Re:Zero Kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu (LN) - Volume 26 - Chapter Pr

PROLOGUE

THE PEOPLE AT THE WATCHTOWER

1

This was what happened while Subaru Natsuki was unconscious and recuperating in the green room, right after Emilia had guided the group to the first floor of the Pleiades Watchtower.

“—Thou who hath reached the tower’s peak, petitioner of omnipotence who treads upon the first floor.”

When they heard the voice that greeted them and saw who had spoken those words, the entire group was struck speechless.

That was only natural. What awaited them on the first floor was a gigantic dragon clad in blue scales—a legendary being everyone in the Kingdom of Lugunica had heard of.

“You weren’t expecting this, right? Climbing the tower to find Volcanica waiting here. I was really surprised, too…”

“Wait. Wait, wait, wait. Does surprise even begin to describe it, I wonder?”

Having coming face-to-face with the sacred dragon, Beatrice’s voice and hands trembled as she spoke, and she wasn’t the only one who had lost her cool.

“Th-this is…”

Even Anastasia couldn’t maintain her ever-constant composure.

“Sigh. Even I didn’t see this coming. What the heck. Wasn’t the Holy Dragon supposed to be somewhere beyond the Great Waterfalls?”

“That is what I’ve heard as well. According to the Dragon Tablet, Volcanica will supposedly return to reforge the covenant with Lugunica’s new leader in the same year the royal selection is decided.”

Echidna was currently in scarf form, and a hint of unease could be heard in her voice even as she corroborated Anastasia’s words.

Meanwhile, Julius stepped forward in his dazzling white armor and placed his sword on the ground as he bowed to Volcanica with the deepest respect.

“O, venerable dragon, holy guardian who watches over our kingdom. My humblest apologies for any discourtesy we may have shown you, Lord Volcanica, savior of our people and the one who has upheld the covenant for untold years.”

It was the epitome of decorum for a knight who served the Dragronfriend Kingdom. In response, Volcanica’s golden eyes narrowed.

“—I am Volcanica. By ancient oath, I ask thy will.”

“As you wish! I am fully devoted in mind and body to Lady Anastasia Hoshin, who also stands before you. She who will surely be our next ruler and covenant-keeper, Lady Anastasia…ngh…”

“A-are you crying, Julius?”

“M-my apologies. Not only have I exchanged words with one of the three great heroes, Reid Astrea, but now I also have the privilege of meeting the Holy Dragon Volcanica… There is no greater honor possible… This tower is indescribable.”

Julius wiped a tear from the corner of his eye as his voice trembled in awe.

Emilia didn’t want to break the bad news to Julius right when he was having a moment, but, knowing she had to, she awkwardly began to explain.

“Umm, it’s a little hard for me to say this, seeing how happy you are…”

“—Thou who hath reached the tower’s peak, petitioner of omnipotence who treads upon the first floor.”

“…Wait a tick. That line feels a bit familiar,” Anastasia said, having noticed the dragon repeating itself.

Emilia wore a look of resignation.

“Umm, about Volcanica… It seems that it’s been waiting here for so long that it’s made it really forgetful. Its body is fine, though, and it can definitely still run a bit wild…”

The dragon’s body remained more than capable, but its mind struggled to stay sharp against the passage of time. It had barred Emilia’s way as the examiner for the first floor, but—perhaps because its duty was complete once Emilia had reached the monolith—it had then reverted to a state of confusion and obliviousness.

And despite the fact that the examination was long over, the dragon continued to repeat itself.

“Th-the Holy Dragon has grown old, you say…?” Julius staggered from sheer shock.

“C-calm down, Julius. You must be exhausted. Here, take a seat and rest a while,” Anastasia said.

After Reid had betrayed Julius’s expectations so dramatically, Emilia was reluctant to dash Julius’s hopes, especially after she saw the excitement brimming in his eyes, but…

“Emilia, that isn’t the issue. This can’t be called forgetfulness,” Beatrice said.

“Huh?”

“I suppose you feel it as well, Echidna. This dragon is…”

“You’re right. It’s obvious when you take a closer look. This isn’t mere mental degradation. The dragon is hollow.”

“‘Hollow’…?”

Emilia cocked her head in confusion at the two artificial spirits’ words.

“It’s exactly what it sounds like. The soul is gone…leaving nothing inside. What remains can only recite certain words and employ a limited set of responses. Think of it like being ninety percent asleep.”

“Ninety percent… But it was really strong.”

“If its soul were present, it would have been incomparably stronger.”

Emilia shuddered, catching the implied You got lucky in Echidna’s tone.

With the help of her ice soldiers, Emilia had just barely survived. It was unbelievable that Volcanica had essentially been half asleep the entire fight.

“Missing soul aside, this is unmistakably the Holy Dragon…or its body, I suppose. In which case, there might be a way to help the people of Pristella.”

“!!! A way to help everyone? What should we do?”

“I see… We can get the Holy Dragon’s blood!” Anastasia said, snapping her fingers.

Beatrice nodded, and Emilia’s eyes widened as she realized the significance of what Anastasia had suggested.

Volcanica’s blood was the subject of many legends passed down in Lugunica. The Holy Dragon’s blood could revive barren land, ensure an abundant harvest, and instantly heal any sickness or injury. These were just a few of the incredible effects attested to in ancient records.

And that made it something Emilia couldn’t simply ignore…

“If we can get blood from Volcanica…”

Emilia’s ultimate goal in joining the royal selection was to acquire the dragon’s blood and use it to thaw the frozen forest of Elior.

All of Emilia’s kindred were trapped in ice because her power had run wild. Freeing them was why she had come this far.

“ ”

And now Emilia had stumbled upon what she had been searching for all this time. She was so stunned, she forgot to breathe.

If she could obtain Volcanica’s blood here, then there was no longer any need for her to pursue the throne.

“I…”

“Sorry for confusing you, Emilia, but the blood you are thinking of and the blood Volcanica has are different things,” Beatrice explained to Emilia, who had been on the verge of losing her reason for participating in the royal selection.

“Eh?” Emilia’s eyes widened. “What do you mean? I studied this very carefully. The dragon’s blood that will melt the ice trapping everyone is supposed to be in the castle. So…”

“That isn’t wrong. The dragon blood bequeathed to the royal family of Lugunica after they forged the covenant with the Holy Dragon Volcanica can heal any disease, and has the power to restore any withered, blasted land. It should even be able to thaw the Elior woods you wish to restore. However…”

Beatrice lowered her gaze and paused for a moment as Emilia watched her imploringly. Then she blinked her distinctive eyes and continued.

“The blood that was given to the kingdom is not Volcanica’s blood. The substance we refer to as ‘dragon’s blood’ comes from the final heartbeat of a dying dragon… It is, in essence, that dragon’s heart and soul.”

“The heart and soul of…a dying dragon…?”

This new information made Emilia arch her eyebrows sharply. To her question, Beatrice simply nodded quietly.

“May I?” Julius raised his hand.

Having seemingly recovered from the shock of learning about Volcanica’s lack of a soul, Julius looked up at the Holy Dragon, whose countenance remained unchanged.

“Lady Beatrice, if I might ask, where did you learn all this? I am a knight in the Kingdom of Lugunica’s royal guard. I have heard my share of secrets. However, what you speak of is…”

“With the final pulse of the heart, the dragon’s blood is poured into a vessel. That blood—true dragon’s blood—was entrusted to the royal family and became proof of the covenant sworn between dragon and people.”

“ ”

“It is understandable you wouldn’t know. This comes from a record sealed away in the Archive of Forbidden Books…a record left by the Witch of Greed, Echidna, whose name has nearly been forgotten by this world.”

Julius’s eyes shot open, and he stopped breathing.

Despite being a knight who directly served the royal family, he had never heard this before, yet he couldn’t imagine Beatrice was lying. And if her words were true…

“Then which dragon did the blood kept in Lugunica Castle come from? If it is from the final beat of their heart, then…”

“It would be stranger if the dragon it came from wasn’t already dead…and that means our empty-headed-but-very-much-alive Holy Dragon here ain’t the one.”

Julius and Anastasia’s doubts were reasonable.

If dragon’s blood really was produced by the final beat of a dying dragon’s heart, then Volcanica couldn’t possibly have been the source of it. And if it was still that powerful, then…

“It’s unknown, I suppose. Unfortunately, that much was not recorded.”

“…Well, that’s a bit disappointing. Just a guess, but I suppose that Witch of Greed is the main reason why Natsuki is so cold with me? After hearing this story, I have to say I can’t blame him.”

“I won’t let you bad-mouth Mother. Watch what you say.”

“Don’t fight, you two! But, um,…”

After she’d scolded the bickering pair, Emilia quietly looked down.

This was the first time she had considered that the dragon’s blood in the castle and the blood of Volcanica were not one and the same. The idea came as a shock, but also a bit of a relief.

“…What a strange feeling.”

Saving everyone in the Elior Forest was her ultimate goal. That was still true, even now. If taking Volcanica’s blood would solve everything, then in theory, that was exactly what she should do.

But she hesitated.

Should she step down and retire from the royal selection if there was another way of achieving her goal?

“…Emilia’s concerns aside, if Beatrice is right, then can this Holy Dragon’s blood do what we’re trying to achieve? Isn’t it more likely to be a bust?” Anastasia asked.

“Since long ago, I suppose the blood of dragons has been highly valued as a catalyst for magic. Even if it is not true dragon’s blood, the blood of the living Holy Dragon Volcanica should still possess immense power. However…”

Beatrice glanced at Emilia. Detecting the anxiety in her eyes, Emilia understood why she seemed so apologetic.

Even with the blood of the Holy Dragon Volcanica…

“I won’t be able to unfreeze everyone in the forest.”

“…Unfortunately, no.”

Beatrice nodded sadly.

Somehow, she looked more dejected than Emilia did.

“It’s okay,” Emilia said with a soft expression. Then she lifted her head, determined to not look discouraged. “It’s really unfortunate, but it wasn’t like I came here with any expectations. I was more surprised than anything, and there wasn’t enough time for it to really sink in, so…I’m just peachy.”

“I should have mentioned it sooner… Though I did not expect to encounter the Holy Dragon here of all places, I suppose. Regretfully.”

“That’s right. What a troublemaker.”

At the end of the day, Emilia didn’t want to see such a glum look on Beatrice’s face.

The disappointment did sting. But what Beatrice said was true. If anything, it made more sense that there would be no shortcuts.

“Still, I didn’t know there was such a distinction when it comes to dragon’s blood… Incidentally, if we had the Holy Dragon here die for us and took its heart’s blood…”

“L-Lady Anastasia?!”

“Kidding, just kidding. Don’t get mad, Julius. I wasn’t serious.”

Anastasia raised her hands and quickly walked back her suggestion once she saw Julius’s wide-eyed reaction.

The joke caught Emilia by surprise, but she was naturally against that idea, too. Of course, she wanted to thaw the Elior Forest and save the people of Pristella, but…

“I don’t think it’s right to sacrifice Volcanica to do it.”

“Fine, fine. It’s not like I’m eager to do it, either… It’s just a possibility,” Anastasia said, sticking out her tongue.

“Dear, oh dear,” Echidna sighed from around Anastasia’s neck. “Anyway, let’s review. There was some great dragon who was Volcanica’s equal in the past, and the dragon’s blood in Lugunica Castle comes from that dragon. Volcanica swore a covenant with the royal family of Lugunica and gave them that blood as a sign of friendship. That’s the truth behind the history, then?”

“Now that dragons are almost entirely extinct, it would be difficult to confirm, I suppose. But yes, it’s true.”

“The Holy Dragon is right here, though. If we can’t have the lifeblood of a dragon, then we can at least get some fresh blood from the Holy Dragon and see if we can help the people in Pristella.”

“According to the legends, a single drop of the dragon’s blood in the castle could restore vast swaths of land, so maybe it will make a powerful medicine?”

“Fresh blood and heart blood are different things, I suppose. But there is no proof that simply pouring it on something will have an effect. It’s nothing more than a starting point for figuring out a treatment,” said Beatrice.

“It’s still a major step forward compared to not having any idea of what to do next. If it really can be an elixir that works on anything, then it’s worth investigating.”

As she listened to them talk, Emilia began to feel some hope again.

They had come all the way to Auguria to help all those people who had met such terrible fates. If they could find a solution for all the terrible things that Gluttony and Lust had done, there could be nothing better.

“Mm-hmm, okay. In that case, let’s try asking Volcanica. We might not be able to communicate, and there’s a chance they’ll go berserk again if we try to take their blood, but it’s still worth a try.”

“All that sounds less than appealing… Emilia, you should have been recognized as the new administrator of the Pleiades Watchtower, yes? Can you not use that somehow, I wonder?” Beatrice asked.

“The administrator… I don’t really feel any different, though…”

After they’d all solved the riddle of the third floor, Emilia had gotten past Reid on the second floor and demonstrated her will to Volcanica on the first. It seemed fair to say Emilia had conquered the watchtower. Despite that, she hadn’t sensed any obvious changes.

There was one thing she had noticed, though…

“The sands shouldn’t block anyone from reaching this tower anymore…I think?”

“Was that something you decided? There are some pretty dangerous things in those books of the dead. The Witch Cult might pay this place a visit, too. All that sounds a bit risky, don’t you think?”

“It might be, but I think if everyone is careful, it’ll be all right. There’s too much for us to decide everything on our own.”

The watchtower simply raised too many questions. For better or for worse, they didn’t have the right to decide what to do by themselves. They needed to confer with others, seek out their wisdom, and find the best way forward.

“That’s what I think, at least. Is that bad?”

“…I think that’s a bit too optimistic, but that answer suits you. If Ana and Julius aren’t against it, then I won’t say no, either.”

“Thank you, Echidna.”

Echidna was the first to agree.

“Fine, I get it,” said Anastasia, waving her hand. “I’m not opposed. Besides, even if we did decide to hide it, it would be a ton of work to look after… Better to just split the reward for discovering it and making it so people can even get here in the first place.”

“It was you who reached the summit of this tower, Lady Emilia. I shall respect your decision.”

“Thank you, Anastasia, Julius.” Emilia smiled at them as well. Then she turned to Beatrice, who was the only one who had yet to chime in. “What about you, Beatrice? Do you think it’s irresponsible?”

“If that is your question, it would be far more irresponsible to abandon this place without further investigation. Betty is not against your decision. Personally, I am deeply interested.”

“Thank goodness!”

Relieved that her cohort was not against her decision, Emilia breathed a sigh of relief.

She was sure that if everyone worked together, they would find some way to put this tower to good use.

“Okay, all that’s left is getting the blood… Will Volcanica come with us?”

“That feels like a problem waiting to happen.”

Volcanica was so massive, it would make traveling difficult. And even if they asked the dragon to wait outside whenever they ventured into a town, the sight of it alone would undoubtedly cause alarm.

If Volcanica were able to assume a smaller form, like Puck, that would have helped, but…

“Hey, Volcanica, will you come with us? Or, if you have to stay here, would you share some of your blood…?”

“ ”

“Volcanica?”

Emilia didn’t want to get her hopes up after what had happened during the examination, but she still found the dragon’s reaction curious.

Having returned to its original position on the floor beside the pillar that stood on the tower’s first floor, the Holy Dragon slowly raised its head and looked out from the tower.

There was no sign it had any intention of attacking or responding to the question.

Emilia found this all very strange.

At the same time…

“What’s that?”

A chill ran down her back. It felt like a cold finger had traced the path of her spine. Seeking out the source of that feeling, Emilia quickly turned toward the eastern side of the tower—where Volcanica was also looking.

To the east, beyond the desert, lay the great waterfall marking the very edge of the world. And one other special place could be found there.

“Emilia! I suppose this is quite bad!”

The first to realize what was causing that bad feeling was Beatrice. By the time Emilia had turned around to grab her small, outstretched hand, the menace had already reached the tower.

The desert surrounding the watchtower bulged upward as a dark shadow welled up from underground. It looked like the earth itself was about to capsize, and the resulting shock wave swallowed the tower.

“Ahhhhhh!”

“Lady Anastasia!”

Grabbing Anastasia, Julius crouched down to the shuddering floor, and Emilia pulled Beatrice close and gritted her teeth, enduring the shock.

What had happened? She did not know what that shadow she had seen for an instant was, but…

“Wha— Volcanica?!”

Looking up, Emilia saw the blue-scaled dragon rising. The Holy Dragon spread its wings and flew into the sky. Buffeted by the lashing wind, Emilia saw Volcanica inhale deeply. Its chest swelled with air as the blue Holy Dragon prepared its breath.

“Everyone, get down!!!”

They were caught between tremors from below and a gale from above. In the midst of it all, Emilia desperately called out a warning to the others. And then—

“I am Volcanica. By ancient oath, I ask thy will.”

By now, this line was painfully familiar to them, but what followed was something far less so.

A blinding blue light threatened to engulf the clear sky itself as Volcanica’s breath shot out and pushed back the black shadow surging across the desert.

The next instant, the blue light swelled, and sound, smell, and everything else in the world disappeared.

Azure light crashed against jet-black shadow. It almost seemed like this was the center of a world-encompassing explosion—no, in that moment, the center of the world was undoubtedly here, in this desert at the eastern edge of the world.

From a distance, it probably made for a very confusing sight. But from up close, it seemed as if the world itself was ending.

Beatrice and Echidna had described Volcanica as dormant.

And they were right. This was but a fragment of Volcanica’s true strength.

The blue breath and black shadow were locked in a contest of power that had no rules or limits. Despite the ferocity of it, a terrible silence enveloped the struggle. It was only then that Emilia noticed their surroundings had hardly been touched.

“ ”

The clash between blue and black ended in an instant. It was clear now that, surprisingly, there was very little destruction.

The wind sounded too quiet, and the tremors faded so quickly one could almost believe that nothing had happened. Though still reeling from the shock, Julius and Anastasia had recovered enough to open their eyes.

“I-is it over…?”

“So it would seem… But what was that?”

Now that the shock waves had receded, they cautiously peered around. The Holy Dragon quietly descended with a flap of its wings.

“—Thou who hath reached the tower’s peak, petitioner of omnipotence who treads upon the first floor.”

“…That’s all you have to say, after all that? I guess this hollow soul business is pretty serious.”

Echidna couldn’t help feeling incredulous when she heard Volcanica repeating those same tired old lines. Anastasia seemed to share her feelings, but Emilia was different.

Volcanica’s breath had driven off the shadow for them. However, something else was making Emilia’s chest throb.

“Lady Emilia? Did something happen? Are you hurt…?”

“No, I’m fine! It’s Beatrice…!”

Guided by the roiling unease building inside her, Emilia called out to Beatrice, whom she held in her arms. The girl was stiff with tension, and her large eyes were opened wide.

“Emilia, go back downstairs! Right now! Subaru is…”

“Ngh! Okay—please behave, Volcanica! We’re going to check the green room really quick!”

Still carrying Beatrice, Emilia immediately set off at a run. Realizing something must be wrong, Julius and Anastasia quickly followed.

They rushed down the long, winding stairs that connected the first and second floors…

“Oh, you’re all here. Is everything okay? The tower was shaking a lot earlier.”

“Meili! Are you hurt?”

Along the way, they ran into a familiar face.

“I’m fine,” Meili answered in her usual singsong voice, “I was just about to come find you… There was a bit of a problem.”

“A problem…with Subaru and the others?”

When Meili nodded, Emilia gasped and hurried even faster toward the green room. Once they’d reached the passage leading to their goal on the fourth floor, the problem became clear.

Subaru, Ram, and the others who were exhausted from the fighting were supposed to be recovering in the green room—which was now unreachable due to a collapsed hallway. The walls were torn asunder, and the passage was now exposed to the outside.

Volcanica had blown away the shadow, but just before it’d been erased, the shadow had reached this location, and the terrible destruction it had wrought was still visible.

“This is… Ah, Ram!”

As a thick dust cloud filled the air, Emilia found Ram slumped against the wall. A black land dragon was nestled beside her. For the most part, both looked safe.

“Ram! And Patlash, too. Thank goodness… You aren’t injured, are you?”

“Lady…Emilia…”

Clearly still recovering, Ram answered in a weak voice. Her frail reply made Emilia gasp, and she followed Ram’s gaze to where the green room was supposed to be.

There was nothing there.

The vines and plants that had been pulled away from the floor and walls still hung there, but the occupants of the room…

“Ram… Where are Subaru and Rem? They’re safe, right?”

“That’s…”

“No…!”

Emilia’s amethyst eyes went wide at Ram’s reluctant response. She rushed over to the big hole, ready to dive into the collapsed section of the tower.

“Will you wait a moment, I wonder?!” Beatrice tugged forcefully at her arm. “It’s too dangerous, Emilia! And you won’t find Subaru no matter how much you look!”

“That’s…! Don’t say that, Beatrice! It’s Subaru. I’m sure he hung on to something and he’s safe…”

“I didn’t say he wasn’t safe! But he isn’t here!”

Emilia had been dragging Beatrice along with ease, but that last comment gave her pause. She spun around with bewildered eyes.

“What do you mean, he isn’t here? Did he manage to get away…?”

“No, Lady Emilia.”

Julius, who had managed to catch up with them, shook his head at her question. Like Emilia had just done, he peered through the gaping hole in the tower’s wall.

“The shadow earlier…that was the dark element… I believe it is similar in essence to Shamak. Lady Beatrice, as a great spirit with an affinity for the dark element, what is your opinion?”

“Your assessment isn’t wrong. Shamak is…essentially an isolation spell. And that’s what swallowed up Subaru. The shadow’s master apparently tried to whisk Subaru away somewhere. But it failed, I suppose.”

“Failed as in… Ah! Because of Volcanica’s breath?”

Emilia’s eyes shot open as Beatrice and Julius both nodded.

The dark menace that had borne down on the tower had swallowed up Subaru and Rem in the green room. However, right as it had managed to do that, Volcanica’s breath had driven off the shadow.

“Wait, wait, wait. Then what happened? There’s no trace of the shadow anymore, so…” Anastasia trailed off as she considered the worst-case scenario.

“They’re not dead. I’m sure of it.”

Ram stated this with absolute confidence as she stood up with Patlash’s support. She touched the spot on her forehead where her horn had once been and blinked, as if to say that was how she knew.

“An oni’s…or maybe I should say a sister’s bond? So you’re still connected with Rem?”

“Yes, that’s correct. Rem is still alive… Barusu is another matter.”

“Subaru is safe, too! Betty can guarantee that!”

Beatrice went red in the face as she shouted this indignantly. She was contracted to Subaru, so her words held just as much weight as Ram’s.

It was unknown where Subaru and Rem had gone, but they were both still alive.

“Natsuki’s spirit says he’s safe, and Rem’s twin says she’s safe. But is there any concrete proof?”

“It might be premature to say they’re safe, I imagine, but…can you tell anything about his condition with that link?”

“…At the very least, his life is not currently in danger. I can’t sense anything concerning, I suppose.”

Beatrice answered Anastasia with a confident shake of her head. In this situation, even that tidbit of information was incredibly reassuring.

Emilia touched her chest, trying to calm her racing heart.

“…Emilia, here.”

“Eh?”

Anastasia suddenly offered a white handkerchief to Emilia. Emilia took it without thinking but wasn’t sure why Anastasia thought she needed it.

“You haven’t noticed? You’re crying… It probably hit you when you heard he was still alive.”

“…Oh, wow.”

Touching her cheek, Emilia realized that there were tears flowing from her eyes. She quickly wiped them with the handkerchief.

“Mrgh,” she sniffled. “S-sorry… Even though everyone else is also dealing with this, I…”

“You don’t have to apologize. He’s your precious knight. And it’s not like I’d be any different if I was in your shoes.”

“To hear you say as much is an incomparable joy, Lady Anastasia… Lady Emilia, I am sure Subaru feels the same.”

“…Yes, thank you.”

Sniffling again, Emilia thanked Anastasia and Julius.

It was far too soon to find comfort in the relief she was feeling. And they still didn’t know where Subaru and Rem had ended up, or what condition they were in. Even so, she couldn’t stop the emotions from welling up inside her.

“So what now? It’s nice that you were so happy you cried when you heard that Mister and that sleeping lady are still alive, but…where did they go?”

Trying to be supportive in her own way, Meili asked the most pressing question while she played with the little red scorpion on her head.

Emilia looked up and said, “You’re right.”

She was sure Subaru and Rem were the ones who wanted to cry most. Bawling her eyes out wouldn’t help anyone.

“We have to find them as soon as possible… Beatrice, Ram…can you tell where Subaru and Rem ended up?” she pleaded earnestly.

“ ”

Beatrice and Ram looked at each other, and then, after a few moments’ silence…

“—South, I suppose.”

“Agreed. I cannot say exactly how far they’ve gone, but…it’s very far.”

They both pointed in the same direction—south. Emilia turned that way as well. Far to the south of the Auguria dunes, which were at the easternmost edge of every world map. They would have to find and reunite with Subaru and Rem as soon as possible.

“Everything is always so hard for Subaru… We have to find him quickly, or he might cry.”

“Lady Emilia, Subaru is not that frail…”

“No, that’s not what I mean… I just know he’ll be crying by himself.”

Julius had simply wanted to stand up for his friend, but Emilia’s reply made him freeze up. The others reacted the same way to her words.

Subaru liked to put up a strong front and was stubborn beyond belief, so he always tried to bear everything on his own, even if it meant enduring terrible hardship. Even when it would have been fine to cry, he wouldn’t allow himself to do so.

That was why Emilia wanted to find him as soon as possible. She didn’t want him to be alone if and when he reached his limit. She wanted to be by his side, so that her knight would never have to cry alone.

“Emilia…”

“I know, Beatrice. My heart is really, really on edge. But I can’t help Subaru by getting worked up here… I have to stay calm.”

Her eyes still red, Emilia slapped her cheeks and gave Beatrice a nod.

Forging ahead when your heart felt uneasy—that was how Emilia’s knight did things. That was how he brought the future he wanted closer to becoming reality…

“Subaru and Rem are together, right?”

“…Given that Lady Beatrice and I both feel a pull from the same direction, that seems likely.”

“I see… In that case, I’m sure Subaru will protect Rem no matter what, so we don’t have to worry about her. I am a little worried for Subaru, though.”

He would surely keep her safe no matter the cost, even if it meant neglecting to care for himself. That was a bad habit of his.

Emilia clutched her hands in front of her chest, as if in prayer.

“Subaru, please be okey-dokey together with Rem.”