Arc 9 Finale: "Reweave"

—Watching the servants working at the Barielle mansion from a distance, Frederica felt a restless unease she couldn't quite manage.

"Accompanying the Master and receiving guest treatment is a common occurrence... but in this mansion, as it is now, things feel quite different."

Reflected in Frederica’s emerald eyes was the sight of a bustling estate. She could tell they were a collection of excellent, disciplined, and efficient individuals. Even after being informed of the dire news Frederica and the others had brought back, they did not fall into dysfunction. That alone was worthy of admiration.

"It seems Lady Priscilla was truly beloved."

The dire news delivered to the servants—it was the obituary stating that Priscilla Barielle, the head of the house and their mistress, had lost her life in the Vollachian Empire.

"————"

Lowering her gaze slightly, Frederica sighed as she looked down from the balcony at the gardens and the estate. Given her own position, Frederica knew the feeling of watching those she served—like Roswaal or Emilia—leave the mansion while she remained behind, left with nothing but to pray for their safe return. When one learns that those prayers went unanswered, how great must the shock be that strikes the heart?

In fact, many of the servants were grieving, and not a few were shedding tears. The fact that not a single person had left the estate upon hearing the news was a testament to their relationship with Priscilla. However, there was more to it than just the fact that Priscilla was beloved—

"—Master Schult's resolute attitude is what truly struck a chord."

What had deeply moved Frederica was the conduct of the young attendant who had accompanied Priscilla to the Empire and taken on the duty of conveying her death and her final wishes, accomplishing it magnificently. Schult, who looked fragile and as unreliable as a small animal, did not leave the "villain's role" to Roswaal or Frederica. He fulfilled his great duty with his own mouth and his own words.

The servants chose to stay at the mansion and continue their current jobs because of their affection for Priscilla and their trust in Schult; there was no doubt that both were immense. Even as an outsider, Frederica, who had struggled to hold back tears, shared that sentiment. Therefore—

"—Oh, so this is where you were, Frederica. I’ve been lookiiing for you."

"Master..."

Welcoming the tall man who stepped onto the balcony with a light wave of his hand—Roswaal—Frederica curtsied deeply.

"I apologize for making you search for me. What can I do for you?"

"It’s nothing so formal as a 'task.' The arrangements here have reached a stopping point, so I simply thought I’d like to chat with you for a biiit."

"Arrangements..."

"Yes, arrangements indeed."

Smiling faintly, Roswaal closed one eye—leaving his yellow eye, the one of a different color, open—and stood beside Frederica at the railing. Leaning his back against it, he continued:

"This land has many points of interest. I have few acquaintances in the south. Lord Leip Barielle, Lady Priscilla’s late husband, was not a gentleman with a particularly good reputatiiion, after all."

"To be told that by you, Master, that gentleman must be quite dissatisfied wherever he is."

"Oh, how harsh. Are you, too, being poisoned by Petra-kun and losing your obedience toward meee? Or perhaps—"

Tilting his head, Roswaal peered into Frederica’s eyes.

"—You don’t care for my plan to utilize Schult-kun, do you?"

"...I do not believe what you are doing is wrong, Master. I understand that it is for the Royal Selection... and by extension, for the sake of Lady Emilia and our camp."

"Even if it makes sense logically, it isn't easy to accept it in one's heeeart, is it?"

Since he said it knowing full well, Roswaal’s bad personality was truly ingrained. If Emilia were to say it, she’d probably call it a manifestation of a mischievous spirit that just wanted to be scolded properly.

"With the relationship between you and me, Master, that would be difficult, Lady Emilia..."

If Emilia or Petra were here, they could urge Roswaal to reflect through a direct approach; if Ram were here, she would use more unorthodox means. Perhaps anticipating this, only Frederica was present. And Frederica, even putting aside the debt of gratitude she could never repay, understood that Roswaal’s "playing the villain" was for the sake of the camp.

—The ultimate goal of the Emilia camp as a unified front was, first and foremost, the Royal Selection.

In that selection, they had fallen behind for the entire duration they were in the Vollachian Empire. Even without that, Emilia was already a late starter. To make up for that lap of delay and, if possible, gain momentum, they couldn't rely solely on conventional methods. To that end, Roswaal’s dedicated secret maneuvers were proceeding steadily to bring the Barielle territory—which had just lost its absolute pillar, Priscilla Barielle—to their side.

"Now that Lady Priscilla has passed, a temporary regent will be appointed until the next lord is chosen. Fortunately, I can put forward candidates from those under my influence, and for a liaison, it would be fine to borrow one of the Ryuzu-dono—one of the 'Meyer' series."

"...Is it not too early to involve those children of Grandmother's?"

"They say 'if you love your child, send them on a journey,' don't they? If you keep them tenderly in a birdcage, they’ll never learn how to fly. I am of the same miiind."

As Roswaal refined his flawless plan steadily and coolly, Frederica began to seriously doubt if Emilia’s assessment of him was true—perhaps he wasn't just "playing" the villain, but was an actual scoundrel. Perhaps because he was capable of playing the villain's role so thoroughly, the other members of the camp could never truly open their hearts to him. He was too serious.

"Master, at the very least, please show some leniency—"

Just as she was about to point out that his misunderstanding might plant deep seeds of doubt not only within the camp but also in the Barielle territory and Schult’s heart—

"—I-I-I-It is an emergency, sir! Margrave, where are you—!?"

"Was that Master Schult just now?"

Suddenly, Schult’s panicked voice echoed from below, and Frederica exchanged a look with Roswaal. Roswaal raised an eyebrow, seemingly having no idea what was happening. He pushed off the railing, turned around, and called out to Schult, who had burst into the garden below. "Schult-kun."

Upon being called, Schult opened his round eyes wide.

"Margrave! I need you to come right away, sir! There is someone I want you to meet, and a story I want you to hear, sir!"

"—What you have just seen are the final wishes of the late Mistress."

As the red-haired girl—a maid who introduced herself as Yae Tenzan—spoke, revealing the contents of a wax-sealed letter, Roswaal stared with his eyes wide in shock.

"————"

It was rare to see her master show such blatant agitation, but the reaction was understandable. Frederica, who had confirmed the same contents, and everyone else present were struck with amazement. Above all, the shock was greatest for Schult, who was the central figure of the letter's contents.

The contents of the letter were as follows:

『—I, Priscilla Barielle, current head of the Barielle House, in determining my formal successor, hereby declare that the individual known as Schult shall be renamed Schult Barielle, and shall be welcomed as the legitimate child and heir to the Barielle House.』

"Lady Priscilla... chose me...?"

Blinking at the unexpected turn of events, Schult looked as if he didn't know whether he was dreaming or awake. However, hands were placed on Schult’s shoulders from behind, and Yae, who had revealed the letter's location, smiled and rubbed her cheek against the boy's.

"Considering how much the Mistress doted on Schult-chan, isn't this a perfectly believable story? —Though I think she originally intended to keep it hidden during the Royal Selection."

"Lady Yae... Lady Yae, since when did you know about this, sir? You left the mansion months ago and only just returned..."

"—I found out just before the Mistress and Schult-chan left for the Empire. That was around the time she prepared this letter."

At Yae’s quiet answer, large tears began to pool in Schult’s eyes. According to her, Yae was a maid who had previously worked at the mansion and had been on a leave of absence, but she had rushed back upon hearing the news of Priscilla’s death. As could be seen, Yae, who seemed close to Schult, also appeared to have held Priscilla’s deep trust, having been entrusted as the guardian of this important letter she left behind.

The fact revealed as a result greatly disrupted Roswaal’s plans—

"—But, considering Master Schult, perhaps this was for the best."

"...Frederica?"

"It may differ slightly from your thoughts, Master... but the hearts of Master Schult and everyone in this mansion will surely be saved. —She truly was a remarkable person."

Despite being a Royal Selection candidate and an opponent of Emilia’s, Frederica could only describe Priscilla—with whom she had almost no contact—as a great figure. After all—

"To thwart your intentions like this, Master... she must have undoubtedly been a worthy rival for Lady Emilia."

"————"

Once again, Yae looked down at the remaining letter and sighed at her own decision to return to the Barielle mansion, while hugging the trembling Schult from behind.

—It was all a decision made to cooperate in achieving the goal Al aimed for.

"Since there was no signal, I suppose the plan at the Tower failed~"

Originally, Yae was supposed to meet Al, who had headed for the Pleiades Watchtower, in the nearest town. She had promised to cooperate with his so-called mission and witness his final moments when his life ended. However, even when the designated time passed, the signal to meet never came. Yae judged that Al’s plan had failed and withdrew from the town—heading straight back to the Barielle territory.

"Is this the first time I've returned to the mansion openly since Al-sama stopped the Mistress's assassination?"

Of course, in a non-public capacity, she had been coming and going quite frequently to stay in contact with Al. —The letter she used as an excuse to return to the mansion was information she had obtained while hiding in the attic during one of those non-public visits.

To Schult, and to the wicked noble who tried to prey on him—Roswaal L. Mathers—and his accompanying maid, she had lied, saying the letter was entrusted to her by Priscilla.

"In reality, I just peeked while the Mistress was preparing it and putting it in a secret safe."

Thanks to the safe containing the letter being a hidden one, she was able to reveal the location of a letter no one else knew existed, winning trust as the person entrusted with the secret. She felt a bit guilty about using the deceased Priscilla for that purpose, but—

"—But Mistress, did you really think I wasn't watching?"

Honestly, that was a mystery for which Yae didn't have a clear answer. Priscilla had prepared the letter to adopt Schult just before leaving for the Empire and put it in the safe at the same time. Even though she was only her mistress for a short time, Yae did not underestimate her insight. Did that heroine, with eyes that seemed to see through the hearts of others, truly believe in Yae’s absence?

『—Use the letter well and make it serve your own purposes. And while you're at it, you might as well save Schult.』

She wondered if hiding the letter in a safe that no one but Yae, lurking in the attic, would find without tearing the mansion apart, was Priscilla’s way of making such an arrangement. In any case—

"I shall do so, Mistress. —Because I have to wait for Al-sama."

Yae, having decided to accept Priscilla’s kindness, returned to the mansion for that reason. As mentioned before, Al, who couldn't give the signal to continue the plan, likely made a mistake at the Watchtower and fell into a state where carrying out the plan was difficult. But Al would not die. He was alive.

"Because Al-sama is a monster."

Al doesn't die; he can't be killed. Because he is such a monster, Yae follows him.

To witness him fulfill his purpose and die satisfied—to see the existence she feared disappear. —To that end, she would have Schult maintain his distance from the Emilia camp. If something happened to Al, it involved the Emilia camp that accompanied him to the Watchtower. She had to be in a place where she could move at any time for when he broke free from them. Therefore—

"Schult-chan, let us carry out the Mistress's final wishes. It’s alright. I’ll be back at the mansion from now on to help you, Schult-chan."

"Lady Yae... yes. Yes, sir...! I will live up to Lady Priscilla’s expectations, sir! I want you to help me with that, Lady Yae!"

At the determination of the honest and cute Schult—no, the boy who had become Schult Barielle—Yae’s eyes crinkled in an exaggerated smile, and the other servants were moved to tears. Only the Margrave, whose expectations seemed to have been thwarted, wore an ambiguous expression, which felt satisfying as proof that even in death, Priscilla had surpassed someone's schemes.

Yes, Priscilla was a mistress worth serving. —That, at least, was the truth.

"I will do my best, sir! Because when Al-sama and Lord Heinkel return, I want to show them how much I've grown, sir!"

However, Yae hesitated on how to respond to Schult, who was so enthusiastic with a flushed face. Yae also longed for Al’s return. But regarding Heinkel—

"...It might be a bit difficult for Lord Heinkel to come back~"

"—Ghu-agh!"

Immediately after a sensation of floating, Heinkel crashed into the ground and let out a low-voiced cry of pain. After groaning for a while, he slowly moved his limbs to undo his restraints. Once his wrists and ankles, which had been bound tight with thin thread, were free, he confirmed the long-awaited feeling of liberation—

"Dammit...!"

He spat out bitterly, as if cursing the misfortune that had befallen him.

—The one who had tied Heinkel up and left him in a hut in the middle of a forest where no one visited was the girl named Yae, who had claimed to be Aldebaran’s collaborator. Originally a maid serving Priscilla and also an assassin sent after her—a girl with a nonsensical background—she had enticed him, saying that if he cooperated with Aldebaran, the opportunity to obtain what Heinkel wanted—'Dragon's Blood'—would come around. Even though she was the one who enticed him.

"The moment there was no word from that Aldebaran fellow, she says the plan failed? Don't screw with me..."

On top of that, when Heinkel demanded an explanation and the continuation of the plan, she had mercilessly struck him with knee kicks and elbow strikes. Then, she tied him up as he bled from his nose and vanished. From Heinkel’s perspective, there was no reason for him to be treated with such betrayal.

"Every single one of them...!"

Priscilla, whom he relied on, died; Emilia, whom he tried to rely on next, rejected him; and when he tried to cling to the hand Aldebaran reached out, that hand was shaken off, and he was dropped into the abyss. As a result, Heinkel’s future had regressed to the dead end it was before the Royal Selection began.

"But, even so..."

He couldn't give up. He couldn't bring himself to give up. He had never even been able to finish the act of giving up.

"—Dammit!"

He stood up unsteadily, wiped the dried nosebleed with his sleeve, and began to walk. There was no destination in the direction his feet moved. Even without a destination, he couldn't stay still.

—Because Heinkel Astrea was a husband and a father.

"Wait for me, Louanna, Reinhard. I... I will..."

Dragging his feet, Heinkel went on, placing his hand on the hilt of the sword hanging at his waist. He had no destination. —There was only a rusted prayer, worn out from being carried for many years.

"—In the end, I'm sorry for all the hustle and bustle, Ezzo-san."

"No, it can't be helped. I understand that circumstances have changed. Currently, I cannot move from here until replacement personnel arrive, but I will testify whenever necessary."

"That helps. ...Really."

Subaru murmured softly and bowed to Ezzo, who responded like a gentleman. The location was the fifth floor of the Pleiades Watchtower, the large floor in front of the Great Doors. There, Subaru—no, Subaru and the others had finished their travel preparations and were about to leave the tower already. A stay of only half a day; a departure in the early morning, waiting for it to get light outside the tower.

"Somehow, you guys are always in such a rush. Can't you ever leave a tower more quietly?"

"You can say that again. Last time we were warped to the Empire, and this time it's this immediate turnaround."

"That's not Subaru's fault! It's all Al-san's fault... Jeez, I don't even know what to say to Schult-kun. ...Al-san, you idiot."

The ones exchanging these words, adding a somber note at the end, were the girls of the return group. Naturally, each had their own thoughts about how things turned out. About the stay of only half a day, about the situation where they had to leave in a hurry, and about the cause that brought it all about. However, for Subaru, it was painful to hear the person responsible being constantly denounced.

"Boss, I've loaded the luggage onto the dragon carriage. We can leave anytime."

Garfiel, who had returned from outside after opening the Great Doors slightly, called out. Having finished loading the luggage ahead of time, he frowned at Subaru, who had raised his hand.

"You've got a gloomy look on your face, Boss. Just like 'Laurage's Hangnail,' I know you're worried, but..."

"Yeah, I know you're trying to encourage me, but that doesn't click. Hangnail? Laurage?"

"Anyway! You can't change what's already happened. So, the point is to do something about what comes next, right? I'll help with anything."

Showing his fangs in a grin, Garfiel slapped Subaru’s shoulder powerfully. Subaru thought his fragile shoulder might shatter from the force, but he was a hundred times grateful for the sentiment. And, as Garfiel said—he had decided to do it; what came next was what mattered.

"—I'm going to learn properly. Exactly what it is that I've taken on."

Saying so, Subaru touched his chest—the Magic Orb hanging from his neck—and declared his resolve.

—Subaru and Beatrice had been sealed in a Magic Orb just like this one, and during that time, a massive battle sparked by Al had occurred; he didn't know the full details of it clearly.

"————"

Inside the Magic Orb, it was dark, he couldn't move, and his consciousness was vague. It was like returning to being a fetus, immersed in amniotic fluid inside a mother's womb—a continuous dreamlike state. Subaru’s sense of reality there was fuzzy, with nothing certain. As expected of the lovely Beatrice, she had devoted herself to analyzing the forbidden technique that sealed them and dismantling the formula, but all Subaru could do when he had something resembling consciousness was activate the authority of 'Greed'—'Cor Leonis'—to pick up the presence of his nearby comrades and their strong emotional changes.

Still, thanks to his longing for his friends, his desperation, and the repeated large emotional ups and downs, he was able to continue feeling the transition of the extraordinary situation with his soul. Particularly characteristic were Petra, whose colors of preparation and determination were intense, and Rem, whose emotions toward Subaru could only be described as massive and bloated. —Because of that, Subaru was able to indicate the policy of leaving the tower in the early morning with conviction.

Part of it was because the original purpose of visiting the Pleiades Watchtower was for Al's sake, and knowing that was his excuse, there was no longer any meaning in staying, but it wasn't just that—

"—The Sin Archbishop of 'Gluttony' has a way to spit out what they've eaten, right?"

"That's right. The 'Memories' and 'Names' of the people eaten so far... and Rem's, are there."

Subaru nodded deeply at the words of Petra, who had probably utilized that authority of 'Gluttony' most effectively in the loop before his 'Return by Death.'

In that instant, a moment where they couldn't even exchange words, Rem had struck Subaru with her morning star with eyes that understood everything. —She, who gracefully handled the spiked iron ball Subaru polished every day, had certainly regained herself. That was unmistakably due to the involvement of 'Gluttony.' Having that conviction, and furthermore, having 'Gluttony' already in custody. There was no reason not to corner them and make them spit out what they had eaten. Therefore, for that direct negotiation—

"—Let's go, to the nostalgic Royal Capital! I'll meet 'Gluttony' and make them spit out everything! And it seems I can't remain indifferent to the history of the Kingdom or the history of this world."

Thinking of Al, sealed deep within the Magic Orb he held between his fingers, Subaru admonished himself. At Subaru’s declaration of resolve, Beatrice, standing beside him, held his hand; Garfiel stroked his own fangs with a finger; and Meili shrugged her shoulders with the small Crimson Scorpion perched on them. And Subaru accepted the gaze directed at him by the dignified and bravely smiling Petra.

For the sake of the existence who called himself Aldebaran, the 'Star that follows Subaru,' who opposed him with the same power, and whom he had decided he would surely save—Natsuki Subaru would head for the Royal Capital. He would know. Because he realized that remaining ignorant was insincere, and he wouldn't be able to forgive himself.

Therefore—

"—Destiny, bring it on!"

Carrying their feelings and stepping over the curse that stood in his way, Natsuki Subaru made his declaration.

—At the same time as Natsuki Subaru’s declaration of resolve.

In the destination where Natsuki Subaru had just declared he would depart for—the Royal Capital of the Dragon Kingdom of Lugnica, far across the land—a certain incident was occurring.

"————"

In the early morning, while the majority of the people in the Royal Capital were still asleep, overlooking the arrival of morning from within their dreams, an unusual atmosphere hung over the Lugnica Royal Castle, which should normally be shrouded in silence.

The source of that atmosphere was the center of the Royal Castle—the Throne Room.

The severance of the royal line due to illness, which had also been the trigger for the Royal Selection. Because of this, the Throne Room in the Lugnica Royal Castle, where the King was absent, remained firmly closed except for the holding of important ceremonies. However, on this day, this morning, the doors to the Throne Room were wide open. Gathered there were the kingdom's heavyweights—the members of the 'Sage Council,' vassals who had held the deep trust of the deceased King, and even kingdom soldiers who exuded a sense of tension that felt ominous.

"————"

All of them were individuals who bore heavy responsibilities in their respective positions in a kingdom without a King. No one was late despite the early morning summons, and there was not a single insolent person who showed sleepy eyes or a lack of focus in their attitude. Therefore, regardless of the time, the weight of the attention focused here could be said to be the Kingdom itself. —The woman maintained a serene atmosphere while bearing all of that upon herself.

"————"

On the marble floor covered with a red carpet, the person kneeling on one knee with hands clasped in front of her chest and head bowed was dressed in indigo robes. Her prayerful posture was refined; it made the military officers think of martial arts and the civil officials think of etiquette, causing them to sigh involuntarily. To that extent, the woman overwhelmed her surroundings just with the gesture of praying.

"—Hmm. Would you please raise your face?"

Among them, only one person spoke without being captivated by the woman's prayerful gesture. The owner of that voice, which naturally gave listeners a calm and intellectual impression, was one of the castle officials who welcomed the kneeling girl—no, he was in a position that could even be called their representative.

Miklotov McMahon. —In the Lugnica Kingdom without a King, he was the central figure of the 'Sage Council' that steered the affairs of state. Even in this hastily arranged setting, he was a great figure who held the greatest voice and decision-making power. Known for his excellent resourcefulness and extraordinary loyalty and contribution to the Kingdom, this wise man held such a large presence that the King himself had once joked, "The country will not be shaken even if the King of Lugnica dies, but if he dies, the Kingdom will perish." Although his gentle appearance and mild manner of speaking often led to misunderstandings, he was in fact a masterpiece of a man, considered the most reliable ally and the most terrifying enemy in the Lugnica Kingdom. Miklotov was a person who had enjoyed such a reputation for many years.

"—Yes."

Receiving Miklotov’s words, the woman who had been looking down slowly raised her face. And when those closed eyelids opened, Miklotov, who met her gaze, gasped slightly. Miklotov’s reaction was not limited to him. Bordeaux Zellgef, who was present as a fellow member of the 'Sage Council'; Marcos Gildark, the Commander of the Royal Guard standing here as the representative of the military officers; Rickert Hoffman, a central figure among the civil officials; and everyone else who witnessed this moment in the Throne Room reacted in their own way.

A woman who possessed a magical quality that naturally drew everyone's attention just by being there. However, the reaction of everyone at this time was not just because of her presence. —It was her appearance. Her long, lustrous golden hair and her crimson eyes, which held a dignified and strong will, pierced the people of this place—no, the people of the Lugnica Kingdom—with a meaning beyond mere beauty. And—

"—First, I thank you for this sudden visit and for welcoming me so graciously. Considering our respective positions, I'm sure this was not desirable."

As if accustomed to such scrutiny, the woman looked around at the assembled sages and dignitaries while remaining on one knee and spoke. At her opening words, which were neither excessively humble nor ignorant of her position, the people present suppressed their momentary surprise and agitation, leaving the response to their representative, Miklotov. Receiving that intention, Miklotov, sitting in his chair, stroked his very long beard with his fingers, let out a "Hmm," and said:

"My, my, you say things that are quite difficult to say. However, pretenses would be meaningless. What you say is indeed the truth."

"I am relieved to hear you speak so frankly. As I am but a young person, I was afraid that words would not come out in front of all of you."

"Hmm, for saying so, you seem quite composed. You appear accustomed to gathering public attention. I imagine... there are more than a few reasons for that."

"That is true. I won't deny it."

Though there was an age difference between them like that of a grandfather and granddaughter, the exchange between Miklotov and the woman was smooth, and it didn't seem like it would become a one-sided probing due to a difference in caliber. Both of them, as if sensing this, smiled simultaneously as they let out a breath.

"I cannot needlessly take up the time of all of you busy people from such an early hour. Let us get straight to the point... please allow me to enter the main topic."

"Hmm, that would be for the best. At my age, waking up early is no trouble, but important stories are painful to have postponed no matter how old one gets. —Especially if it is a story from the 'Holy Dragon Church,' which has kept its distance from the Royal Castle."

"————"

Though he had encouraged the talk generously, the air in the room tensed for a moment at Miklotov’s statement. The tension was immediately relaxed as it would be rude to the woman who had visited the castle alone, but the reason for it was something no one in this place could help.

—The 'Holy Dragon Church' that Miklotov named was, as the name suggested, a religious organization that revered the existence of the 'Holy Dragon' Volcanica and believed in the blessings of its power and the covenant of protection. As the Lugnica Kingdom called itself the 'Dragon Kingdom,' it was known for its exceptionally deep connection to 'Dragons,' and any person of the Kingdom received the blessings of the 'Holy Dragon' to a greater or lesser extent. From that awareness, the majority of Lugnica’s citizens held a sense of awe toward the 'Holy Dragon' even if they did not officially belong to the church. It goes without saying how strong a faith those who officially belonged to the church held toward the 'Holy Dragon' in such an environment. To prevent the state from being shaken by that great influence, the 'Holy Dragon Church' did not approach the Royal Castle, which handled state affairs, and both contributed to the happiness of the citizens in their respective domains. —That was the tacit understanding. Because of that, it was an extraordinary event for a nun of the 'Holy Dragon Church' to visit the Royal Castle and speak before the 'Sage Council' and others. However—

"—It is worth it."

Precisely because she understood it was an extraordinary thing, there was a reason to break that unwritten rule. The woman's assertion played the role of making them expect that it was something meaningful enough to gather Miklotov and the others in the Throne Room to listen. Therefore, following the silent encouragement of the sages, the woman announced the reason for her visit.

"The 'Holy Dragon Church' and all its believers heartfully lament the recent crises of the Kingdom. By tacit understanding, we have kept our distance from the royal succession struggle... the Royal Selection, which is a state affair. However, since the news of the disaster in the Watergate City reached our ears, we could no longer remain idle."

"The Watergate City... the matter of the Witch Cult in Priestella. We, too, are pained by the damage to that city, but surely the 'Holy Dragon Church' isn't here to offer complaints to the Royal Selection candidates involved in the incident?"

"That would contradict the fact that I rushed here despite breaking the tacit understanding and said it was worth listening to. ...It would contradict it."

Her youth showed in the way she corrected herself after her natural way of speaking slipped out in her sudden rebuttal. As if to cover up that awkwardness, the woman gave a small cough and continued:

"Anyway, I have no complaints for the Royal Selection candidates. There are some points I'd like to say to a few of them, but that is a personal opinion, not the consensus of the 'Holy Dragon Church.'"

"If it is not the view of the Church, then it is a frank opinion as a citizen of the Kingdom. Rather, I think we should actively listen to it... but hmm, that would cause the conversation to stray."

"True. I will remember that you are someone I can talk to, Lord Miklotov, but to the main point. —What we want to discuss is not the pursuit of responsibility, but the damage."

"—I am listening."

"Those who fell victim to the Witch Cult in the Watergate City of Priestella... I hear that multiple symptoms have been confirmed, but the 'Holy Dragon Church' can provide the means for their salvation."

—Instantly, at the meaning of those words, the air in the Throne Room shook greatly with a stir. However, the woman who was the source of that shaking did not break her dignified posture and continued to stand straight while bathed in the gazes of the sages. There was no wavering in her eyes or attitude; she possessed a pride that could not be declared without conviction.

"—Hmm."

By offering that single word of agreement, Miklotov cut through the stirring air. Nonetheless, even Miklotov, one of the Kingdom's leading sages, could not hide his surprise at the woman's offer. The sage, while showing a slight restlessness in the finger stroking his beard, said:

"If that is true, it is a story we could only hope for. The reason you brought that story to the Royal Castle is..."

"It wouldn't be looked upon kindly if we proceeded with things on our own. Besides—"

"The ones who wouldn't look upon it kindly are not just those of us in the castle, but the Witch Cult as well, I suppose."

At the obvious fact, the woman also tucked her slender chin and agreed with Miklotov. Naturally, if the damage brought by the Witch Cult could be undone, it would be nothing other than an undesirable event for the Witch Cult. That is precisely why the 'Holy Dragon Church' desired it.

"—The certain protection of the Kingdom. That is something that has not been realized in a true sense for many years due to the distance between us, who govern state affairs, and the 'Holy Dragon Church,' which governs faith."

"Yes, exactly. We want to realize it on this occasion. That is the consensus of the 'Holy Dragon Church.' —To give a push for that decision, I have a proposal from our side."

"Hmm, a proposal. What is it?"

"First, I will show you. A demonstration of the salvation we can provide."

Miklotov raised an eyebrow at the woman who said that while placing a hand on her chest. It was an offer they could only hope for. As she said, it was a perfect proposal as a basis for judgment. However, bringing a victim from the Watergate City to the Royal Capital immediately would be—

"You should have one person in mind. Let the first person be that individual."

"—Very well. First, I permit you to bring the matter to them. —Commander Marcos."

"Sir!"

Called by name by Miklotov, a giant in armor—Marcos, the Commander of the Royal Guard—stepped forward with a thunderous voice and saluted the 'Sage Council.'

"Could you escort her? This will be a major event for the Kingdom. Be cautious."

"Understood. —I shall accompany her."

"Yes, the one with the big face... no, the one with the big body. I look forward to working with you."

The woman bowed, and her expression softened somewhat. Was it because the flow of the conversation had proceeded in the way she desired, and she seemed likely to fulfill the purpose of her visit from the 'Holy Dragon Church'? To her, Miklotov asked a question, even though he knew it would be a bit of a surprise. Regarding the reason why this woman, who introduced herself as an envoy from the 'Holy Dragon Church' and gathered the Kingdom's heavyweights like Miklotov at the castle from early morning, drew more attention than just being a member of the 'Holy Dragon Church.' That was—

"—I am very sorry, but could you tell me your name, Lady Nun?"

"—I am a nun dispatched from the 'Holy Dragon Church.'"

Faced with the woman who was personally escorted by Marcos to the Royal Guest House—the person who called herself a nun—Ferris could not hide his confusion.

The reason Ferris was staying in the Royal Capital with Wilhelm was to petition the Royal Castle directly—to be allowed to participate as a member of the investigation team for the opened Pleiades Watchtower, and to be taught the means to save Crusch, who still suffers, by the wisdom of the 'Sage' who is hailed as omniscient. Of course, there had already been a letter from Emilia and the others who returned from the Pleiades Watchtower, informing them that neither the existence of the 'Sage' nor his wisdom was so convenient. But even so, there was far more possibility there than in the development of healing magic, which was progressing slowly.

"Really, it's like I'm an idiot. No matter how much I improve existing healing magic, I just become unable to die myself, and I can't even remove a single one of Crusch-sama's pains."

His research into 'Blue,' driven by a desperate hope, had raised the level of Lugnica’s existing healing magic not just by one step but by three in this short period, but that was worthless to the current Ferris. He couldn't save the person he wanted to save most. That fact cornered Ferris and dropped him into darkness. That's why he tried to rely on the Pleiades Watchtower, on the wisdom of the 'Sage'—

"...You can save Crusch-sama? The 'Holy Dragon Church' can? A-Are you serious?"

"Faith does not lie, and I have no hobby of further tormenting those who are lost. Even if you cannot believe me, you should be able to believe your Commander."

Responding to Ferris’s trembling voice, the nun pointed to Marcos, who had accompanied her. When Ferris called out "Commander!" in a high-pitched voice, Marcos nodded with a face like a rock.

"I hear that the 'Holy Dragon Church' possesses magic and techniques that have not been made public. Lord Miklotov and the other members of the 'Sage Council' also believe it is worth trusting."

"...B-But, if something happens to Crusch-sama again because of that..."

"—'Quain’s stone cannot be lifted alone.'"

"—!"

At the nun's quietly spoken words, Ferris involuntarily gasped. With eyes moist from the turbulent flow of rising emotions, the nun gently reached out her hand to Ferris and, with her slender fingers, softly unraveled Ferris’s fingers, which were clenched tight. Ferris, who let her do as she pleased, suddenly noticed her beautiful golden hair and her crimson eyes, which held a serious light, and his eyes widened. He didn't understand the meaning of the realization that added to his confusion—

"Please. Please, let me help your precious person. The 'Holy Dragon Church' always wishes for the happiness of the Kingdom's citizens. No matter what ideology one holds, there are no exceptions."

"W-Who... who are you?"

"————"

She caught her breath at Ferris’s question, but she suppressed her slight hesitation with a blink and, while still softly holding his hand, answered. That was—

"—Philo-Aure. That is my name."

—The daughter of the King's brother, who was taken from the Royal Castle fifteen years ago and disappeared. The nun, with the golden hair and crimson eyes that were characteristics of the royal family, had introduced herself by the same name as that vanished princess.

With this, Chapter 9 is concluded! Thank you for sticking with me! What I wanted to do in Chapter 9 was to once again depict the light and darkness of 'Return by Death.' What is the light of death...?? For everyone who finished reading, which did you think was the 'Return by Death' of light, and which was the 'Return by Death' of darkness?

Anyway, from the next update, we finally plunge into Chapter 10! There were many things that didn't go as planned, but overall, I think the fact that the written version is more interesting than before it was written is the beauty of a story being a living thing! The plot for Chapter 10 is also interesting, so I think it'll turn out even more interesting than the plot! Look forward to it!