CHAPTER 23: STEP OF THE WAY
Subaru: “Alright, so I'll just be heading out for a bit. Our coming back'll kinda wind up being tomorrow... I don't know how many times I've said this but, you don't need to force yourself to take the TRIAL. It's better you have some rest.”
Emilia: “Silly, I got it already. Subaru, augh, stop looking so worried. I'll be following your instructions and resting quietly for today.”
Says Emilia, pouting, as she looks up at Subaru atop the carriage. Feeling a wry smile rising up on his face, Subaru consciously conceals the pain he feels in his heart seeing her adorable attitude.
It's just before noon, same day he talked with Garfiel and went to Emilia's side, several hours afterward.
Otto: “Natsuki-san, preparations on my end are complete. All that's left is to depart.”
Subaru: “Oh, that really was fast. You're so good at clearing places out and pulling a runner it's worth a medal. Can I start calling you NIGHTFLIGHT OTTO?”
Otto: “I don't know what this term 'night flight' means, but it certainly sounds like something disreputable so I'll firmly have to decline.”
This time Subaru gives a wry smile without any UNDERBELLY. Looking behind them, there's a bunch of dragon carriages all lined up in a row behind Subaru and Otto's carriage. In total, there's six carriages, 42 people. That being the evacuees from Arlam, and the traders who went along with them.
Subaru: “Either way, they accepted it so easily it was almost anticlimactic. ...Honestly, I was prepared to get pushed back pretty hard.”
Ram: “I'd say it's because you cleverly spoke with Garf beforehand, Barusu. Lewes-sama is one who when spoken with will understand, and should Garf not intervene the conversation would be no tribulation.”
Ram's there too, not on the carriage, looking up at Subaru.
Ram: “I would however like to make complaint that negotiations were not made to return Roswaal¬sama to the mansion.”
Subaru: “He's seriously way too much of a great hostage among hostages. Even when I went to try to negotiate for him I couldn't come with up anything good to say. Please just accept the outcome of this one as all the villagers going back.”
Ram's like you did well, considering it's you Barusu, is how I'll regard this. Show me your gratitude.
Subaru's like if I say thank you I'm the loser here.
Shivering at Ram's attitude of turning everything into her own achievement, Subaru again looks at Emilia, who's standing next to Ram. Her eyes host unease and gloom, which she casts away once she notices Subaru's gaze on her.
Emilia: “Thank you. If you hadn't told me, Subaru, I, mightn't have even noticed this.”
Subaru's like you're in a tough position emilia-tan, it's all good to leave things to us, for now this's the big thing, I'll make the other stuff work out, so it's fine to relax. Subaru taps his hand to his chest, Emilia puts hers to her mouth and smiles slightly, wiping away the tears welling up in her eyes with a finger. Emilia: “Yeah,” She nods. Emilia: “I know. I'm depending on you, Subaru. So...” Subaru: “I got it. The instant I've seen everyone off I'll be coming right back here. Though if you forgot your favourite plushie back at the mansion, I could bring it back for you while I'm there?”
Emilia: “I grew out of those ages ago. And besides I'm not asking for you to come back quickly. I mean, of course if you did come back quickly it'd make me happy, but...” Subaru: “So then, what're you saying?” Emilia: “...Be careful. Quickly would make me happy, but even if nothing happens it's best that you take care.” Subaru: “Crap, heartflutter.” Feeling his chest throb with love, Subaru draws back while holding down his shot-through heart.
Unaware of what she said, Emilia tilts her head, Subaru taking deep breaths and pointing his palm at her. Subaru: “ＯＫＯＫ, got it. I'll come back to your side quickly and moreover, safely. Pinky promise?” Emilia: “The 'if I lie' one, you did with Petra? ...okay, got it. Let's.”
Subaru: “Ohoho, so honest.” Subaru bends down and the two of them link their fingers, Subaru on the carriage, Emilia on the ground. They go through the 'swallow thousand neeeedles' line, finalizing the pinky promise. Emilia stares at her pinky, and with Subaru reflected in her amethyst eyes,
Emilia: “Subaru. For practitioners of the spiritual arts, promises are...”
Subaru: “Super important. I learned, and I know it keenly. I won't break my promises with you again, Emilia-tan. Best I can, I'll work to keep my promises with others.” I fucking hate translating nattoku.
Emilia: I also hate translating shouganai.
Emilia's face breaks into a smile. Seeing that, Subaru straightens his legs and gives a big turn, pointing both his arms and face to the heavens,
Subaru: “Nywell, this time we're really going. Destination Arlam Village, total persons 44! It's a pretty big migration, but here we go, everyone!”
Yells Subaru, which gets an energetic reply, the negotiated migration to bring the freed hostages back to Arlam now starting.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
After that episode in the morning with Emilia, Subaru decided to accept Garfiel's proposal and went to Lewes' house. He waited for everyone to everyone to wake up and gather there, and proposed the aforementioned plan. Though Subaru had expected some pretty strong resistance, Lewes did nothing but agree with Subaru's idea, being so compliant it almost seemed possible to request for conciliations. In the end Subaru's plan was carried out, although that didn't clear away the feeling of it being a complete fucking surprise.
Afterwards they told an awake Emilia about the plan, and likewise explained it to the evacuees gathered in the cathedral. At first they were stunned stiff, but their later joy at knowing they could safely return to the village was enough to even make Subaru feel honestly happy. Even though technically it was because of Subaru's ideas they wound up in this situation, the villagers focused their gratitude on him, and albeit a rather embarrassing scene, they got past that and were now here on the road.
Otto: “But even so, I'm surprised.”
Says Otto who's sitting beside Subaru on the driver's platform, holding the reins. Patrasche and Frufoo are pulling the carriage.
Subaru: “Nnha?”
Otto: “Were you just asleep?”
Subaru: “Merely lost in reverie, stop being so doubtful. Anyway I was half-unconscious and kinda didn't hear you, what?”
Otto: “If you're going to cover things up could you please cover them up to the end? ...I mean look, I'm saying I'm surprised. About this situation.”
Otto: “I didn't think they would free the hostages so easily. From a merchant's standpoint, keeping hold of the weak points you can hold onto would be best when considering the future.”
Subaru: “Is that really coming from a merchant's standpoint? Not an evil dictator's? Can you do something about how the you inside me keeps changing jobs to something way way way way shadier?”
Thinking back on it, Subaru didn't have many memories of Otto doing anything properly merchantish. He professed he had that huge load of oil for sale, but perhaps he wasn't actually a pyromaniac? Although pretty late for it, Subaru looks at Otto with a gaze doubting his origin story.
Otto: “What are those, those eyes that look like they're seeing someone suspicious?”
Subaru: “They're exactly eyes that're seeing someone suspicious. Are you really a merchant? Have you ever done anything a merchant would do while I was around?”
Otto: “When you're around I'm forced to sort hideously confidential documents and manage account books! Is your memory so poor!?”
Subaru: “No, if you consider those as cleverly-guided spy activities then it's more accurate to think of them as being secret agent rather than merchant...”
Otto: “If you're going to demand people be guided by your unpredictable ideas, Natsuki-san, it'd be easier if you just became a god.”
Subaru: “Hey, hear that, Patrasche? This guy sitting next to me's saying I'll be a god.” chotto yabai yo.
Otto: “Ah, damn it! Why did it turn into... ahh! Even Patrasche-chan's pitying me now!? Could you please stop!”
Patrasche gives a whinny or whatever the fuck noise dragons make in response to Subaru's addressing her, to which Otto's expression turns to despair. Seems like Patrasche's comment had some opinions in there about Otto. Blessing of XENOGLOSSY truly is a nuisance.
Garfiel: “N'matter where y'two go yer never damn change, oi.”
Says a floored Garfiel as he runs alongside the carriage. Right now, the carriages are still riding along animal tracks in the forest, and aren't going especially fast. But that said it's still considerably faster than a full-power sprint. Garfiel's easily been accompanying the evacuee carriages like this the entire time. He isn't out of breath, and seems to bound forward with each light step.
Garfiel says one of his fun phrases, Subaru complains about not understanding it, Garfiel gets pissy and scrunches his nose up in displeasure. Still seated on the carriage, Subaru addresses Garfiel as he runs alongside.
Subaru: “That reminds me,”
Subaru: “For volunteering to be the guide, you're not doing very much leading. Quit your post?”
Garfiel: “Ain't like that. Yer ground dragon's just too smart. Sh's only ran the road once but sh's got it remembered almost down perfect.” Subaru: “Well, she is our pride and joy. Something this much's easy, easy. If you want we could have her jump through a ring of fire, or balance on a ball, or pull a wheelie, or... wai—would you like to stop sidewinding please, Patrasche-san!?” Patrasche alters her running pattern, rejecting the ridiculous stunts Subaru's proposing and getting him in a panic.
Garfiel: “Hell're y'two doin',” Garfiel gives a snort, and looks at Otto. Garfiel: “So, sounds like this guy 'ere said somethin' int'restin'. Better't hold on tight t' weak points, was it?” Otto: “Yes, I truly do think so. I don't believe it's a particularly nice thought, but... the more hostages are present, I would say the wider your options would be. Then, if you would like to utilize them to encourage a sense of urgency, having a greater number of hostages would give you more methods to...” Garfiel: “Oioioi, 's this guy ser'sly act'lly a merchant!? H's definitely some guy who was workin' 'n some nasty business 'n couldn't stick 'round 'n his country anymore.” Otto: “Why are opinions of me so set in going in that direction!?” Subaru tilts his head, figuring that Otto pretty obviously brought this one on himself. Subaru explains to Otto that he's accepted Garfiel's condition, so the matter's going to be settled without getting complicated. Otto asks what the condition is. Garfiel speaks up, fangs showing, to explain that it's to have Subaru do all the trials instead of crybaby Princess, and get SANCTUARY freed on the double.
Otto: “That's...” Otto's eyes go wide and he looks at Subaru. After opening and closing his mouth several times, Otto: “Are you all right with this, Natsuki-san?” Subaru: “'All right with this' in what meaning, exactly?” Otto: “The burden on you for taking the TRIALS is one part, but... I'm mostly asking whether you're all right with the role being taken away from Emilia-sama.” Subaru furrows his brow.
Otto: “Of course, I don't entirely understand the contents of the TRIAL, and I try to be very aware that conditions are unfavourable for Emilia-sama. But, if you consider in terms of Emilia-sama winning the Royal Election, she would likely need the backing of those living in the fief and in SANCTUARY for it. To let the opportunity to acquire that support get away would be...”
Subaru: “Time's... not something we know how much of we need. If her supporter base tumbles over that period then it's cart before horse. And most importantly, Emilia herself's...”
Otto: “At her limit, you'd say? I don't believe so. I have been watching her up to now, and I would say Emilia-sama's firm at her core. She does get out of sorts when the TRIAL ends and she exits the tomb, but her composure is steady everywhere expect then.”
Subaru bites his lip. Yes, from Otto's perspective, Emilia surely wasn't as cornered or close to limit as Subaru claimed. —Because Otto hadn't realised that was a mask she maintained when around anyone other than Subaru.
When in a situation where third-parties other than Subaru were around, Emilia could act to keep the same composure she always had. She would lose that composure the instant she was alone with Subaru, and devolve into instability as she had this morning.
Otto looks about to speak further, but rather than Subaru dampening the mood, it's—
Garfiel: “'S enough with that talk. We're gonna hit th' border of SANCTUARY soon. My amazin' self ain't gonna be able t' go past that point.”
Subaru: “...Just asking for reference, but what would happen to you if you tried forcing yourself through the border anyway?”
Garfiel: “Never tried so dunno, but 'f ya think'a what happened with th' Princess 'd say you'd lose consciousness. Eh, ain't like it matters anyway.”
Subaru's glad for the change of topic as Garfiel tilts his head and jumps up, landing silently on the bed of Subaru and Otto's carriage. He points at the two of them as they glance back.
Garfiel: “Just 's the conditions say, once yer get the others t' the village you two come right back... Nehh, act'lly, dunneed this guy comin' back though.”
Otto: “Don't be ridiculous, I'll be coming back. Since either way, I still haven't made proper audience with Margrave Mathers!”
Subaru: “Huh? Really? You haven't met him yet?”
Otto: “I haven't! It's been almost a week, but the timing's always been inconvenient or otherwise he would be resting... and Ram-san would quite thoroughly send me away!”
You could think of this as Otto's extraordinarily bad sense of timing, or put some of it down as his incredible lack of luck, but—
Subaru: “It's probably intentional. Ever since the day of the TRIAL, she'd always have some reason for not letting me see him.”
Subaru mutters to himself. Subaru hasn't been able to have a proper meeting with Roswaal since the day he first challenged the TRIAL. Like with Otto, the outward face of it would be due to his recuperating, but obviously this wasn't the entirety of it. Because after all, the moment that Subaru mentioned he had challenged the TRIAL was he started getting sent away.
Seeing how Roswaal's face changed after hearing Subaru had challenged the TRIAL, and Emilia failed to beat the TRIAL, was striking. A new expression for him. His usual clown mask peeled away, and for a single second out peeked intense emotion—something complex, with anger and sorrow, and also with nothing at all. Subaru hadn't been able to properly meet with Roswaal even once since then.
Garfiel interrupts, telling Subaru and co to use the same road on their way back. He'll be taking care not to attack them, but in worst case make sure not to forget the password.
Subaru: “Password?”
Garfiel: “'F ya say th' password when y'cross th' boundary, yer not gonna be treated like attackers. Password's BAIRABAIRA BELOW GULLIMOOR.”
Subaru: “Uh? What? Byebye gullymorry?”
And behold it's a saying. Subaru frowns, instantly guessing just who came up with this. Garfiel crosses his arms looking like this is a completely reasonable password, Otto hurriedly writes it down in a notebook. Subaru sighs at Garfiel, deciding to leave memorizing this shit up to Otto.
Subaru: “Anyway, if we say this we'll be let through, yeah?”
Garfiel: “Ain't like my amazin' self's the only one doin' lookout. Yknow there's guys more hot-blood'd th'n me around, yeh? F'r them, yer good pawns f'r messin' with th' TRIAL.”
Subaru: “...Right, you did mention this before.”
There's one group, led by Lewes, which wishes for SANCTUARY to be freed. Then there's another faction which wants SANCTUARY to stay closed. Garfiel's warning is probably saying, 'if you run into that faction, don't let carelessness give them any openings.'
Subaru: “Got it, understood. You've helped us out with so many things and... or actually we'll be seeing you again in half a day but, thank you.”
Garfiel: “'S the granny's requestin' me, don't worry 'bout it. M're importantly, well,”
Garfiel gives a shake of his hand, ending his sentence with a rather vague statement. It's not like him. Subaru furrows his brow. Garfiel: “Ehh,” Garfiel: “When yer back't th' damn mansion, 's Frederica gonna be there?” Subaru: “Yeah, she should be there. Right, it did sound like you knew her. What's with that?” Garfiel: “'S a relationship that ain't wanted n' ain't goin' away, 'er so. There ain't really anythin' I wanna say t' her, but...” Subaru: “I'll tell her you were worried. She'll probably have something to say back.” Garfiel: “...I ain't askin' yer to.” Averting his gaze, Garfiel jumps back to the ground to shake off Subaru's big fat grin. He backs off from the evacuees, just before the boundary between SANCTUARY and the forest, a hand to his hip as he sees everyone off. Garfiel: “Don't you run away, Subaru! Keep yer promise even if you die! That's the only condition my amazin' self has for lettin' you all escape afterward!”
Subaru: “Yeah, you relax! My power for keeping promises's been amazing lately!”
Subaru answers with a smile, raising his fist as he watches Garfiel grow further and further away. Garfiel jabs his fist to the sky as well, matching. Until Subaru's group disappears into the shadows of the forest, Garfiel keeps his fist raised.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
No problems in particular occur on the trip through the boundary and out of the forest. If there's no impediments, the travel time between the mansion and Sanctuary is about 8 hours. The group stopped twice for breaks, but since the villagers are eager to go home said breaks were cut short, so in all the time to get the villagers back to Arlam is exactly 8 hours. They had departed in the afternoon, so now the cloak of night has been fully in place for several hours.
Subaru: “Ass hurts from sitting so much... but, I'm glad.”
Subaru gives a sigh of relief as he gets off the carriage and does some twists. Yells of delight from villagers having their reunions peal through the village, some even crying in joy. Thinking about the threat that attacked the village, Subaru knows this isn't an overreaction. The place is rife with activity despite the nighttime, and even the villagers from SANCTUARY who had looked so glum now unanimously sport smiles.
Otto: “Are we returning immediately to SANCTUARY, Natsuki-san?”
Says Otto who jogs over to Subaru, who's looking over the everyone from a position somewhat separated from the fuss. Subaru shakes his head.
Subaru: “Nah,”
Subaru: “That's way too quick, it'll be fine to go after taking a little break. And I have to stop by the mansion to explain the situation to Frederica and Petra.”
Otto: “Ah, that's right. Yes, I also have things I need to discuss with my fellow merchants.”
Subaru: “Discuss with your fellow merchants, being?”
Otto points to the respective owners of the six carriages. They had been hired to evacuate the villagers, and in following that through got trapped in Sanctuary. Now relieved to be free of the place, their gazes toward Subaru are—
Subaru: “Has to just be me. It's an alternate world but it feels like their eyes're floating with dollar signs.”
Otto: when we were hired we discussed what the terms were on sale of our cargoes etc.“I'm considering we come to consensus on just how much compensation we'll demand. I won't propose anything exorbitant, of course. But, with how these people were burdened with the hostage situation... Prepare for this to get a little rough.”
Subaru: “Well, not like it'll be my wallet taking the damage. It wouldn't hurt to make Roz-chi's face go pale every once in a while, if you'd like to append the appropriate allowances.”
Otto: “Just what I expected of you, Natsuki-san. You understand!”
Otto claps and goes over to his fellow merchants. The merchant's cheers at Otto's triumphant return and propitious news echo through the night village. Subaru gets the feeling that their yells are actually somewhat louder than those of the villagers having their reunions, but decides to consciously ignore it and gets to work. There shouldn't be any problems with the village for now. Otto's taking care of the merchant's demands, and Roswaal will be the one to deal with it. With some anticipation for just what expression Roswaal will make when that time hits him, Subaru heads to the mansion.
Fifteen minutes away from the village by foot is Roswaal's Mansion. The mansion's lights stand out in the middle of the night darkness, asserting the building's existence, giving the place a bewitching aura in the wake of sunset. Feeling that thought, Subaru stands before the front gates as he absently gazes at the mansion. Naturally, the majority of the estate's lights are out, the lit ones being the entry hall and the servant's rooms—and a room on the highest floor, Roswaal's office.
Subaru: “Otto sorted the papers, but it's probably multiplied again over this week.”
Mega-maid Frederica has displayed and does possess document managing skills not even slightly inferior to Otto's, but paperwork is not the only task she should be doing. Even with Petra's assistance, maintaining the whole of the mansion requires some considerable effort. That she be working away in the office into the dead of night like this suggested such effort.
Subaru: “No matter what, I gotta pull that Otto in deeper and work him like a draughthorse as an Emilia faction paperwork machine. I'll make him an officework automaton.”
While planning just how to trap Otto, Subaru pushes opens the gates and enters the mansion grounds. He heads for the entryway, and knocks the door with its falcon-shaped knocker.
Subaru: “Apologies for the late-night visit. I'm here from the fire statiooon—huh.”
The sharp knocks echo through the night, Subaru giving a random announcement as usual. What did the people in this world do in the event of fires or emergencies? Subaru tilts his head as he falls into thought, mulling over the pointless question. But,
Subaru: “No reply.”
Frederica being Frederica, Subaru had expected her to respond swift as the wind. He shrugs, and after waiting for a short while, decides that no one is coming and abandons waiting. He grandly pushes open the door,
Subaru: “Heeeey, I'm hoooome. Food! Bath! Sleep!” and makes those three orders, taking a pose. But the response to this is indeed nothing. Enjoying the nostalgic sensation of absolutely bombing a joke while alone, Subaru heads for the upper floor—for the servants’s rooms, deciding to search for Petra.
Subaru: “Frederica's probably in the office. Make that after seeing Petra... then, have to find Beako too.”
Nevermind precocious Petra and wily Frederica for now, Subaru had to make sure he was prepared to meet again with that drill-haired girl. He had not received an answer to his central question when he last parted with her, she had driven him out of the library while in tears, and that was how things ended.
Subaru: “I'll apologize... is also pretty weird idea. I don't feel there's something I did wrong...”
Even so, Subaru believed that something would change if he met her and talked. Subaru liked to think he had advanced a little by parting with his past. With his current mental state, he feels perhaps he could face Beatrice again in a somewhat different context.
Subaru: “First's the prelims... is what I was thinking, but...”
Subaru knocks, the door flings open with surprising vigour, and here Subaru is stunned. Walked in on delightful-and-embarassing clothes changing time—was not what he had been hoping for with a little girl, but regardless nobody is here and the room is vacant. Although decorated with cute ornaments which reflected Petra's interests, the room is kept tidy and organized. However, not a sign of its owner is to be found. Inside the room, bathed in the shine of the crystalights, Subaru tilts his head.
Subaru: “Leaving while keeping the lights on doesn't sound like a disciplined girl like Petra... if she's not here, then maybe she's having a lesson in the office?”
Considering how spartan Frederica is, it is possible. Frederica might intend to transform Petra into an all-purpose maid, to the extent of her working office jobs alongside waiting upon others. It would be a tremendous help if Petra did become capable of paperwork, but for a Subaru who was already lagging behind Petra in skill for household chores, it would also be a great loss of face.
Subaru: “Nonono, she still can't do all her arithmetic yet so I should be superior! Don't anyone underestimate 21st-century Japan's compulsory education!”
Subaru dashes up the stairs to the building's highest floor—continuing onward to arrive before a double-door in the very middle of the hallway. He clears his throat, and knocks hard. The heavy sound echoes out, surely reaching inside the room. But there is no response.
It's strange, thinks Subaru as his already-raised guard compounds one level higher. Covering the feeling with jokes, Subaru darts his gaze down each end of the hallway, and then toward the office doors. He could place his ear to the door to listen to the situation inside, but with the doors being so thick, he would not hear anything. For him to glean anything while outside was unlikely.
—Petra's room was not disturbed. It was organized, as if readied for Petra to go to sleep. All throughout the mansion, nothing was peculiar as far as his glancing around had told him. Work had already been conducted with orderly and Frederica-esque thoroughness, with not a single speck of dust on the windowsills. Subaru's wariness consequently only resulted from the fact he had not seen either of the girls.
He puts pressure on the doors. They open soundlessly. Light floods out from the room and into the corridor, and Subaru's eyes use that brightness to scan over the interior of the room. Ebony desk, leather seat. Bookshelves across the walls, a breeze—the window was closed. He felt a breeze of cold wind. Intuitively, he knew that was strange.
Sneaking low into the room, Subaru follows the direction of the breeze—and spots it. The shelf in the back of the room had shifted sideways, revealing a usually-concealed door installed on the wall. Beyond that door stretched a spiral staircase, the end of which rested far, far, far below.
Subaru: “Right. There's a hidden passage here. I remember, I remember that.”
It had been in the previous series of loops. The villagers of Arlam had been slaughtered at the Witch Cult's hands, he had despaired at discovering Rem and Ram's corpses at the mansion, and with his ego just on the verge of shattering, here was where Subaru had arrived. He traversed the hidden passage and entered into the underground, where—
Subaru: “Puck froze me solid, I think.”
He lacked definite proof. However, his memories did contain knowledge of the frozen corpses of cultists who had apparently pursed Emilia down this same passageway, Subaru's own end there, and his RETURNING BY DEATH. He had forgotten about this underground passage so thoroughly he had neglected to check whether it was anything important.
Subaru: “But why is it...”
Presently being used? At the very least, it meant that evacuation had been necessary. If one were to think who would have used it, it would have obviously been someone who knew of this passage's existence inside the mansion—likely, Frederica. That she took Petra and escaped somewhere through the passage was an easily-reached idea. The problem was,
Subaru: “What were they running from?”
Considering how wise Frederica was, the decision would surely have an appropriate reason. That the mansion interior sported no signs of attack indicated Frederica had sensed beforehand the coming danger. Knowing this, the words 'Witch Cult' flit through Subaru's mind, but he shakes his head.
Subaru: “If that were it, it's way too unnatural that Frederica hasn't left a single note. And the villagers in Arlam haven't noticed anything... if it's people as dangerous as the Witch Cult, she would've done something to keep the villagers from being caught up in it.”
Subaru at least harboured no doubts that Frederica supported Roswaal-backed Emilia. Thus, she would have taken the optimum measures within her ability to deal with the situation. That the villagers were not aware meant that it was not the Witch Cult.
Subaru: “Frederica and Petra probably left the mansion. ...then, I'll,”
What stops Subaru's foot as he steps forward, intending to traverse the passage to meet up with Frederica and Petra, is Beatrice. If Frederica had hypothetically decided to escape the mansion, would Beatrice ultimately have joined them in their flight?
Subaru: “The Beatrice I know's not the kind of brat who can read that mood.”
That impertinent drill-haired girl would have definitely pushed aside Frederica's proposal. She unmistakably would have shut herself in the Forbidden Archive, brayed she would be fine no matter what happened, kicked aside the worries and concerns of others, and be sitting there, lonely. Unmistakably. And so,
Subaru: “I'll pull her out!”
If nobody had brought her out, Subaru alone concluded he would do it. This had nothing to do with beliefs in how protected she would be inside her castle. It was merely impossible he could leave a little girl behind, while knowing that danger was closing in.
Subaru: “And if that much is given—!”
Turning his back to the hidden passage, Subaru gives a sharp exhale and bounds out of the office. The most reliable method of finding Beatrice is to open every single door in the mansion. For Subaru, halfway through doing that he would JUST SOMEHOW know which door connected to Beatrice's Forbidden Archive. If he found her while relying on that, good. First was to start with the doors in the mansion's top floor—
Subaru: “Ddweh?”
The foot he goes to run on catches on something, and Subaru tumbles. It is embarrassment rather than piteousness that Subaru feels at this graceless start. Pulling this just after showing off was not especially fashionable. He lands his hand on the hallway carpet, glancing back, wondering what he tripped on. He looks, to find that something has fallen on the floor just outside the office doors.
That pink something was certainly long, and stretched from that point up to Subaru's feet, several steps separated. Trying to determine just how long it continued and tracing it back made for no great effort. —It had spilled out from Subaru's sliced belly.
Subaru: “—Wha?”
The left side of his belly had been cleanly slashed open, pink intestine spilling from the cut. Its trail began from just outside the office doors. It had entangled and tripped Subaru's left leg, meaning that at some unknown juncture his belly had been cut open.
Subaru: “...uubbg”
The second Subaru realises such, his throat clogs with rising blood, his vision becomes seeped with red. Subaru's trembling fingers reach to cram his overflowing intestines back inside his body, but lacking the strength, he falls to his knees. Unable to keep his body supported, Subaru collapses.
He did not know what had happened. He, surely, had just started running when—
???: “—Didn't I tell you? Didn't we promise?”
He hears a voice. The voice comes down from before him, above him.
He lacks the strength to raise his head. His consciousness focuses on attempts to reel in his overflowing intestines, his gushing blood, the fading world. His body heat plummets. Every cough dirties his face with blood displaced from his throat. He endeavours to keep ahold of the world, vision hazing.
You are ending, announces his intuition. Although he understands this, Subaru scolds himself that he cannot let it end like this. If he does not gain something, he cannot let it end. If he does not trawl in even one single thing, he could not end. There was something, somethingsomethingsomethingsomethingsomethinghe,
Footsteps birth ripples. A black silhouette stands above the blood-seeped hallway floor. Black clothes. Slender. Black hair. Looking down at him affectionately, gaze salacious. Sensing these things, and recalling the sensation of his BELLY BEING SLICED, Subaru comprehends.
Not the Witch Cult, but certainly a threat. It was—
???: “That until we next met, you would take good care of your bowels?”
An aberrant announcement of affection. Knowing that he had indeed grasped something, Subaru's consciousness fades.
Fades, fades and fades. Darkens, and darkens. And. Everything disappears, ends—and again, begins.
—The curtain on Subaru's fourth loop, raises.
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