MTLNOVEL Chapter 287: Chapter 121:『Help me』
Wiping away the tears and slapping her cheek.
She ran her hands through her messy hair and carefully smoothed out the wrinkles in her clothes.
I wonder if I look pretty embarrassed right now?
Normally, Puck wouldn't be there to give Emilia any advice on how to dress, but the faint glow of the misshapen crystal that Garfiel had thrown to her affirmed Emilia's feelings.
"...I guess I won't be able to see your face for a while."
The crystal she clutches is absorbing Emilia's mana from her fingertips as they touch.
Just keeping an uncontracted great spirit within a vessel required a huge amount of mana. Subaru, who possessed it, and Garfiel, who was sucked up so freely, might have been completely dried up if they had been subjected to this mana absorption for a whole day.
However, the force of the mana that was being sucked up was insignificant compared to the enormous amount of mana that Emilia possessed.
Emilia regains her memories and remembers that she can use magic without the help of spirits. If she focuses her energy on the gates in her body, she can feel an incredible flow of mana.
Originally, it was none other than Emilia who had brought Puck into existence. Puck had boasted that he was gathering mana from the atmosphere, but in reality, the majority of it was probably coming from Emilia's mana reserves, which she was unaware of.
All of this was to prevent Emilia from having to face the memories she had unconsciously forgotten.
"You're really overprotective."
Smiling slightly, Emilia flicks the tip of the crystal lightly with her finger.
The crystal responded by blinking, either in protest or with a wry smile.
"...Okay. Yeah. It's fine now."
My mood also calmed down a lot.
When I think of Fortuna and Juice from the memories I've regained, my heart aches, and even now, if I let my guard down I feel like I'll start crying.
But I can't keep crouching and moaning forever.
There was something that Emilia had to do, and surely that was what Fortuna and Juice expected and desired of her.
We leave the Chamber of Trials and head outside along the stone passageway.
There were two "Trials" left. The door at the back of the small room would not open if the first "Trial" was overcome. It would probably only open if all three "Trials" were overcome.
It is unclear what the condition for the next Trial to begin is. Perhaps it is entering or leaving, or perhaps the passage of time. Either way, while Emilia was in the small room, shedding tears for the past, the Trial would not have started insensitively. In that case, the condition could be re-entering.
"What if Echidna is mean to me... I feel like she was really angry at the end."
When he told her he didn't like her, Emilia quickly replied, "I don't really dislike her that much."
It was a way of getting back at Echidna for her continued abusive behavior, but perhaps she was a little lacking in modesty when dealing with the witch who held the initiative in carrying out the Trial.
"Please, I hope you're not too upset."
Praying that Echidna was not being childish, Emilia left the tomb. The end of the passage came into view as an entrance lit by moonlight came into view.
At that moment, Emilia forgot about Echidna for the time being and looked up in relief.
The past that I was able to remember was by no means an easy one.
Though it still doesn't really sink in now, the event surely had shaken the very foundations of Emilia as a person.
But now, I want to tell those who believed in me that I have accomplished the Trial.
To those who tell me I can do it, I want to say I did it.
And so, Emilia squinted her eyes in the dazzling moonlight as she passed through the entrance――
"Emilia-sama, please go home."
At the meeting point, Ram was waiting all by herself and greeted me with a bow, making me tilt my head in confusion.
※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※
--Time rewinds slightly, to just after Emilia took on the Trial.
On his way to the building where Roswaal was recuperating, to ascertain his true intentions, Subaru stopped dead in his tracks, gasping for air.
Garfiel, who had been following Subaru, was also wide-eyed in shock. To him, this situation must have come as a bolt from the blue.
Even Subaru, who had anticipated this to some extent, could not hide his surprise. Thinking somewhat about what Garfiel was thinking, Subaru sighed at the figure blocking his path,
"I knew there would be some, but seeing it in person is a bit disheartening."
"That's quite surprising. Rozu-bou said that Su-bou had the ability to see through everything."
"That's a bit of an overstatement on his part. I wonder how much he thinks I am."
To Roswaal, who knows and relies on Subaru's "Return by Death" -- or rather, "Redo", it may indeed seem like the work of a god who can bend all things to his will.
However, in reality, this power is not so all-powerful. It cannot help us to get back the important things that we might lose. It is such an inconvenient power.
The girl with long, pale crimson hair narrowed her eyes at Subaru's answer - a person who looked identical to Lewes whom he had parted ways with in front of the tomb, another clone of Lewes Meyer with a will of her own, smiled cunningly.
Subaru, who had anticipated her presence, merely slumped his shoulders, but next to him, Garfiel reacted dramatically. With wide eyes, he glared at his grandmother,
"Why... why is there another old hag here? There's only one old hag who can talk, and the rest of them have the same face as her, but they don't have my orders..."
"There are exceptions to everything. As for me... that's right. If Lewes, who represents the 'Sanctuary' that Garbo knows, is the supervisor of this place, then I am the administrator of the 'Sanctuary's' functions. I intend to carry on Lewes Meyer's will and continue to protect this place."
"In other words, you're an opponent of the systematic liberation of the Sanctuary. I thought it was odd that there wasn't an opponent among you, Lewes, who had instigated Garfiel. So the one who secretly took on that role was... you. -- Lewes Omega."
Subaru called Lewes, who continued to maintain an unreadable attitude, an Omega.
The one who responded to the name wasn't Ryuzu, but Garfiel, who was standing next to him. He turned around with a puzzled look on his face and said, "Hey?"
"Boss, what's with that nickname?"
"If there's more than one Ryuzu-san, it's hard to remember them all if you don't distinguish them. So, for convenience, we've called the four Ryuzu-sans we know Alpha, Beta, Sigma, and θ. And so, this fifth Ryuzu-san that was revealed this time is called Omega. Don't you like that?"
"No, no matter how you look at it, an old hag's name is too cool... not fair."
"Don't say that. When you grow up, I'll give you something just as cool."
"It's not good for there to be more of us around..."
Subaru's daring and sharp-edged sense seemed to quite passionately appeal to Garfiel's sensibilities. As the two confirmed their unexpected common ground, Omega sighed.
"I don't care what you call me, but you're having too much fun talking and leaving me behind. When did you two become such good friends, Ga-bou and Su-bou?"
"When two men exchange fists with the setting sun as a backdrop, they're always friends. Even after a four-on-one fight and a complete beating. Right, Garfiel?"
"I'm not satisfied with that, General."
Garfiel's response was a little blunt, perhaps because he was not entirely convinced that he had been defeated by the sheer force of numbers. In any case, this was the end of his jokes to buy him time to gather his thoughts.
Subaru turned to face Omega, who stroked her long hair with her hand,
"Your eyes seem to have changed. What an insatiable brat."
"It feels really fresh and good to be treated like a boy. Is Omega-san like that? Unlike the other Ryuzu-sans, maybe they take turns? I'd be in trouble if someone like Gamma, &, $, or # came out."
As Subaru recites every symbol he can think of, Garfiel's eyes light up at each one.
As Subaru consciously ignored the admiring gazes of the 14-year-old, the Omega stroked his own flat chest.
"Don't worry. I'm the only one who acts as the guardian. I'm truly the last one with a will of my own in this Sanctuary."
"I wouldn't hesitate to say that. Of the people I know, there could be up to 20,000 people with the same face."
"The scale is just too different. There's no way they can hide in this 'Sanctuary'."
Subaru felt relieved, as his worst fears seemed to have been proven wrong.
Subaru then frowned, suspicious of the Omega's calm demeanor.
"It's fine that you're spilling your true identity like that, but… what's wrong? Up until now you've been treating me like a hidden card and always running contrary to our expectations, so why have you suddenly shown yourself again?"
It may be said that his attitude is noble, but there is no reason for his honesty.
In response to Subaru's question, Omega gave a weak smile and said, "It's simple."
"First of all, my existence was revealed when Su-bou and Ga-bou reconciled. It wasn't actually discovered, but the moment they thought I "might be there", I had already lost. So I came out obediently, hoping to be judged."
"Judgment is an exaggeration again. But, it's not just that, right?"
If an Omega was serious about fulfilling its role, there should still be many options available to it. Even if it "maybe" exists, if it can't be found, then she has the upper hand.
"Guerilla tactics or whatever, if they wanted to interfere they could have done anything. Isn't Omega-san's role to be the Joker that makes that possible? That's why Roswaal has hidden Omega-san's existence up until now..."
"That attitude of Rozu-bou is another reason why I came out obediently like this."
"Roswaal's attitude...?"
As Subaru's eyes widened, Omega slowly shook his head.
There was a hint of sarcasm and a sense of apathy in his attitude.
「If you look at the state of Rozubou, holed up in his room right now, it's obvious why I want to give up. As the administrator of the 『Sanctuary』, I was only lending a hand because Rozubou had a strong will to operate the 『Sanctuary』 in the right way. …But that's not what happened.」
Omega's words, full of disappointment, seemed harsh to Subaru, who knew the other Lewes. Garfiel seemed to feel the same way, and didn't interject in his harsh assessment of Roswaal.
Unlike the Alphas and Ryuzu, Omega is the only one who has been entrusted with the role of administrator of the Sanctuary. It is unknown when she took on this role, but she has likely been active there for much longer than the Alphas. Her current appearance may have been the result of those years.
in any case,
"Regardless of your actions up until now, I think it's safe to assume that Omega-san has no intention of getting in our way any more, right?"
"From the perspective of proper operation, there are many areas where I would still like to have a say. The liberation of the Sanctuary is not what Lewes Meyer wanted, but... this is also a matter of the times. If the times no longer require a place like the Sanctuary, then my role will also be unnecessary. The reason I have worked so hard up to this point is because I don't want to be left behind."
The Omega's voice sounded somewhat lonely as he answered, and he could sense a glimpse of anxiety about completing his role, a task that he had entrusted to himself for a long time.
Subaru doesn't know how the Omega is feeling now as he looks back on his days. He suspects he has a mixture of emotions, such as a sense of only half-fulfilling his ambition and a certain sense of liberation, as the weight of years that seem out of proportion to his youth makes him think so.
"Pride is good, isn't it? It's a very important thing, old hag."
Garfiel, who had been listening in silence to the Omega's quiet recollection, interjected.
Omega looked up at his words and stared at Garfiel, who had his arms crossed and was gnashing his canines.
"Me too. I was just as stubborn as the Omega Hag. Heck, I'm even more nasty than the Omega Hag. But the boss just used all his strength and crushed them into pieces. I honestly thought, what the hell... but now I feel a bit better."
"Gabo..."
"That's what the general said. Even if the barrier of the 'Sanctuary' is gone, it won't mean that the world we live in will disappear. The 'Sanctuary' will disappear, and everywhere in the outside world will become a 'Sanctuary'. There, there will be something else for me and Omega Hag to do."
At Garfiel's answer, Omega looked down thoughtfully.
The anxious look on his face and the furrowed brow from earlier were gone. Instead, he looked as if he was carefully considering Garfiel's words, and the blonde boy nodded in satisfaction.
Subaru, who had witnessed the exchange between the two, slapped Garfiel on the shoulder,
"Garfiel, you... do you have a fever or something? You just said some really clever and embarrassing things."
"Boss, even I have the wit to tweak my useless head, don't I? And what I just said, about 80% of it is just what you said."
"Seriously? Did I say that? Oh come on, shit, now I'm embarrassed."
Subaru's ears were hot as he crouched down, and Garfiel sighed in exasperation. Then he turned to the Omega, who seemed lost in thought, and waved for him to make way.
"I understand what the Omega Hag has to say. You've heard what you wanted to hear. As for the rest of her evil plan, I'll find out directly from the bastard who plotted it."
"Do as you like. …What should I do?"
The Omega gave way and muttered. Subaru agreed, "Ah."
Up until now, Omega has kept her existence a secret. Even the Alphas, who were unaware of her secret activities, are probably unaware of her existence. In other words, once she has completed her role, Omega is finally allowed to appear in public.
"If you go to the tomb, Ram, Alpha-san and the others… or now Theta-san. They'll be waiting. They'll both be aware of the situation, so just meet and talk."
"Those two have guessed, is that really true? I didn't even notice at all."
"That's because your blood circulation is slow."
It would be strange if you didn't get it from that conversation. It makes you realize how his instinctive actions have hindered him in various scenes of the loop that began with "Sanctuary."
In any case, Omega's fears are likely to be unfounded. Theta, who knows that there are many copies of himself, and Ram, who probably knows about the existence of copies, both accept her.
So, the next problem is--
"I've got a meeting with the boss of all this evil, Boss Pierrot."
※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※
When he stepped into the room, Subaru had the illusion that it was a familiar room.
In this Sanctuary, Roswaal's presence had been in this room from the very beginning. This was the room he had visited whenever he had wanted to meet face to face with him. There was no doubt that he had memorized the location of all the decorations in this room.
"Oh, isn't it Subaru? I'm glad you came. I bet you're busy."
Subaru was speechless, his hand on the door he had pushed open, when Roswaal turned to look at him and said this in a nonchalant tone. As he shook his shoulders playfully, Subaru suppressed the urge to act as if nothing had happened and faced Roswaal.
The room was ransacked and vandalized.
The bookshelf was overturned, the white sheets were torn away, the bed had been stomped down the middle, scattering shards of wood everywhere, and the demon standing at the center of the destruction had blood dripping from his hands.
I realized that he had thrown him onto the bed with all his might as I watched him remove the wood chips from the wound in his hand.
"General…"
Garfiel, who had also seen the terrible state of the room, took a half step forward to shield Subaru. Subaru was not the only one who felt a sense of danger at the sight of Roswaal's unusual appearance.
Garfiel's golden eyes were clearly wary, and he leaned forward so that he could be immediately subdued if Roswaal made any unnatural movements.
"Well, it's not something that's been carefully tamed, Garfiel."
Roswaal, noticing Garfiel's behavior, said this mockingly. He smiled, and the corners of his lipstick twisted into an evil crimson.
Roswaal smiles, closes one eye, and reflects Garfiel in his yellow eyes.
"I'm amazed at how quickly you changed. And by protecting Subaru, you've also become a member of Subaru's merry band of companions. You've simply torn away the love for your mother that has been binding your will for so long."
"Roswaal, that's not true. Garfiel hasn't changed his mind and decided to side with us. He just changed his way of thinking a little..."
"That's what I'm saying is cheap. Being surrounded by a large group of people, beaten down, and lectured is enough to make you change your stance. If your feelings are shaken just because you lost a fight, then that's just how shallow your feelings are. Something shallow that can be easily changed."
"Roswaal!"
Subaru becomes enraged in Garfiel's place at Roswaal's cruel words.
After his brutal battle with him, Subaru learned some of the feelings Garfiel had been carrying and the pain he felt. He knew that these were by no means cheap or trivial matters.
That's why he couldn't forgive Roswaal for trampling on Garfiel's feelings.
"Correct that! You have no right to make fun of Garfiel's feelings!"
Subaru: "Calling something soft soft. Calling something fragile fragile. Is there any reason to be criticized for saying such things? Overreacting will only make my words sound more true. It's a cheap act trying to affirm cheap feelings with a cheap bond. Seriously… it's unbearable to watch."
"--!"
Subaru becomes enraged at Roswaal's taunts and tries to confront him.
However, it was none other than Garfiel who stopped Subaru from acting this way. Garfiel was the one who had been most hurt by Roswaal's insults in this situation. Subaru looked at his profile in fear, imagining what was going through his mind.
However,
"Your words are so flippant, Roswaal."
Garfiel, with his arms crossed and his head tilted slightly in a bored manner, declared to Roswaal.
That attitude came as a surprise to Subaru, and to Roswaal as well.
Those were words that Garfiel would have lashed out in anger just a short time ago, but he brushed them off as if he'd been hit by a warm breeze.
"If you're talking about how I'm no good, then I can't deny it. I was on your side until this morning, but now I'm on the boss's side. I'll take the blame for my quick change of heart."
"After changing your ideology, now you're being defiant, huh? That's quite a contrast to the strength you've always affirmed up until now. Ten years… it's by no means a short time, and to change your ideology after just a few days of encounter."
Roswaal shrugs and shakes his head in response to Garfiel's answer.
His different-colored eyes glared at Garfiel with a murky emotion.
"That's what I'm saying, that's cheap. If you truly love someone, your feelings will never change. Can your ten years, and Lady Emilia's hundred years, be treated so cheaply?"
"――――"
"You've only been in contact with Subaru for a few days at most. How much has happened in that time? Have you built up anything with him that could rival the feelings you had for the one you loved? That can't be! No matter how much you pile up next to someone, there's no way it can reach the feelings that can rival those of the one you loved! It can't be comparable! That's what it means to think of something first!"
Raising his voice, Roswaal kicks at a piece of the bed that was lying on the floor. It ricochets off towards Subaru and the others, but misses them and ends up crashing into the wall behind them.
Listening to the sound of falling wood chips, Subaru held his breath at Roswaal's assertion.
--Strip away everything except for the one most important thing.
To Roswaal, loving something means nothing less than that emotion.
Other than what he has decided is "this," he doesn't make or need anything important. Because of this, his feelings for that one thing are strong, and he doesn't even waver if it means achieving it.
Roswaal believes that this is what is called emotion.
The moment he understood his thoughts, Roswaal looked at Subaru as if he had realised it.
I feel as if I am being consumed by the passion of immense love swirling deep within those yellow eyes.
"Do you remember the details of the bet? The bet you proposed. That bet has restricted your greatest advantage, and now you have become an ordinary human. What can you do? There is nothing you can do. That is because you are... you are inferior to an ordinary human!"
"..."
"The only reason you can become a trump card against all things is because you have that power. If you were to throw that away and become an ordinary human, you wouldn't be able to struggle like a normal person in the limited time you have! No one! If we live in the same time as you, there's no way you can surpass the feelings that have been engraved into you by the passage of time! You must not!"
For ten years, Garfiel had continued to cling to the "Sanctuary" and misinterpreted the love he felt for his family.
A century has passed since Emilia left behind a past she wanted to forget and the guilt that came with it.
and,
"Ten years, a hundred years, and my four hundred years! How dare you, a mere mortal, upend them all!"
"Because feelings never change."
"That's right!"
"Maybe it's because it's a feeling I've held onto for a long, long time."
"Ah, that's right!"
Roswaal answered in the affirmative to all of Subaru's questions.
No one can change my feelings. My feelings will never change or bend.
Now, I finally feel like I understand. I finally feel like I understand Roswaal.
Roswaal wants his feelings to be affirmed.
I want to believe that this is what feelings are like by affirming the feelings of others.
That's why Roswaal wanted Garfiel to remain weak.
I wanted him to continue being the same, sticking to his own feelings and desperately trying to protect the things that never change.
"Why is that, Roswaal?"
Just one thought for the one I love.
To affirm this, Roswaal is particularly obsessed with seeing other people think about others.
Roswaal should know better than anyone that someone can care about someone else.
"Why do you always see the weakness of feelings? If you know that thinking about someone forever is a strong emotion, then why do you always see the weakness of those thoughts?"
"--Because I believe it."
Roswaal answered Subaru's words with a strained voice.
His eyes were burning with overwhelming passion as he glared at the most hated being in the world.
"You! And so you believe in and hope for someone else's strength! Because I believe that everyone is weak! Because I believe that everyone is weak, fragile, and insignificant beings who can't achieve their desires unless they cling to just one important thing!"
"----!"
"For 400 years, I have never been able to forget one woman! Even though we have been apart for much longer than the days we spent together, her image is burned into the depths of my heart and will never go away! My heart was shattered into pieces on that day we parted, but nothing has changed about me!"
Roswaal steps forward.
Garfiel blocked Roswaal as he tried to approach Subaru. However, as Garfiel stood in his way, Roswaal placed his hand on Garfiel's chest, looked down at his face, and said,
"It was easy, right? For ten years, listening to the cries of the 'feelings' inside of you, and continuing to live with stubborn belief in them, you were able to immerse yourself in the feeling of constantly thinking about someone, right?"
"--! You..."
"That's fine, that's fine. That's how everyone should be. No one can live alone! Continuing to think of someone and living. That's all you need... so why do you try to change your feelings? Trying to betray them? Didn't you love them or not!?"
「No! I…」
"What has changed you?! Your body that you have been training for so long has been defeated in battle, leaving you with nowhere to turn?! Is it true that having your fangs broken has caused your feelings to bend over the past ten years? If so, then it is none other than you who has smeared mud on your past ten years and spat on them!"
At Roswaal's harsh words, Garfiel shakes off the hand that is placed on his chest. He tries to push Roswaal away with a counterattack, but Roswaal twists his body to avoid it. He grabs Garfiel's arm, eyes wide, and throws him away.
「R-R――!
However, Garfiel, being thrown, touches the ceiling at the peak of the throw, increasing his own momentum and avoiding being slammed into his back. Twisting his waist, he turns his body half a turn, leaving his arm behind to land on three points. In return, he pulls the arm that was grabbed, pulling Roswaal towards him and headbutting his torso.
"Ugh..."
"Ha! If the general hadn't told me that you'd also be practicing martial arts, I would have been thrown right off."
Looking down at the kneeling Roswaal, Garfiel gently twists his arm.
Garfiel then bared his sharp canines.
"Roswaal. I'm stupid, and I don't understand what you're saying. No matter what you say about 400 years, you're just a young monk in your 30s or so. Even if I add in half that."
Stretching out his arm and grabbing Roswaal by the collar, Garfiel comes face to face with the clown.
Roswaal's face was contorted in pain, and Garfiel wrinkled his nose,
"Besides, it's not like I'm following the boss just because I lost a fight. Even though I lost the fight, I certainly held on. Just like you said, my stubbornness is the result of ten years of courage. I'm not soft enough to be easily overturned."
"If that's the case, why are you standing here now..."
"The general… or should I say, Ram. He told me after I lost the fight. He told me to enter the tomb and witness the 'Trial'. So, after ten years, I have witnessed the beginning of those feelings from ten years ago."
"What…?!"
As they face each other, Roswaal's expression changes to one of shock.
"That's stupid... There's no way you, you can face your past once again!"
"Even if you say it can't be. What's been done has been done, and what I've seen has been seen. And so, I understand."
"..."
Roswaal glares at Garfiel, who shakes his head. His silent gaze is as if he is waiting for Garfiel to put into words what it is that he has understood.
But Garfiel just opened his mouth wide at Roswaal.
"What did I find out… I won't tell you. It would be a shame."
"What did you say...?!"
"Let me tell you just one thing, the decisive reason why I'm with the general."
Pushing Roswaal away, who was demanding an answer, Garfiel made him sit on his butt and turned to look at Subaru. Seeing the faltering Subaru, Garfiel let out a small sigh.
"Of course you'd want to join someone who tells you you're strong and necessary, rather than someone who tells you to just stay weak and weak as you are."
Having announced what was, if nothing else, a perfectly natural conclusion, Garfiel turned his face away from Roswaal, then passed by the seated Roswaal and stood next to Subaru with his arms folded.
Subaru glanced at him, noticing his attitude.
"That's it."
"...Well, anything. I'm counting on you."
Subaru tells Garfiel, who closes his eyes in disgust, and then crouches down in front of Roswaal. Roswaal tucks his chin and looks down, refusing to look Subaru in the eye.
"Roswaal."
"..."
"Garfiel saw the past. As a result, he may have changed his position, but that doesn't mean that his feelings for his family over the past ten years have weakened or wavered. The strength of his feelings remains the same, but he has changed. Don't you believe that?"
Even though Garfiel had given up on his stubborn attachment to the Sanctuary, his feelings had in no way weakened. Even Subaru could not imagine the shock that ran through him upon learning that his love for his mother, which had previously been one-way, was now two-way.
But looking at Garfiel now, who could possibly call him "weak"? Would anyone lament that he had wavered?
"You're the same. We're not asking you to distort the feelings you've been holding in for a long time. We just ask that you change the way you show your feelings. As long as it doesn't involve sacrificing anything else, we'll help you too."
"...I can't stand that. And what's more, Garfiel alone has changed his mind? There's still one person who is vital to you and me."
Subaru holds out his hand, but Roswaal still doesn't take it.
Shaking his head and refusing to give up, Roswaal spoke of Emilia, who was currently taking on the ``Trial.''
Subaru: "Even Emilia won't turn out the way you expect her to. She'll overcome that."
"There's no way I can overcome it. Crushed by the regrets I harbor, regretting ever having such lofty ambitions as 'changing', crying and clinging to you... that's exactly what suits me."
Subaru: "There's no way a crying face suits a woman. Besides, have you ever seen Emilia crying?"
Inside the tomb, he remembers Emilia before her argument with Subaru.
Emilia was overcome with grief over the weight of the burden she bore and the loss of her connection with Puck. Her expression as she glared at Subaru, unable to hold back the tears.
When he remembered that, a fire lit in Subaru's heart.
The unbearable flames of rage burned my whole body.
"I've never seen a woman cry in such a terrible way...!"
"To be hurt and belittled, that is the fate of us half-elves. Our origins are the same as the 'Witch of Envy', and we've been cursed since birth. It's inevitable that we'll be scorned as 'Witches'."
"Don't be ridiculous. How is she a witch? There are no witches like you speak of anywhere."
Roswaal crouches and looks down.
Grabbing him by the collar and forcing him to lift his head, Subaru met his gaze with the corners of his eyes bulging in anger.
Subaru, burning with unbearable rage towards this world, was reflected in Roswaal's different coloured eyes.
That's right. Right now, Natsuki Subaru doesn't like anything about this world.
What is so "witch" about Emilia? There is no such thing as a "witch" anywhere.
If there is such a thing, then――
"If you say that she is a 'Witch' then you guys will gang up on her and turn her into a 'Witch'! You will keep saying that it's natural for her to be weak, that it's natural for her to be looked down upon, that it's because of her hopeless birth, and you will turn her into a 'Witch'!"
It reminds me of the tea party in "The Witches."
A scene flashes back to his mind - witches from the past who bore the names of the deadly sins.
Minerva, Sekhmet, Typhon, Daphne, Carmilla, Echidna.
And at the moment that dream space shattered, he remembers Satella's face as she sent Subaru off.
I will never forget.
That face was the spitting image of Emilia.
「Has anyone ever told that child?! That it's okay to cry when you're in pain or sad! That if you can't wipe away the tears you shed, someone beside you will! That there is someone who can do that for you too!? Has anyone ever told her?!
No matter how hard things get, accept it as normal.
There must have been times when you felt your heart be weighed down by pain or crushed by sadness.
Still, no one had made Emilia cry, which is probably why she was so bad at crying.
Everyone learns how to hold back their crying, hide their crying face, and cover up the fact that they are crying, as they cry and cry and cry over and over again.
Because I don't know that.
That child is bad at crying because I let him get to that point without knowing it.
ーーA world like that, that kind of world, was something Subaru hated with madness right now.
"If it's normal for the world to not side with that child, then I will change that! I will show you, who believes that the 400-year curse will not change!"
"――――"
As Roswaal's eyes widen in rage, Subaru points his right hand towards the sky.
Strangely enough, that was the same posture that Emilia, who was currently taking on the Trial, had shown towards the witch who had hurled malicious words at her――
"My name is Natsuki Subaru! A silver half-elf, Emilia's knight!"
In the past, Natsuki Subaru had sung that song without any resolve, and many had mocked his reckless decision. Looking back at himself at that time, he realized he was even more inadequate than he was now.
But there's one thing that's different now.
No matter who laughed at him, Natsuki Subaru would no longer be ashamed of it.
"Emilia is coming, Roswaal. The girl you stubbornly believe to be weak is coming to snuff out your final hope."
"Is that even possible...?"
"Like that, I believe that if I can strip away each and every weakness you cling to, and finally speak to the one who's left... then you'll finally listen."
Even after hearing Subaru's declaration of determination, Roswaal's heart remains unyielding.
Just as he himself said, the things that had been built up over the course of four hundred years were not something that could be changed with a single word.
Garfiel's ten years, Emilia's century, were all set in motion by a series of words and actions.
Roswaal's four hundred years will finally come to an end if Subaru and the others act and speak together.
Now I want to believe it.
"...No matter who it is, my feelings will not waver."
As Subaru stood up, Roswaal crawled past him. Reaching out with trembling hands, he grabbed a black book from beside the broken bed and clutched it to his chest.
A real "Gospel" that depicts the future.
Garfiel, Emilia, and Roswaal break free from their weakness of belief.
Ryuzu (Omega) and Ram are separated from Roswaal, who is determined to forge ahead on the path he believes in.
With that happening, the last "hope" remaining in Roswaal's hands is the Gospel.
Once that writing is lost, for the first time, I am able to speak to the naked Roswaal.
"I'll make it snow..."
"Do as you like. I will relentlessly crush all of your schemes."
Subaru heads out of the room as Roswaal mutters to himself. Garfiel gives him a questioning look, and he tucks his chin in, before accompanying him out of the room.
At the end, Garfiel sees Roswaal still in the room, and in a low voice murmurs, wondering what he sees in Roswaal, who is left behind.
"You idiot."
He muttered.
※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※
And so, having finished his discussion with Roswaal and exiting the building, Subaru let out a sigh.
Exhale deeply, as if squeezing all the air out of your lungs, then turn around.
"This is bad. I tried to stop the attack on the mansion, but instead I ended up pushing them into a situation where they couldn't back out."
"He said some crazy things like making it snow. He didn't seem like he was being reasonable… so maybe it's not the general's fault?"
"No, that was a completely unnecessary push. I somehow knew Roswaal was a little out of his mind the moment we entered the room, so what was I doing?"
Holding his head, Subaru recalled the moment when they had simply been forcing their opinions on each other.
I think he was finally able to truly understand the true meaning of Roswaal's beliefs. He should have been able to express Subaru's feelings and attitude towards them.
I think that presenting Emilia's victory conditions to Roswaal, who continues to underestimate her, was necessary to make him admit defeat.
Howeverーー,
"Because of that, one of the most important cases was missed..."
"So, don't be discouraged. I was also wondering what the general was going to do when I heard what he said, but I was right in what I said."
"Well, that's the intention, but..."
"Plus...that tirade was really cool!"
Laughing at the remorseful Subaru, Garfiel pointed his finger towards the sky.
To be honest, ever since coming to this other world, this pose has only received negative reviews, so I'm very happy that someone with similar sensibilities has appeared.
Garfiel was probably trying to comfort Subaru in his own way. Probably. Surely.
"--Natsuki-san! Garfiel!"
As the two of them were speaking, a voice called out to them.
When I turned around, I saw a young man running towards me with his hands raised - it was Otto.
He had been acting separately from Subaru and the others, but he suddenly came to a halt in front of them,
"It seems your discussions with the Margrave are over. How did it go?"
"Yeah. I definitely picked a fight with him."
"Was that the purpose of your visit?"
The main topic is the final trap that Roswaal set in Sanctuary, and his urging to change his mind.
The existence of Omega is discovered on the way to meet Roswaal, and Roswaal is too stubborn to change his mind, so the negotiations break down.
"Hey, bro. Don't blame the general too much. That was a good, spirited riposte from the general. I felt good hearing it."
"Do you remember what you two were doing? This is no laughing matter."
Subaru was unable to bow to Otto's words and was forced to reflect on himself.
However, Garfiel roughly slapped Subaru on the shoulder as he fell, and flicked the dissatisfied Otto's forehead with his fingers. "Huh!?" he exclaimed, looking down at Otto as he leaned back and crouched down.
"It's true that the discussions have become complicated. But this is the next best thing. Let's sort out the issue of Roswaal's mansion somehow."
Garfiel laughs openly at Otto's silent reproach, his eyes watering.
He showed off his sharp fangs and clicked loudly.
「Leave everything to me. ――I'm the strongest.」
※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※
"And so, the three idiots had the clever earth dragon pull the carriage and ran to the mansion."
After finishing speaking, Ram put his hand to his forehead, looking somewhat tired.
It was unusual for Ram to show any emotion in front of Emilia, which surprised her slightly.
"That's right. ...It can't be helped."
"...Is that all?"
"That's all. Well, the fact that you didn't wait for me to come out is just a little... a very small thing, but it's not like I don't have any feelings about it."
After that brief exchange, he sent Emilia off to the tomb.
What is going on? The person in question has disappeared into a place where his voice cannot be heard, without even seeing the results.
"But I guess I never expected it to fail."
If Subaru was truly worried about Emilia above all else, he would have stayed here. And yet the reason he is not here is because there is someone out there who needs his help more than Emilia.
If you know Natsuki Subaru, you'll feel that he believes in you.
"I wonder if you really like me. Don't you think so?"
"Balusu cares about Emilia-sama more than anyone else."
"...Fufu, thanks."
Emilia asked for her consent, to which Ram replied in a few words. When Emilia put her hand to her mouth and smiled, Ram lowered her eyes as if deep in thought.
Then, after a few seconds of silence, he looks up.
"Emilia-sama, I'm sorry."
"what happened?"
Emilia's eyes widened at Ram's sudden apology.
"It's really rare for Ram to apologise."
「Ram thinks so too… However, for the first time, Ram will bow his head from the bottom of his heart to Emilia-sama.」
Ram honestly admitted that the bows she had been making up until now had been just a pose, causing Emilia to chuckle.
Facing Emilia's bitter smile, Ram looked straight at her with her pale crimson eyes.
「Ram… did not believe that Emilia-sama would stand up. Her spirit was broken by the Trials, and she had even lost the Great Spirit she relied on… and had even learned that Barusu had been hiding his true feelings from Emilia-sama, so how could she possibly stand up?」
"..."
"But even after all that, Lady Emilia did not give in. When you left your bed and realized you were in the tomb… Ram finally realized that he had underestimated you."
Even so, by the time Ram pointed it out, Emilia had still not recovered.
However, he never gave up on challenging the Trials. He could safely say that he never even considered that.
"So, Ram, did you lend a hand to Subaru and Otto-kun?"
Emilia: "I simply thought that it would be worthwhile to see the future of those I lent a hand to. If it seems as though Ram lent a hand to those two, that is not the case. The one who Ram lent a hand to was Lady Emilia."
"...Yes, that may be the case."
Subaru's words had been essential for Emilia to stand up in that situation.
And in order for Subaru to prove his words, he needed to defeat Garfiel. To defeat Garfiel, he absolutely needed the cooperation of Otto and Ram.
Therefore, if we just look at that result, we can say that Ram contributed greatly to Emilia's cause.
"Why did you do that to me?"
"---When making a wish, you have to show your sincerity first."
"――――"
Saying this, Ram quietly knelt down in front of Emilia.
Up until now, Ram had shown Emilia a token amount of respect by pinching the edge of her skirt and bowing politely, following the customary manner of a waitress.
But that salute was different. The deepest bow is something that everyone in this world does to show the other person the utmost respect they can have.
"I beg of you, Lady Emilia. --Please save my master, Lord Roswaal."
"...Roswaal?"
"That person was possessed by a delusion. A delusion like a curse that had bound her mind for a long, long time. But even so, Ram was fine. Even if that person didn't look at Ram, even if she only thought of him as a tool to fulfill that delusion, that was fine too."
Offering her deepest bow, Ram revealed her innermost thoughts to Emilia.
Perhaps that was the wish she had harbored all this time as she gazed upon Roswaal beneath her expressionless mask.
"But that delusion can no longer take shape. The world has already lost sight of the gospels, which were the foundation of everything, and Roswaal-sama is only clinging to the words... please, shatter them."
"Roswaal, will you be okay with it being shattered?"
"You will not be fine. You will surely become distraught. You may lose sight of the meaning of your life and collapse. But Emilia-sama is the only one who can help you. In a world that is different from the descriptions in the Gospels, you may be able to fulfill Roswaal-sama's obsession... his feelings."
Ram bowed his head and pleaded with Emilia.
Emilia couldn't even clearly understand half of what she was saying.
The Gospel that Roswaal possesses is likely the black book he showed Emilia. Its contents and the world beginning to change are what Roswaal himself told Emilia.
What will Roswaal do in a world that is different to what was in the book? What does it mean that Emilia can become Roswaal's hope, when he has become hopeless?
"What should I do?"
"---Please take to the throne."
"――――"
"When Emilia-sama sits on the throne of Lugnica, then Roswaal-sama's wish will be fulfilled. Please teach Roswaal-sama that even in a world outside of the written description, there will come a day when wishes come to fruition. Give him meaning for living today, for tomorrow."
Ram continued speaking to the silent Emilia.
It was the first time Emilia had seen Ram express his feelings so eloquently.
Is that why?
Is that why?
An emotion so indescribable welled up deep in Emilia's heart.
He had thought she was able to stand on her own without relying on anyone, but now that she was relying on him like this, he felt an overwhelming emotion that he couldn't bear.
Ram raised her head in front of the speechless Emilia.
Her pale red eyes were moist with the love that filled her small body.
"Please, Lady Emilia. —Please help that person."
Those quiet words made Emilia's whole body tremble.
Once, twice, I felt as if my internal organs were being shaken by hands, and as if the vibrations were being transmitted to the blood coursing throughout my body.
After the trembling ran through her body, only one thing remained inside Emilia.
It's a single sense of mission that burns brightly deep in my heart.
"Honestly, I don't see how me becoming king would save Roswaal."
"..."
"I'm sure I still can't truly understand Ram's feelings."
"..."
"but"
Staring back at Ram, who was silently staring at her, Emilia took a breath.
The confusion has disappeared from my heart. No anxiety remains in my head.
My soul was burning like never before.
"This is the first time Ram has asked me for something."
that's why,
"That's fine, Ram. I want to repay you for trusting me now."
It was surely the moment when what Emilia had to do and what she wanted to do were so perfectly aligned that there was no need for her to hesitate, so she said with a laugh.
"Maybe that's where I need to start."