A faintly luminous blue light — Reinhardt watched the healing water waves from a distance, letting out a sigh so subtle no one around him would notice.
A quiet melancholy crept across his refined profile, and traces of battle still clung faintly to his attire. If one were to frame his figure standing before the ruins, that alone would be enough to complete a masterwork on canvas.
However, viewed objectively though it may have been dazzling, from his own perspective, no amount of words could adequately convey his frustration at his own shortcomings.
Even now, Subaru was working desperately to treat
Subaru had taken wounds he should never have had to bear, and Emilia had been forced into a burden she should never have had to shoulder.
On top of that, his own constitution was a net negative for Emilia, who was performing the treatment.
That he was calmly assessing the situation from a distance as the optimal course of action — realizing this only deepened his self-reproach.
"—All right, that should do it."
A voice like the chime of a silver bell reached the ears of Reinhardt, who had closed his eyes in self-condemnation.
Emilia wiped her forehead, gently brushed back the bangs of Subaru, who had been propped against the wall, and confirmed the flush returning to his face. Rising to her feet, she turned with a nod of satisfaction.
"Treatment is complete. — We've made it past the worst of it, haven't we?"
"That is wonderful to hear. And furthermore, Lady Emilia…"
Reinhardt approached the satisfied Emilia with quick strides, knelt before her, and bowed his head. Every gesture was fluid, a posture of perfect ceremonial form.
"This time, I caused Lady Emilia great distress through my own inadequacy. I accept any punishment you see fit for this failure."
He laid the sword he had been resting on his hip before his raised knee and offered his apology for his failure.
As a knight, this was the greatest expression of remorse he could give. Whatever judgment was passed thereafter, Reinhardt was prepared to accept it without complaint.
However, to his apology, the Emilia it was directed toward simply said— "I'll never understand that part of you people."
"…Huh?"
"You came to save me when I was in danger, and somehow everyone made it through safely. And yet you insist on shouldering all the blame for the hardship and pain that entailed."
Emilia wagged her finger, pouting her lips with a hint of dissatisfaction.
She then pointed that finger toward Subaru, who lay with a peaceful expression on his face as he slept.
"That boy is far more honest about it. He had the nerve to come up and demand a thank-you for being rescued. Though it really wasn't all that greedy a request, I suppose."
She was remembering how Subaru had tried to play it cool and ask for her name — Reinhardt had witnessed that as well. At the memory that brought a small smile to Emilia's lips, Reinhardt's own mouth began to soften too.
"So," Emilia said, narrowing her violet-blue eyes slightly at him, "thank you for saving me. — That's all I have to say to you. I can't find any fault to punish you for. If you can't accept that, just make sure you do better next time."
"…Understood. I am grateful for those words."
Reinhardt bowed his head even deeper, and after showing his respect, rose to his feet.
Standing face to face, Reinhardt towered well above Emilia, looking down at her. And yet, the sense of her being 'larger' than him that he had felt earlier — what was that?
It must be the difference in their stature as individuals, Reinhardt reflected, measuring his own narrowness.
At the same time, he was once again reminded that Emilia was a person who was truly 'chosen.' "By the way, you're awfully lightly dressed today…"
Watching Reinhardt fall silent, Emilia suddenly seemed to notice something and murmured.
Her eyes had fixed on his attire — today being his day off, he had chosen a predominantly black outfit for a leisurely stroll through the capital. For someone who had only ever seen him in his knight's regalia, the difference was no doubt striking.
"It happened to be my first day off in a while. I'm not wearing my usual Royal Guard uniform, and I've left my armor at the castle. As a knight, today all I have is this sword."
He re-sheathed his sword at his hip, presenting the ornate blade — still bearing visible claw marks — to Emilia's gaze.
She blinked with a touch of surprise.
"But it's your day off — how did you end up caught up in all of this?"
"That's rather complicated, but… it was because of him — Subaru's guidance."
The boy who was currently not conscious — it was his encounter with Subaru that had led Reinhardt here.
Tracing the chain of events, the story went all the way back to the back alley where Reinhardt had first met Subaru, and the exchange they had shared there.
At that time, Subaru had confided to Reinhardt that he was 'looking for a woman with silver hair and a white robe.' At that point, there was only one person in Reinhardt's knowledge who matched the description.
Subaru had sought contact with that person, and in tracking his movements, Reinhardt himself had found his way into the slums— "I encountered her along the way, and that is how I came to be here."
"So, that boy was the connection…"
At the mention of that name, Emilia's gaze shifted to a corner of the plaza — where a girl was still tending to the elderly man who had yet to regain consciousness.
The golden-haired girl met that gaze and turned, averting her eyes with an awkward expression.
"Lady Emilia, about her…"
"Reinhardt. I appreciate all the help you've given me. I'm grateful for what you've done. But I'm asking you this: don't interfere with what comes next."
Her words were delivered with an unmistakable firmness, and Reinhardt abandoned any further mention of the matter.
Taking her silence as assent, Emilia walked toward the golden-haired girl. The girl, in turn, seemed to steel herself and turned to face her.
"Is that old man your family?"
Emilia crouched down to meet the girl's eyes and asked.
The question left the girl momentarily stunned. It must have been the very last thing she had expected to hear.
Even Reinhardt, who knew nothing of their circumstances, could tell that whatever existed between these two was not built on any friendly rapport.
Having been caught off guard, the girl recovered by scratching her cheek, then turned and gave the old man's head a few taps as if embarrassed—pat, pat.
"S-Something like that. Old Man
"I see. I only have one family member too. He's absolutely useless when it really matters, and when he is awake he'd never say something like that."
"Even I couldn't say that to Old Man Rom's face."
With each exchange, the strikes on the old man's head grew noticeably harder. It was likely unconscious. The tempo quickened, and the old man's bald white scalp was starting to turn red.
Then the girl looked up at Emilia, a faint, fragile light kindling in her crimson eyes.
"I thought you'd come at me way harder than that."
"Hmm, yeah. If things had stayed as they were earlier, maybe I would have. Maybe I've had my venom sapped. So I'll give you a little leeway — for his sake."
Emilia shrugged with a wry smile and a resigned "Can't be helped."
As she made that gesture, the golden-haired girl lowered her gaze for a moment, then quietly uttered an apology.
"You saved my life. I can't be so ungrateful as to stiff you. What I took, I'm returning."
With that, the girl straightened up and turned her gaze toward the alley.
She called out to Emilia with a single "Is it all right?" before continuing.
"There's no guarantee you lot aren't still in a bad way when I get back. …I hid some stuff somewhere else — is it okay if I go grab it?"
"How cautious. …I don't dislike it. I'll wait here."
"…You sure about that? What if I use that as an excuse to bail?"
"You can run if you want, but that thing will chase you down."
At Emilia's pointed reference, Reinhardt straightened his posture.
The golden-haired girl seemed to feel something at that rigid stance, letting out a deeply repulsed "Ughhh," and then dashed off toward the alley, saying she'd be right back.
"When that girl comes back and we've gotten everything back… we'll finally be able to go home."
"I won't press for details, but do be careful of your surroundings. — For the return journey, I'll have my men accompany you."
"You don't need to go that far — though, I suppose I've already caused enough trouble that it amounts to the same thing. Please do."
Having secured her permission, Reinhardt replied, "Understood." He then followed Emilia's gaze to where Subaru lay sleeping peacefully. He prefaced his question with a brief "Now then—"
"What is your relationship with him — Subaru?"
"A chance encounter."
The answer came without a heartbeat's hesitation, and Reinhardt couldn't help but let out a sharp breath through his nose.
Emilia seemed to find his taken-aback reaction quite amusing, and the corner of her lips turned up.
"Because honestly, there's really no other way to describe it. I don't remember meeting Subaru. The first time should have been just now, here, when we ran into each other… but—"
"But he was searching for you. He said he had something to give you. And the fact that he's here now proves it, and besides…"
"He risked his body to protect you," Reinhardt began to say, but caught himself.
Declaring it so loudly felt as though it would somehow cheapen the nobility of the act itself. That was not why he had done it.
Besides, Emilia surely understood that much without being told.
In fact, she picked up exactly where he had left off.
"That's what makes it so strange. …Though right now, I'm kind of suspecting that pervert had something to do with it."
"Please don't speak too ill of Marquis Roswaal. He is a fine man. A bit eccentric, perhaps — that much is true, but…"
"The moment you admit he's a pervert, Reinhardt's assessment is pretty clear."
"…My apologies. Please keep that between us."
He winked to convey his contrition, and Emilia offered a vague "Yes, yes."
Then Reinhardt turned the topic back to Subaru.
"What shall we do about him? If you'll entrust him to me, my household will take him in as a guest…"
"No, I'll bring him home with me. It'll be clearer that way, and even if he turns out to be connected to that pervert, it doesn't change the fact that he saved me."
"Then I thank you for your consideration," Reinhardt concluded with a nod.
That largely wrapped up their discussion. From here, he would assign men to escort Emilia safely to her residence. Meanwhile, Reinhardt needed to handle the aftermath at this location.
Surveying the collapsed storeroom, Reinhardt closed his eyes at the scale of the damage.
As always, he resented his own lack of restraint. Just the slightest miscalculation in the force he had applied had led to all this. A reminder to exercise caution — enough power to erase an entire block if he slipped up.
"What happens to this place?"
"The vicinity will be sealed off for a while. We'll put out a warrant for her — 'the Bowel Hunter.' Though she already had a shady reputation, so it'll likely be a waste of effort."
"And the girl? The old man?"
"…I can't speak to all the circumstances, but what she and that old man were doing falls squarely into a category I can, in my professional capacity, hardly overlook. However—"
Reinhardt paused for breath, then gave a slight shrug.
"Today is my day off. And furthermore, if the victim doesn't press charges, it's difficult to pursue the matter for lack of evidence. Ha ha. No, truly, I can't speak to the circumstances…"
"Heh. What a bad knight you are."
"Fear not — this is the true nature of the man they call the finest knight among knights."
As they spoke, Reinhardt sensed a presence approaching from the direction of the alley. From the stride and the rhythm of the breathing, he could tell without looking that it was the girl.
The bucktoothed girl appeared, looking at them with an embarrassed expression.
"I brought it back."
"Good, good. I'm glad you came back. Sending this gentleman after you made me feel reeeally guilty."
"The 'finest knight among knights' — chasing after someone like that? You've gotta be insane. First time I've ever seen someone faster than me. Freaked me out."
Reinhardt returned the girl's upward gaze with a smile, then stepped back to watch the two of them. The girl approached Emilia, fumbling through her coat.
"Here you go. — Next time, hide your important stuff somewhere it won't get nicked."
"It's a strange feeling, getting that advice from you. …Ideally, I'd like you to stop doing this entirely — not just to me."
"That's asking the impossible. Just so we're clear — I'm only giving this back because I think of you as the one who saved my life this time. I don't think I did anything wrong, and I've got no intention of stopping."
She bluntly dismissed Emilia's request, a defiant grin spreading across her face.
It was a profile that, for someone her age, was almost heartbreaking to see. Listening to her convictions, Reinhardt nonetheless accepted this in silence.
He knew full well that professionally, this was not something that should be let slide. But what other way of life was there for these two? It was far too convenient to wave principles around without offering any alternative.
He had seen enough of the capital to understand that much.
Emilia must have sensed it too. A flicker of something wistful passed through her eyes, but rather than comment on it, she held out her hand.
"Fine. …You're a stubborn one."
"If stuff just magically showed up to eat without me doing anything, maybe I'd quit. Anyway, here."
The girl placed what she had retrieved onto Emilia's palm — an object that appeared to be one of the stolen goods.
For an instant, a flash of red caught Reinhardt's eye. The brilliant light was achingly familiar, and Reinhardt narrowed his eyes for just a moment as he delved into his memories.
When he found the recollection he was looking for— "…What?"
"Reinhardt…?"
His hand had shot out from the side and seized the wrist of the girl clutching the insignia.
It was the two of them who looked surprised. Both girls looked up at Reinhardt simultaneously, and at the intensity of the expression on his face, they faltered.
"Ow, that hurts… let go…"
The girl weakly shook her head in protest, struggling.
But the grip Reinhardt had on her hand showed no sign of loosening. When he applied himself in earnest, his strength could crush steel. Even holding back, it was far more than a frail girl could hope to wriggle free from.
"How can this be…"
A trembling whisper — it came from Reinhardt's own lips.
It was Emilia who reacted to those words. Alarm flickered in her violet-blue eyes.
"Reinhardt, wait. I understand that this isn't something we can just let slide. But this girl didn't know the value of the insignia. And as the person it was stolen from, I don't consider it a problem. — Because some of the blame lies with me for having it stolen in the first place. So—"
"That's not it, Lady Emilia. What concerns me is nothing of the sort."
Spoken down to with that firm tone, Emilia fell silent with a bewildered expression.
Seemingly forgetting even the discourtesy of his tone, Reinhardt looked at the girl whose wrist he held. The girl looked up at the young man whose crimson hair matched the color of her own eyes, and her pupils wavered with unease.
"…What's your name?"
"F-
"Family name? How old are you?"
"I-I'm an orphan, okay? I don't have some fancy family name. Age is… probably around fifteen, I guess. Don't know my birthday. Now let me go!"
As she spoke, the girl was recovering some of her composure, thrashing about with coarse language. But Reinhardt's deft control held her firmly in check. He looked at Emilia and said— "Lady Emilia, I'm afraid I can no longer honor the agreement we just made. — I will be taking custody of her."
"…May I ask why? If it's punishment for stealing the insignia—"
"That is no small offense, yes. But compared to the gravity of letting what I see before me right now go unaddressed, it is trifling."
Emilia's brow furrowed in confusion and incomprehension.
Reinhardt accepted her bewilderment as inevitable. After all, from her perspective, this was a perfectly ordinary scene. It would be cruel to demand that she understand.
"I'll need you to come with me. I'm sorry, but I can't give you a choice."
"You're kidding — just 'cause you saved me doesn't mean you get to… Huh?"
The girl was about to fire back with something crude when Reinhardt spoke, and her stance suddenly crumbled.
Her words trailed off weakly and the tension drained from her shoulders. With a final venomous glare at Reinhardt, she muttered— "Go to hell… damn you."
Having spat out her last words of defiance, her head dropped with a thud.
Reinhardt caught her unconscious body, lifting her naturally into a side carry. At his practiced motion, Emilia remarked— "Another very un-knightly method. You really shouldn't be so rough — it could leave lasting effects on her Gate."
"She's been with me since the day she was born, so I know how to calibrate. — Lady Emilia, I expect you'll be hearing from me again before long. I trust you'll understand."
He gently extracted the insignia from the unconscious girl's hand and offered it to Emilia.
The emblem, carved in the shape of a dragon, was nothing less than the very symbol of the 'Dragon Kingdom Lugnica.' The faintly glowing red jewel in Reinhardt's palm — the moment it passed into Emilia's hands, it blazed with brilliant light, as though celebrating its return to its rightful owner.
"Please look after Subaru."
Emilia received the insignia and looked at Reinhardt in silence, and he gave her a bow.
With the girl's light weight cradled in his arms, he idly brushed aside the golden hair that fell across her forehead. Her youthful, innocent features were endearing in the way only an unconscious child — someone free of pretense — could be.
If she changed out of those clothes and washed the grime of the alley away, she would surely shine.
A strong gust of wind swept through, and Reinhardt's crimson forelock danced in the air.
Through the gap, he looked up at the sky above the capital, already sinking into the twilight — where the moon hung.
A palely luminous full moon, its beauty tinged with something faintly bewitching— "This might be the last time I can look up at the moon in peace for a while—"
Reinhardt's whisper reached only the moon, gazing down upon them all.