of the loli granny, Subaru dreaded whatever the answer might be. Indeed, Ryuzu gazed off into the distance.
"I don't know about the time when this place was first created. But I'd say about a hundred and ten… maybe a little more."
"That's more than enough! At the very least, you're the oldest person I've ever met."
Excluding spirits and the witch who'd become a spiritual entity, anyway.
Swallowing that caveat, Subaru glanced worriedly at Emilia. But even under his gaze, her expression didn't darken.
"Either way, I understand the situation now. Whether I want to or not, if I can't overcome the 'Trial,' I can't leave this Sanctuary. So I'll take it on."
"Emilia-tan's determination is cool and all, but shouldn't we look for a safer approach first? We could try finding a back way, a shortcut, anything—I don't think it'd be too late to challenge it after that."
"I think it's really uncool to pour cold water on someone when they've made up their mind."
But even as Subaru pushed back—wanting to keep her away from any danger—Emilia pouted with a look of displeasure. Under the weight of her reproachful gaze, "It's just… I've got this weird feeling that something's off, like I'm being led. The whole situation is too neat—it's like the path was prepared and traffic-directed for us."
"I have no idea what you mean. Sometimes Subaru says things that make absolutely no sense."
"Wankers shouldn't…"
As the banter sharpened Emilia's gaze, Subaru quickly waved his hands in a panic.
"That's not what I meant—this situation feels orchestrated. Half-bloods get trapped in a place they can't leave from, and the way out requires Emilia-tan to work hard. On top of that, everyone around her has already been given the full explanation and signed off."
"Orchestrated by whom?"
"Who else could it be but one person?"
Answering Emilia's question, Subaru spun around on the spot. At the end of his rotation, he jabbed a finger outward with a snap.
"Hey, that's right, isn't it?"
"Huh? Me?"
"Oh—wrong person, sorry, I overshot. This way, this way—hey, it's you, right, Roswaal?"
"Nothing escapes you, doe-es it."
Roswaal smiled wryly, then closed one eye, letting Subaru see him through the yellow one.
"But your instincts remain sharp. Yes, I did wish for this situation to come about. Of co-ourse, I didn't tamper with the stage itself."
"I'm starting to get a picture."
Subaru raised one eyebrow at Roswaal's phrasing, catching a thread of the man's designs. Emilia looked confused—unable to follow—but Subaru was about to lay out the truth for her.
"First thing that struck me as odd was Roswaal's injuries. He should've known he didn't have the qualifications to face the 'Trial' in the first place. This land was originally managed by the Mathers family, and he knows Garfiel personally—that's all a given."
"…That's true. Yeah, you're right."
"So he should have known that entering the tomb without qualifications would get him rejected. Then why did he go in? Rebellion against the world for no reason? Or did his masochistic hobbies reach a breaking point? Both are plausible, but I don't think it's either."
"My my. Is that the image you have of me, Subaru-kun?"
Roswaal's discontented words fell on deaf ears as Subaru raised a finger.
"Meaning, this injury was exactly what Roswaal intended. And that intent—I'm pretty sure it's connected to the royal selection."
"…………"
"Oh, by the way—I want to ask something. The people from
Subaru abruptly changed the subject—directing it at Ram, who stood beside Roswaal. She had been silent until now, but at Subaru's question, she lifted her chin slightly.
"Yes. The villagers are all in the Great Cathedral… being held in what amounts to soft detention by the Sanctuary's residents."
"Right, detention. I started asking about the tomb earlier but got sidetracked… what exactly does this detention look like? Why would the Sanctuary people need to hold everyone—including Roswaal—captive?"
Subaru's gaze next turned to Garfiel, who stood against the wall. The blond young man narrowed his already sharp eyes.
"Let me tell you something. This place ain't some escape hatch for when things get tough. You think we enjoy being used however our Lord and his… whatever, the baggage he dragged along sees fit, while all their problems sit ignored?"
"The problems you're referring to are, of course—"
"Being unable to leave this Sanctuary and go out into the world beyond."
It was Ryuzu who finished Subaru's sentence. On her youthful face, shadows of hardship fell, unbecoming of her appearance.
"As I said before, I was born over a hundred years ago. But I have never left this Sanctuary. Not once. Ever since birth, the contract has bound me to this land. That's why I've half-resigned myself… but I can't let go of hope."
"I want to see the outside world too. So do the rest of us. If there's a chance, we'll claw for it, bite into it, do whatever it takes. Getting our hands on a weakened Lord and villagers we can use as leverage—that was a godsend."
Ryuzu and Garfiel's words shifted the air in the room.
In other words, they were standing before Subaru and company, confessing the reason for the detention—the motive for their actions. It wasn't something he'd been conscious of until now, but Subaru's relationship with them was one of captors and captives. Perpetrators and victims.
"So that's it. You're using the villagers as hostages… demanding that you be freed from the 'Sanctuary.'"
"Take it however you like. And the one who can fulfill that condition is…"
Ryuzu let her words trail off as she looked at Emilia.
Understanding the meaning of that gaze, Emilia seemed to fully recognize her own position once more.
"Me. —So that's how it is."
She accepted the course of events with understanding, then closed her eyes once. When she opened them a few seconds later, the hesitation was gone. She had made up her mind.
"You haven't done anything terrible to the villagers, have you?"
"Of course we haven't. Treating them roughly would just be taking it out on them. I wouldn't do something that pathetic even if it killed me."
And when Emilia decided to act, the force with which she set herself aside was immeasurable. She had resolved to face a potentially lethal trial, yet her thoughts were already turned to the villagers and others in danger.
That strength and weakness of hers was precisely what drew Subaru to her, time and again.
"You've got a pretty unhappy look on your face."
"…Of course I do. In the end, I'm still being played. I didn't notice I was being played, and even now that I've noticed, I can't do anything but go along with it."
Grinding his teeth in frustration, Subaru clicked his tongue at Roswaal, who watched him with a faintly smiling gaze. Then, as though just remembering something, he turned back.
"Oh, I almost forgot—the cause of your injuries—"
"Go on, go on. Shall I grade your answer?"
"A performance. No—a setup."
As Subaru scratched the back of his neck, Roswaal's expression stiffened ever so slightly. Watching that reaction, Subaru closed one eye.
"Being thrown into a soft detention and having the villagers of Arlam accept it so meekly—didn't sit right with me. Naturally, there had to have been resistance. To suppress that, some kind of action was necessary. If you, as Lord, had gone on a rampage and driven off Garfiel and the rest, that would've done it… but the Sanctuary people are also your subjects. You couldn't do that."
"Hmm. So then, what would work?"
"The only option would be to accept Garfiel and the others' conditions. That is, the liberation of the half-bloods from the 'Sanctuary.' But that requires Emilia-tan's cooperation. Still, neither the villagers nor the residents would be satisfied with just that. So it's simple. —You demonstrate the 'Trial,' show that you have the will to accept their demands and the intention to free them from detention."
"————"
"How much damage the miasma would actually cause—I don't know if you predicted that. But if you were confident you wouldn't die, it wasn't that much of a gamble. The worse the injuries, the more convincingly you demonstrate your sincerity and win sympathy. And the anticipation for what comes after only builds."
In short, every last one of Roswaal's injuries was a piece of calculated theater, exactly as he'd intended.
The strength of Roswaal as Lord was well known to the villagers of Arlam. If a trial that could inflict this much damage existed—and someone appeared to overcome it and save them, how would they view that person?
"So, combining malice, prejudice, and self-serving logic—that's my summary. How'd I do on the answer sheet?"
"O-oh, no-w that's impressive. Truly, genuinely, sincerely surprising. In just a few days, how on earth did you manage to piece that all together?"
Deep in his throat, Roswaal laughed, directing his praise at Subaru.
Clapping his hands, he plastered a beaming smile onto his face.
"Suba-arine. That's nearly a perfect score, I'd say. I never expected you to read that far into it. As I thought—you really are a hidden treasure."
"Yeah, thanks. Makes me want to puke."
Though Roswaal was clearly moved, Subaru—the one whose deductions had been confirmed—couldn't hide his disgust, averting his gaze.
The man's schemes, the fact that he'd seen through them, and the fact that those schemes were truly done for Emilia's sake—and the fact that, deep down, he approved of it all. It all made his stomach turn.
Oblivious to Subaru and Roswaal's scheming, Emilia continued devoting her attention to Ryuzu, Garfiel, and the discussion of the 'Trial.' Watching her back, Subaru made a silent vow: he would never let her hear what had just been discussed.
She only needed to look forward.
He wanted her to remain noble, to remain dignified—someone who should never have to know about these dark, underhanded designs.
The mud would be his to wade through. The praise, she could have. That was enough.
In the royal selection, Emilia had yet to prove herself. Her footing was still unsteady.
If her journey in the royal selection was to begin here, in this 'Sanctuary,' then he would support her with everything he had.
Renewing his resolve, steeling his will, Subaru made his decision.
And behind Subaru—clenching his fist—Roswaal leaned back on the bed and murmured in a voice so small it reached only the ears of the peach-haired maid beside him.
"…Nearly correct. The reason I entered the tomb wasn't just that."
She heard, and her only response was to close her eyes with a look of sorrow.