Arc 9, Part 58: "The Sound of Chains"

"Rigel. —It’s Natsuki Rigel!!"

Roy Alphard certainly heard that soul-wrenching scream.

It was a desperate, earnest plea, filled with an emotion that would strike the heart of any listener. If it had been the 'Gourmet' Lye Battenkaitos—who loved the haunting passion and the bittersweet longings of humanity—he surely would have listened to that wish with joy, licking his lips as he granted the request.

"But the one here isn't Lye, it's us, isn't it?"

The 'Gourmet' Lye and the 'Bizarre Eating' Roy were twins who shared the Witch Factor of 'Gluttony'—technically triplets, including Louis, who had died in their mother's womb—but they were brothers who, unexpectedly, did not get along.

Even though they were brothers made of the same flesh and blood, what they prioritized in a meal was entirely different. However, they never lamented this difference in eating habits. Rather, they rejoiced that they didn't have to fight over the same prey. Louis, who couldn't choose her prey freely and could only steal bites from the 'Cradle of Souls,' seemed to find it frustrating, but—

"It can't be helped, it can't be helped. Even we think our sister is cute. But, you know? Eating is something you do for yourself. You can't do something as clever as filling someone else's stomach."

So, even if they felt pity for their sister’s cries of hunger, it was merely the hunger of a close stranger. Even when informed that Lye had scattered like mist at the Sand Tower, it was merely the failure of a close stranger’s meal.

Roy didn't particularly think, 'Serves him right,' nor did he mourn the way that meal ended. He had only one thought—a sense of waste.

"Ah, from Lye's perspective of 'Gourmet,' we, who were always starving, would probably be considered failures, dropouts, outcasts... but for us 'Bizarre Eaters,' we could have even eaten Lye."

Strangely, realizing he had excluded Lye and Louis as targets for consumption, Roy thought it funny that his family love wasn't so bad after all. To think that 'Bizarre Eating,' which usually devoured everything in sight, had actually been choosing its dishes.

"Ah, what a truly regrettable thing."

It was a shame, but Lye was dead. And as for Louis, ever since their time at the Sand Tower, he could no longer feel her presence in the 'Cradle of Souls,' and he didn't know what had become of her. —Truly, truly a shame. If he could touch his sister again, he would surely gnaw on her soul.

"After all, we are 'Bizarre Eating.'"

No matter how ugly or hideous something was, if he wanted to eat it, he couldn't help but stretch out his tongue. Even if it was something the 'Gourmet' wouldn't look at, or something 'Satiation' would push away, he would devour it all.

—Above all, the idea of giving up on something he once desired to eat was unthinkable.

"—!!"

Beyond the dust, Al was in a desperate situation—no, by being placed in the exact opposite state, he seemed to have fallen into a predicament instead. To think he would remember Roy's existence and try to flip the board by letting him eat his 'Name'—Roy was impressed by his sharpness.

The cursed seal carved to make him obedient was being stimulated; Al was calling Roy desperately. A mysterious pain, as if his untouchable soul were being seared, assailed Roy, and his body twitched and bounced against the ground. It was an abuse of the soul, a threat through pain: 'If you want to escape this agony, obey.'

"I get it, I get it, I really get it, I understand, I see, I have to understand, don't I! Because I understand! Gluttonous Drinking! Gluttonous Eating!"

He understood what Al wanted to say. He understood what Al wanted him to do. He understood that Al was cornered. To be honest, even with his soul being scorched like this, Roy was grateful to Al. —Thanks to being taken out of the Prison Tower, he had found a chance for a meal that might never have come again. He didn't like eating on command, but since Roy's virtue was not choosing what he ate, that was convenient for Al as well.

"But, you know, it'd be a problem if you misunderstood."

Because he was grateful, he didn't mind obeying. —But that was only within the range of what Roy was willing to concede. If it wasn't, Roy would do as he pleased. For example—

"—Found you."

His nature was such that if he decided he wanted to eat someone even at the cost of his life, he would surely eat them.

"Rigel. —It’s Natsuki Rigel!!"

That blood-vomiting scream reached the ears of the 'Witch of Melancholy' as well. The blast and violent pressure that surged from outside her awareness had caused great damage to the battlefield. She had just managed to pick herself up after being tossed by the shockwave that leveled the earth.

『—Petra! Are you okay!? Damn, what was that all of a sudden!? Is everyone safe!?』

Even though a piercing tinnitus dominated her skull, the voice of the Imaginary Subaru worrying for her was clearly audible, independent of her eardrums. Amidst 'Subaru's' confusion and concern for their fallen comrades, Al’s opening scream arrived.

"————"

Amidst the thick, rising dust, the 'Witch of Melancholy' spat out the sand that had entered her mouth. From Al’s scream muffled by the gale, she felt surprise from two directions. One was the method Al chose to break this situation: utilizing the Authority of 'Gluttony.' And the other was the name Al screamed as his true name.

Natsuki Rigel. —That resonance was clearly not unrelated to Natsuki Subaru.

"If he's a person from another world like Subaru, it was obvious Aldebaran was a pseudonym, but..."

For the name that popped out to be Natsuki Rigel was too strange a coincidence. Rigel was the name of a star, and the surname Natsuki was the same as Subaru’s. —Could it be that the condition for being summoned to another world was a set of 'Natsuki surname + star name'?

『That guy is...』

Naturally, 'Subaru' also frowned at the same question as the 'Witch of Melancholy.' Al was shrouded in mystery; even as the 'Witch of Melancholy' and the others faced him—having prepared to turn the world into their enemy—they remained ignorant of his true heart or intentions. This was yet another piece of evidence. However—

"—Sorry. I've already made my choice."

The 'Witch of Melancholy' was not so childish as to prioritize an unsolvable mystery in this situation. What mattered most right now was not the new mystery presented by Al, but a countermeasure against Al, who still held the means to flip the board even after playing almost all his cards. If Al’s plan to have his 'Name' eaten were executed, there would be no way to stop it. —The effectiveness of that power had already been proven by her forgetting and then remembering Rem.

"So, I'm going to do it, Subaru."

When the 'Witch of Melancholy' whispered that, 'Subaru' was not beside her, but standing in front of her. Instead of floating, he stood with his feet on the ground, facing her head-on.

『————』

Staring straight into those black eyes, the 'Witch of Melancholy' tasted a strange sentiment. The 'him' here was nothing more than a phantom she saw because she wanted to, no matter how she struggled; he was by no means the real Natsuki Subaru. From an outside perspective, it was surely a ridiculous dream, nothing more than the most convenient deception for the 'Witch of Melancholy.'

"And yet, you won't marry me."

『Petra, I...』

"Just kidding. Just a little Witch joke because I wanted to trouble you."

The 'Witch of Melancholy' stuck out her tongue and apologized to the troubled 'Subaru.' The fact that 'Subaru' would not obey her every whim here made the 'Witch of Melancholy' feel rather proud, as if it were proof of the nobility of her feelings. While it's nice when the person you love does exactly what you want, it's also complicated.

"Because, I fell in love with the Subaru who told me I was an idiot."

『...Well, that's truly an honor. I'm one hell of a lucky idiot.』

"—That's really true."

The 'Witch of Melancholy' let her lips curl into a smile at 'Subaru's' response to her confession. Then, she spun around on the spot, turning her back to 'Subaru.' After a beat of thought or hesitation, 'Subaru' embraced the 'Witch of Melancholy' from behind. This was a perfect score for both her expectations and her desires. Besides, it was something the real Subaru would surely do, so it didn't affect the 'Witch of Melancholy's' grading. And so, held in those arms—

"—Found you."

Yes, a sticky voice spoke close by, and a threat approached from beyond the smoke. It was the Sin Archbishop of 'Gluttony,' Roy Alphard, who had rushed forward fiercely, using the white light emitted from the 'Witch of Melancholy's' upward-pointing fingertip as a beacon. Roy bared his fangs, his gaze interlocking with the 'Witch of Melancholy's.' And then—

"—It's Petra Baumann."

With her finger still pointed to the heavens, the 'Witch of Melancholy' declared her name. The name-shuffling the 'Al-Busters' had performed as a countermeasure against 'Gluttony'—it was the result of a formal name-changing ceremony accepted as legally binding with the cooperation of the lord, Roswaal. While everyone chose their names freely, the 'Witch of Melancholy' took the surname of the person she most adored. But the reason she revealed the name she had kept hidden until now was for no other reason. —It was her trump card.

『—Petra.』

With arms that couldn't be felt, 'Subaru' called her name, his embrace tightening nonetheless. At that voice, the 'Witch of Melancholy' smiled, placing her hands over the arms she also couldn't feel. While smiling, the maiden who had become the 'Witch of Melancholy' by offering every compensation declared:

"—Subaru, I love you."

He placed it on his tongue, activated 'Eclipse,' and the moment he swallowed, a sense of fulfillment permeated his entire body, sending shivers through him.

"~~~~!!"

This climax of 'Eclipse' was the true essence of 'Gluttony,' something Roy—who had devoured countless 'Names' and 'Memories' and consumed many lives—could find no substitute for. Hunger, hunger, an excessive sense of starvation was the raison d'être of 'Gluttony.' —In the fleeting moment he could delude himself into thinking even a fragment of it was satisfied, he felt an irresistible sense of life's fulfillment. It was truly—

"—Exquisite!!"

The taste of the 'Witch' who kept her promise intoxicated Roy with a maximal love, leaving him licking his lips at the aftertaste. Captivated by an emotion beyond his expectations, an intensity beyond his fears, and a purity beyond his hopes, Roy savored the true meaning of 'Eclipse' as he immersed himself in the feeling of fullness. Truly, truly, truly, truly, truly, he had lived for this one flavor.

—Even if his soul were to be scorched as the price for breaking the cursed seal, he had no regrets for this 'Eclipse.'

In the 'Memories' flowing into him, the reason Louis had craved it was clearly shown. But unfortunately, unlike his sister, what Roy's taste buds found most sweet was the girl's prayer. The 'Witch' who loved this single dish so much had brilliantly exceeded his expectations from before the tasting.

Therefore, the Sin Archbishop of 'Gluttony,' Roy Alphard, laughed. While being scorched by the blue flames that were proof of breaking the seal, he laughed.

"—Thank you for the meal!!"

And, at the moment his soul was about to be consumed by the blue flames—

"—That's enough."

A crimson flame that suddenly erupted on the battlefield ruthlessly slashed through those blue flames.

When speaking of the 'Sword Saint' Reinhard van Astrea, the 'Divine Protection of the Sword Saint' is, of course, the first thing mentioned.

However, those who know Reinhard's abnormality better also know that the numerous Divine Protections he possesses are part of why he is known as the strongest 'Sword Saint' in history. In the past, when he fought against one of the strongest existences in history, the Sin Archbishop of 'Greed,' Regulus Corneas, Natsuki Subaru—who was present and fought alongside him—evaluated the 'Divine Protection of the Phoenix' as particularly extraordinary among Reinhard's many protections.

To begin with, given his overwhelming strength, it is difficult to take his life even once; yet, the power of the 'Divine Protection of the Phoenix,' which allows him to be resurrected after death, is truly a foul play. However, if Natsuki Subaru—who judged the 'Divine Protection of the Phoenix' as a cheat ability with exasperation—knew its true, out-of-spec nature, his evaluation would have been overturned even further.

"—'Divine Protection of the Phoenix'."

Since it had been used once in the battle with the Sin Archbishop of 'Greed,' it was technically a new 'Divine Protection of the Phoenix' he had recently received, but the phenomenon was the same; the distinction was meaningless. The important thing was that by activating this protection, the lost life of the protector, Reinhard van Astrea, would be restored, and in doing so, all wounds, including fatal ones, would be healed.

Thus, at this moment, all the injuries Reinhard had sustained during his three-day and three-night battle against the shadow of the 'Witch of Envy' to prevent the world's destruction were canceled out. This included the wounds Al had inflicted with the 'Divine Dragon's' help, which had rendered both of Reinhard's arms useless; even the fatigue from fighting without sleep was scorched away by the flames of vitality. That alone would be sufficient proof of the 'Divine Protection of the Phoenix's' extraordinary power, but the true value Reinhard sought in this protection lay ahead.

The threat of the 'Witch of Envy,' resurrected in the present day by some mechanism Al had devised. At the moment she met a sudden disappearance, just as she had appeared, Reinhard reached the conclusion of that battle—and the decision to immediately inflict a fatal wound upon himself. If his only goal had been to heal his wounds, Reinhard would not have gone out of his way to self-harm; he would have waited for the wounds to heal naturally. In other words, what Reinhard sought from the 'Divine Protection of the Phoenix' was not the healing of wounds, but the other effect the protection possessed, which was—

"————"

—Clad in crimson flames, Reinhard was resurrected in an instant right in the middle of the battlefield.

That was one aspect of the extraordinary effect of the 'Divine Protection of the Phoenix': the flames of resurrection that reborn the deceased protector in the desired location. In the battle with Regulus Corneas, it was a power that brought him back before the eyes of Natsuki Subaru, who was fighting alongside him. At this moment, there was no need to say where the place Reinhard resurrected was. It was beside his master, whom Al was supposed to be fighting while Reinhard was cleaning up the mess.

"————"

Reinhard, appearing on the battlefield from within the swirling flames, saw in an instant that the area was an abnormal space struck by a cataclysm. Even Reinhard couldn't help but be surprised by the sight—

"Reinhard!"

Turning at the sudden call, Reinhard witnessed his friend, whose lovely appearance held a desperate resolve, and his master—Felt—being held by that friend. Sensing an extraordinary situation at a glance, Reinhard instinctively tried to rush to his master. Felt, held in the arms of his friend, Ferris, hung her head, devoid of strength. There could be no one more suited for the task than Ferris, but Reinhard tried to at least call out—

"—Hey."

"————"

Faster than Reinhard's step, that weak, raspy voice was spun. Felt, wrapped in the faint glow emitted by Ferris amidst the dust—receiving concentrated healing light on her head—slowly raised her face. Though her focus blurred repeatedly, she still captured the First Knight in her red eyes. Then, gathering every bit of strength in her body, she managed a single sentence. It was—

"—The rest, is up to you."

With those words, Reinhard realized that his duty was not to worry about his master. Reinhard's master was strong. Much stronger than Reinhard himself. Therefore—

"—That's enough."

Leaving his master, who had fulfilled her duty, to his friend, Reinhard—pushed by her words—traversed the battlefield. In an instant, he grasped the positions of the presences scattered throughout the area. Among them, he headed toward the enemy that needed to be dealt with, slashing Roy Alphard of 'Gluttony,' who was wrapped in blue flames, erasing him from this world.

"—Thank you for the meal!!"

What had been burning the laughing Roy Alphard was an unquenchable blue flame, fueled by his own soul. Thus, Reinhard delivered the finishing blow to ensure he wouldn't suffer long. And then—

"—Sir Al, this time, I will stop you."

Against Aldebaran standing in the dust, Reinhard kicked the ground and flew. It was a movement of instantaneous speed that seemed to crush space itself, even without the help of the power of 'Compression.' Between Reinhard and Al, a girl suddenly spread her arms. The red-haired girl moved at top speed to shield Al. With a single strike, a hand-chop from Reinhard—which didn't even allow for a reaction—struck her neck, reaping her consciousness into the distance in an instant. Then, against the defenseless Al, Reinhard pulled back his arm once more—

"—That is my role."

—In an instant, the 'Sword Saint's' serious blow struck Al's torso.

In the distance, beyond the dust, the blue flames scattered. The next moment he realized it, he was looking at Yae's slender back as she collapsed in front of him. What kind of psychology had driven him to instinctively reach out to her as she fell? In any case, Al's hand didn't reach. It was always like that. And, without even a gap to blink, a white flash swept across Al's torso—

"—Oh."

It happened. Without a doubt, his upper waist was slashed by a hand-chop, and Al was split in two. However, regeneration began from the moment he was split in two, and Al's body was restored with the momentum of a video playing in reverse, his severed torso immediately repaired. It was a human-body-severing magic trick realized by the extraordinary power of the 'Blue' healing magic cast on Al and the sharpness of the 'Sword Saint's' hand-chop, which far surpassed any famous sword. But—

"I won't die...!"

Did that plea sound like something positive or negative? Reinhard's blow—yes, it was Reinhard. His appearance, even though he should have been neutralized by summoning the 'Witch of Envy,' and being hit by a merciless hand-chop, yet, he didn't die. Since he had severed the torso, Reinhard must have attacked with the intention of killing Al. However, the 'Blue' healing art surpassed even the 'Sword Saint's' killing intent, preventing the activation of the Authority.

"————"

Ignoring the pain, which he even doubted had existed for a moment, Al thought. Reinhard was here. This was bad. Terrible. Everything would be ruined. Moreover, if the reason he was here wasn't because he had abandoned the world, it meant the 'Witch of Envy' had retreated. And if the 'Witch of Envy' had retreated, it could only be because the reason to silence him was gone. —That is, proof that Roy had broken the oath of the cursed seal and used his Authority on the 'Witch of Melancholy.' Knowing that the penalty for doing so would be paid with his life. Had the Sin Archbishop thrown away even his life as a spiteful revenge for being forced to obey? One thing was certain—Al, by his own actions, had cut off the possibility of breaking this situation.

"—Tch."

The possibility known as 'Gluttony' had slipped through his fingers. Acknowledging that fact, Al ground his teeth while his thoughts sparked, deciding to use every action from here on to break the situation. Neither breath nor heartbeat, not even a single drop of sweat dripping from a finger, would be allowed to go to waste. While strongly rebuking his own soul, Al pulled the falling Yae into an embrace. —Pulled Yae into an embrace?

"—Ah?"

It was just after Al had determined what he should do. He had decided in his heart that from here on, even the briefest of moments would be used to overcome this accident. So why had he reached out to Yae and held her? She was unconscious, and the possibility of it being her specialty—playing dead—was zero. Holding Yae up wouldn't resolve the situation. And yet, why did Al—

"You understand it too. —That this is the end."

To Al, who stood in shock, unable to understand the meaning of his own actions, came the healthy voice of Reinhard, who didn't sound like he had just fought a death match with the 'Witch of Envy.' Reinhard told him simply that it was the end, to give up. He told him.

"I'm sure the 'Sword Saint' carries a lot on his shoulders... but I didn't start this with a resolve so cheap that I could just let go of it casually."

"————"

"Not yet, not yet. This much... with just this much! Don't think I'll just give up on my own!"

Shouting a bluff, Al glared at Reinhard. By at least surpassing his opponent in spirit, he wanted even one thing he could get his fingers on. But in response to Al's momentum, Reinhard raised the hand he had used for the hand-chop. The 'Sword Saint's' hand, which had once severed Al, was clutching something.

—A black sphere woven with magic, which should not have been there.

"Even with this?"

Al's eyes widened in shock, and he was speechless. He realized that the aim of the 'Sword Saint's' flash earlier was not his life, but precisely to sever his torso. Reinhard had done it on purpose. —Trusting in the power of the 'Blue,' he had literally split him open. He split Al's stomach open and took it out.

The thing that was supposed to be thrown into the Mogroade Fissure, into the hole leading to the edge of the world—

"But, it won't break!!"

The shock didn't fade. Even so, the initiative was still here. It was a forbidden technique devised by the 'Witch,' which surely sealed those who received power from a Witch Factor. Even with Reinhard's monstrous strength, or the breath of the 'Dragon' that could destroy the world, it couldn't be broken. And, no matter what happened, Al would never release that seal—

"No, the one sealed in here is Subaru, right? —In that case, it can be drawn."

In an instant, the atmosphere trembled with an unusual torrent of power, and the world gave a definite shudder. The unsheathing of that sword was such a major event that the world itself could not ignore it. It was—

"—'Dragon Sword' Reid."

An impossible flash of light shattered the small magic orb in the 'Sword Saint's' hand.

『—No one can defeat the 'you' I created.』

The 'Witch' who named Al 'Rigel' (The Following Star) and set everything in motion said so.

『—Look at that, it is my victory again.』

The 'Sun Princess' who gave Al a meaning other than 'The Following Star' said so.

"————"

The foolish and powerless Al had lost both. Despite being an existence with an Authority that should have been able to correct wrong choices, he ended up continuing to choose the most half-hearted path. Simply, not to let the 'Witch' who would end the world be born. —Everything was a step for that purpose.

He received the 'Witch's' teachings and tried to kill the 'Witch' according to her wish. —He failed. He met Priscilla and tried to kill the 'Witch' by making her King. —He failed. He returned to his original intention and tried to kill the 'Witch' by removing Natsuki Subaru. —He failed.

"—Ah."

While tasting the sensation of his eyes being scorched even through his iron helmet as dazzling light overflowed, Al witnessed the miracle of brute force that occurred before his eyes, the result of that exorbitant power. The phenomenon caused by a power beyond logic was severed by a power equally beyond logic. When the sealed one was released, all Al could do was hold the slender body in his arms tighter and tighter, as if throwing a tantrum. And then—

"—Ngh."

A faint breath, which he shouldn't have been able to hear, scratched at Al's consciousness. It belonged to the silver-haired girl who had been exerting her power against the surging flood behind him, preventing the battlefield from being swallowed by the muddy stream by emitting a tremendous chill.

If it had been a lament of being overwhelmed by the water due to lack of strength, he could have endured it. If it had been a sigh of relief at Reinhard's appearance, he could have endured it. If it had been a satisfying realization that the hateful Al had been cornered, he could have endured it.

But it was none of those. —The one her amethyst eyes gazed upon was only one person. Because Al was never reflected in her eyes.

"—Natsuki Subaruuuu!!"

He howled. He screamed. He shrieked. Literally, with a hoarse voice like he was vomiting blood, Al called that name.

The one who jumped out of the light was a black-haired boy holding a Great Spirit in a dress—that person, who couldn't be anyone else, dropped to one knee on the ground with the momentum of being released from the black sphere. And, with open lips, he shouted as his first words:

"—Rem!!"

As if responding to that voice, the sound of chains pierced Al's eardrums.

—Rem loves Natsuki Subaru.

This is an unshakeable fact, and even the Rem from before she completely regained her 'Memories' would have admitted it, albeit reluctantly. Actually, whether she had 'Memories' or not, it was inevitable for Rem to be attracted to Subaru, so honestly, she wondered what she had been holding back for.

"No, that's not right. That's a bit too much of a breakthrough... first of all, that would make it seem like I would have fallen for him even if he hadn't done anything for me."

Rem thought her feelings weren't that convenient. Rather, she thought of herself as a difficult, suspicious woman who didn't easily open her heart. She shuddered at herself, thinking what an unapproachable girl she was. Quite different from the honest and merciful Ram, or Katya, who was cute with her true feelings being obvious despite her foul mouth.

Yes, the 'original' Rem was an unapproachable girl with a bad attitude and an ugly personality. Her perspective and world were narrow, and she was so busy protecting her limited sanctuary that she was far from having the kind of consideration that would care for those around her. —And yet, Natsuki Subaru stepped in.

He stepped in, trampled around, took her hand, and led her out; Rem was head over heels for him. And those who had become like that, and those who would become like that, would increase more and more from now on.

"But, the fact that Rem was the very first one to become like that doesn't change."

The one who first realized Natsuki Subaru's goodness was this Rem. Emilia might be a good match, but Rem would insist she was the first in terms of depth and weight. That, too, was unshakeable. —An important thing concerning Natsuki Subaru.

"The mansion, the Royal Capital, Flugel's Tree."

The journey Rem, who loved Natsuki Subaru before losing her 'Memories,' had taken with him.

"The jungle, the fortified city, the Imperial Capital, and the linked dragon carriages."

The journey Rem, who began to love Natsuki Subaru after losing her 'Memories,' had taken with him.

"The past, the present, and the future."

The journey Rem, who had now regained her 'Memories' and loved Natsuki Subaru all over again, would take with him.

Even Rem understood that grouping all of that under the single word 'Love' was a bit reckless, even without Yae telling her repeatedly. Still, if asked what the driving force of her hope was—the one that moved her and made her say she wouldn't regret anything no matter what happened—she couldn't think of anything other than 'Love.'

Because of love, Rem can believe in Natsuki Subaru. Because of love, Rem can devote herself to Natsuki Subaru. Because of love, Rem can desire the same future as Natsuki Subaru.

『—Rem-姉様, please tell me just one thing.』

That was an exchange she had with a girl who, like Rem, loved Natsuki Subaru, before heading into battle.

She, too, was one of those who had met Natsuki Subaru and strayed from her 'original' path. She was one of those who thought of that as a blessing and decided to walk the thorny path he walked together with him. She was one of those who knew his eyes were looking straight at someone other than herself, yet couldn't help but desire for that gaze of love to be directed toward her.

『Rem-姉様, would you do anything to save Subaru?』

Later on, Rem would think. Just how much courage did it take to voice that question? Just how much deep thought was required to convey the words she had prepared beyond that?

And if, by any chance, Rem had given an answer that didn't meet her expectations, just how much resolve and ideals would that girl have shouldered as she intended to walk that path alone?

"Yes, of course. —Because I am Subaru-kun's Rem."

Therefore, being able to respond to that without hesitation was a pride for Rem that was irreplaceable. In a sense, that was a competition of the strength of their feelings for Natsuki Subaru. And it was a secret vow that absolutely could not be left to Emilia, who was loved by him.

Rem didn't really know what would happen by fulfilling it. All she knew was that it was a help to Natsuki Subaru—no, it was the opposite. It was that she could become the first of the many feelings that Natsuki Subaru, that kind-hearted boy, would carry.

To desire more than that would be greedy. But, having become greedy after her 'Memories' returned, she found herself desiring just a little bit more, even knowing it was greedy. For example, that when the boy pushed by Rem and the others walked that path, he would think of Rem's and the girl's devotion, and a wave—just a little larger than a ripple—would occur in his heart.

That alone was Rem's—

"—Rem!!"

The moment his figure appeared beyond the white light, Rem's delicate sentiments shattered. In an instant, tossed by the unstoppable torrent of emotion welling up from within her, Rem was driven by an impulse to throw everything away and run into his chest. She endured.

Immediately after, the ground her soles gripped firmly exploded, and as the rising rock walls were about to dominate her vision—the flash of the 'Sword Saint,' which left the afterglow of flames on his body, swept them away, opening a path. Straight, in a direct line, the gazes of Rem and the beloved boy met.

"————"

In a desperate moment, their gazes locked with the boy's black eyes, which still couldn't wipe away his innate kindness. Swallowing the thousand words she wanted to say, the ten thousand feelings she wanted to convey, and the hundred million prayers she wanted to offer, Rem said:

"Please, let the current me... let Rem, fall in love with you all over again."

In that instant, she swung her arm with all her might. —The iron ball flew straight, in a direct line, through the air.

—There is the sound of chains.

In that moment, Al didn't care about anything: not his own blood-vomiting scream, not the upheaval of the earth caused by the ultimate magic he had cast in a frenzy, not the fact that the supreme flash of the 'Sword Saint' had severed the freezing atmosphere and canceled out even the cataclysm, not the fact that the man who appeared holding a spirit seemed to have grasped the situation using the Authority of 'Greed,' and not the fact that he was unconsciously holding the body of the woman who held heat in his arms tightly.

He just reached out recklessly. —No, he tried to reach out. He couldn't. His right arm held the woman who had betrayed him, and his lost left arm had been left behind in that era along with the 'Witch's' expectations; Al couldn't reach out. Instead—

"—Al."

He heard the man who had gathered everyone's attention looking at him and calling his name. The emotion held in those black eyes, that color of Natsuki Subaru's that looked as if he wanted to save even Al if he could, was what he—most, most, most—

"I hate you, you piece of sh—"

—There was the sound of chains.

—I love you.