Arc 8: Vincent Vollachia
Arc 8, Chapter 13 "Each One's Wounds"
"--I didn't know Rem was here too."
Rem looked up quietly as a voice called out to her from the side.
At the coupling of the coupled dragon carriage, the silver-haired girl--Emilia, who opened the door of the next car called out to Rem, who was leaning her back against the wall of the car there.
She has a beautiful face, softly lowering the corners of her eyes, and a girl holding her hand by her side. It is Beatrice, who rushed to the scene with Subaru during the chaos in the imperial capital.
It is a funny sight, but Rem's feelings toward these girls are extremely complicated.
This is, of course, partly because these women have something to do with Rem's lost "memories" that she herself does not know, but that was not the only reason.
Unlike Ram, who she was sensibly convinced was her sister, and the other people who called themselves her friends, these two are special. --They are special in that they are deeply involved with Subaru.
The situation surrounding the Imperial City, both during the retreat and while visiting the unconscious Subaru afterwards, were the two that she felt especially connected to her.
Why it bothers Rem so much is not understood, but--.
"To Emilia, Beatrice-chan......"
"Rem is worried about the outcome of our discussions, I suppose."
"Worried...... yes, I guess I might be worried."
When asked by Beatrice, who called her name, Rem turned her head slightly.
The reason Rem is standing in the empty passageway is to keep an eye on a room a short distance away--the room assigned to Natsuki Subaru for his sleeping quarters.
Subaru and Abel are now confronting each other in a room where many visitors have left and settled down.
Abel had a rugged face, and when they saw him, he was often wearing a demon mask, so it was refreshing for Rem to see his true face.
However, as far as Rem knew, Abel always had a frown on his face when he was unmasked. Today, however, his face, which was even stern, looked even stiffer than before.
"Rem, you saw Subaru and Abel...... er, Emperor Vincent together the whole time, didn't you? How did they get along? Did they get along?"
"I'm not used to him being called Emperor Vincent. And I don't get the impression that the two of them got along. I would say that they were not on the same page, even though they had the same ideas......"
"Ugh, I knew it......"
"Well, it's a predictable story, in fact. Abel's way of thinking is like oil and water with Subaru's, I suppose. Betty likes Subaru's way of thinking better, in fact."
"Now, Beatrice is spoiling right away. You've got to hear Abel's side of the story...... ah, Emperor Vincent's side of the story!"
Emilia's shoulders slumped at Rem's answer, but her lips twitched at Beatrice's subsequent insistence.
In front of Rem, who she thought was a person with a colossal change of expression, Emilia looked at her with an added surprise, "Oh."
"And, Rem. We're in Vollachia, so I have to be Emily......"
"......Um, does that make sense?"
"Yes, of course there is. No one thinks of me as Emilia. Right, Beatrice?"
"Betty has a soft spot for Emilia, too, so it would be kind of her not to answer any questions, I suppose."
"Huh?! What do you mean?!"
Emilia rolls her eyes at Beatrice's gentle misdirection as they hold hands.
The two were not hateful to each other, and while Rem enjoyed the feeling of being tossed around, she soon found herself liking Emilia and her friends.
In the first place, if what she had heard was true, the girls had risked a great deal to come to this country to look for Rem and Subaru. There was no way she could dislike them.
"Unlike that man, I have no reason to doubt him."
Subaru was clad in a stench that inspired a fierce, instinctive alertness. A large part of Rem's hostility was due to it, but Emilia and the others showed no sign of it.
So, like Louis, the "People of Shudrak" and Flop and the others, there is no reason to bite the bullet.
Nevertheless--,
"......I'm also afraid that suddenly that guy's smell is fading."
Subaru was also concerned about the disappearance of that strong stench while they were apart.
Since she doesn't know what exactly that is, and it is definitely better to have it than not to have it, he would say that things have improved.
That's what he was thinking.
"Huh? It's Rem, Emily and Beatrice!"
The door of the car on the opposite side from where Rem and the others were standing was opened, and the other party who appeared called out the names of the three in a loud voice.
Waving her hands vigorously, a tall woman comes strolling toward us-her long golden hair is freely arranged, her skin is exposed like a dancer's, and above all, she has fully grown arms and legs appropriate for her age.
It is--,
"--Medium."
"Yaho! Are you worried about Abel and Subaru?"
"Yes, I am. And you, Medium?"
"Yeah, same! You see, I'm finally back in my big body, right? Now, unlike when I was little, I can stop adults from fighting, so I thought I could be useful."
Medium answers with a heaving chest--they didn't see her for very long, but like Subaru, she is one of those who had her appearance changed from an adult to a child.
The young Medium was also very lovely, retaining her sprightly, sprightly nature, but her charm does not change with the length of her limbs, so Rem is more at home in her familiar form.
Medium, too, seems to be enjoying the joy of being back in her big body as much as possible, as she had a lot of itchiness when she was small.
In any case--,
"To stop a fight...... that's that guy and Mr. Abel?"
"Right~? It's been a while since the two of you have talked to each other properly, and you're not about to go ballistic?"
"I don't know...... apart from him, I can't imagine Mr. Abel going on a rampage."
She has the impression that Abel is the one who says painful things with a stern face and a harsh voice.
However, unlike Rem, who frowns at Medium's concern, Emilia and Beatrice seem to be more on Medium's side,
"Betty agrees with Medium, in fact. At the very least, Subaru has a lot to say to the emperor, so I doubt he'll bite, I suppose."
"Yeah. I'm a little worried about Emily, too. Fighting is not only about hitting each other, but also about hurting each other with words."
"......Is that how it works?"
Certainly, it was not likely to turn into a hand-to-hand combat, since there was no impression that Abel would raise his hand, but it was quite possible that Subaru would become emotional and the argument would intensify.
Rem feels that Subaru was relatively often rounded up because of Abel's rationality, but Abel may not have the luxury of time right now. Although she has not exchanged many words with Abel, who has regained his position as emperor, Medium's concerns are understandable.
And that speculation was correctly and immediately corroborated.
"--Are you ready? Anyway, we're going to sneak out to Garfiel's. I'm sure he'll understand our inevitable situation."
"The ugly tale of the knight of the kingdom who raised his hand against the emperor of the empire."
"I'm telling you, don't forget that when the trial comes, I have the last resort of telling you what you're like......!"
The door to the room opened, as we exchanged hushed conversations such as the following.
The eyes of Rem and the others, who were waiting for the discussion to be settled, met with the black eyes of the two men as they peeked out to see if there were any figures in the passageway.
Subaru opened his mouth and let out an "Ah," and Abel frowned, "Mm."
However, the reaction of Rem and the others when they saw the two was far more serious. After all, both Subaru and Abel were covered in blood when they showed up.
"No way......"
"You two are having a much bigger fight than I thought!!"
"Oh, my God! Beatrice! Quickly, use your healing magic......!"
"I know what I saw, in fact! Betty should have been there, I suppose!!"
Subaru and Abel looked at each other as the flurry and flurry of women welcomed them. Then Abel sighs and Subaru raises his hands as if in contemplation.
Then,
"Um, you're definitely going to get mad at me, so I'm going to say this before you do, but...... we've made up."
He chuckled with a pitiful look on his face and said so as if he was going to tell a good story, even if just a little bit.
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--After all, their injuries were nothing spectacular, just a little cut on their hands.
"However, the room is a mess...... and we can't afford another room."
"No, I'm not going to tell you to get another room or anything great like that. I said I'm properly sorry...... Oh! Medium! You're back to normal!"
"Heheh~, that's right, Subaru-chan! Wait, no, no! I'm mad at you too for saying such a happy thing. We both can't help it~"
With that, Medium, with her hands on her hips, scolds Subaru for his poor attempt to change the subject.
Subaru's shoulders slumped in remorse, but it was Abel who got into trouble with Subaru, rather than Subaru who was depressed, who received Medium's more forceful scolding.
"Abel-chin, Subaru-chin, don't act so grown up when you're so tiny, okay?"
"......You, do you know what you have done? You raised your hand against the emperor."
"I think that's why you grew up like this, Abel-chin, because you're so high and mighty that no one ever scolds you."
"----"
Abel crossed his arms with a reluctant look on his face, and Medium glared at him with her eyes. As you can see from the exchange just now, to Abel's surprise, Medium hit him on the head.
Looking at the devastation in the room, it is reasonable to want to scold Abel, who seems to have wrestled with the visibly young Subaru, but Rem is impressed by the outrageousness of the situation.
"If it's okay with Medium, can I tap in too?"
"Don't jump on the bandwagon. We don't have time to deal with each and every disrespect now. Don't add to the hassle of deciding whether or not to punish someone after the war by comparing them to their accomplishments."
"I'm sorry."
Of course, he did not expect to get permission, but for Rem, hearing "after the war" from Abel's mouth seemed to be a boon.
At least Abel is looking forward. She doesn't know what was discussed inside, but her eyes seemed to light up and her complexion looked better than it had before she visited the room.
"--Ngh, you'll be fine. But you need to change your clothes, or people will worry."
"I can't take care of him at all, in fact. Betty wouldn't be let to feel at ease at all, I suppose."
"Sorry, sorry. But it's been a while and it's fresh. It's been a while since I've had someone, other than Tanza, who's worried about me."
Wiping the blood from Subaru's face and hands with a hand towel she was carrying, Emilia pats his head.
Beatrice, who held out her hand and apparently tended to his wound, shrugged her shoulders, but seemed not only relieved but also pleased.
He gets the impression that they are both glad to be able to take care of Subaru or take care of him.
Seeing this somehow makes Rem's chest tingle as well.
"Hey, hey, Abel-chin, are you hanging in there?"
Without Rem's mind, Medium, who tilted her head, asked Abel.
Abel's dark eyes narrowed at the question, and he nodded after a beat.
"It doesn't matter. It is foolish to question me about the merits of my struggle. I am no more qualified to do things at random than I was when I decided to take the emperor's throne."
"--? Does that mean you're going to do lots of hard work as an emperor?"
"--. It's a bit of a depressing chew, but broadly so."
"I see! Then I'm all for it! Let's work together~!"
Medium's face lit up and she held out her raised hand to Abel. Abel stared at Medium's hand and then turned his face away.
In response to Abel's unenthusiastic attitude, Medium put her opposite hand on her own raised hand and made a snapping sound,
"Then, shall we go to the others? My brother wanted to talk to Abel, too."
"I don't have time to talk to them, but Serena Dracroy's flying dragon ship should be back any day now. In any case, I'd like to talk to some of the key players."
"--Oh, wait."
Medium urged, to which Abel pulled his chin.
Abel, who likes to get things done quickly, knows that from this point on, important discussions will be held to deal with the problems that have occurred in the Imperial Capital.
Naturally, Subaru and Emilia would be present at the event as important figures, but before that, Rem had something to say.
Half the reason Rem was standing here was out of concern for the sullied relationship between Subaru and Abel, and the other half was because of it.
"Abel, I have some things I need to do...... before I go to you guys. So let me go there first."
"Oh......"
Rem tried to stall the exchange and tell them her purpose. Subaru interrupted her and turned her gaze toward him.
The look in his eyes made him understand that what he had to do was the same thing Rem was about to say. So Rem knotted her lips and nodded.
And--,
"--Rem, take me to Miss Katya."
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"Hey, kid. This is no place for you."
When he visited his intended room, Subaru rolled his eyes when he was greeted by a churlish voice.
Standing behind the open door was a man with an eye patch and a face that matched the rough tone of his greeting voice--for a moment, he had trouble opening his memory drawer, but then he thought of him.
"I believe it's Jamal......?"
"Huh? How the hell do you know my name? I don't know you."
"So you're alive......"
"You're one hell of a rude kid, huh?!"
The name of the man who opens his surprisingly clean-toothed mouth and growls in his throat is Jamal.
He was one of the first Imperials Subaru encountered when he was sent to the Vollachia Empire--and the man who was Todd Fang's partner.
As far as Subaru knew, he was supposed to have been captured as a prisoner of war in the castle city of Guaral, as he recalls, for remaining in the palace when Todd escaped a general who had once captured him.
After that, due to the many things that had happened to Subaru, his safety had honestly slipped my mind.
"Why are you in this room?"
"What would be funny is if I were in my sister's room."
"Your sister...... ah"
Hearing the ice-breaking sound of doubt in the answer, Subaru remembered.
Speaking of which, Todd told him that his fiancée is Jamal's sister. In other words, Jamal in front of him and that Katya are actual siblings.
That fragile Katya and the rowdy, rough-and-tumble Jamal are brother and sister.
"Is your hair color similar to your habitual hair condition......?"
"I don't know about that, but I know what you're saying pisses me off. Kid, if you don't want to get hurt, get off your ass and......"
"--Brother! Stop!"
Perhaps annoyed by Subaru's attitude, Jamal rolled up his sleeves and made a gesture of trying to force him out. But before he could do so, a high-pitched voice from behind Jamal stopped him.
If you look inside the room through Jamal's side, you will see the same room layout as the one in which Subaru was laid out, and a woman lying on a bunk at the back of the room.
It is--,
"Miss Katya."
"You finally woke up...... you've been sleeping too much. Really, really......"
He looked at Subaru over his brother's disturbed body and saw Katya raising herself up on the bunk. Then Jamal quickly headed over to him and said, "Hey, hey,"
"Don't take it easy! You don't know when you're going to die, so just move like a big boy."
"I'm not that fragile! Don't compare me to my brother who is dead but not dying......"
"I ain't dead in the first place, but you guys were killing them on your own......!"
Jamal, who has had his concerns ignored and is now stigmatized as a dead man, shudders slightly.
It is assumed that there was a lot going on in this sibling reunion, but it is not Subaru's main topic to delve into that. There is another reason for visiting here.
"--. Are you okay?"
Subaru, who looked down slightly, saw that his feet were not going very far from the entrance into the room, and it was Rem, who was with him, who asked me that.
Apologizing to Emilia and Abel, Subaru visited this room with Rem.
As Katya's friend, Rem is qualified to be present here. --Because she wants her to hear the story that Subaru is trying to tell from here on out.
"Yeah, I'm fine."
Nodding, Subaru stepped into the room.
On the bunk, Katya and Jamal are still arguing about something, but when Subaru arrives with Rem, Katya shuts her mouth.
As it was, she kept her blue eyes, framed by long lashes, downcast,
"......You're not in shape anymore."
Even if that is a pillow talk before getting down to business, she is kind in her concern for Subaru's body.
Her tone is blunt and brusque, but there is no doubt that she is a beautiful woman at heart, and that is why she befriended the unreliable Rem.
Subaru has to tell her that.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks for worrying about me."
"I was just worried about the girl. It's just that the girl seemed anxious."
"----"
Subaru glanced at Rem, who was standing next to him, her expression hard.
She knew approximately what was going to be discussed from here, so she did not overreact to Katya's words as she usually does.
Subaru took a deep breath in and out, warning himself that it was his own weakness to expect it or to want to postpone the main issue.
And then--,
"I'm sorry. I couldn't bring Todd home."
Yes, he reported on that decisive breakup with Todd in the Imperial City.
"----"
With a clench of his small fist, Subaru lets the cruel fact be known with pain.
At the end of the battle in the Imperial City, he and Todd helped to break through the siege of those zombies, but they still had to clash.
Subaru decided not to kill Todd, who hated and abhorred Subaru's way of being, and set out to finish him off, but Subaru stood up to him and fought with him.
But at the end of the day--,
"Um, it got swept away by the flood that came into town, and nothing more."
"--ah"
"But I was fighting zombies, so I took the bait and got a few scratches here and there. So......"
Subaru's report is followed by Katya's grazed exhalation. As if overlapping that exhale, Subaru tells Katya what he saw, but in a way that is not as he saw it.
If he wanted to, Subaru could have given Katya hope.
In fact, the last Todd that Subaru saw was swallowed by that muddy river and disappeared. If his body had not been found, it would have shown hope that he had survived.
But Subaru did not.
"----"
The last thing Subaru saw of Todd was that he was swallowed by the muddy waters.
But that is an accurate description missing. To be precise, the last Todd that Subaru saw was in the form of a werewolf, who was engulfed in the murky waters by a deep axe blow to its chest.
--He was surprised that he survived, deeply wounded, unconscious, and swallowed by the muddy waters.
"--tsk"
The sound of Jamal biting his teeth hard echoed through the room as he heard Subaru's story.
For Jamal, too, Todd was his partner, but more than that, he was his future brother-in-law who decided to entrust his sister Katya to him. He was hurt by Subaru's report as well.
It was a terribly strange feeling, but Subaru also wanted to hope that Todd would survive if possible.
The relationship was one in which he was severely betrayed and even his life was threatened, and in fact, in the world where he had "returned by death", he had lost his life many times, but still.
However, he knows because of the history of how many times he've had to deal with Todd.
Todd is nothing but an ordinary being with no special powers. The fact that he is a werewolf is also not an advantage that can turn the situation of a fatal life crisis upside down.
In a situation where Subaru would die and not be saved, Todd would also lose his life.
Todd Fang died in that flood.
That was the answer of Subaru, who was closest to him and witnessed the burst of his life for the last time.
"----"
Silence falls over the room.
The silence that seemed to burn his forehead and the nape of his neck, was something Subaru decided to carry with him, and it was a heartache that he had to take in stride.
So he continued to enjoy the sensation of being roasted on his skin, and after a while.
"......Kah, you didn't see the point, did you? Then maybe he's not dead."
A faltering, cracked voice spun out, and Subaru looked up.
Subaru as well as Rem and Jamal stare at Katya in bed. Katya's blue eyes flicker from side to side as she fiddles with her hair,
"Y-y-you know what? If you'd seen Todd's head get smashed in, or his body cut in half, or burned to a crisp, you know? If you'd seen it, you might think, yes, but......"
"Miss Katya......"
"But you see, he's a great, great dirtbag. And he also said when we split up. He said he'll be back...... soon, he'll come back to me...... he won't lie, he won't tell me. He never lied to me about my brother's death! I just misspoke!"
"Miss Katya!"
Katya raised her voice and began to scratch her own hair. The sight called to her strongly, and Rem, leaning against the bunk, held Katya's head.
Cradling Katya's head in her own chest, Rem pats her back.
"Breathe slowly,, slowly. I will be with you......"
"No, no...... he's not...... that easy...... isn't he? Isn't he, Rem......?"
"Miss Katya......"
Katya's eyes were streaked with tears, and they soaked Rem's clothes as she hugged her. Rem did not care, but continued to stroke her sobbing friend's back.
Subaru was strongly moved by Katya's honest response.
He knew that.
That Katya would be hurt this way if he told her about Todd. It is a really, really difficult relationship, but Todd's feelings for Katya must have been genuine. Katya was also really cherished by Todd. That's why there are tears.
So Subaru did not mention the crueler facts.
It's something Rem is not even aware of. --It was Rem who finished off Todd, who had turned into a werewolf, with an axe.
In order to protect Subaru, Rem put a finishing blow on Todd.
Todd was in his werewolf form at that time, and since he did not break his beastification until the last moment of his submersion, Rem did not know this fact. Subaru, too, had no intention of letting her know.
Subaru doesn't think the truth is worth it.
Todd loved Katya and so did Katya love him. That's what's worth it. There is no reason to destroy those memories and dwell on what really happened.
"Todd really cared about Miss Katya. Right up until the very end."
That was the only untrue motive that Natsuki Subaru could convey to Katya Aurelie, who had been targeted with Todd Fang's bare murderous intent.
"--"
He sees Katya, sobbing, put her arms around Rem's back as she hugs her and claws her hard. It was painful, but Rem took it in silence.
In a room filled with sobs, Rem glanced at Subaru and shook her head.
This included her intention to leave Katya to her, and her gratitude to Subaru for stepping up to the plate and preparing for this to happen.
"--. I'm sorry you had to do that, kid."
Jamal said this to Subaru as they left the room, leaving Rem and Katya behind.
When Subaru raises his eyebrows at Jamal's surprisingly straightforward words, he grimly wrinkles his nose in a grimace.
"It's a tough role to tell the family of a dead person. No matter how heroically and bravely he died, some people still want to cry."
"......What about you?"
"Huuuh?"
"And to you, Todd's a buddy, your sister's fiancée, he's special, isn't he?"
With cheeks contorted, Jamal ponders Subaru's question.
After a moment of silence, he touched the eye patch that was blocking his right eye with his finger,
"I don't know. If the bastard had survived, I would have laughed it off, saying that we both lost our lives, but I skipped that step. Well, if he died fighting, then he had done his job as an Imperial soldier. You made fun of me for that a lot."
"----"
As he said it, Jamal gave a small snort and laughed at the last part.
He doesn't know whether he was smiling at the thought of Todd's uncharacteristic end, or whether he was smiling in the manner of the empire, which is difficult for Subaru to understand.
Whichever it is, Subaru does not feel that he can greet someone's death with a smile.
"It's only."
In front of Subaru who thought so, Jamal suddenly continued.
The tone of his voice caught Subaru's attention. It was because what was in Jamal's continued voice was not anger or loneliness, but something like expectation.
And that impression was correct. Says Jamal.
"I don't think that son of a bitch is going to die easily. I'm sure Katya's right. ......I haven't seen him actually die."
"It was...... ow."
"Shut up, kid. That's the only hope for Katya, if not for me."
Unexpectedly, Jamal's finger popped Subaru's forehead as he was about to argue. Subaru was silenced, and Jamal shuffled the door behind him with his chin and told him so.
Subaru could not distinguish whether the hope Jamal spoke of was a bright one or a cruel one. However, he knew that he was not qualified to interfere.
Only those who were invited and allowed to participate in Katya and Todd's lives had the right to interfere with their feelings. --Subaru was not entitled to do so.
"Fuckin' hell, he's a bloodthirsty son of a bitch, and he's taken more risks than me because of it."
Looking up at the ceiling of the aisle, Jamal described Todd as.
Subaru was still not qualified to point out that Jamal did not show his face, nor that his voice was trembling.
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"Yooo, Subaru, you are looking very healthy, aren't you? You've looked younger and younger after not seeing you for a while, thanks to the food from the empire, I guess?"
"That's amazing. Only Roswaal could look at me like this and make a joke that harsh."
"Oh, I see you all can't afford to be so geeenerous. And, for the record, I go by Dudley here. --From now on, please call me that, okay?"
He winked at him, closing his blue eyes and leaving his yellow ones, and Subaru lost his composure after a long time of not seeing him--Roswaal.
It was indeed Roswaal who was unfazed by the sight of the shrunken Subaru, but Subaru also chose not to mention his different style from his usual clown costume. It was a little frustrating and the difference in tone when he reminded him that he had left out the deliberate explanation.
After reporting to Katya about Todd's final days, Subaru had come to the middle of the continuous dragon carriage, to a larger coach that had been prepared for him.
The "chain-dragon carriage"--according to Subaru's knowledge, is similar in structure to a train or tram, but it is a vehicle that is only possible in the Vollachia Empire, where there is more flat land than in other countries.
Essentially, the Kingdom of Lugnica is the one that has a full complement of earth dragons, so he will keep in mind that it would be possible to prepare something similar if the terrain is chosen.
"The 'chain dragon wheel' is actually a part of the imperial secrets. I heard that it was invented by the 'Nine Divine Generals' who were known for their wisdom......"
"I knew it. I've never seen anything like this in the kingdom...... When you think about it, we're pretty serious about seeing a lot of the depths of the empire."
"Hahaha, it would be terrible if you were prevented from returning because you looked too much into the dark side of the empire. It might be wise to spend some time with your eyes closed, even now."
"That's no laughing matter either......"
Subaru muttered sullenly, and Roswaal laughed and agreed with him, but it was Otto who looked disappointed at the story.
The coach in question is a so-called dining car with many tables, designed to accommodate roughly 20 people. However, the purpose of having so many tables is not for eating, but for discussions such as meetings and military discussions.
In fact, it is not just Subaru, Roswaal and the others, but a gaggle of faces.
Of course, Emilia and Beatrice, who had gone to the carriages earlier, and Ram were at the same table as them.
Ram gave a scowl to Subaru, who came alone,
"Little Barusu, what happened to Rem? She's supposed to be with you."
"You definitely don't need that crown...... Rem is at Miss Katya's right now. I don't think she'll be available for this discussion."
"--. I see."
Spilling an exhale, Ram did not go further into Subaru's answer.
Finally, Ram has met her sister Rem, but apparently they are not as goofy together as Subaru thought they would be. Subaru's hope is that the two sisters will hold hands all the time, since he has the impression that they were originally quite close.
"Ram and Rem are both human beings. Don't impose your selfish feelings on young Barusu. It's disgusting."
"Don't read people's minds! Don't be nasty!"
"I'm sure it was the people around her who supported her while Ram couldn't be there for her. I don't want to belittle those relationships. You are brazen, undeveloped Barusu."
"Let's see when you run out of variations on what to call me, sister......!"
Subaru exhaled heavily, his cheeks twitching at Ram's words and actions in that manner.
Ram has a good point and they should not be too hasty. First of all, the joining of the sisters has been accomplished, so they should not rush and take things slowly.
Don't worry, there is a bond between Ram and Rem that others cannot break into.
They were able to believe this in itself because of the atmosphere they felt when the two of them showed up together to visit Subaru.
"But are these the only members present? Where's Petra, Frederica and Garfiel?"
"Petra and Frederica are taking care of the soldiers who are fighting. Garfiel is also busy tending to the wounded......"
"The fighting is still going, isn't it?"
"Hmm, yes. I think Subaru saw a lot of them in the Imperial City, too......"
Emilia, who answered about the whereabouts of the missing members, hesitates slightly before continuing the conversation.
The words she was about to say, Subaru could imagine.
"Zombies......?"
"W-what is it with you and your curious names?"
"They're dead people who move around. Where I'm from, we call them zombies. I thought it would be better to have a name for them, so I called them that for convenience."
"Isn't there just too much of everything in your hometown, Natzki?"
Otto looked at Subaru closely, and Subaru's mouth curved into a smile.
In this case, it is a dimensional issue that he is not sure whether he should argue that this world where zombies actually appeared is stranger than the world of Subaru, which produces many fictional works on the subject of zombies that are not really here, or whether he should think that Subaru's world is stranger than the world of zombies.
"I see. That's a good name, zombies. At least we don't have to call them dead soldiers."
Then it was Roswaal who interrupted Subaru and Otto's conversation.
At the word he uttered, Subaru ruminates, "Dead soldiers......"
"Seems to be a direct link to some bad memories, doesn't it?"
"Actually, yes. It's one of those memories you don't want to remember."
"As I told you in the capital, I think it's safe to say that this is the result of the Sacrament of the Immortal King. The last time it was used in recorded history was during the civil war in the kingdom."
"So you have a bad memory."
At Subaru's gaze, Roswaal avoided a clear statement with a vague smile.
Roswaal has a deep knowledge of past history. Even if he did not participate in the civil war, he may have had a bad experience related to the "Sacrament of the Immortal King" or something like that.
"But as far as Betty knows, the magic is supposed to be more unstable than that. It's impossible to create that many zombies and have them reproduce so well."
"But people were actually moving and talking, so there must be a reason for that."
"......Betty is scratching her head too, I suppose.. Dudley, you shouldn't slack off either, in fact."
"Ohhh, I'm sorry you think I'm slacking off. I'm concerned about this, too, so there's no reason for me to cut corners here. Your lives are at stake, too."
"I don't know how much more I can believe, I suppose......"
I understand. Because your life is on the line, too."
"What did you find out, in fact! It's just more shenanigans, I suppose!"
Beatrice blushes and yells at Roswaal's answer, who puts her chin on her crossed hands.
Beatrice was not happy that she was being teased, but even Subaru was not sure what Roswaal's true intentions were. However, Beatrice is Subaru's partner, so he just pulled his eyelid down and stuck out his tongue.
"Um, I don't know much about it, but I'm wondering if it's okay if I call it 'zomby' as Subaru called them?"
"Why not? It's shorter than 'dead soldiers'."
"In favor of Otto's typical perspective......"
And so, when the Subaru and others' side of the story comes to a close,
"--Emperor, I have just received a report from Second General Kafma that they will temporarily remain in the Gairahal Tropics to check on the followers as long as possible."
"General Olbart also told me that he and the Shinobi under his command would use delaying tactics! However, the less they need to supply water and food, the less they can do!"
"Tell both Kafma Irulux and Olbart Dunkelkenn to continue with the operation as is. Serena Dracroy, where is the flying dragon ship?"
"It's not back yet. I just hope the fact that it's taking a little longer than planned doesn't mean the Citadel has fallen."
"......If it did what it was supposed to do, the Citadel should not be unprepared."
Yes, it was Abel and his followers from the empire--an old man, a big man, and a beautiful woman, who came to the carriage with a flurry of important stories.
All of them, though, were people whose names Subaru did not know.
"The old man is Prime Minister Berstetz Fondalfon, the tall shoulder is General Goz Ralfon, and that woman is High Countess Serena Dracroy."
"Thanks. ......Goz is, I think, the guy I heard about who got caught letting Abel go."
Otto guessed the reason and annotated Subaru's profile with a raised eyebrow. The name he told him was supposed to be one of the "Nine Divine Generals" whose survival was supposed to be in jeopardy.
In fact, he can honestly say that he is glad to be by Abel's side in this way, since he would have been someone he could have judged to be on Abel's side if he had lived.
"Are you all here? Just as well, for the war council is about to begin."
"Huh, are Flop and the others all good?"
"If there was a manpower shortage at the time of the fortified city, what good would it do to have a peddler join the military council at the present time?"
"I know. Why am I here......?"
Beside Subaru, who tilted his head, Otto tilted his head as Abel said.
However, the reason for Otto's inclination of his head is not known by everyone in the Emilia camp, including Subaru. It would be natural for Otto to be here.
Ram, for example, snickered at him, saying, "Hah!"
"Taritta and Mizelda and the others will be stationed in the back of the coach, so they won't be participating in our discussions over here, is that correct?"
"Yes. That is what I have heard from the People of Shudrak. They have reassured me that when the time comes for them to wield their power, they will do so to the best of their ability.
"I never thought that I would have the opportunity to stand shoulder to shoulder with the People of Shudrak, who were known for their bravery and valor! I would have been more excited if it had not been an opportunity to fight for the existence of the empire! I!"
"You're making too much noise. Keep your mouth shut."
Abel silences Goz, who is clenching a fist the size of a child's head and exerting himself in such a way. It is a heartless remark, but since no one else pays attention to it, it is probably a usual exchange.
Anyway, he understands why Flop and the others and the "People of Shudrak" are not present.
"Subaru, your friends in the empire are......"
"I've already told the group that I'll speak on their behalf. I've got some things I want to discuss with them. Especially to Beako."
"To Betty? ......I don't have a very good feeling about this, in fact."
"Well, well, well."
They asked their friends from the Pleiades to refrain from attending the event for the time being.
After all, Subaru and Abel were in the same room. If he made a mistake, Weitz could have attacked Abel and tried to hand over the throne to Subaru.
The lie that Subaru is the illegitimate son of Abel--Vincent Vollachia, the "black-haired crown prince", is ongoing. This must also be resolved.
"I thought we could at least have Tanza......"
Subaru was the only person from the group to attend the meeting.
As was the case with the visit, he will definitely have to talk to Tanza later as well.
"And I haven't seen Louis around......"
"She's with Medium and Flop. They seem to like her a lot. What are you going to do with her?"
"--. We'll all talk about that later, too."
Ram's light red eyes narrowed, and Subaru had no choice but to reply.
Ram knows that Louis was there at the Pleiades Watchtower, just before Subaru and Rem were sent to the Empire. Naturally, everyone would have shared Louis's true identity, both from Ram's mouth and from Abel.
Still, she would like to know, too, whose and what kind of work and effort is responsible for her being on board this articulated dragon carriage.
On top of that, they have to find the best of Louis's drop-off point.
"If you've finally broken your laps, let the war council begin once again, Natsuki Subaru."
"Hey, you remember I'm holding a ridiculously big scandal, don't you? And that's not true, either."
Abel's attitude on the surface showed no sign of change, even though he clearly remembered bowing his head in a quiet manner. Subaru then waited for him.
There is a partner whose movements have not yet been confirmed.
It is--,
"--Where's Priscilla? I think she was in Guaral, and I think she came to the Imperial Capital as well. And Tanza said that Yorna was there."
There must have been, Subaru asked, looking at Abel's face.
For whatever reason, Priscilla and her merry band of friends went to the Vollachia Empire. Al even accompanied them to the Demon City of Chaos Flame, so it is certain that he was involved in the battle for the imperial capital of Lupgana.
As for Yorna, Subaru and his team had also caught information about her giving to the rebels. Tanza also sensed Yorna's presence in the imperial capital.
Naturally, such faces must also be on board this chain-dragon carriage.
Speaking of not seeing their faces face, he has't seen Cecilus either, but Cecilus's moodiness has been that way since before he left the Gladiator Island, so he's not worried about that--,
"--Hey?"
However, when Subaru asked this question, Abel fell silent and closed one eye.
Subaru wondered about the reaction and frowned as he looked around to see that Abel was not the only one who had such a reaction.
For some reason, no one has said anything about what Priscilla and the others are up to.
If Priscilla and her family had returned to the kingdom out of thin air before the imperial siege, that would have been a surprise to Priscilla's name from Emilia and her family.
It doesn't. And the answer to this disgusting silence is--,
"Subaru, I've been keeping this from you so as not to confuse you, I suppose."
"Beako?"
Beatrice, who had stood up before he knew it, was holding Subaru's hand. Subaru's cheeks hardened at Beatrice's preamble.
Then, Emilia looked at Subaru, who unconsciously gripped Beatrice's hand tightly,
"I'll tell you what, you need to calm down and listen, Subaru. It's about Priscilla, and Yorna......"
A pause is given.
Emilia continued to unravel it while it felt long-winded to the impatient Subaru.
It is--,
"When we were all running away from the Imperial City, we didn't find those two. --I want to believe that they are safe."
--It was proof of the wounds inflicted on their side during the siege of the Imperial City.
Arc 8, Chapter 13 "Each One's Wounds"
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"--I didn't know Rem was here too."
Rem looked up quietly as a voice called out to her from the side.
At the coupling of the coupled dragon carriage, the silver-haired girl--Emilia, who opened the door of the next car called out to Rem, who was leaning her back against the wall of the car there.
She has a beautiful face, softly lowering the corners of her eyes, and a girl holding her hand by her side. It is Beatrice, who rushed to the scene with Subaru during the chaos in the imperial capital.
It is a funny sight, but Rem's feelings toward these girls are extremely complicated.
This is, of course, partly because these women have something to do with Rem's lost "memories" that she herself does not know, but that was not the only reason.
Unlike Ram, who she was sensibly convinced was her sister, and the other people who called themselves her friends, these two are special. --They are special in that they are deeply involved with Subaru.
The situation surrounding the Imperial City, both during the retreat and while visiting the unconscious Subaru afterwards, were the two that she felt especially connected to her.
Why it bothers Rem so much is not understood, but--.
"To Emilia, Beatrice-chan......"
"Rem is worried about the outcome of our discussions, I suppose."
"Worried...... yes, I guess I might be worried."
When asked by Beatrice, who called her name, Rem turned her head slightly.
The reason Rem is standing in the empty passageway is to keep an eye on a room a short distance away--the room assigned to Natsuki Subaru for his sleeping quarters.
Subaru and Abel are now confronting each other in a room where many visitors have left and settled down.
Abel had a rugged face, and when they saw him, he was often wearing a demon mask, so it was refreshing for Rem to see his true face.
However, as far as Rem knew, Abel always had a frown on his face when he was unmasked. Today, however, his face, which was even stern, looked even stiffer than before.
"Rem, you saw Subaru and Abel...... er, Emperor Vincent together the whole time, didn't you? How did they get along? Did they get along?"
"I'm not used to him being called Emperor Vincent. And I don't get the impression that the two of them got along. I would say that they were not on the same page, even though they had the same ideas......"
"Ugh, I knew it......"
"Well, it's a predictable story, in fact. Abel's way of thinking is like oil and water with Subaru's, I suppose. Betty likes Subaru's way of thinking better, in fact."
"Now, Beatrice is spoiling right away. You've got to hear Abel's side of the story...... ah, Emperor Vincent's side of the story!"
Emilia's shoulders slumped at Rem's answer, but her lips twitched at Beatrice's subsequent insistence.
In front of Rem, who she thought was a person with a colossal change of expression, Emilia looked at her with an added surprise, "Oh."
"And, Rem. We're in Vollachia, so I have to be Emily......"
"......Um, does that make sense?"
"Yes, of course there is. No one thinks of me as Emilia. Right, Beatrice?"
"Betty has a soft spot for Emilia, too, so it would be kind of her not to answer any questions, I suppose."
"Huh?! What do you mean?!"
Emilia rolls her eyes at Beatrice's gentle misdirection as they hold hands.
The two were not hateful to each other, and while Rem enjoyed the feeling of being tossed around, she soon found herself liking Emilia and her friends.
In the first place, if what she had heard was true, the girls had risked a great deal to come to this country to look for Rem and Subaru. There was no way she could dislike them.
"Unlike that man, I have no reason to doubt him."
Subaru was clad in a stench that inspired a fierce, instinctive alertness. A large part of Rem's hostility was due to it, but Emilia and the others showed no sign of it.
So, like Louis, the "People of Shudrak" and Flop and the others, there is no reason to bite the bullet.
Nevertheless--,
"......I'm also afraid that suddenly that guy's smell is fading."
Subaru was also concerned about the disappearance of that strong stench while they were apart.
Since she doesn't know what exactly that is, and it is definitely better to have it than not to have it, he would say that things have improved.
That's what he was thinking.
"Huh? It's Rem, Emily and Beatrice!"
The door of the car on the opposite side from where Rem and the others were standing was opened, and the other party who appeared called out the names of the three in a loud voice.
Waving her hands vigorously, a tall woman comes strolling toward us-her long golden hair is freely arranged, her skin is exposed like a dancer's, and above all, she has fully grown arms and legs appropriate for her age.
It is--,
"--Medium."
"Yaho! Are you worried about Abel and Subaru?"
"Yes, I am. And you, Medium?"
"Yeah, same! You see, I'm finally back in my big body, right? Now, unlike when I was little, I can stop adults from fighting, so I thought I could be useful."
Medium answers with a heaving chest--they didn't see her for very long, but like Subaru, she is one of those who had her appearance changed from an adult to a child.
The young Medium was also very lovely, retaining her sprightly, sprightly nature, but her charm does not change with the length of her limbs, so Rem is more at home in her familiar form.
Medium, too, seems to be enjoying the joy of being back in her big body as much as possible, as she had a lot of itchiness when she was small.
In any case--,
"To stop a fight...... that's that guy and Mr. Abel?"
"Right~? It's been a while since the two of you have talked to each other properly, and you're not about to go ballistic?"
"I don't know...... apart from him, I can't imagine Mr. Abel going on a rampage."
She has the impression that Abel is the one who says painful things with a stern face and a harsh voice.
However, unlike Rem, who frowns at Medium's concern, Emilia and Beatrice seem to be more on Medium's side,
"Betty agrees with Medium, in fact. At the very least, Subaru has a lot to say to the emperor, so I doubt he'll bite, I suppose."
"Yeah. I'm a little worried about Emily, too. Fighting is not only about hitting each other, but also about hurting each other with words."
"......Is that how it works?"
Certainly, it was not likely to turn into a hand-to-hand combat, since there was no impression that Abel would raise his hand, but it was quite possible that Subaru would become emotional and the argument would intensify.
Rem feels that Subaru was relatively often rounded up because of Abel's rationality, but Abel may not have the luxury of time right now. Although she has not exchanged many words with Abel, who has regained his position as emperor, Medium's concerns are understandable.
And that speculation was correctly and immediately corroborated.
"--Are you ready? Anyway, we're going to sneak out to Garfiel's. I'm sure he'll understand our inevitable situation."
"The ugly tale of the knight of the kingdom who raised his hand against the emperor of the empire."
"I'm telling you, don't forget that when the trial comes, I have the last resort of telling you what you're like......!"
The door to the room opened, as we exchanged hushed conversations such as the following.
The eyes of Rem and the others, who were waiting for the discussion to be settled, met with the black eyes of the two men as they peeked out to see if there were any figures in the passageway.
Subaru opened his mouth and let out an "Ah," and Abel frowned, "Mm."
However, the reaction of Rem and the others when they saw the two was far more serious. After all, both Subaru and Abel were covered in blood when they showed up.
"No way......"
"You two are having a much bigger fight than I thought!!"
"Oh, my God! Beatrice! Quickly, use your healing magic......!"
"I know what I saw, in fact! Betty should have been there, I suppose!!"
Subaru and Abel looked at each other as the flurry and flurry of women welcomed them. Then Abel sighs and Subaru raises his hands as if in contemplation.
Then,
"Um, you're definitely going to get mad at me, so I'm going to say this before you do, but...... we've made up."
He chuckled with a pitiful look on his face and said so as if he was going to tell a good story, even if just a little bit.
△▼△▼△▼△
--After all, their injuries were nothing spectacular, just a little cut on their hands.
"However, the room is a mess...... and we can't afford another room."
"No, I'm not going to tell you to get another room or anything great like that. I said I'm properly sorry...... Oh! Medium! You're back to normal!"
"Heheh~, that's right, Subaru-chan! Wait, no, no! I'm mad at you too for saying such a happy thing. We both can't help it~"
With that, Medium, with her hands on her hips, scolds Subaru for his poor attempt to change the subject.
Subaru's shoulders slumped in remorse, but it was Abel who got into trouble with Subaru, rather than Subaru who was depressed, who received Medium's more forceful scolding.
"Abel-chin, Subaru-chin, don't act so grown up when you're so tiny, okay?"
"......You, do you know what you have done? You raised your hand against the emperor."
"I think that's why you grew up like this, Abel-chin, because you're so high and mighty that no one ever scolds you."
"----"
Abel crossed his arms with a reluctant look on his face, and Medium glared at him with her eyes. As you can see from the exchange just now, to Abel's surprise, Medium hit him on the head.
Looking at the devastation in the room, it is reasonable to want to scold Abel, who seems to have wrestled with the visibly young Subaru, but Rem is impressed by the outrageousness of the situation.
"If it's okay with Medium, can I tap in too?"
"Don't jump on the bandwagon. We don't have time to deal with each and every disrespect now. Don't add to the hassle of deciding whether or not to punish someone after the war by comparing them to their accomplishments."
"I'm sorry."
Of course, he did not expect to get permission, but for Rem, hearing "after the war" from Abel's mouth seemed to be a boon.
At least Abel is looking forward. She doesn't know what was discussed inside, but her eyes seemed to light up and her complexion looked better than it had before she visited the room.
"--Ngh, you'll be fine. But you need to change your clothes, or people will worry."
"I can't take care of him at all, in fact. Betty wouldn't be let to feel at ease at all, I suppose."
"Sorry, sorry. But it's been a while and it's fresh. It's been a while since I've had someone, other than Tanza, who's worried about me."
Wiping the blood from Subaru's face and hands with a hand towel she was carrying, Emilia pats his head.
Beatrice, who held out her hand and apparently tended to his wound, shrugged her shoulders, but seemed not only relieved but also pleased.
He gets the impression that they are both glad to be able to take care of Subaru or take care of him.
Seeing this somehow makes Rem's chest tingle as well.
"Hey, hey, Abel-chin, are you hanging in there?"
Without Rem's mind, Medium, who tilted her head, asked Abel.
Abel's dark eyes narrowed at the question, and he nodded after a beat.
"It doesn't matter. It is foolish to question me about the merits of my struggle. I am no more qualified to do things at random than I was when I decided to take the emperor's throne."
"--? Does that mean you're going to do lots of hard work as an emperor?"
"--. It's a bit of a depressing chew, but broadly so."
"I see! Then I'm all for it! Let's work together~!"
Medium's face lit up and she held out her raised hand to Abel. Abel stared at Medium's hand and then turned his face away.
In response to Abel's unenthusiastic attitude, Medium put her opposite hand on her own raised hand and made a snapping sound,
"Then, shall we go to the others? My brother wanted to talk to Abel, too."
"I don't have time to talk to them, but Serena Dracroy's flying dragon ship should be back any day now. In any case, I'd like to talk to some of the key players."
"--Oh, wait."
Medium urged, to which Abel pulled his chin.
Abel, who likes to get things done quickly, knows that from this point on, important discussions will be held to deal with the problems that have occurred in the Imperial Capital.
Naturally, Subaru and Emilia would be present at the event as important figures, but before that, Rem had something to say.
Half the reason Rem was standing here was out of concern for the sullied relationship between Subaru and Abel, and the other half was because of it.
"Abel, I have some things I need to do...... before I go to you guys. So let me go there first."
"Oh......"
Rem tried to stall the exchange and tell them her purpose. Subaru interrupted her and turned her gaze toward him.
The look in his eyes made him understand that what he had to do was the same thing Rem was about to say. So Rem knotted her lips and nodded.
And--,
"--Rem, take me to Miss Katya."
△▼△▼△▼△
"Hey, kid. This is no place for you."
When he visited his intended room, Subaru rolled his eyes when he was greeted by a churlish voice.
Standing behind the open door was a man with an eye patch and a face that matched the rough tone of his greeting voice--for a moment, he had trouble opening his memory drawer, but then he thought of him.
"I believe it's Jamal......?"
"Huh? How the hell do you know my name? I don't know you."
"So you're alive......"
"You're one hell of a rude kid, huh?!"
The name of the man who opens his surprisingly clean-toothed mouth and growls in his throat is Jamal.
He was one of the first Imperials Subaru encountered when he was sent to the Vollachia Empire--and the man who was Todd Fang's partner.
As far as Subaru knew, he was supposed to have been captured as a prisoner of war in the castle city of Guaral, as he recalls, for remaining in the palace when Todd escaped a general who had once captured him.
After that, due to the many things that had happened to Subaru, his safety had honestly slipped my mind.
"Why are you in this room?"
"What would be funny is if I were in my sister's room."
"Your sister...... ah"
Hearing the ice-breaking sound of doubt in the answer, Subaru remembered.
Speaking of which, Todd told him that his fiancée is Jamal's sister. In other words, Jamal in front of him and that Katya are actual siblings.
That fragile Katya and the rowdy, rough-and-tumble Jamal are brother and sister.
"Is your hair color similar to your habitual hair condition......?"
"I don't know about that, but I know what you're saying pisses me off. Kid, if you don't want to get hurt, get off your ass and......"
"--Brother! Stop!"
Perhaps annoyed by Subaru's attitude, Jamal rolled up his sleeves and made a gesture of trying to force him out. But before he could do so, a high-pitched voice from behind Jamal stopped him.
If you look inside the room through Jamal's side, you will see the same room layout as the one in which Subaru was laid out, and a woman lying on a bunk at the back of the room.
It is--,
"Miss Katya."
"You finally woke up...... you've been sleeping too much. Really, really......"
He looked at Subaru over his brother's disturbed body and saw Katya raising herself up on the bunk. Then Jamal quickly headed over to him and said, "Hey, hey,"
"Don't take it easy! You don't know when you're going to die, so just move like a big boy."
"I'm not that fragile! Don't compare me to my brother who is dead but not dying......"
"I ain't dead in the first place, but you guys were killing them on your own......!"
Jamal, who has had his concerns ignored and is now stigmatized as a dead man, shudders slightly.
It is assumed that there was a lot going on in this sibling reunion, but it is not Subaru's main topic to delve into that. There is another reason for visiting here.
"--. Are you okay?"
Subaru, who looked down slightly, saw that his feet were not going very far from the entrance into the room, and it was Rem, who was with him, who asked me that.
Apologizing to Emilia and Abel, Subaru visited this room with Rem.
As Katya's friend, Rem is qualified to be present here. --Because she wants her to hear the story that Subaru is trying to tell from here on out.
"Yeah, I'm fine."
Nodding, Subaru stepped into the room.
On the bunk, Katya and Jamal are still arguing about something, but when Subaru arrives with Rem, Katya shuts her mouth.
As it was, she kept her blue eyes, framed by long lashes, downcast,
"......You're not in shape anymore."
Even if that is a pillow talk before getting down to business, she is kind in her concern for Subaru's body.
Her tone is blunt and brusque, but there is no doubt that she is a beautiful woman at heart, and that is why she befriended the unreliable Rem.
Subaru has to tell her that.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks for worrying about me."
"I was just worried about the girl. It's just that the girl seemed anxious."
"----"
Subaru glanced at Rem, who was standing next to him, her expression hard.
She knew approximately what was going to be discussed from here, so she did not overreact to Katya's words as she usually does.
Subaru took a deep breath in and out, warning himself that it was his own weakness to expect it or to want to postpone the main issue.
And then--,
"I'm sorry. I couldn't bring Todd home."
Yes, he reported on that decisive breakup with Todd in the Imperial City.
"----"
With a clench of his small fist, Subaru lets the cruel fact be known with pain.
At the end of the battle in the Imperial City, he and Todd helped to break through the siege of those zombies, but they still had to clash.
Subaru decided not to kill Todd, who hated and abhorred Subaru's way of being, and set out to finish him off, but Subaru stood up to him and fought with him.
But at the end of the day--,
"Um, it got swept away by the flood that came into town, and nothing more."
"--ah"
"But I was fighting zombies, so I took the bait and got a few scratches here and there. So......"
Subaru's report is followed by Katya's grazed exhalation. As if overlapping that exhale, Subaru tells Katya what he saw, but in a way that is not as he saw it.
If he wanted to, Subaru could have given Katya hope.
In fact, the last Todd that Subaru saw was swallowed by that muddy river and disappeared. If his body had not been found, it would have shown hope that he had survived.
But Subaru did not.
"----"
The last thing Subaru saw of Todd was that he was swallowed by the muddy waters.
But that is an accurate description missing. To be precise, the last Todd that Subaru saw was in the form of a werewolf, who was engulfed in the murky waters by a deep axe blow to its chest.
--He was surprised that he survived, deeply wounded, unconscious, and swallowed by the muddy waters.
"--tsk"
The sound of Jamal biting his teeth hard echoed through the room as he heard Subaru's story.
For Jamal, too, Todd was his partner, but more than that, he was his future brother-in-law who decided to entrust his sister Katya to him. He was hurt by Subaru's report as well.
It was a terribly strange feeling, but Subaru also wanted to hope that Todd would survive if possible.
The relationship was one in which he was severely betrayed and even his life was threatened, and in fact, in the world where he had "returned by death", he had lost his life many times, but still.
However, he knows because of the history of how many times he've had to deal with Todd.
Todd is nothing but an ordinary being with no special powers. The fact that he is a werewolf is also not an advantage that can turn the situation of a fatal life crisis upside down.
In a situation where Subaru would die and not be saved, Todd would also lose his life.
Todd Fang died in that flood.
That was the answer of Subaru, who was closest to him and witnessed the burst of his life for the last time.
"----"
Silence falls over the room.
The silence that seemed to burn his forehead and the nape of his neck, was something Subaru decided to carry with him, and it was a heartache that he had to take in stride.
So he continued to enjoy the sensation of being roasted on his skin, and after a while.
"......Kah, you didn't see the point, did you? Then maybe he's not dead."
A faltering, cracked voice spun out, and Subaru looked up.
Subaru as well as Rem and Jamal stare at Katya in bed. Katya's blue eyes flicker from side to side as she fiddles with her hair,
"Y-y-you know what? If you'd seen Todd's head get smashed in, or his body cut in half, or burned to a crisp, you know? If you'd seen it, you might think, yes, but......"
"Miss Katya......"
"But you see, he's a great, great dirtbag. And he also said when we split up. He said he'll be back...... soon, he'll come back to me...... he won't lie, he won't tell me. He never lied to me about my brother's death! I just misspoke!"
"Miss Katya!"
Katya raised her voice and began to scratch her own hair. The sight called to her strongly, and Rem, leaning against the bunk, held Katya's head.
Cradling Katya's head in her own chest, Rem pats her back.
"Breathe slowly,, slowly. I will be with you......"
"No, no...... he's not...... that easy...... isn't he? Isn't he, Rem......?"
"Miss Katya......"
Katya's eyes were streaked with tears, and they soaked Rem's clothes as she hugged her. Rem did not care, but continued to stroke her sobbing friend's back.
Subaru was strongly moved by Katya's honest response.
He knew that.
That Katya would be hurt this way if he told her about Todd. It is a really, really difficult relationship, but Todd's feelings for Katya must have been genuine. Katya was also really cherished by Todd. That's why there are tears.
So Subaru did not mention the crueler facts.
It's something Rem is not even aware of. --It was Rem who finished off Todd, who had turned into a werewolf, with an axe.
In order to protect Subaru, Rem put a finishing blow on Todd.
Todd was in his werewolf form at that time, and since he did not break his beastification until the last moment of his submersion, Rem did not know this fact. Subaru, too, had no intention of letting her know.
Subaru doesn't think the truth is worth it.
Todd loved Katya and so did Katya love him. That's what's worth it. There is no reason to destroy those memories and dwell on what really happened.
"Todd really cared about Miss Katya. Right up until the very end."
That was the only untrue motive that Natsuki Subaru could convey to Katya Aurelie, who had been targeted with Todd Fang's bare murderous intent.
"--"
He sees Katya, sobbing, put her arms around Rem's back as she hugs her and claws her hard. It was painful, but Rem took it in silence.
In a room filled with sobs, Rem glanced at Subaru and shook her head.
This included her intention to leave Katya to her, and her gratitude to Subaru for stepping up to the plate and preparing for this to happen.
"--. I'm sorry you had to do that, kid."
Jamal said this to Subaru as they left the room, leaving Rem and Katya behind.
When Subaru raises his eyebrows at Jamal's surprisingly straightforward words, he grimly wrinkles his nose in a grimace.
"It's a tough role to tell the family of a dead person. No matter how heroically and bravely he died, some people still want to cry."
"......What about you?"
"Huuuh?"
"And to you, Todd's a buddy, your sister's fiancée, he's special, isn't he?"
With cheeks contorted, Jamal ponders Subaru's question.
After a moment of silence, he touched the eye patch that was blocking his right eye with his finger,
"I don't know. If the bastard had survived, I would have laughed it off, saying that we both lost our lives, but I skipped that step. Well, if he died fighting, then he had done his job as an Imperial soldier. You made fun of me for that a lot."
"----"
As he said it, Jamal gave a small snort and laughed at the last part.
He doesn't know whether he was smiling at the thought of Todd's uncharacteristic end, or whether he was smiling in the manner of the empire, which is difficult for Subaru to understand.
Whichever it is, Subaru does not feel that he can greet someone's death with a smile.
"It's only."
In front of Subaru who thought so, Jamal suddenly continued.
The tone of his voice caught Subaru's attention. It was because what was in Jamal's continued voice was not anger or loneliness, but something like expectation.
And that impression was correct. Says Jamal.
"I don't think that son of a bitch is going to die easily. I'm sure Katya's right. ......I haven't seen him actually die."
"It was...... ow."
"Shut up, kid. That's the only hope for Katya, if not for me."
Unexpectedly, Jamal's finger popped Subaru's forehead as he was about to argue. Subaru was silenced, and Jamal shuffled the door behind him with his chin and told him so.
Subaru could not distinguish whether the hope Jamal spoke of was a bright one or a cruel one. However, he knew that he was not qualified to interfere.
Only those who were invited and allowed to participate in Katya and Todd's lives had the right to interfere with their feelings. --Subaru was not entitled to do so.
"Fuckin' hell, he's a bloodthirsty son of a bitch, and he's taken more risks than me because of it."
Looking up at the ceiling of the aisle, Jamal described Todd as.
Subaru was still not qualified to point out that Jamal did not show his face, nor that his voice was trembling.
△▼△▼△▼△
"Yooo, Subaru, you are looking very healthy, aren't you? You've looked younger and younger after not seeing you for a while, thanks to the food from the empire, I guess?"
"That's amazing. Only Roswaal could look at me like this and make a joke that harsh."
"Oh, I see you all can't afford to be so geeenerous. And, for the record, I go by Dudley here. --From now on, please call me that, okay?"
He winked at him, closing his blue eyes and leaving his yellow ones, and Subaru lost his composure after a long time of not seeing him--Roswaal.
It was indeed Roswaal who was unfazed by the sight of the shrunken Subaru, but Subaru also chose not to mention his different style from his usual clown costume. It was a little frustrating and the difference in tone when he reminded him that he had left out the deliberate explanation.
After reporting to Katya about Todd's final days, Subaru had come to the middle of the continuous dragon carriage, to a larger coach that had been prepared for him.
The "chain-dragon carriage"--according to Subaru's knowledge, is similar in structure to a train or tram, but it is a vehicle that is only possible in the Vollachia Empire, where there is more flat land than in other countries.
Essentially, the Kingdom of Lugnica is the one that has a full complement of earth dragons, so he will keep in mind that it would be possible to prepare something similar if the terrain is chosen.
"The 'chain dragon wheel' is actually a part of the imperial secrets. I heard that it was invented by the 'Nine Divine Generals' who were known for their wisdom......"
"I knew it. I've never seen anything like this in the kingdom...... When you think about it, we're pretty serious about seeing a lot of the depths of the empire."
"Hahaha, it would be terrible if you were prevented from returning because you looked too much into the dark side of the empire. It might be wise to spend some time with your eyes closed, even now."
"That's no laughing matter either......"
Subaru muttered sullenly, and Roswaal laughed and agreed with him, but it was Otto who looked disappointed at the story.
The coach in question is a so-called dining car with many tables, designed to accommodate roughly 20 people. However, the purpose of having so many tables is not for eating, but for discussions such as meetings and military discussions.
In fact, it is not just Subaru, Roswaal and the others, but a gaggle of faces.
Of course, Emilia and Beatrice, who had gone to the carriages earlier, and Ram were at the same table as them.
Ram gave a scowl to Subaru, who came alone,
"Little Barusu, what happened to Rem? She's supposed to be with you."
"You definitely don't need that crown...... Rem is at Miss Katya's right now. I don't think she'll be available for this discussion."
"--. I see."
Spilling an exhale, Ram did not go further into Subaru's answer.
Finally, Ram has met her sister Rem, but apparently they are not as goofy together as Subaru thought they would be. Subaru's hope is that the two sisters will hold hands all the time, since he has the impression that they were originally quite close.
"Ram and Rem are both human beings. Don't impose your selfish feelings on young Barusu. It's disgusting."
"Don't read people's minds! Don't be nasty!"
"I'm sure it was the people around her who supported her while Ram couldn't be there for her. I don't want to belittle those relationships. You are brazen, undeveloped Barusu."
"Let's see when you run out of variations on what to call me, sister......!"
Subaru exhaled heavily, his cheeks twitching at Ram's words and actions in that manner.
Ram has a good point and they should not be too hasty. First of all, the joining of the sisters has been accomplished, so they should not rush and take things slowly.
Don't worry, there is a bond between Ram and Rem that others cannot break into.
They were able to believe this in itself because of the atmosphere they felt when the two of them showed up together to visit Subaru.
"But are these the only members present? Where's Petra, Frederica and Garfiel?"
"Petra and Frederica are taking care of the soldiers who are fighting. Garfiel is also busy tending to the wounded......"
"The fighting is still going, isn't it?"
"Hmm, yes. I think Subaru saw a lot of them in the Imperial City, too......"
Emilia, who answered about the whereabouts of the missing members, hesitates slightly before continuing the conversation.
The words she was about to say, Subaru could imagine.
"Zombies......?"
"W-what is it with you and your curious names?"
"They're dead people who move around. Where I'm from, we call them zombies. I thought it would be better to have a name for them, so I called them that for convenience."
"Isn't there just too much of everything in your hometown, Natzki?"
Otto looked at Subaru closely, and Subaru's mouth curved into a smile.
In this case, it is a dimensional issue that he is not sure whether he should argue that this world where zombies actually appeared is stranger than the world of Subaru, which produces many fictional works on the subject of zombies that are not really here, or whether he should think that Subaru's world is stranger than the world of zombies.
"I see. That's a good name, zombies. At least we don't have to call them dead soldiers."
Then it was Roswaal who interrupted Subaru and Otto's conversation.
At the word he uttered, Subaru ruminates, "Dead soldiers......"
"Seems to be a direct link to some bad memories, doesn't it?"
"Actually, yes. It's one of those memories you don't want to remember."
"As I told you in the capital, I think it's safe to say that this is the result of the Sacrament of the Immortal King. The last time it was used in recorded history was during the civil war in the kingdom."
"So you have a bad memory."
At Subaru's gaze, Roswaal avoided a clear statement with a vague smile.
Roswaal has a deep knowledge of past history. Even if he did not participate in the civil war, he may have had a bad experience related to the "Sacrament of the Immortal King" or something like that.
"But as far as Betty knows, the magic is supposed to be more unstable than that. It's impossible to create that many zombies and have them reproduce so well."
"But people were actually moving and talking, so there must be a reason for that."
"......Betty is scratching her head too, I suppose.. Dudley, you shouldn't slack off either, in fact."
"Ohhh, I'm sorry you think I'm slacking off. I'm concerned about this, too, so there's no reason for me to cut corners here. Your lives are at stake, too."
"I don't know how much more I can believe, I suppose......"
I understand. Because your life is on the line, too."
"What did you find out, in fact! It's just more shenanigans, I suppose!"
Beatrice blushes and yells at Roswaal's answer, who puts her chin on her crossed hands.
Beatrice was not happy that she was being teased, but even Subaru was not sure what Roswaal's true intentions were. However, Beatrice is Subaru's partner, so he just pulled his eyelid down and stuck out his tongue.
"Um, I don't know much about it, but I'm wondering if it's okay if I call it 'zomby' as Subaru called them?"
"Why not? It's shorter than 'dead soldiers'."
"In favor of Otto's typical perspective......"
And so, when the Subaru and others' side of the story comes to a close,
"--Emperor, I have just received a report from Second General Kafma that they will temporarily remain in the Gairahal Tropics to check on the followers as long as possible."
"General Olbart also told me that he and the Shinobi under his command would use delaying tactics! However, the less they need to supply water and food, the less they can do!"
"Tell both Kafma Irulux and Olbart Dunkelkenn to continue with the operation as is. Serena Dracroy, where is the flying dragon ship?"
"It's not back yet. I just hope the fact that it's taking a little longer than planned doesn't mean the Citadel has fallen."
"......If it did what it was supposed to do, the Citadel should not be unprepared."
Yes, it was Abel and his followers from the empire--an old man, a big man, and a beautiful woman, who came to the carriage with a flurry of important stories.
All of them, though, were people whose names Subaru did not know.
"The old man is Prime Minister Berstetz Fondalfon, the tall shoulder is General Goz Ralfon, and that woman is High Countess Serena Dracroy."
"Thanks. ......Goz is, I think, the guy I heard about who got caught letting Abel go."
Otto guessed the reason and annotated Subaru's profile with a raised eyebrow. The name he told him was supposed to be one of the "Nine Divine Generals" whose survival was supposed to be in jeopardy.
In fact, he can honestly say that he is glad to be by Abel's side in this way, since he would have been someone he could have judged to be on Abel's side if he had lived.
"Are you all here? Just as well, for the war council is about to begin."
"Huh, are Flop and the others all good?"
"If there was a manpower shortage at the time of the fortified city, what good would it do to have a peddler join the military council at the present time?"
"I know. Why am I here......?"
Beside Subaru, who tilted his head, Otto tilted his head as Abel said.
However, the reason for Otto's inclination of his head is not known by everyone in the Emilia camp, including Subaru. It would be natural for Otto to be here.
Ram, for example, snickered at him, saying, "Hah!"
"Taritta and Mizelda and the others will be stationed in the back of the coach, so they won't be participating in our discussions over here, is that correct?"
"Yes. That is what I have heard from the People of Shudrak. They have reassured me that when the time comes for them to wield their power, they will do so to the best of their ability.
"I never thought that I would have the opportunity to stand shoulder to shoulder with the People of Shudrak, who were known for their bravery and valor! I would have been more excited if it had not been an opportunity to fight for the existence of the empire! I!"
"You're making too much noise. Keep your mouth shut."
Abel silences Goz, who is clenching a fist the size of a child's head and exerting himself in such a way. It is a heartless remark, but since no one else pays attention to it, it is probably a usual exchange.
Anyway, he understands why Flop and the others and the "People of Shudrak" are not present.
"Subaru, your friends in the empire are......"
"I've already told the group that I'll speak on their behalf. I've got some things I want to discuss with them. Especially to Beako."
"To Betty? ......I don't have a very good feeling about this, in fact."
"Well, well, well."
They asked their friends from the Pleiades to refrain from attending the event for the time being.
After all, Subaru and Abel were in the same room. If he made a mistake, Weitz could have attacked Abel and tried to hand over the throne to Subaru.
The lie that Subaru is the illegitimate son of Abel--Vincent Vollachia, the "black-haired crown prince", is ongoing. This must also be resolved.
"I thought we could at least have Tanza......"
Subaru was the only person from the group to attend the meeting.
As was the case with the visit, he will definitely have to talk to Tanza later as well.
"And I haven't seen Louis around......"
"She's with Medium and Flop. They seem to like her a lot. What are you going to do with her?"
"--. We'll all talk about that later, too."
Ram's light red eyes narrowed, and Subaru had no choice but to reply.
Ram knows that Louis was there at the Pleiades Watchtower, just before Subaru and Rem were sent to the Empire. Naturally, everyone would have shared Louis's true identity, both from Ram's mouth and from Abel.
Still, she would like to know, too, whose and what kind of work and effort is responsible for her being on board this articulated dragon carriage.
On top of that, they have to find the best of Louis's drop-off point.
"If you've finally broken your laps, let the war council begin once again, Natsuki Subaru."
"Hey, you remember I'm holding a ridiculously big scandal, don't you? And that's not true, either."
Abel's attitude on the surface showed no sign of change, even though he clearly remembered bowing his head in a quiet manner. Subaru then waited for him.
There is a partner whose movements have not yet been confirmed.
It is--,
"--Where's Priscilla? I think she was in Guaral, and I think she came to the Imperial Capital as well. And Tanza said that Yorna was there."
There must have been, Subaru asked, looking at Abel's face.
For whatever reason, Priscilla and her merry band of friends went to the Vollachia Empire. Al even accompanied them to the Demon City of Chaos Flame, so it is certain that he was involved in the battle for the imperial capital of Lupgana.
As for Yorna, Subaru and his team had also caught information about her giving to the rebels. Tanza also sensed Yorna's presence in the imperial capital.
Naturally, such faces must also be on board this chain-dragon carriage.
Speaking of not seeing their faces face, he has't seen Cecilus either, but Cecilus's moodiness has been that way since before he left the Gladiator Island, so he's not worried about that--,
"--Hey?"
However, when Subaru asked this question, Abel fell silent and closed one eye.
Subaru wondered about the reaction and frowned as he looked around to see that Abel was not the only one who had such a reaction.
For some reason, no one has said anything about what Priscilla and the others are up to.
If Priscilla and her family had returned to the kingdom out of thin air before the imperial siege, that would have been a surprise to Priscilla's name from Emilia and her family.
It doesn't. And the answer to this disgusting silence is--,
"Subaru, I've been keeping this from you so as not to confuse you, I suppose."
"Beako?"
Beatrice, who had stood up before he knew it, was holding Subaru's hand. Subaru's cheeks hardened at Beatrice's preamble.
Then, Emilia looked at Subaru, who unconsciously gripped Beatrice's hand tightly,
"I'll tell you what, you need to calm down and listen, Subaru. It's about Priscilla, and Yorna......"
A pause is given.
Emilia continued to unravel it while it felt long-winded to the impatient Subaru.
It is--,
"When we were all running away from the Imperial City, we didn't find those two. --I want to believe that they are safe."
--It was proof of the wounds inflicted on their side during the siege of the Imperial City.