Chapter 54: Dawn
"The healing is finally over."
Beatrice withdrew her hand and looked at Subaru Natsuki lying on the bed.
Her mood didn't seem very good.
She really shouldn't have left the library, but in the end, she came out because of Subaru.
If she hadn't come out of the library, Subaru definitely wouldn't have survived the night.
His injuries were too severe, and multiple curses were simultaneously active.
If it was just a single curse, it could be dispelled, but his body was tangled with many curses intertwined together, making them impossible to easily unravel.
The combined curses kept draining the mana from his body, and once the mana was completely absorbed, the next thing to be consumed would be his life force.
Although others could supply mana to the magical beasts in his place, his physical injuries couldn't be ignored.
Without Beatrice, the half-elf girl alone could never have saved Subaru's life.
After all, she had to both supply mana to him and treat his wounds, and without her brother's help, she was completely unable to do so.
Emilia, who had already exhausted so much mana, was sitting in a chair, leaning against a pillar and asleep.
She shouldn't have come out at all.
After all, Subaru's survival had nothing to do with her.
He wasn't the person she was supposed to be waiting for, so she should have stayed in the library waiting for that person.
But why… why, after he got involved in her life, did the long wait suddenly include some hope? Why did she keep flipping through that one book in the library every time she left, even though it no longer responded at all?
Though she was reluctant to admit it, deep down she must have hoped Subaru was the one she was waiting for.
It was probably because of this hope that she came out of the library when Rem pleaded with her.
Subaru's current condition seemed resolved for now, but that was only because the hungry beasts had been temporarily sated.
Tomorrow night, the starving beasts would start feeding again.
Even if others could keep him alive by supplying mana, what was the difference between that and barely hanging on?
Beatrice gave Subaru a deep look and decided not to concern herself with what happened next.
She never owed him anything.
Helping him once or twice out of a small hope in her heart was already more than enough.
From now on, whether he lived or died was none of her business.
Even though she secretly hoped he was the one, it was time to face reality.
The person she had waited for so long hadn't appeared, and the book with no new contents had already shown her the truth: her life should have ended long ago.
Otherwise, why would there be a blank void with no revelations?
With that thought, Beatrice turned and walked toward the door. When she gently opened it, she saw Rem standing there, wrapped in some bandages. Although her sister wasn't there—probably still treating the villagers—
"Lady Beatrice, how is Subaru-kun?"
Beatrice glanced at Rem and replied casually,
"He's temporarily alright."
After saying this, Beatrice tried to leave the village, but stopped.
With an unclear emotion in her voice, she spoke to Rem, who was just about to enter the room after finally exhaling in relief.
"He's only temporarily fine. There are many curses on his body I cannot dispel. If the curses activate again tomorrow night, he will most likely die."
"Wh-"
"If you want to save him, there is only one way—kill all the magical beasts who placed curses on him. Then the curses won't activate. Alright, Betty's said what she needed to say. After a tiring night, Betty should leave now."
Before Rem could fully process this information, Beatrice had already disappeared from her sight.
Coming back to her senses, Rem turned to the room.
Her hand was on the door; she only needed to push lightly to enter.
But she did not open the door.
She withdrew her hand from the door and turned to walk alone toward the edge of the village. It was going to be a sleepless night.
.
.
.
Opposite him stood an inhuman existence, every blow of his not something a human could withstand, every attack easily killing him and his close friend.
No matter how they looked at the opponent, he didn't seem like someone who would let them go. Under these circumstances, they should have just reloaded the save and chosen a different path.
But why did his close friend still fight? Why couldn't his friend quietly push him out so he could reload?
"Why… why go to such lengths? Touma, it's enough! Just let me use my ability, and we can start over!"
Looking at that back—still standing in front of him despite injuries that would incapacitate a normal person—he, who should have been happy as the one saved, felt restless inside.
"Do you need a reason for doing this? I just did it because I wanted to. We haven't lost yet. Subaru, your abilities are great, but the feeling of dying must be awful. Even if you don't really die, I can't bear to see you die right in front of me.
Before I fall, I will never easily give up your life! If you think giving up your life once can save Kamijou Touma, I will shatter that ridiculous illusion completely!"
What was this feeling? The feeling of being redeemed made tears unconsciously well up.
Ah… so this is what it feels like to be cherished… Why didn't my past self notice that two people had always cared about me and valued me for who I am?
There was still time.
If they won, he could go back and see them.
Only by winning could he change himself to become the son who made them proud, the one who could stand by his close friend's side.
Forgetting pain and fear, he slowly stood up.
The boy named Subaru Natsuki ran toward Kamijou's back.
"Hmm… had a pretty good dream… Looks like I survived."
Trying to sit up, Subaru looked around and his gaze stopped on Emilia.
"Did Emilia heal me? I need to properly thank her."
His gaze shifted away from her.
Looking out the window, the sun had just risen.
He wondered if he had slept the whole day.
Looking at the scars on his body, they had already faded a lot.
Subaru marveled, "No wonder this is another world—magic really is useful."
Moving his shoulders without pain, Subaru got out of bed, grabbed the blanket, and gently covered Emilia.
Then he turned and left the room.