Roswaal's Conversation
At this moment, compared to a few days ago, Roswaal's appearance could only be described as utterly miserable.
His entire body was wrapped in bandages, with blood occasionally seeping from underneath.
His right hand was missing—where it had gone, no one knew.
It wouldn't be surprising if he died in the very next second.
"Ladies and gentlemen, may I speak with Subaru alone? Then I shall answer all of your questions."
Subaru nodded toward the others.
The people from the Astrea household hesitated for a moment but eventually left the room.
In the large interrogation room, only Subaru and Roswaal remained.
Subaru pulled out the chair across from Roswaal and sat down.
"Ask whatever you want. I've been wanting to have a proper conversation with you."
"Then I'll get straight to the point. Was this whole war targeting the Astrea mansion orchestrated by you?"
"Yes, that's right. I hired the assassination guild with money. The White Rabbit was guided by my magic.
Cecilus came in from the border I was guarding.
I persuaded Puck and Capella to act.
There's no doubt—I am the one and only true mastermind behind everything."
As Roswaal spoke, Subaru was filled with nothing but shock—shocked by Roswaal's intellect, shocked by his ability to gather such a vast force.
This was a monster.
If Reinhild was the peak of martial power Subaru had witnessed, then the being before him was surely the pinnacle of intelligence.
"It's really great to meet you here. As I thought, you're the perfect partner."
???
"You didn't think I did all this because of Reinhild, did you?"
"Didn't you launch this attack for the royal selection?
To eliminate Felt, who was one step away from becoming king, and increase the chances of Emilia, whom you support?"
Subaru was finally surprised.
The moment he learned Roswaal was the mastermind, he had assumed the attack's target was Felt's faction.
"I see. Since this is our first face-to-face meeting like this, you must not know yet. My target has always been you, Subaru-kun."
"Me!? Even if I rejected your invitation, there's no need to go this far, right?"
"This is a trial—a test for you from it. A way to see if you are that person."
"It?"
"As long as you haven't deviated from what the book records, you possess the means to return by death.
But you chose Reinhild.
You actually chose Reinhild, so I once thought you weren't the one.
But you did indeed change Lady Emilia's fate, so I had to test you—test if you are the one I've been waiting for."
!!!
"Silent? No, you're on guard. Well, at least you didn't pretend like 'what nonsense are you saying?'—that alone means I guessed correctly.
Though I'm not sure what exactly you're wary of... Ah! It's probably related to the contract on you, right? I see. So that's why Reinhild's behavior was so strange."
"…"
"Ah~ well, never mind. Even though it came from me, if you say it yourself, it would probably cause something bad to happen.
That's why you've never been able to say it until today, right?
Though maybe you're also afraid of how others would look at you if you said it, even if just a little."
With a single syllable, Roswaal interrupted Subaru's words.
His implication made Subaru recall events from the previous loop.
Subaru swallowed his questions and instead glared at Roswaal with a fierce gaze.
But Roswaal simply slouched in his chair and continued speaking casually.
"Of course. Because the power to reset the world is terrifying. Interfering with time requires the most extreme of extreme yin magic.
Even Beatrice must exert all her strength just to stop time. Rewinding it is an even more absurd, dream-like concept."
"I have a wish—a wish I cannot achieve by myself.
So I need your help.
It seems you've misunderstood, Subaru-kun.
Looks like you've spent more time than I thought.
Listen, even if you can return, I cannot.
The me you meet after restarting will not be the me you see now."
Roswaal finally paused, and Subaru stared at him in stunned silence.
Only now did he start to understand what Roswaal meant.
For the first time, Subaru felt fear toward the man before him—fear of Roswaal's will and madness.
Because if Subaru had not returned by death, Roswaal would've likely been executed by Reinhild.
Just looking at him now, it was clear he was no match for Reinhild.
And unlike Subaru, whose consciousness remained connected across timelines, Roswaal's did not.
Every Roswaal Subaru had met in past loops—those Roswaals knew what they were doing would lead to their deaths, yet they accepted it as natural and acted accordingly, creating opportunities for the Roswaal in front of him, who in turn worked for the next him.
It was abnormal.
"Your way of thinking… is no longer human..."
"Your so-called wish is…?"
"That, I can't say. Because I am bound by a contract. What I've said so far is already pushing the limits of that contract."
Despite Subaru's courage to ask, Roswaal gave no answer.
"But this much I can say: I—every moment, every second, every hour—am doing everything I can to achieve my wish.
I've never done anything meaningless or shameful. At least that's what I believe."
After a brief silence, Roswaal spoke again, boldly asserting he had no regrets about his actions.
That confident attitude shook Subaru. He could no longer suppress the dark fury churning inside him.
"Is that so? But isn't everything you've done up until now meaningless?
You don't actually think I'd help you achieve that damned wish now, do you?
You don't think I'd still play along with your ridiculous trials for everyone's survival, right?
If you had forcefully taken me at the beginning, maybe I'd have gone along.
But do you think I'd help you now? Accept your judgment—and I will begin my own life."
"The beginning? Ah, I see—you gave up once.
I think you misunderstood something: the trial had to happen.
There was no option for you to escape before it started.
For example, if you came to my place for a while and nothing happened at the Astrea territory, would you not have become suspicious of me?
Conversely, if I kept attacking, Reinhild would inevitably come for me.
Trying to eliminate her is no simple matter.
I wasn't sure how many of 'me' you had met—Ram, Rem, it seems you know them.
They're unavoidable variables, and I simply don't have enough personnel.
Taking you in carelessly would be planting a bomb on my own side.
I won't pin my hopes of fulfilling my wish on a bomb."
"What if I had agreed to go with you the next day?"
"Obviously, I would've just quietly killed you."
Roswaal said this in a matter-of-fact tone, making Subaru swallow hard.
"True… but it's all over now. Rot in prison and regret it for the rest of your life."
"It's not over. Did you see Reinhild today?"
"Reinhild was being questioned by the royal capital officials..."
Hearing the question behind him, Subaru stopped mid-step and answered reflexively.
But seeing Roswaal's mocking expression, he felt as if he had plunged into icy water.
He hurried back and grabbed Roswaal by the collar, roaring,
"What did you do? What's your real objective!?"
"Ah, so quick to catch on. Looks like you finally realized Reinhild is not invincible.
That makes things much easier.
Well, don't rush. We still have some time.
Let's sit and chat slowly."
"Let me answer your earlier question.
As I've said—my goal is to fulfill my wish.
Unfortunately, my wish requires the help of the king.
And currently, only Lady Emilia, who shares my goal, would help me once she becomes queen.
The other reason is that Reinhild would never allow me to do what I must, so I can't be on your side—I need you on mine."
"I could use magic to brainwash you, but personally, I'd prefer to sign a soul contract of mutual assistance.
After all, she values you now.
While I could eliminate her, the cost would be too great.
I don't want to waste my energy needlessly.
The contract terms: I won't act against Reinhild—in fact, I'll help you 'conquer' her.
Since you like her, right? With my help, your success rate will skyrocket.
In return, you will assist Emilia in becoming queen and help fulfill my wish."
"Now, as for what I did—don't be too shocked.
Instead of having you die countless times to figure it out, I thought it best to just tell you directly.
Like I said, I wanted to have a good talk."
"So confident, huh? But fine, I'll gratefully accept."
"Perfect. I thought you'd impulsively try to solve it on your own."
Roswaal smiled again.
"Don't underestimate my resolve.
Lowering my head to an enemy for information is the least I can do.
I owe it to the people I got killed. Just don't regret this."
"I only did one thing—spread rumors.
Among the nobles, I spread the rumor that Reinhild has reformist ideals.
Among the commoners, I spread rumors that Reinhild is participating in the royal selection."
"That's it?"
"You haven't dealt with politics, have you? That's more than enough.
Reinhild is too upright, too kind.
In her eyes, there's little difference between commoners and nobles.
She'll offend the nobles for the commoners.
She has the power to overthrow the nobility.
So even when she's uninvolved, the upper echelons are wary of her."
"Now imagine someone like that showing even the slightest ambition.
Even the tiniest hint would make those high-ranking figures restless.
After all, it's easier to believe Reinhild is propping up a clueless slum child to change the country herself than that she's genuinely helping from the sidelines."
"Of course, rumors alone wouldn't do much—they'd just watch.
But what if Lord Heinkel discovered his daughter wanted to reform the kingdom, reported it, and then got killed in the Astrea territory?
That would be enough to spark the nobles' bloodlust.
Unfortunately, that incident happened this morning."
Roswaal smiled, while Subaru felt cold all over.
"Why would Heinkel do that?"
"Because he, Emilia, and I share a common goal: resurrecting someone important with the blood of the Divine Dragon.
Though Emilia doesn't know my plan—she's still a kind girl.
But Heinkel and I are different.
That's the one thing that makes me believe he really is Wilhelm's son.
By the way, the corpse I left was the real Heinkel, not a double."
"But Reinhild is innocent! She'll return safely, won't she?"
"Subaru, you don't even believe that yourself."
Subaru fell silent.
He couldn't refute Roswaal.
In his heart, he already feared the nobles would act.
Even though Reinhild was invincible, Subaru vividly remembered how she knelt before Emilia in Rom's warehouse to atone.
That memory made him unable to believe his own words.
"Murdering nobles, killing an Imperial General, starting a war among royal candidates, and failing to protect your candidate—all of these are capital crimes!
And Reinhild just defeated the White Rabbit and the Archbishop of Lust.
Her popularity, prestige, and strength are already perfect.
Do you know how many people now hope she becomes the queen? All she's missing is the Divine Dragon's approval..."
Unable to bear Roswaal's endless chatter, Subaru threw a punch, pinned him down, and beat him furiously.
"You bastard, bastard…"
Finally, Subaru stopped. Roswaal, his face covered in blood, showed a twisted smile.
"Let me tell you three things."
"One: I only spread the rumors after meeting you. As long as you meet me and sign the contract, everything is still salvageable."
"Two: I can foresee the future, so I'll tell you this—Reinhild will accept her punishment."
"Three: This collar is not omnipotent.
Even while wearing it, Reinhild defeated three Generals.
And for me, who possesses infinite mana, it can't stop me from committing suicide.
My family, after all, has been a noble house for 400 years. So, Subaru-kun, make the right choice."
As Subaru straddled him, Roswaal suddenly began to radiate a brilliant light.
Before Subaru could retreat, he exploded.
A vortex of magic swallowed the mansion.
——So hot, so cold, so painful, so numb...
Natsuki Subaru felt himself being hit by countless kinds of magic attacks in that instant.
Then his consciousness slowly faded.