Subaru kicked the door open with a force that echoed down the hall, the impact reverberating through the old manor walls. He stood in the doorway, gasping for air, sweat clinging to his brow and streaming down his face in rivulets. His pupils were dilated, his breath ragged, and his heart hammered against his ribs like a war drum. Each beat screamed urgency. A tempest of emotion churned within him—fury, despair, fear—all of it boiling to the surface, barely contained. He felt like a dam ready to burst. For a moment, he said nothing, and then in a low, raspy voice, he forced the words out:
"Roswaal. I need your help."
Inside the richly furnished room, Roswaal sat languidly on a velvet chair, draped in his customary flamboyance, as if he'd been waiting for a cue in a play. His lips curled into an exaggerated smile, the glint in his mismatched eyes exuding that all-too-familiar amusement.
"Ooooh, Subaru-kun~ Such a dramatic entrance, hmmm? And what kind of help does my dear trouble-magnet require this time?"
Subaru clenched his jaw and exhaled through his nose, trying to rein in the tremor that ran through his arms. Every second felt like another thread snapping inside him. He spoke again, this time faster, his voice strained and laced with desperation.
"There's someone in Kararagi. A family member. I just found out. I need to get there. I have to find them before it's too late. I don't have time to explain more."
Roswaal tilted his head with exaggerated grace, fingers intertwining with unsettling calm. His painted smile dimmed slightly into an expression of mock sympathy.
"Ah... how unfortunate. But I'm afraid I can't spare any effort on personal errands. I am, after all, the Royal Court Mage. Duties, obligations... priorities, as you surely understand."
Subaru's eyes darkened, pupils narrowing to slits. His whole body was shaking now—not from fear, but from the effort of keeping his fury in check. His fists curled so tightly that crescent-shaped marks formed in his palms, his nails drawing blood. His voice dropped, coated in venom.
"Listen to me, you clown... obsessed with your dead teacher."
Roswaal's grin vanished. The room fell into a sudden, almost unnatural stillness. It was as if the air itself recoiled. The mask slipped for the briefest second, and something cold and dangerous looked out from behind his painted features. His voice, when he spoke again, was lower, stripped of pretense.
"You tread on dangerous ground, Natsuki Subaru."
But Subaru stood his ground, eyes blazing. "I know about Echidna. I know you want to bring her back."
The impact of the name was immediate. Roswaal flinched, his eyes widening with what might have been shock—or rage. The air thickened, vibrating with mana, as if the world itself had drawn a sharp breath.
"Don't you dare speak that name so casually," he hissed. "You have no idea what you're meddling with."
Subaru smirked, not backing down an inch. His smile was thin, cold, and unwavering—the smile of someone who had stared death in the face and refused to bow.
"What will you do then? Kill me? Go ahead, try it. But let's not pretend. You need me. I'm the only one who can get you to her. Without me, you're just another lunatic with a dream."
The tension snapped. Roswaal rose, his robe swirling with the motion like the cloak of a conjurer mid-spell. His eyes sharpened into slits of barely restrained wrath.
"You think this is a game? You think you're the only one who's suffered, who's sacrificed? How much do you truly know, Natsuki Subaru?"
Subaru stepped forward, inching closer, gaze locked and unrelenting. His voice was steady.
"More than you think... Altair."
(A/N: Roswaal's real name is Altair.)
For a heartbeat, everything stopped. Roswaal's face drained of color. That name—it pierced him like a dagger. The name wasn't just forbidden; it was secret, buried, a fragment of a past meant to be lost.
A heavy silence stretched between them. And then, without a sound, Roswaal vanished.
Subaru was alone in the room, the echo of his breath and heartbeat filling the void. Every muscle in his body tensed, his instincts screaming.
"Be ready," came a whisper in his mind—Flugel's voice, cryptic and cold. "He's coming."
Time warped. The air bent. Subaru barely had a second to brace himself before the world around him shattered.
Pain. Sudden and absolute. He gasped. Something had punctured his chest. When he looked down, all he saw was Roswaal's arm—embedded deep in his torso, fingers wrapped around his heart.
It wasn't just physical pain. It felt like his very soul had been yanked from its anchor.
Roswaal leaned in, whispering words laced with malevolence and finality.
"Everyone who knew that name is dead. And now... it's your turn."
Blood gushed from Subaru's mouth, his vision blurring into darkness. But even as the life drained from him, he grinned—broken, bleeding, defiant.
It wasn't a smile of surrender. It was the smile of a man who had faced the abyss and come back. Again and again.
"You can kill me, Roswaal... but remember this—when I die, I don't stay dead."
His breath came in jagged gasps, each one more shallow than the last. The light within his eyes began to flicker and fade, like a candle burning its final wick. Roswaal, watching closely, assumed it was over. The young man had finally succumbed. With a soft sigh, Roswaal began to pull his hand away from Subaru's chest, ready to pronounce his end.
But in that precise instant, Subaru's arm jerked.
It was a violent, unnatural motion—far too sudden for someone on the verge of death. His fingers shot forward like claws and latched onto Roswaal's wrist with bone-crushing force.
"W-What is happening?!" Roswaal's voice cracked as fear overtook him.
Subaru's eyes had changed.
The warmth, the humanity—they were gone. What remained was a lifeless gray, faded and bleak like ash. His pupils were diluted to near invisibility, and his once dark hair had turned ghostly white. His skin had taken on a pallid tone, and the aura that once surrounded his body—a soft heat of life and mana—had been replaced with an oppressive cold. It was a deathly frost, like the chilling breath that rises from an open grave.
Flugel had arrived.
This time, it was not just his presence—it was his voice, his soul. He spoke through Subaru's lips, but the tone was ancient, layered with the weight of forgotten eras.
"Yes... I suppose I must admit, it has been an eternity since I last inhabited a body. And this one... yes, this one is unusually compatible."
Roswaal's heart pounded. He tried to summon his magic, to will it into his veins—but it was like trying to breathe underwater. The flow was stifled. His circuits choked beneath an invisible pressure.
He yanked at his hand, trying to escape the dead boy's grasp. No response.
"Who—what are you?! Release me this instant!" Roswaal bellowed, but his voice trembled. His command was not one of authority, but of desperation.
The air grew heavier.
Death had taken voice. And it now stood in that room, speaking in the tongue of gods.
Flugel turned Subaru's head slowly toward Roswaal. His expression was serene—but in a way that froze the soul.
"You seek to command me? You—a painted clown playing at wisdom? You should remember your place, insect. A mere student of that deluded witch... you scurry beneath her skirt, clinging to borrowed power."
Roswaal's eyes burned. Fury overtook his fear. Mana surged through his blood like fire through oil.
"YOU DARE SPEAK ILL OF HER?!" he roared.
Flugel smiled. Slowly, mockingly, he raised a finger and dug it into his ear as if clearing out a bothersome sound.
"Very noisy... filled with childish passion. How exhausting. How boring, how disgusting, how stupid."
(A/N: The melancholic wizard imitates Hector.
After all, he is a character who has a great influence on Roswaal.)
Then, without pause, he squeezed Roswaal's wrist.
The crack was sharp and clean. Bone split like dry wood. Roswaal screamed as his muscles spasmed, and before he could even register the full pain, Flugel gave the smallest twist—just a flex of his fingers.
The arm detached from the socket with a wet, horrible sound.
"There. I've let go. You may have your freedom. How does it feel?"
Roswaal dropped like a stone, clutching the bloody stump. Pain consumed him, but instinct drove him. He summoned a fire spell, searing the wound closed with agonizing heat. The smell of burning flesh filled the room as blood soaked into the fine carpet. With a snarl, he began forming an offensive incantation with his other hand.
"UL GO—"
"Too slow."
Flugel appeared before him, his eyes scanning Roswaal's spell matrix in real time. He unraveled it mentally, dismantling it like a craftsman breaking down a flawed tool.
"Ah. No. That simply won't do."
With two fingers, he jabbed Roswaal's elbow. A second crack sounded, and before Roswaal could react, Flugel spun and drove his knee directly into the man's sternum. Roswaal was hurled backward, smashing into the wall with a sickening crunch. Blood spurted from his mouth, and a lone tooth bounced across the floor like a fallen coin.
Still, Roswaal rose.
His knees trembled. His body screamed in protest. But his spirit, cracked as it was, had not yet shattered. He summoned a sphere of blazing red fire, channeling everything he had into it.
"AL GOA!"
The orb hovered in the air—then froze.
Flugel had raised his right hand. "Vanish."
The spell imploded. Its structure folded inward on itself, like a dying star collapsing into a void. What was left was silence—a vacuum that sucked away even the ambient mana in the room.
"That's all? Truly? Roswaal... You are not just weak. You are embarrassing."
With a snarl, Roswaal threw himself forward, no longer a mage but a wounded animal. Magic exploded around him in ragged waves. Lightning crawled along the floor, and the chandelier overhead burst into shards. The entire room dimmed.
Flugel tilted his head. "Still you persist. Stubbornness is not strength."
He took one step.
The ground buckled beneath him.
A pulse of invisible energy shot forward and slammed into Roswaal, driving him into the wall as if nailed by a divine hammer. The stone fractured behind him, bones cracking in chorus. Blood trickled from his lips. Yet his body refused to fall.
Roswaal's final reserves ignited. Mana surged outward from every cell, his veins glowing beneath the skin. His complexion darkened, turning an unnatural violet.
"I... won't let you... win..."
He began forming a catastrophic spell, one capable of incinerating the entire mansion. It was madness. It was desperation. But it was power.
Flugel narrowed his eyes.
"You would destroy the home of that precious little Beatrice? How noble. How tragic. How utterly... pathetic."
He didn't let Roswaal finish.
Flugel reappeared before him, his presence slicing through space like a blade.
With surgical precision, he reached forward and tore away Roswaal's remaining arm.
The scream that followed was no longer human. It echoed through the halls like the wail of a cursed soul.
Blood sprayed across the wall. Roswaal collapsed.
And in the suffocating silence that followed, Flugel stood over him—unchanged, unmoved, eternal.
Roswaal froze in shock after the second blow. His pupils contracted into pinpricks. His breathing turned erratic, his chest heaving in shallow gasps. His whole body trembled, fingers twitching uncontrollably.
"P-please... don't kill me... I beg you!"
Flugel let out a devilish chuckle, his voice rich with disdain. He pointed to the deep, gaping wound in his chest. His once-immaculate robes were torn asunder, revealing a hollow chasm nestled between his exposed ribs. The emptiness seemed to pulse with an unnatural stillness.
"You see the void in my chest, Roswaal? You see this curse of absence? What do you suppose it is?"
Roswaal stammered, his voice barely holding together. "But... you're alive! You shouldn't be walking, talking! You didn't die!"
Flugel exhaled deeply, his breath like a cold wind brushing across a tomb. The weight of his words seemed to thicken the air itself. "No. Subaru is dead. That soul has moved beyond reach. And not long from now... I will follow. This body... I claimed it only because my hatred for you demanded it, Roswaal."
Roswaal crumpled to the floor like a marionette with its strings cut. His body quaked, his lips drained of color, and his vision blurred to a watery haze. "Then... who... who are you really?"
Flugel turned toward the door. Each step echoed through the silence like a drumbeat of finality. The air trembled around him.
"My name is Flugel," he said, his voice a low rumble. "The Great Sage."
As Roswaal lay trembling, caught in the jaws of dread, a memory surfaced—Echidna's voice, calm and precise, whispering through the corridors of his mind:
"I once traveled with a sage named Flugel. Myself, Satella, Flugel, and Reid Astrea... Satella absorbed the Witch of Envy's factor, but it overwhelmed her. She lost control. It took both the Great Sage and the First Sword Saint to stop her. And the one who sealed her... was Flugel."
The memory stabbed into Roswaal's heart like a burning spike. The blood oozing from his arm was nothing next to the weight of that revelation. He could only lie there—helpless, bleeding, waiting for the end to come.
The door creaked open.
Ram.
Flugel stepped out just as Ram appeared, blocking his path. Her eyes narrowed, her stance fierce despite the confusion and fear brimming beneath the surface.
"Barusu? No... you're not him. Who are you? Answer me!"
Flugel simply smiled, the expression inscrutable, and opened the door fully. Through the gap, Roswaal's broken form was now in plain view.
"I think you have someone more urgent to tend to."
Without another word, Ram rushed past him, her breath caught in her throat. When she saw Roswaal's state, her hands clenched into fists. Fury sparked in her eyes.
Flugel continued down the hall, unconcerned. At the corridor's end, he paused, drew in a long breath, and called out:
"BETTY! WHERE AAAARE YOU?!"
He already knew where the forbidden library was hidden. But shouting like that... it gave him a kind of wicked satisfaction. He had helped create Beatrice. In many ways, he was her father. There was a strange pride in the name.
Even after he departed, the room he left behind held only the cold, the blood, and the ruin.
Flugel arrived at the door to the forbidden library. A heavy, suffocating silence blanketed the air like dust in a crypt. He reached for the ancient doorknob. His hand hovered, then gripped it—its chill seeped through his bones. The door creaked open.
Inside, surrounded by the soft glow of countless tomes, Beatrice looked up. Her eyes widened in disbelief.
"Master Flugel? Is that... truly you?" Her voice trembled, equal parts hope and dread.
Flugel stepped forward, arms opening, a radiant smile on his face. "Yes, dear Betty. It's me. Your old master. I've come to see you. It has been far too long. I've missed you deeply."
He walked gently across the room and embraced her. Beatrice froze for a moment, then melted into the hug. Time seemed suspended.
Tears welled in her eyes. Her voice broke. "Y-you sealed yourself away... Master Flugel! How can you be here? What happened?!"
His voice came soft, gentle like snowfall, but heavy with longing. "Still the same curious child, aren't you? Is this how you greet your teacher after four hundred years? Enough questions for now. Just hold me. Let yourself feel this moment."
Beatrice clung to him. His warmth was unlike anything she had known for centuries—it reminded her of her mother's embrace, of forgotten comfort. She felt like a child finding her way home again.
Time passed. Words fell away, leaving only silence and memory. But then, Flugel's body began to shimmer and splinter. His skin cracked like old bark, and flakes of light drifted from him, dissipating into the air.
Beatrice recoiled in panic, eyes wide. "Master Flugel! The seal—it's still active, isn't it?! You're... you're only here because of mana, right?!"
Flugel nodded, smiling faintly. He placed a hand on her head, gently stroking her hair as if to calm her one last time.
"Clever girl... Yes. I'm only here for a limited time. I borrowed Subaru's body—synchronized my soul with his, briefly. I came to finish one final task. To settle an old score... and to see you again, my dearest creation."
Beatrice sobbed quietly, her fingers curling around the edge of his robe, as if trying to hold him together for just a few moments longer.
"Please... don't go... not yet..."
Flugel's voice was now almost a whisper, fading with every word. "Be strong, Betty. There are still people who need you. Subaru... will need you."
Just then, a furious voice roared from behind the door. "Whoever you are, get out of my sister's room! You demon!"
It was Puck. His usually soft voice cracked with rage, trembling with emotion.
Flugel strode toward the door with an amused grin tugging at his lips. He extended a hand, pushing the door open with only the faintest pressure, and peered through the gap.
"Demon? Oh, kitty... that's a little harsh. I'm wounded," he said playfully.
The moment Puck saw who stood before him, his entire demeanor shifted. His pupils dilated in disbelief.
Behind him, Emilia cautiously leaned forward, peeking past Puck's shoulder. Her amethyst eyes widened as her lips trembled. "You...? Subaru? Is that you?"
Rem's instincts kicked in. She stepped in front of Emilia with lightning speed, gripping her morningstar tightly. Her eyes locked on Flugel, scrutinizing every movement.
"Stay back, Emilia-sama! That's not Subaru-kun. The scent... it's wrong. The aura's distorted. That soul doesn't belong to him."
The corridor grew tense. Heavy, deliberate footsteps echoed toward the gathering. Each step hit like a war drum. Then Ram entered the scene.
Her expression was taut, her jaw clenched. Her narrowed eyes burned with restrained fury. For once, the calm facade of a servant was gone. What stood before them now was not just a maid, but a sister grieving, a warrior seeking justice.
"You…" Her voice cracked, but she forced it steady. "You killed Roswaal-sama."
Despite the tremor in her tone, her words were laced with ice. Her crimson eyes, glowing with inner fire, refused to waver. Ram had carried complicated feelings for Roswaal—loyalty, bitterness, even love—but in this moment, they had all been scorched away, leaving only vengeance.
A heavy silence fell. Beatrice inhaled sharply, holding her breath. Emilia covered her mouth with her hands in disbelief. Rem glanced sideways, uncomfortable, perhaps even a little afraid. This was a side of Ram she had never seen before.
Ram didn't look at them. Her entire focus was on Flugel, her gaze piercing. It was a stare laden with sorrow, history, and unresolved pain.
Slowly, she raised her staff. Winds circled her feet, whirling upward as she began to chant. But the incantation failed. In an instant, the mana flow vanished. The air, once charged with energy, turned still.
"W-What… what's going on?!" Ram gasped.
Flugel tilted his head with a soft, condescending smile. "I severed your connection to mana. You're not casting anything in my presence."
Ram stumbled a step backward. Her breathing quickened. No one else dared to move, frozen by the sheer presence emanating from the entity before them.
Flugel's form had begun to flicker now, light breaking from the edges of his silhouette. His time was nearly up.
"Hmm... looks like my time's run out," he murmured, almost to himself.
He turned his gaze toward Puck, and for once, there was no sarcasm, no mockery—just sincerity. "Take care of her, kitty. Be by her side. She needs you more than ever."
Puck lowered his head solemnly. Words failed him.
Then Flugel shifted to Emilia. He offered her a gentle, fleeting smile—haunted yet strangely warm.
Finally, he turned to Beatrice. His expression softened even further.
"We'll meet again soon, Betty. Be ready. This time, there won't be any goodbyes."
Beatrice's tiny fists trembled as tears streamed down her cheeks. Despite that, she smiled, voice barely a whisper. "I'll wait… I promise."
A final shimmer passed through Flugel's form. Then, in a burst of light, his body disintegrated. Glittering fragments of mana floated into the air like fireflies, vanishing into silence.
[DING!!]
[Return by Death – ACTIVE]
A whisper came from the void. It was her voice—Satella's—speaking from the depths of his soul.
"I love you..."
As Flugel was swallowed by the darkness, he gave a low, echoing chuckle.
"I know~"
With a sharp gasp, Subaru snapped awake.
He was back—kneeling at the front gates of the mansion. His hands trembled. His breaths came shallow, rapid.
"Just now... Roswaal killed me... But it didn't feel like dying. What the hell just happened to me?"
Flugel's voice echoed within his thoughts.
"I used a portion of your mana to reanimate your body temporarily. I needed to settle a debt with Roswaal."
Subaru closed his eyes for a moment, exhaling slowly. "So... you're inside my soul. That means you can move my body when I die. I guess... I can live with that. But that also means Roswaal is off the table. He won't help us anymore. What do we do now?"
Flugel's tone shifted—cool, composed, calculating.
"For now, step away from the Emilia camp. Politics demand cold hearts. You've already received an offer from Anastasia. Treat it as a blessing. Speak to Emilia calmly, without burning bridges. Try to convince Beatrice to come with you. Her presence will be essential."
Subaru nodded slowly. His eyes hardened, fire flickering behind them. "Right... I'll try. I won't waste this chance."
Above him, the sky began to pale with the first light of dawn. With newfound resolve, Subaru stood tall.
This wasn't the end. It was only the beginning.
[Ding!!]
[Authority: Resonance by Death has copied a new ability from Roswaal L. Mathers]
Name: Air Step
Type: Active Skill
Features:
-The user creates a layer of wind beneath their feet using wind and earth mana.
-Enables high-speed movement.
-Requires precise control over both wind and earth mana for activation.
A transparent screen shimmered into view before Subaru, suspended in the air with a gentle, wavering glow. The letters it bore were elegant, traced with mana as though inscribed by a calligrapher's hand. Subaru squinted at the screen, a crease forming between his brows. His expression gradually darkened with disapproval. He sighed deeply, frustration clinging to the breath, then gave his head a slow shake.
"Flugel... This won't work. I have no alignment with either earth or wind mana. Even if I push my reserves like you said, I won't be able to maintain it. It's a waste."
Flugel's voice responded with a long-suffering groan, the kind that sounded far too practiced. "Haah~ You really are hopeless. Still stuck in that old mindset where you underestimate yourself and overestimate limitations. But... fine. Just this once, I'll make an exception."
The screen flickered with renewed light. The glowing characters warped, shifting like fluid until they settled into a new configuration.
[Ding!!]
[Essence of the skill "Air Step" forcibly modified]
[Air Step --> Yin Step]
Name: Yin Step
Type: Active Skill
Synchronization Rate: 10%
Features:
-Allows the user to phase through and travel within shadows using yin mana.
-Due to the user's natural affinity, mana consumption is significantly reduced.
-Activation still requires refined control over yin mana.
"Now then," Flugel said with renewed curiosity, "how does this one look to you?"
Subaru's lips curled into a faint smirk. There was a gleam in his eyes—not just interest, but something darker, deeper. "Looks promising. Let's give it a test."
He exhaled slowly, centering himself. From the space beneath his feet, a tide of black shadow slithered upward. The darkness clung to his legs, liquid and alive, creeping up to his knees with eerie grace. His body began to descend, as though the ground had become water and he a stone slipping below the surface.
[Yin Step - Activated]
When Subaru opened his eyes again, he found himself floating in a world of darkness. Yet it wasn't suffocating—there was clarity, like peering through smoked glass at the world beyond. Time felt slower here. His limbs were weightless. He could neither see nor feel his body, yet every fiber of his consciousness was in contact with his surroundings. It was more than just a technique—it was a different state of existence.
Flugel's voice echoed through the void, amused. "Not bad. Ideal for sneaking around, perhaps even peeking under skirts, hm?"
Subaru rolled his eyes so hard it felt like they might fall out. "Really? We're doing this now? You do realize I'm not twelve, right?"
"Still worth checking. You never know," Flugel teased.
Choosing to ignore him, Subaru focused on the way the shadows pulsed and breathed around him. They weren't just empty spaces—they responded to him, followed his will. When he thought of moving forward, the shadows carried him like a current. His speed increased slightly, though sharp turns or sudden stops still eluded him. He lacked finesse, but the raw potential was unmistakable. He wasn't walking—he was gliding, becoming one with the gloom.
As he ventured deeper, orientation grew harder. There were no points of reference, no up or down. Yet through intuition and sheer willpower, Subaru surged upward. As if breaching the surface of a still lake, his body rose back into the material world. The shadows receded from his form like mist caught in the wind, leaving only a faint chill across his skin.
The physical distance he covered was small, but his mind was racing. He'd glimpsed what was possible.
Flugel's tone turned didactic, even reverent. "This skill... it's more than stealth. It's perfect for infiltration, escape, and surprise assaults. You're intangible to most conventional attacks while submerged. Rugged terrain, narrow passages, vertical climbs—none of them matter. In battle, you become a phantom. A shadow that strikes before being seen."
Subaru knelt, grounding himself after the experience. His breathing had steadied, but his heart still beat with excited tension. He stretched his arms out, rotating his shoulders slowly.
"This is going to take time. The learning curve is steep. Is there any way I can shorten it?"
There was a moment of silence from Flugel. Then came the inevitable sigh. "You always want shortcuts. But fine. Tonight, I'll help you awaken your mana heart. It's a process you were meant to undergo alone—through hardship, repetition, and pain. That's how it should be. But our dear little sister may be in danger... and you need to be strong if we're going to save her. For that, I'll bend the rules—just this once."
Subaru stood, eyes narrowing with newfound resolve. The path ahead was uncertain, but for the first time, he had a way to walk it unseen.
Subaru lowered his head, shadows flickering in his eyes. Yet, amid that darkness, a sharper, blazing resolve burned bright. He drew a deep breath. This wasn't just about a new power—this was a turning point, the moment when doubt needed to give way to determination.
He pushed open the mansion's heavy front door and stepped inside. The shadows crept behind him, trailing his every footstep like memories refusing to be left behind. Every creak of the wooden floor, every flicker of candlelight felt like a reminder: he had a mission. And this time, he couldn't afford to fail.
"Power can wait," he whispered to the empty hallway. "First... I need to gather allies. I can't face what's coming alone. The time has come... to prepare."
His boots echoed across the marble floor as he walked deeper into the corridor, each step ringing out like a war drum. Thoughts twisted and churned in his mind, a storm of doubts and hopes. His heart thudded painfully, caught between fear and resolve. The silence of the mansion wrapped around him like a shroud, and his voice came out barely louder than a whisper:
"Who do you think would follow us?"
Flugel paused for a moment, his voice calm and thoughtful. "Elsa and Meili, certainly. Their loyalty to you isn't just born of duty—they feel connected to you. They're the kind of people who don't follow easily... but they chose you. That counts for something. But Rem and Ram? They remain tied to Roswaal. Their hearts and minds are... complicated. And unfortunately, Emilia and Puck... I doubt they'd be able to join us. Roswaal would stop them, directly or otherwise. He has his claws deep in that camp. As for Beatrice... she's the wild card. If we can bring her with us, she'll be a huge asset. More than that, she deserves to be free. That lonely girl has waited long enough. Her fate shouldn't be chained to that library for eternity."
Subaru smiled softly, a mix of warmth and sorrow coloring his expression. "You're still soft, Flugel. I can tell. But that's not a bad thing. Joking aside... it hurts to be apart from Emilia and Rem. They're important to me. But Hikari's more important now. I'd risk everything to save her."
Flugel gave a low hum, not quite agreeing, but not protesting either. Subaru reached his first destination: Meili's room.
He pushed the door open gently. Inside, Elsa sat calmly brushing Meili's hair. Meili still had the dazed look of someone just waking up, her eyes misty with sleep. But the warmth between them, quiet and unspoken, was unmistakable. Elsa's motions were patient, even affectionate—a quiet bond forged in shared silence.
When they turned and saw Subaru, Meili's face lit up instantly. Her eyes sparkled as she dashed across the room.
"Subaru-nii!!"
With a joyful cry, she leapt into his arms. Subaru caught her and held her tight. "I missed you too, Meili."
As he stroked her hair, she snuggled into his chest with a soft murmur. Elsa rose slowly, her gaze cool but alert. Her eyes narrowed just a bit, not out of hostility, but curiosity. She didn't understand why he was here at this hour.
"This is unusual... What brings you here so early? Something happened?"
Subaru sat down, still holding Meili in his lap as she basked in the attention. His expression shifted; the weight of his thoughts crept into his posture. He took a moment to gather his words before he spoke.
"Yeah. Something big."
Elsa arched an eyebrow and leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "Go on."
He didn't waste time. "I spoke with Anastasia-sama this morning."
Elsa rolled her eyes, her voice laced with a dangerous kind of sarcasm. "Another girl? Really, Subaru? You never change."
Subaru ignored the jab with a wry smile. "Anastasia is actually from Kararagi. When I showed her my plans, she said she'd seen something similar before. A girl with my surname and my eyes. Natsuki Hikari. My sister."
Meili's expression changed immediately. She frowned and pouted. "Subaru-nii! I'm your sister too!"
Subaru chuckled warmly and hugged her tighter. "You'll always have a special place, Meili. That won't ever change."
Elsa's teasing smirk faded. She spoke up again, this time more serious. "But... shouldn't she be in your world?"
Subaru let out a quiet sigh, lowering his gaze to the floor. His fingers tightened slightly at his sides, as though the weight of his next words physically pressed down on him. "Yeah... it has to be this way. But I heard she was there. I still don't really understand everything that's going on. The only thing I know for sure is that Hikari is there right now—alone. And who knows what she's up against. That's why I have to go to Kararagi."
He paused for a moment, raising his eyes to meet theirs with quiet intensity. "And... I want both of you to come with me."
Elsa tilted her head, then gave a short nod, a glint of steel-sharp determination flashing in her eyes. "We never intended to leave you to face this on your own. Besides... this mansion's gotten boring. The silence here is starting to feel like a coffin. A little chaos sounds refreshing."
Meili, who had been quietly listening, lit up like a child given candy. Her eyes sparkled with eager delight. "Wherever you go, I'm coming too, Subaru-nii! Who cares where it is? If it's with you, that's enough! And anyway... I need to have a talk with Hikari. We'll finally see who the better little sister is!"
Subaru chuckled softly, a small but genuine smile breaking through the cloud of anxiety clinging to him. The tightness in his chest eased, just a bit. Having them beside him—these two strange, dangerous, and loyal people—made the looming storm feel just a little more bearable. "Thank you—really. Both of you. Alright... I'll lay out the plan."
He took a deep breath, then began explaining all he had learned from Anastasia in meticulous detail. He outlined the strategic significance of Kararagi, the unpredictable threats they might run into, and the critical importance of each person's role in the mission. Every crossing point, every delay they might face, and every contingency he had considered spilled from his lips like carefully placed stones forming a path through unknown terrain.
Time was already slipping through their fingers. Preparations had to begin immediately if they were to act before conditions turned against them. Subaru asked the two to gather their supplies and prepare for departure.
Meili squealed with excitement, bolting down the hallway like a shot, already listing aloud what she would pack—most of which sounded unnecessary and chaotic. Elsa, by contrast, moved in her usual quiet, fluid way. She ran her fingers along the edge of her blades, checking each one with a careful eye. A faint, knowing smirk crossed her lips as if anticipating the bloodshed ahead.
Subaru lingered by the doorway. For a heartbeat, he remained still, casting a final look back into the room. It wasn't grand or symbolic—just a simple space that had, for a short time, held a fragile peace. In that space stood two individuals who had chosen to walk with him into uncertainty.
He stepped outside. The morning sun, gentle and golden, kissed his face with its soft warmth. The breeze that drifted through the air felt like a breath from the world itself, urging him onward. He closed his eyes and drew a slow breath, trying to clear the weight nesting in his mind. "Now... I need to tell Emilia what's happening," he murmured.
He stopped briefly, a knot forming between his brows. "How do you think she'll take it, Flugel?"
"Emilia will want to go with you. That much is certain. Her heart is unclouded, and her determination, unwavering. But it is exactly because of that purity that she's vulnerable."
His voice dropping into a more solemn cadence. "And this isn't just about emotional fragility. Her choices ripple far beyond herself. If she leaves the capital, people will notice. Roswaal will notice. And for someone like him—an opportunist at his core—that attachment to you becomes a lever. One he can use to bend her will. If he senses her bond with you is strong enough, he may manipulate the situation to send her back to the Sanctuary. Once there, she could be forced to endure the Witch of Greed's trial again."
Subaru's breath caught in his throat. The mere thought of Emilia being subjected to that test once more was unbearable.
Flugel, sensing his reaction, continued. "That's why I need to talk to Puck and Beatrice. If I can bring them in on this, get them to understand the scope of what's at stake, then maybe they can help hold Emilia back. If I know she's being protected, I can let you go forward without needing to look over your shoulder."
Subaru gave a small nod, exhaling with quiet resolve. "I know she'll want to come. That's who she is. And that's why... I can't let her. To protect her, I need to carry this weight alone. I'll tell her everything myself—even if it breaks his heart."
Each step toward Emilia's room felt heavier than the last. He could already hear her voice in his memory—kind, earnest, always believing in him. Telling her they had to part, even if only for a while, felt like breaking something delicate.
He stood outside her door, heart pounding. His hands curled into fists, then slowly relaxed as he drew in a steadying breath. Gathering what little strength he could, he raised his hand and pushed the door open with deliberate care.
"Mili," he said softly. "I'm here."
And with that, the next difficult moment began.