15 (part 3)

[The boy lowered his head once more until his forehead was smudged with dirt. "I'm sure you all have a lot you'd like to say, but please let us protect you long enough to create that chance!" Subaru pleaded urgently.

The young man's leader looked reluctant for a moment but sighed and smiled tiredly at the boy.

"Sheesh, you really are hopeless, Subaru-sama." The young man chuckled and walked towards the bowed boy with a hand outstretched.

Subaru took the hand offered and stood up as the man pulled him up.

"If you insist on protecting us so much, what choice do we have?"

An old lady seemed to be tearing up at Subaru's efforts. "Getting old is just awful. I think my tear glands have weakened."

Subaru looked around and saw the grateful smiling faces of all the villagers around him. "Thank you all." The boy said in relief and gratitude.

"We should be thanking you, Subaru-sama." The old leader of the village said in a more grateful tone.

The scene changes back to Felix holding his hands together while smiling innocently. "You actually moved me."

"Don't bring it back up! It's embarrassing!" Subaru pleaded to make the catboy giggle.]

Crusch had to grin at seeing the two interact. "He's done very well… No one would've cared about those people as much as he." The duchess had to look at Subaru and smile at him directly. "Job well done."

["That just leaves… " Felix mused as he looked back towards the oncoming faction of their army.

Ricardo came running back towards the trio on his riger with his giant blade resting on his back and blood covering it.

"Welcome back! How'd it go?" Felix greeted as the dogman jumped off the creature.

"We pulled off a surprise attack on the ones our location was leaked to. If I messed up, I'll retire as a mercenary. That map did a nice job showin' us the way."

Subaru looked at the parchment held in the dogman's pocket and smiled wide. "So the mark on the map really was their base!"

"I dunno if you'd call 'em fastidious or high-strung, but it worked against 'em." The dogman threw the golden mirror-like metia towards Subaru which was caught easily by the boy. "And we got what we were after. This should shut down their communications network."

Ricardo and Subaru were interrupted as another group of mercenaries came from within the woods with the twins leading them.

"Hooray! We killed 'em all!" Mimi shouted with glee to which her cousin shouted from behind.

"Don't say that. It makes us sound awful." Tivey turned to the group and announced. "We took a prisoner, too!"]

"A prisoner?" Emilia looked around, to figure out who that would be from people's expressions since they were there. She blinked when she found Ricardo and Mimi chuckling while looking toward Otto in particular.

The merchant boy himself, when Emilia looked to him for answers, had a large look of surprise on his face once he witnessed Ricardo appear at the window.

"Ah… I almost forgot how my first meeting was with Natsuki-san."

At Otto's words, Emilia and Garfile gave small raises to their eyebrows.

[Subaru was surprised by this. "A prisoner?"

Just then, Two rigers came in holding a pillar of wood with an unfortunate-looking young man tied by his arms and legs on the pillar.

Subaru started laughing suddenly. "He's not in the Witch's Cult! I wondered why you hadn't shown up! You got caught?" Subaru continued to laugh as Otto was placed down by the rigers.

"I don't know who you are but thanks for saving me. Actually, I'm really in no mood to say that and mean it, damn it!" The unfortunate merchant yelled in despair as he was still tied to the pillar.

Subaru just laughed more.]

Emilia ended up bursting into giggles, as did many around the room who were having their fill with how well things had turned out. Even Priscilla gave a small amused snort at Otto's sudden appearance.

The head minister was the only one not chuckling or laughing. He was merely smiling warmly at the scene, even if he disliked Anastasia and Roswaal specifically laughing at him so fully from the background.

"My meeting with Natsuki-san… Finally… I'm finally at the point where I can remember what happened next…"

"How does it feel, Otto-kun?" Rem didn't talk much to Otto before but she had the urge to smile at the boy and share with him a bit of support. "Finally feeling the hopeful feel of it being the final loop like we did?"

"Of course, Rem-sama… I…" Otto had to stop himself from talking and put a hand on his face.

"Otto-kun?" Rem's worried tilt of the head made many look at Otto as he wiped away some tears that began falling on their own.

"I just…" Otto sniffled hard as his tears wouldn't stop running down his cheek.

By the end, Garfiel had put an arm on Otto's shoulder and silently nodded to everyone who was looking at them to keep watching.

"These damn onion plates 're everywhere in this fuckin' place!"

"Watch your language, Garf!" Frederica criticized the tiger boy with crossed arms.

"I'm tryna be a good friend over 'ere, sis!"

[Scene change…

"Everything is ready. Subaru, we can leave at any time."

Julius reported as he stood by Subaru's side before the now fully emptied village of Arlam and the few soldiers left over to fight with them.

"Let's do this, everyone," Subaru ordered his comrades. "We'll begin as planned. Now. This time, we'll finish it! Let's show Sloth and fate what we can do!"

Scene change…

A silent, withered green corpse with no eyelids and dried lips stood underneath the opening to a cave.

An emotionless, sharp-eyed boy stood before the opening from the depths of the forest.

Beyond them both, a cleared area between the mountain hill and the trees of the forest.

Petelgeuse and Natsuki Subaru meet again.]

"This suddenly!" Schult couldn't but gasp at the little to no build-up of this meeting.

"Here we are… This, Subaru had to do on his own. And it fixed the issue with Sloth's possession." Julius called out to the theater, giving a thumbs up for Felix to continue in his stead.

"What we know is that Subaru-kyun could kick Sloth out from his explanation about it to us. But we didn't know how nyan!" Felix rubbed the back of his head in confusion.

"We are aboutta see it, I guess." Al snorted from above them, unable to be more charitable to Subaru after what he had witnessed from the Witch. "I bet Pal's gonna make use of her again."

No one heard him as he groaned under his helmet.

"I'm very interested," Crusch earned Beatrice and Emilia's nods, both girls showing remorse for Petelguese once again as his decrepit state of being was on full display once more before them.

"What a monster you have to fight on your own, Subaru," Emilia whispered to herself with a frown. "Save Guese the pain of existence, please."

["I've been waiting for you, believer in love. I am a Sin Archbishop of the Witch's Cult, representing Sloth… Petelgeuse Romanee-Conti!"

Subaru moved forward as the green digusting figure of Sloth stepped before him and bowed elegantly after introducing himself.

"Pleasure to meet you, great Sin Archbishop. If you could find it within you to add my body and soul to the ranks of your fingers carrying out the Ordeal, there would be no greater honor." Subaru declared as he bowed down with a hand on his heart.]

"What the hell?!" Ricardo widened his sharp eyes and looked around as everyone let go of their happiness for once in shock.

"Ain't he giving up easy?!" Felt shouted, holding on to her armrests and glaring at Subaru in shock.

"What is he doing, I wonder?" Beatrice narrowed her eyes, jaw slackened.

[Petelgeuse looked struck by this for a moment and slowly stepped back in shock with tears in his eyes. "How wondrous, how vivacious your faith is! To think there was such a devout believer… Please forgive my sloth, for failing to find him!" The green man quickly yelled out and screamed as he ran into the cave's wall and smashed his face into the rocks over and over until he bled.

"Forgive me! Forgive me! Forgive me! Forgive me! Forgive me! Forgive me! Forgive me! Forgive me!"

Startled by this, Subaru held his arms up as he tried to calm him down.

"Please stop, Archbishop."]

"Why not? Let 'em do some damage before ya slice 'em." Heinkel glared hatefully at Petelgeuse.

"... I don't… trust what Subaru is doing." Petra seemed more worried than ever by Subaru's acting.

[The madman stopped his torture and held both arms to his head. "Ah… but, but, but…. I have no way to atone for my sloth and foolishness but by punishment."

"That's not true." Subaru contradicted and held a hand to his chest. "The witch wouldn't want to see her beloved believer in pain. She would be happier to see you carry out the Ordeal!"

Petelgeuse's eyes widened in surprise as his mood lightened up. "You are exactly right! Yes, the Ordeal. What she needs from me now is the Ordeal!"]

"We never truly understood what this Ordeal was about." Otto sighed and looked at Heinkel and Schult with a small frown, seeing the interest in their eyes.

"We just know that it centers around Emilia-sama." Ram nodded her head, earning a small frown from Emilia.

"Course…" Heinkel had to sigh, though biting back his tongue from saying anything too mean, the others still didn't appreciate his comment and glared at him.

[The Archbishop jumped out of the cave and fell infront of Subaru. "Your words have opened my eyes. Thank you! Thank you! With this Ordeal, we must test her… " The corpse-like madman hugged Subaru tightly and whispered into his ear with a nasty smirk. "To find out if this half-devil is a worthy vessel, if she is worthy to put the witch into."

Subaru looked dumbstruck at the madman's words. "Put the witch into? Vessel?"]

"..." Emilia looked spooked by this very idea, finding herself slack-jawed like a fish in the open air.

"I mean… That's enough to be a cultist plan I guess? A little uncreative." Felt sighed with annoyance, not bringing this idea much alarm like the rest of them were doing.

"What if such a thing was possible?" Julius bit his inner cheek at the very thought, glaring at Petelgeuse. "Emilia-sama would always be a primary target."

"Then Subaru would force the Witch to make a choice time and again…" Reinhard gave Julius a warning look, asking him to be mindful of Emilia's feelings. "It's him or the followers of the Witch."

"And what if pal's being used to prepare the half-elf lady for his own Ordeal?" Al's words stiffened many backs in the room, but he chuckled as Petra glared at him. "I'm joking, joking~"

Emilia kept frowning deeper even though she held Subaru's hand tight.

[Petelgeuse shook with excitement as he held the boy. "If she is, the witch will possess her. If not, she will reject her. If she proves an unworthy vessel for the witch, then the witch will be reborn into this world on the coming fated day… "

Subaru's nasty eyes could only glare in anger at the madman. "You're saying Emilia is secondary, with no value to you at all?" The boy growled as his fist closed. "You monster… " His eyes lit up with fury.]

At this, Emilia seemed to have found her ability to breathe again. Seeing Subaru glare and denounce the Ordeal just because he thought more of her was a light she never thought she would need during this moment. "Thank you… For thinking about me as something more than everyone else saw…" She whispered while nuzzling the boy's hand to her cheek, having his warmth spread through her even if it was the slightest touch.

"That's a lot more different than what he saw in you when he was at the castle," Crusch held a proud grin, feeling just as outraged by the way the Archbishop spoke about Emilia as Subaru. "He managed to learn that you're not whatever he wants you to be."

"I wish I could've just taught him this lesson without him needing to learn it the hard way." Emilia sniffled, keeping her face close to his palm. "What a price he paid for such a stupid lesson…" She hugged his hand tighter.

Wilhelm and Heinkel both looked away from the half-elf with guilt-ridden faces that were hidden behind walls of their treatment of their wives and how far they went to learn that same lesson with them. Walls that were different but in the end served to hide the same shame they had.

"Just kick his ass already!" Garfiel growled, glaring at Petelguese without any filter for his hatred of the green corpse. "That bastard's done too much fer 'em to survive any o' this! End it Cap'n!"

[The madman, seemingly unable to hear the boy's growls, jumped away from Subaru and held his beloved black book before him.

"The words inscribed in the Gospel tell of her love! All of it guides my path! Show me your Gospel." Petelgeuse calmly asked as he manically held his disgusting pose.]

Seeing the black book, Beatrice had an immediate look of sympathy for the madman, seeing him hold on to such a fleeting and corrupted hope for salvation.

"It will never come to you, I suppose," Beatrice whispered.

Behind everyone, Roswaal had the illest of glares towards the book to showcase his annoyance and deep grievance with its existence.

[Subaru remained silent for a moment… holding his arm out with a small golden object in his palm outstretched to Petelgeuse.

"What is that?" The Sin Archbishop asked as Subaru opened up the contact mirror before the madman.

"Just what it looks like. A metia, Archbishop." Subaru smirked as the mirror glowed brightly for a moment and showed Felix smirking at Petelgeuse from his end. "Oh, I see him! I see him! His face looks just as scary as I'd heard!"

Petelgeuse slowly turned his pupils up towards Subaru… "Just who are you? NO! What are you?!" The madman shouted before stepping back from the boy.

Felix held a salute and ordered confidently. "Now, then… Tora, Tora, Tora!"

*CLICK! *

Subaru clicked his fingers together, wearing a smug smirk.

*KYAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH! *

A black-scaled dragon dashed at full speed from the side and knocked the Archbishop a few feet away from her master with a nicely implanted smash of her head into the madman's side.]

"That dragonness is more fierce than I remember." As everyone around her began to cheer with sudden excitement at Petelgeuse's harm, Crusch looked at Patrasche with something akin to admiration.

"Even that ground dragon is crazy…" Heinkel looked baffled at Patrasche with his hands continuing to tremble. "Why would it be so loyal to some kid like that?"

Meanwhile, Garfiel was the only one expressing a hint of a wince at the attack Petelguese had endured, subconsciously rubbing his own side in remembrance.

"Ya gotta lot o' guts to do this shit against mine amazin' selves after doin' an archbishop into the mud like dis…" Garfiel had grown a small smirk for Patrasche that was mischievous and proud at the same time.

Otto looked at the black dragon with a small hint of worry. "I wonder what she's doing in the outside world right now… I missed listening to her gossip with the other dragons…"

"She's a tough one! Don't worry 'bout 'er, Ottobro. We'll be outta here in no time." Garfiel patted Otto's back and went back to watching the window with excitement.

But Otto kept his look of concern, not wanting to ignore Patrasche's loneliness at this moment in time, especially since they were plucked from her side on the way to Priestella.

["Our surprise attack is a success!"

"What?! Surprise attack… Surprise attack… " Petelgeuse got up with a betrayed look on his bleeding face.

Softly wiping his hand on his nose, the bishop's eyes snarled in rage as he summoned dozens of Unseen Hands towards the boy. "Then what do you think of this?!" The madman shouted as he sent his hands towards the boy.

Subaru quickly hopped on Patrasche's back and sped away from the oncoming authority.

"How?! How can you see my Authority?!"

"Who knows? Ask the witch that left her scent all over me. Oh, that's right. Unlike me, you haven't received the pass that lets you meet the Witch anytime." Subaru gloated with a smirk as he looked down at Petelgeuse from atop his dragoness.]

"It mustn't get lost on us that this has more to it than just the taboo moments," Wilhelm said as many nodded with nervous looks beside him.

"Using this to taunt an archbishop to follow him? How obvious but still reckless." Anastasia hummed with deep satisfaction. "Guess he has to play the bait for the grand finale, whatever he planned with ya, Julius."

"Not that I disparage him for using such underhanded methods… If only he didn't have to remind me of his connection to the Witch." Julius shook his head, rubbing a hand through his hair. "As if I can judge when she had saved him from my sword and Sloth's spirit possession…"

"What was that, Julius?" Emilia asked him, just as disheartened by hearing Subaru mention the Witch and wanting any sort of distraction while everyone around her was hesitant to cheer for him after his words.

The knight shook his head in return for the candidate's question. "I wish not to bring any undue worry, Emilia-sama."

["What do you mean? How dare you speak as though you are intimate with the witch?!" Petelgeuse shouted in outrage at the smirking boy.

"We're so close, she's grabbed my heart. Literally." Subaru winked at the madman, knowing exactly what he was doing.

"I-Inconceivable!" Petelgeuse screams in rage and bites his fingers until he bleeds. "That cannot be!"]

Both of them could only stare at one another with Subaru sleeping in between. Emilia gave the slightest of sad frowns, while Julius seemed defeated at a prospect only he knows very well.

"Intimate doesn't begin to describe the feeling she's instilled within him," Emilia whispered while looking away from Julius.

"Saving him was merely an effort done to mock my uselessness when he needed it most," Julius glared to the side, fully appreciating the candidate not looking at him anymore.

"You're doing too much," Otto glared but was ignored by Julius.

"Still tasteless to hear him say that after so much being hidden away from us," Rem frowned from the background, earning a nod from Ram and Frederica.

"It's just what he needs to do," Petra hugged her legs and looked at Subaru with deep concern. "To beat the monster who's killed so many of my friends… Subaru's doing his best to win… I understand and see what you're forced to do… Please take care of yourself."

["Let's go, Patrasche!" Subaru ordered as he strode his dragon away from the giant black hands coming towards him.

As the boy and dragon rocked through the woods, Petelgeuse managed to fly in the air as he sat on top of a black hand.

"Don't you think you can escape?"

"Here he comes, here he comes, here he comes!" Subaru screamed as multiple archbishops rose from the ground behind him.

"He's coming! He's coming! He's coming! Keep it up, Patrasche!"

The black reptile glared in determination as she picked up the pace and bulleted through the woods.

"Futile! Impossible! Vanish in the face of my diligence!" Petelgeuse shouted as his unseen hands crushed and tore through the fauna of the woods, breaking trees and chunks of land as Subaru dodged and jumped away from the oncoming strikes coming from the balled-up flying man.

"Sorry to rely on you all the time. You're the best, Patrasche!"

"But, but, but, but! But! This is the end, the end!"

Subaru looked worried as he noticed the witch's cult members catching up to him and beginning to throw knives and goa spells at him.]

The suspense was through the roof as people began noticing just how well Subaru was doing on his own.

"This is more than just his usual tactics, Subaru's not even showing fear anymore," Reinhard said with a small hanging of his jaw from the admiration.

"After being done in by these bastards more than once?" Heinkel's snort was cathartic to hear from those who felt pressure within them due to Petelguese's presence on the screen. "That kinda puts more on yer mind than just fear… Boy's pissed off."

"Father…" Reinhard looked at Heinkel for a small second before looking away to stare at Subaru.

"He is strong," Wilhelm spoke between the silence that hung over the two men in his family.

"He's a fool," Heinkel kept his stubborn stance and glared at the window, disliking the entire interaction.

Reinhard gave a small frown of disappointment and sighed.

[But before any of these could reach him, a scream sounded out.

* WAAAAHHHHHHH! *

* BOOOOM! *

* BAAAMMM! *

"You guys… you almost caught me up in that! Thanks, though. I thought I was a goner."

"You're welcome! Yay!" Mimi replied to Subaru as she rode on her riger beside Tivey and more mercenaries beside her.

The twins and their army continued to blast their wind magics against the cultists chasing Subaru and Patrasche.

"Is that man in the sky the Sin Archbishop?" Tivey asked as he looked at the balled-up green-skinned man.

"There's a man all balled up and flying! Wow!"

"I've never seen anything look so creepy in flight."

Subaru chuckled as he looked up at the man sitting on a giant black hand. "That's how it looks to you guys? Either way, leave him to me. Watch the rear, like we planned!"]

Emilia let out a small sigh of relief.

"You didn't panic as much as I thought you would," Crusch had a grin as Emilia blinked at her.

"U-Um… I figured Subaru wouldn't just try to do this on his own," she put her hands in her lab and toyed with her robe nervously. "Subaru's got a lot of strong people helping him so having backup won't be a problem for him. I'm happy he is smart enough to use it."

Rem smiled at Emilia's trust and nodded her head from behind. "And I can't be more grateful for everyone who's allowed him to win. They are trying their best."

The mercenaries around Anastasia and Crusch's two knights couldn't help but look around uncomfortably, feeling flustered because of the praise from the two girls.

Garfiel held a hand to his front and closed his fist. "This 's annoyin'... I know I couldn't have been there but mine amazon' selfs wanted to punch 'em!"

"You mean Sloth, Garf?" Otto looked at the tiger with an unimpressed face. "I don't think we needed to see what a possessed Garf would look like."

This led the blonde to turn his glare from an annoyed one into a serious one. "He wouldn't get the chance t' fuck with Cap'n, much less mine amazin' selves!"

["Got it! You heard him, Sis!"

"Aye-Aye! Hey, Bro!" Mimi shouted to Subaru and gave him a thumbs-up.

"You'll look awesome if you beat him now!"

"Yeah, I got this!" Subaru shot back to the girl and looked ahead with a serious face. "Bring it on Archbishop!"]

Tivey patted his sister's head as she giggled, feeling warm that she had encouraged Subaru in her way.

"This is just like in the stories… The stories were a bit more flowery about it but it's happening just as described!" Schult found himself clutching Priscilla's hand and jumping in his seat. The boy had stars in his eyes with the most excited look out of everyone in the room. "The heroes who shall slay the Archbishop of Sloth!"

["What…" Petelgeuse shouted gargling, "Just what… What are you?!" The archbishop stood on top of the black floating palm as he watched his faction and forces get surrounded all across the forest by the hidden mercenary army.

"That cannot be. None of this is in the Gospel, in the guide to my destiny! What… just what are you?!"

Subaru's face was shown as darkness hid his expression, riding silently with no emotion except for the determination filling his tone.

"You've asked that four times. If we're talking nightmares I've had far more than you." The boy laid his words to the madman as they both flew and rode against the wind.

"Then…. Then… then… you truly are Pride's… " Petelgeuse gave an excited glee but Subaru finally showed his face with a confident smirk present.

"My name is Natsuki Subaru, the silver-haired half-elf Emilia's knight."]

Emilia's eyes were wide, her heart fluttering as she witnessed the declaration with a hung jaw and a blush growing on her cheeks. "You're saying to his face… Subaru."

Rem gave Emilia a small smile from the back, happy to have this moment shown to her and not hidden only to Subaru.

"He's having fun," Crusch grinned at the declaration, "his excitement is always enjoyable to watch."

"I don't get the theatrics." Felix sighed, keeping his worry present on his face. "His gate can't hurt and all, this is just him putting himself at unnecessary risk."

"True," Felt had to chuckle and move to the edge of her seat, "Big bro's giving it his all to get this guy somewhere, and he's owning him while doin' it!"

[The madman screeched in horror as he held his bloody fingers to his face at the boy's declaration.

"I don't know anything about this 'Pride' stuff, but that's the only title I want. I don't need any others."

Subaru and Petelgeuse finally exited the woods and entered a clearing overlooked by a giant mountain and spiked rocks placed at the bottom of the clearing.

"This place is… " The floating archbishop muttered while looking at the grounds below him in confusion.

"It's a place where my time once ended. And it's going to be where your time ends, too." Subaru said as he hopped off of Patrasche's back before the spiky rocks where he once killed himself.]

"The irony…" Ram clicked her tongue, looking at the rocks with displeasure and disgust. "Barusu's poetic senses never cease to burn in ashe."

"It's tasteless, in fact." Beatrice found herself sighing tiredly, not wanting to look at that pile any longer than she had to do so. "Where Betty failed to protect you the very first time. And where she had allowed you to meet with the Witch at your weakest point."

"Even if we had picked a better location, the plan hinged on multiple factors that required us to be extremely lucky." Julius shook his head, not caring about what may happen next. "It's fortunate that Subaru had trust in me to make it there on time."

Emilia looked surprised as she had her eyes lingering on the spikes Subaru was standing in front of. "You mean… He this is going to be you and Subaru fighting together, Julius?"

The knight seemed surprised by the hopeful and warm look Emilia was giving him. Moreover, Julius seemed to have gained a cult following in an instant as many in the room around him were shooting him surprised, even excited glances.

"Uh…" He was at a loss for words, not for the first time, but still uncomfortable at the growing attention he's gained.

["That's what this place is. If your goal was to lead me out here, what have you prepared for me?" Petelgeuse asked in suspicion and hatred as he hopped off of his floating hand and faced the smirking Subaru.

"What else? Your natural enemy. One you and I have in common." Subaru said with a smirk and looked up towards the apex of the mountain above them.

A purple-haired young man smiled down at the two from the top. "Natural Enemy? Now, that's a fine thing to call me."

Julius Euclius readied his blade and activated his spirit arts, creating a brilliant show of sparkling colors around himself as he elegantly jumped down and landed before the ever-confused Archbishop.

"I am Julius Euclius, of the Lugunica Imperial Knights. I am the Kingdom's sword that will slay you."]

"You're gonna fight together with him?" Otto asked with a large grin that seemed to make Julius more annoyed than nervous.

"This will be fun to see," Anastasia hummed with delight.

"I can't believe that this guy's fightin' with Cap'n before mine amazin' selfs." Garfiel whined in his seat.

["A spirit arts user, are you? How truly… how truly… Is this also part of your plot?! I have never known such humiliation!" Petelgeuse pointed at Subaru with his expression clearly showing his wit's end.

"Really? Well, make the most of it. That's your bill for all you've done." Subaru smiled easily and patted Patrasche's scales before turning to the blade-ready knight beside him. "Let's do it, Julius."

"Are you sure?"

Subaru nodded and stepped forward before the archbishop. "I won't back down, I won't bend, I can't lose. I don't want to lose anyone else."]

"..." Heinkel looked on with disgust as Subaru's earned the aghast faces of Schult and the rest of the theater camps below his row. Not to mention the look of respect from Wilhelm that served to bring his frustrations to a multiplier.

"Bastard…" He muttered without anyone needing to hear him. "I can never get such a mindset. Just run away like ya did when the Whale was over you… Even if that power of yours makes you more dangerous than that monster, Reinhard."

["I am the man who brutally beat you. I still believe my behavior was backed by meaning and reason, but that is no more than self-justification, which has nothing to do with you." Julius and Subaru kept their gazes on the Sloth Bishop as the knight's sword glowed brilliantly.

"Can you trust me?" Julius asked as his spirits powered his sword.

"I hate you."

"Yes, I know."

"Having someone break your arms and legs like that is traumatic, you know. Don't you know the meaning of restraint?"

Julius gave a small teasing smile. "Just so you know, I did hold back quite a bit."

Subaru chuckled a bit with an uneasy smile of his own. "Seriously? That was you holding back? You really are the biggest jerk ever. I really hate you, greatest of knights."

Julius held his now spirit-infused sword to his side and faced Subaru as the glowing sparkles of his spirit mana filled the air around them.

"So… I'll trust you. My shame attests to my knowledge that you're an incredible knight." Subaru's eyes reflected Julius' image as he placed his trust.

"Then, with all my soul… I will live up to that!" Julius hailed his blade up and delivered a flash of brilliant radiance.]

"This is brilliant." Otto had a large smile on his face, watching this as many behind and around him were; with great enjoyment. "Seeing you reconcile with Natuski-san brought such a catharsis to us all," Otto looked to the knight with a small grin. "Can't blame yourself much after seeing how much he trusts you, eh?"

Emilia found herself nodding along with Otto's words, giving the knight her most genuine smile. "Julius… I'm so glad to see you and Subaru making up and putting that duel behind you. I'm proud of Subaru too… He's done so much to be able to say that to you, I appreciate you not hindering that progress."

Julius found himself back on the opposite end of almost the entire theater giving him excited faces, minus the back row as the people there didn't care about him,

"I…" Julius didn't look back at Otto or Emilia, he merely looked down at the ground and shook his head. "I wish I had been more vigilant."

[Petelgeuse squinted his eyes and pointed towards the two fools before him as Julius' light danced in the air.

"Is this farce over yet? What do you expect to do by adding a single spirit arts user to your ranks?"

Hundreds of unseen hands filled the sky as Petelgeuse's back sprouted more and more of the black accursed hands over the two knights.

"I will defeat you all, tear apart those who remain, resume the Ordeal, and that is all! My diligence knows neither slothful resignation nor demise! Sloth! Sloth! Sloth!"

"Al Clarista!"

Petelgeuse's unseen hands covered the glowing knight and his sword and looked as if it crushed him completely which made the green man smirk in triumph.

But then…

*SLAAASHHHH! *

A loud tearing sound filled the air as Julius tore through all of the unseen hands that had covered him.

"You… you should not be able to see it. It should be invisible to you. My unseen hand can't be seen, can't be seen… You can't see it! And by two… two people other than me!"]

"Betty's Subaru probably planned something, in fact," Beatrice murmured while settling deeper into Subaru's chest, disallowing anyone from coming closer to him as she watched him battle her old friend for what was meant to be the final time. "Spirit art user… You better not fail Subaru or else Betty will never forgive your crime for what you did to him in the castle, in fact."

"That's enough, Beatrice." Emilia was firm with the spirit as she frowned at her. "Subaru trusts Julius. We all saw them prepare together."

Beatrice huffed and looked back at the window above. "Betty will stop since apologies were said, in fact."

"But why can Julius see it now?" Anastasia looked at the window with intrigue, finding it a lot more exciting that she had witnessed the lead-up to this moment, seeing exactly how the villain of Sloth was defeated rather than read about in reports from her mercenary teams and Julius himself.

[The archbishop screamed in shock as his bloodied fingers were bitten in rage.

"I'm the only one who can see it, Petelgeuse."

"Huh?" The madman screamed in distortion.

"Julius can only see what I'm seeing. It's a much creepier feeling than I thought I'd be, though." Subaru explained from his place behind the purple-haired knight.

"I can use Nect to consciously share some of your senses, as well as to maintain them for a while. When you first proposed this, I questioned your sanity."

"It worked, didn't it? A man's all about guts. You've gotta be willing to try anything."

Julius smirked at the black-haired youth behind him.

"Curse you, Curse you! Curse you! Curse you! Curse you! Curse you! Curse you! Curse you!" Petelgeuse shouted in rage as his unseen hands sprouted like an upside-down black waterfall that created carters and impacts all across the forest and mountains around him.

Julius and Subaru were knocked back into a free fall through the air.]

"Sharing senses!" Schult was the first to comment as he looked on with wonder. "That's a powerful ability… I read about it from the story books, the knight of Dawn was the one who used it the most."

"Bringing forward such an ability was easy with my buds…" Julius had to snort at the kid's admiration, thinking nothing of it but finding it pleasant that his spirits were complimented.

"How'd it feel to share Big Bro's senses? I dunno how this even works, but it's because of this cheaty tactic that ya were able to see the Unseen Hand, yeah?" Felt looked supremely interested more than ever. "Did ya smell like 'em too?"

"He will not dignify this with a response, my lady," Reinhard chuckled from beside her. "I'm happy for you, Julius… Though you may be missing your spirits now, I don't think you've been robbed of this moment with Subaru even if you remember it from the victorious loop. You're a true friend to him when he needed a strong blade… Be proud of that."

Julius didn't say anything in response to the Sword Saint's sincerity, he merely nodded and moved his head to the window above them to watch some more. His lips were thin and his hands trembled on his knees as he kept himself from further disparaging his image within the room.

["Sharing a collective body with you is pretty disgusting. Let's get this over with!" Subaru sighed as he fell beside the knight, apparently gaining confidence because of the shared senses and not fearing for his life as he fell.

Julius smiled elegantly and answered. "Yes, let's."

Keeping his eyes closed, trusting Subaru to oversee their enemy for him, Julius cut through oncoming hands as if they were nothing but air.

"Using your eyes, I shall slay him… "

Julius sliced through a rocketing giant black hand with ease as his spirits provided power to the steel of his blade.

"My friend, Natsuki Subaru!" Julius declared as he started to battle with Sloth.

Title card:

The Self-Proclaimed Knight and the Greatest of Knights]

With that, Julius had a moment to lower his head and breathe a long, needed breath.

"How far have I longed to hear that," Emilia was the one to bring her voice to light after the silence that followed the scene. The excitement ran through the air, still, not diminishing even when the screen had darkened to indicate a change of scenes.

"How bothersome those two are, I suppose." Beatrice sighed, finally feeling relief within her chest as she saw Subaru handle himself well even in the air due to Julius' power-ups. "Enhancing each other with similar qualities even though they are bitter enemies… What a way to do things, Subaru, in fact."

"I wouldn't say bitter enemies~, nya." Felix teased from the side, making Julius lower himself further down.

"What's the matter with ya?" Anastasia poked her knight on the back of the shoulder with a mocking grin. "Ain't it wonderful how we're all seein' ya with yer second half, Julius~, hmmmm~"

Otto and Garfiel widened their eyes in understanding once the meaning of Anastasia's words clocked in their mind.

"... I-It was a lot more heartfelt inside my mind during the moment," Julius said in an uncharacteristically low voice that made even Emilia want to shuffle closer to hear him.

"What was that?" Emilia asked in a curious, hopeful voice, still happy about the amazing moment Subaru and Julius were sharing to free Petelguese from himself, but her actions only caused Julius to sink even lower into his palms.

By this point, Tivey and Mimi had fallen into chuckles on Ricardo's lap. The beastman himself gave Julius a proud, knowing grin.

By this point, Petra and Rem had caught on to what the knight was dealing with and they both giggled to the point of showcasing pleasure on their faces because of what they used to think about the knight.

"How lame," Rem said in a teasing tone from the side.

"It's so corny," Petra took great pleasure when the knight had to lower himself even further just because of her wording from the back row.

Bringing himself to move up from all the embarrassment, Julius couldn't allow Otto and Garfiel to start laughing at him for long before he glared at them, his camp members, Emilia and Reinhard who were looking at him with innocent glances, and everyone else who took pleasure in his self-made cringe.

"It was a tender moment between me and Subaru! None of you reserve a right to judge what comes out in words by the heat of battle."

"Shut up," Heinkel snorted from the background, deeply enjoying Julius' predicament. "Ain't ya got a boyfriend t' kiss or somethin'? Stop talkin' about poetry in the middle of a fight and shit."

That led to another round of giggles as the knight of knights had to sit and glare at everyone who took their right of free expression to enjoy his fall from grace.

Only Emilia and Reinhard remained silent through all of this, looking at one another with confused expressions.

"But I thought it was very sweet…" Emilia frowned in confusion.

"I felt struck by how warm it was as well, Emilia-sama." Reinhard brought a hand to the back of his head, showing his bafflement by everyone's torture of his friend.

This only served to harm Julius more as Al and Felt joined the laughing circle.

[Scene change…

The screen showed the cart formation that was supposed to hold many of the villagers from Alarm and take them to the capital stopping, the villagers were all stretching their legs and taking a break from the road.

Wilhelm was standing before Emilia as the kids were drawing on the dirt beside them.

"I have a slight concern. I would like to take a small number from our forces to eliminate it." Wilhelm said with his head bowed.

Emilia gazed at the kids and then at the old man with a worried expression. "You won't have any need of me?"

The old butler only smiled softly and assured. "Emilia-sama, head to safety in the carriage. Don't let go of the children's hands."

Emilia looked a little bewildered by the stern man's sudden humorous smile.

"You truly are master and servant. Your eyes look just like his." The old man told softly, making the silver-haired girl look down in sadness.

Flashes of Subaru's smiling face appeared in her mind.

"Wilhelm-san, I- " Her words died as soon as she noticed the old man had rode on his red dragon and sped through the woods alongside fighters from the army he brought with him.

Emilia looked at his treating back with confusion.]

"You shouldn't look so down when being compared with your knight, Emilia-sama." Wilhelm gave Emilia a small smile that brought some warmth into the half-elf.

"I-I was worried for him more than anything else…" Emilia looked down at her lap, blushing at the idea Wilhelm had of her. "I don't agree that I'm anything like him though… He's too amazing for that comparison to make sense."

Beatrice snorted from beside her at the last comment, sighing with annoyance.

"Ya figured out it was Natsuki-kun leadin' things even though he wasn't there to meet ya?" Anastasia looked impressed with Emilia for a moment before the half-elf scoffed softly.

"Who else would it be?" Emilia looked at her side where Subaru lay motionless with a frown. "No one would do something this chaotic so suddenly from Crusch's household…"

"You just had the feeling that it was him because you knew he would never give up… Even with what the Great Spirit was telling you." Crusch shook her head and removed the excuses Emilia was using with striking confidence that forced the half-elf to drop her expression into an even more noticeable frown.

A guilty one.

"I was hoping he would come back for me…" Emilia sighed, leaning closer to Subaru. "I was hoping Puck was being mean and is just wrong about him."

People looked at Emilia with sympathy, seeing her downward mood.

"I never expected him to be this wrong about Subaru's conviction…" She held a small glare towards her boots for a second before sighing and putting a hand on Subaru's again. "And I know that Subaru should not be left alone to that conviction again. Never."

"After him dying that many times? You better hope he isn't alone or else this shit's worthless." Heinkel snorted from the back as people gave smiles of encouragement at Emilia's rightful anger towards Subaru's way of doing things and Puck's misconception about him.

[Scene change…

* SLASHHH!*

* CLANKKK!*

*SWOOOSHHHH!*

Clashing noises filled the air as the battle between Subaru, Julius, and Petelgeuse carried on.

The greatest knight kept his eyes closed while his friend kept his own open from a safe distance behind him, forwarding and retreating to give Julius the best possible view of everything happening.

The madman before them sent his unseen hands towards them, only for these powerful hands to be cut and hacked out of existence by Julius' expert sword dance, using Subaru's vision to his advantage to stop the attacks.

Moving and running away from overwhelming attacks from the green madman, letting Subaru look and hook his vision where it was most needed and using what he saw as a means to either attack or defend as he was practically blind to his own perspective but could see the hands surrounding him through Subaru's eyes and so he jumped and dodged out of their way and cut and slashed when he couldn't.

"This cannot be! You cannot use such means, such tricks, to make light of me and my devotion!" Petelgeuse shouted and held his head in his bloodied hands as many more hands sprouted from his back and rocketed toward Julius.

The knight kept his eyes firmly closed and swiped his sword through the onslaught of hands. Getting his leg, torso, and shoulder struck and wounded as the hands crushed the places where he wasn't fast enough to dodge them until he was bleeding from them.

Behind him, Subaru held his shoulder and torso as he felt an equal amount of pain from Julius' body since they were both under the influence of Nect where their senses were fused into one.

"This is some crappy game where as soon as you're caught, it's over. We must be crazy to entrust our lives to that! You and me both!"

"My body is slowly getting used to this. Shall we speed up?"

"Yeah! Don't worry, I'll keep up!"

Subaru assured as he dodged many hands coming towards him and kept his eyesight on Petelgeuse so that Julius could see the attacks coming towards him.]

"What commendable use of such an ability…" Reinhard couldn't but show his utmost sincere admiration for Julius and Subaru through his expressions and words. "I wouldn't be surprised that you had done this idea justice, Julius. You and Subaru are truly formidable together."

Julius had to give a certain degree of blush under the praise from Reinhard of all people. Though his heart was immensely satisfied in the end, the wrathful look of both jealousy and respect on Garfiel's face made him chuckle.

"Don't lose a nerve or two there, Garf," Otto smirked from the side as the blonde tiger held a shaking fist of anger infront of him.

"Cap'n looks so cool but I wanted to punch this guy."

The reply to Garfiel's distraught words came from behind.

"Stop tryna take the spotlight from Natsuki-kun's lovely partner. A gal can only allow her knight so much disrespect before it's enough~!" Anastasia laughed a the small glare shot to her immediately by said knight.

Many more began laughing around Julius and Garfiel while he seethed with annoyance.

Meanwhile, Schult and the rest of the Emilia camp were watching the show with a large amount of wonder and marvel.

"Subaru's holding his own beside Julius…" Emilia commented, not wanting to sound like she wasn't supportive of her knight, but still giving her words in silent amazement.

"Subaru-kun's deserved recognition!" Rem had to clap from excitement now that others finally saw him for what he was to her all along. "My hero will always win no matter what."

"I don't like the obnoxious guy very much," Felt pointed at Julius on the screen with an unimpressed look, "but I'm loving that Big Bro's able to fuck with the Sloth idiot without losing much this time 'round. Blessings be that this asshat is dead once and for all."

"That's the wish, Felt-sama…" Petra sighs from the background, jaded and tired from all the times Petelguese had appeared in her village throughout Subaru's looping ability. "I want Subaru to be okay by the end of this, he is sharing the same wounds as the knight-sama."

"He will be fine, Petra-chan." Frederica gave a much warmer smile this time around. "He's done it and saved everyone he could like promised. That's what we heard about him from everyone who returned to the Sanctuary, remember?"

"Y-Yes…" Petra shook her head and ended up giving a small smile to her mentor, accepting Frederica's help.

[The knight didn't hesitate and dashed towards the archbishop with incredible speed. Julius jumped in the air and sliced his sword once, making almost every hand sprouting from Petelgeuse vanish into tethers.

"Wow!" Subaru shouted in awe.]

"Even Subaru's given' ya credit, Julius." Anastasia had a warm smile, not at all the teasing one that she'd been giving her knight since the moment this fight had been initiated with Subaru and Julius together. "Can't ya see his admiration for ya? Even though ya still blame yerself for all that ya did."

"My slights at the capital were one thing, My lady… But I had killed him by my hand." Julius sighed, unable to look her in the eye so he assumed staring at Subaru's amazed face instead. "It wasn't my intention to bring down your mood. I'm sorry."

Anastasia brought a hand up to flick his forehead. She smiled warmly to her knight with a look of understanding. "Ya ain't gonna be able to run from 'em when he wakes up anyways. He's not gonna let any of us change the way we look at 'em after what we've seen."

"... But the changes have already happened, Anastasia-sama… We've seen too much." Otto replied for Julius as he too looked at the floor beside the knight.

The merchant queen snorted, "Can't believe ya were my rival in this room for a while. Lil' pipsqueak like ya should be more formidable at sabotaging such a delicate moment for a competitor's camp like mine."

"Not like I can do much if the knight of your camp is in bed with the one in ours." Otto's words were spoken in spite and underlining humor which made Anastasia gaffaw and Julius glare hatefully from the side.

"Hahaha… Yeah." Anastasia breathed deeply after holding her midsection. "I ain't gonna make a lie 'ere and say that Natsuki-kun won't have his work cut out for 'em if he expects us to leave things be as they are. But I ain't sayin' he has to work that hard if we have his best interest at heart."

"I know, Anastasia-sama." Julius sighed, nodding his head and letting Otto wonder on his own what his lady was up to. He understood that Otto and Anastasia were constantly locked on a different wavelength.

["Impossible!Impossible!Impossible!Impossible!Impossible!Impossible!Impossible!Impossible!"

Petelgeuse shouted in rage and summoned more hands toward the blind knight.

"Why?! How can it be?! I thought I was loved! I am loved! By the witch, the witch, the witch, the witch! The witch!"

Julius picked up his blade and readied his stance once more. "It's time I killed you for real!"

Thrusting his legs, the knight bounced in the air to avoid the untangled hands, rocketing off of a spiky pillar to avoid them as they followed him even through the air.

"Al Clauseria!" Julius cast his spirit arts, making his sword glow in brilliance and shoot a powerful multi-colored ray of hope and mana toward the madman.

"ARGH ARGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Petelgeuse screeched in panic as his body was blown away and dragged through the ground until he hit the very edge of the mountain wall that was behind him from the momentum of the blow.

Julius immediately dashed towards the bishop with his blade ready to end him as soon as he touched the ground from his descent.

"I will not let you do that. Ul Dona!" Petelgeuse called upon the highest form of ground magic, making a dome of rocks appear from the ground and cover him completely.

Undeterred, Julius continued to speed towards the rock dome while Subaru smirked from behind him.]

"Subaru?!" Petra had a look of begrudging respect for Julius as he had helped Subaru as much as he could, but she was now standing at full attention, watching with pure curiosity in her eyes to see what Subaru might do to help in such a ferocious battle. "What is he going to do? Please don't get close!"

Like her, the rest in the front and second rows seemed anxious and excited (Mimi and Garfiel mostly) at the scene.

["Burn, fighting spirit! Howl, magic ball! When I get serious, I can pitch over 120 km/h!" Subaru shouted as he imitated a baseball player with a red glowing crystal in his hand, throwing it over his head and sending it glazing over towards the rock dome.

"What is this?" Petelgeuse asked in confusion as he watched from inside the dome through a crack.

* BOOOMMMMM! *

Subaru's red crystal exploded as soon as it impacted the Dona dome making it disappear into dust.

Julius quickly entered the cloud of dust and stabbed his pointy blade straight in, making the cloud dissipate away and revealing that he had stabbed the archbishop straight through the middle of his chest with his sword.

As Petelgeuse withered and bled through his teeth, Julius kept his eyes closed and inserted his sword into the madman's innards more. "You lost because you belittled him as powerless. My blade of all six elements bound together will slice your very soul apart. Scatter to the end of the rainbow!"]

Garfiel was the first to stand up and throw his arms in the air in pure joy at the defeat. "Cap'n did somethin'! He's deserved this win!"

"Isn't that kinda insulting to the knight-san for his hard work? Those injuries ain't easy to deal with." Al moved his hand to fix up the broken armrest but he seemed to have had his eyes on the screen the whole time. "Though that wasn't a bad throw at all."

"No, it wasn't!" Ricardo laughed along with Mimi and patted Tivey's head who was giving some coin to his sister with a disappointed face.

"I didn't think he would have explosives…" Tivey sighed.

"Those were not even magic… I can use some to help Priscilla-sama." Schult whispered to himself while looking between his lady and the amazing scene that showed him a different feeling to what these viewings can be like.

[The bleeding madman smirked viciously as he gasped in pain. "I won't let it end! I have been nothing but diligent! The witch's love bathes my entire body!"

The Archbishop instantly glared at Subaru behind Julius as his bloody mouth gritted.

Subaru flinched back as he felt something overcoming him suddenly.]

Emilia and Beatrice, who had been squinting while everyone watched happily with the wins Subaru and Julius had accumulated against the bishop, were the first to hold on to him upon the immediate start of the eeriness that filled him on the screen.

"Please…" Emilia whispered, making Felt and Crusch look at her as she glared with desperation toward the screen. "Please be safe."

["Julius, undo Nect!" Subaru shouted suddenly.

The knight instantly opened his eyes and voiced out in worry. "Very well."

In an instant… Nect was undone.

Petelgeuse's body was suddenly limp, impaled on Julius' sword like a dead puppet.

Subaru's body also went limp from behind Julius, but then he started moving in an uncomfortable and yet very mechanic manner.

"Ah… My brain… trembles!"

Subaru growled out as his eyes grew mad and his tongue stuck out of his mouth unforgivingly.]

"This quickly?" Otto revealed that he had been anticipating this himself, and his glare was ever hateful for the archbishop taking Subaru's body.

"Disgusting indeed," Roswaal muttered under his breath, having a bored face throughout most of what he was seeing.

"Wonder if Juukilius was ever gonna end up as the pawn for the Sloth bishop had the kid not saved his ass." Heinkel sighed, not liking what would happen next. "Anyway, how's this gonna be fixed if the kid had beaten 'em before we met, eh?"

"If you all would give enough respect for this to continue," Julius glared at Petra and the girls around Felix, urging them to be quiet as they looked more worried than ever. "I would like to know what Subaru had done as well."

"You know nothing about what he did, bro?" Al asked with a curiosity that was bleeding with anger under his breath.

Julius shook his head to the surprise of many.

"What did Subaru do to stop Guese…?" Emilia looked at her sleeping knight instead of the screen with a frown.

[For just a moment, his hand shook and slapped his head, making his eyes return to their normal formation and letting him gain control back over his head. "Yeah, just tremble while you wait," Subaru spoke begrudgingly as his body shook and struggled for control.

"I'll let you meet her, just this once… "]

"Fufufuf~ that is truly remarkable! Mineself approves of this game he plays!" Priscilla was the first to show support for what she and many others realized beyond the screen.

"No… Don't do this…" Emilia whispered in shock, hand trembling on his but not squeezing or tightening her grip. "Please don't do this."

"He's gonna meet the fuckin' Witch… How?" Heinkel had to swallow as to not show his cowardice while satisfying his curious thinking.

"Ah…" Julius had to close his eyes and put a palm over his face. "... You damn fool." He cursed at Subaru as the scene continued above him with everyone else looking at the screen in shock.

["What? Meet whom? What you talking about?!" Petelgeuse gained control and spoke through Subaru's crazed expressions.

"The witch that you've been waiting for!" Subaru took back driving power and breathed deeply before shouting at the top of his lungs, "I can Return by Death to-"

And the world suddenly turned dark.

A mist-covered world… A dark world… A time-stopped world.]

"This trick again… So it really was the damn witch…" Heinkel recognized this ability to stop the world immediately, looking like a trembling leaf more than anything as he watched the darkening of the world. "This kid ain't right in the head… He's nuts."

"It's his disrespectful way of doing things… Grinds my gears…" Al found himself speaking even though he had wanted to keep quiet during this part after he understood what Subaru was meant to use. "Using her like this… He's got no respect left for what is sacred."

"Invoking the taboo to bring them face to face?!" Crusch found herself glaring at Subaru's face more than anything. "What did he think this would accomplish?"

"The choice, Crusch-sama, nyan." Felix was the most quiet amongst the crowd, he had no hands on any seat or armrest as he rested them on his lap, with a deep frown on his face. "I may not share the joy of being useful to Subaru-kyun or making amends for what I did to him but… I understand his decision."

"What would that be…" Rem asked with a breathless whitened expression as she stared between Felix and the screen above.

"He's making her choose." Reinhard was the one to respond to her, letting Felix look away from everyone to show the ground his shocked face as it settled in. "Subaru is making the Witch of Envy choose between him or the Archbishop."

Petra had her hands up to her mouth from the disbelief she had filled with.

[Petelgeuse, in his robes and green skin, stood before the moving mist of miasma and looked at it in confusion.

He looked inside the deep mist for a moment until he heard a whining sound from his side.

Turning, slowly… he could see a brightly glowing avatar.

The grin plastered across his face almost makes his eyes bleed if it wasn't for the tear streaks already flowing down his cheeks.

"At last…" Petelgeuse squeaked out as the avatar of the shadow lady moved towards him.

"I've waited so long." The man sobbed as the avatar was shown more clearly.

A long-legged lady with a black dress of shadows and eyes blank-white stood in the middle of the dark cathedral of mist and miasma. She was sending two of her own long limp black hands towards the madman.]

"No… She chooses him!" Julius growled with his hand clenching his knight robes. "Damnit Subaru!"

"He's not going to die!" Otto looked beyond furious at what was happening on the screen. "So this gamble of his must've worked out somehow! What do you remember, Julius-san?!"

"I… There was nothing…. He… He came back and was never even possessed to me in the first place." Julius looked beyond confused as his fury died down. "Subaru had won before I could hear any words from Sloth."

"Then… This Witch… The one we don't see right now… She's not going to pick Guese?" Emilia looked fearful for Subaru, now on the edge of her seat as the screen continued to show the Witch standing over Petelguese.

"Exit out of Subaru… Both of you…" Beatrice couldn't stop her tears from flowing down her cheek, not at all expecting this cruel showdown to happen within Subaru's subconscious.

["I've waited for so long. For your love, your merciful love, your affectionate love… " As the lady's black arms softly hovered over his, Petelgeuse couldn't contain his excitement as he moved his hand to touch those of his goddess.

The shadow mistress swiftly touched her hands with his… and then…

"Eh?!" The tearful Betelgeuse sobbed in despair and horror as he saw that the witch's avatar had completely ignored his existence and moved her hands straight through him.

As if he was nothing to the powerful entity.

"No."

Petelgeuse gasped as the lady spoke, her white eyes never blinking as she muttered in disgust.

"You're not the one." She gave a rage-filled whisper as she gazed at the disgusting worshiper before her.

Before Petelgeuse could say a word, the black arm of the avatar struck him so hard he was kicked out of the shadow garden… and out of Subaru's body and mind.

"I'm back!" Subaru shouted as he gasped in pain.]

"What…" Reinhard decided it was appropriate he voice his own shock at the rejection that took place. "She chose that swiftly? Subaru?"

"Bring yourself comfort for that commoner seemed to have been less disgusting than the worshiper of the Witch." Priscilla grew increasingly satisfied by the humiliation of Petelguese as he withered on the ground, bleeding and broken in spirit and body. "Tis a fitting end!"

"I never thought Cap'n would be that important to someone like the Witch…" Garfiel had a most serious face as he looked at Petelguese. "She really wants 'em to get 'er out of the seal… Cap'n."

"She… took Subaru over that madman." Petra voiced what Emilia and Rem had been thinking out loud, with pauses of complete shock and disbelief as she held a hand to her chest, lowering from her open mouth. "She chose him… She…"

"Why?" Emilia asked, desperately looking between her Subaru and the other in the window. "Why him?! Just leave him alone…"

"Ain't it a good thin'? Big sis." Felt was firm with Emilia, looking at the half-elf with a small frown.

"I know but…" Emilia bit her lip and glared at the floor. "I don't like that he's near her. Or she's always attached to him… No."

Rem patted Emilia's shoulder and glared at the world behind Subaru's face on the screen.

"I cannot believe this shit…" Al just lets his armrest fall to the ground, not being able to fix it after gripping it strongly again. "She… Lied… She said she'd wait… What the hell is going on…"

[The world around him seemingly resumed as the witch took mercy upon both him and the intruder she kicked out of his body.

The intruder's been reduced to a bleeding green-skinned corpse on the dirt below Subaru's feet.

"This… cannot… be… "

Subaru looked down at the bleeding madman with surprise. "I was prepared to keep trying that until you left me, but you gave up after one go? How cowardly can you be?"

Julius interrupted by pointing his blade down to the fallen cultist. "This time, I'll end you."

He stabbed his sword down and inserted it straight into the man's chest.]

"She didn't even love ya and yer still tryna fight?" Garfiel scoffed at the unmanly behavior of the murderer on the screen. "Give up, ya monster."

"How did you end up knowing he won against him mentally?" Otto asked with his eyes glued on the screen, knowing Julius would understand it was meant for him.

The knight in question seemed more unsure than relieved as he too watched with focus gripping him. "I didn't. I trust that Subaru was speaking to me at the same time the Archbishop was."

Otto widened his eyes, "It was all luck then…"

"Or there was something else to this underwhelming end to the one who's kept Barusu for three different loops." Ram seemed to be the most emotionless amongst the first and second-row watchers, giving the screen analyzing looks of contempt. "That witch must've done something."

"This is not at all making sense… What happened after this apart from you finishing it, Julius-san?"

The knight seemed to be just as confused and afraid to answer as Otto was to ask this question.

"Julius?" Anastasia urged from behind as well.

"I… Can't say much… Except the end will be soon and swift." Julius rubbed the back of his head and allowed them all to see for themselves. "Real soon… Sloth dies."

"Just like the stories…" Schult breathes with relief, not believing he would witness this moment alongside the White Whale's defeat. "Today's amazing. So amazing!"

[Petelgeuse watched as blood trickled and flowed through his robes from the stab wound… his expression only showing confusion and betrayal.

"Why… Why, why, why? After everything I've done for you! Witch! Witch!"

The man known as Petelgeuse screamed in heartbreak and betrayal, not caring for the knight that was standing over him with a sword stabbing his chest, Petelgeuse sent an unseen hand that sprouted from his bleeding back towards the mountain wall and crashed through the rocky structure as he shouted his pain and agony over his rejection from the goddess he longed to please.

Julius and Subaru jumped away from the mass of rocks coming down towards them from Petelgeuse's emotional mishap.

"Give me your love…" The Archbishop whispered in a pleading tone before the falling rocks crushed his head and body below them.

* SCRUNCHHHHHH! *

"Petelgeuse Romanee-Conti… you were sloth alright," Subaru whispered while staring at the final resting place the madman had created for himself with a disgusted and disturbed expression.]

"What a foul being… Good riddance." Frederica said with hostility gracing her tone. "I cannot believe it took so long to kill someone this pathetic."

Wilhelm had to give a nod to her words along with many others around them. "He was truly obsessed with a one-sided love that cursed his being to be a most disgusting facade of worship and devotion." The old man had nothing but a look of pity on his face for the man under those rocks.

"... Goodbye… Guese…" Beatrice looked away with her hands holding on to Subaru's arm from Crusch's side. The duchess let the Spirit have the arm out of respect and understanding that she needed it more. "Goodbye forever…"

Emilia and Roswaal were having their own reactions to this ending, both closing their eyes to hide varying expressions of pain at such an ugly ending.

"Not the one you deserve… Not at all…" Roswaal sighed and continued to watch his failures accumulate on the screen. "Why couldn't you just listen to what Teacher had to say… Damn, fool."

"..." Emilia looked away, wanting to give some form of respect to what the man once was in her mind. "It's not fair to you… I'm sorry."

[Picking up a dark black book that had fallen beside the rubble of bloodied rocks, Subaru started turning its pages without care, only leaving it in his pocket once Julius called out to him.

"Subaru, let's hurry back to the village."

"Huh?"

Julius was holding a metia in his hand as he reported to the black-wearing youth. "Felix just contacted me. It seems there's a problem."]

"After all of that?" Heinkel looked beyond tired, "Ain't gonna be excited more than ten times today, you there, Blue!" He pointed at Felix who glared at him with defiance. "Tell me what the hell's the problem next? Huh?!"

"If ya must knoyw so badly, then you can watch and see for yourself, nyan!" He stuck his tongue out to the Deputy Commander and looked back at the screen with a 'hmph' that rivaled Beatrice's own.

Heinkel looked at him and deadpanned. "It's like I'm talking to my wife all over again… Except my wife was an actual woman, and way taller, and prettier."

"That's mean! He can be a girl if he wants to, Heinkel-sama." Schult admonished from the side with a look of sympathy for Felix's struggle.

"I'm not a girl!" Felix said with a red face and a look of disgust. "Please never compare me to someone who would marry a man like you ever again!"

"Why not? I'm charming as hell." Heinkel smirked down at the healer with what he assumed was his best smile… Which only served to make Felix want to puke as many laughed around him, including a somber Rem who had been looking at Petelgeuse's defeat with satisfaction.

[Scene change…

Back in the empty Alarm village, Subaru was sitting inside a shack with Julius, Felix, and Otto sitting around him.]

"They are back… I missed my village so much." Petra sighed at the sight of the ghost town, remembering how long it's been since she returned to the Mathers estate due to her moving with the rest of Emilia's camp into Annerose's mansion.

"Eh, look, it's that prisoner we captured." Ricardo pointed at Otto on the screen. "Ain't this yer first meetin' with him for ya?"

Otto had a small smile on his face, but it was empty of emotion. "I wish it was. But I know he has more to remember than someone like me who betrayed him."

"Otto-kun." Emilia looked at him sympathetically but she was waved off by the fake smile he gave her.

"I doubt what I'm going to do matters after this." Otto sighed and balanced his hat on his head. "I just managed to help Natsuki-san get there on time."

"Get where?" Garfiel asked while looking at him and then around the room confused. "What's the problem?"

"I would like to know as well." Rem looked for answers from the people who were present around Subaru. It was mainly Felix, Julius, Otto, and Emilia and when Rem looked at Petra and Frederica, she realized that Frederica was just as confused as her.

"I have no idea what happened to Barusu either since I was leading the villagers to the Sanctuary." Ram crossed her arms.

"Then…?" Rem looked at anyone to answer her which made Heinkel narrow his eyes.

"Ain't ya got brains? Sit down and let me watch what happens next. This got me curious." The drunkard spoke, his voice unpleasant and plentiful with disdain for the maid and her friends.

Rem glared at him and went silent to allow the screen to continue.

Priscilla hummed approvingly at her camp member.

["The magic stones of fire that were in the merchants' inventory are gone," Felix reported as Otto nodded from his side.

"We unloaded all of our cargo so we could take the villagers on board, but the magic stones of fire are missing."

Subaru looked at Otto with a confused look. "What does that mean?"

"Someone left the stones on board when they loaded the villagers," Felix said immediately to answer him.

"It was Ketty-san's carriage." Subaru turned to Otto with a worried face. "There are enough magic stones to easily blow away a small village."

At Otto's words, Subaru could only choke on his own spit as he remembered his previous loop… the moment when Alarm was turned to rubble because of his and Felix's oversight of the spy.]

"I never took in his expression before now, nyan." Felix earned their attention as he frowned at Subaru. "Ferri-chan didn't notice how panicked he was. Who would be able to tell that he's lived through the explosion and already knows what will happen?"

"It isn't fair for him to be the one doing this alone, but this is the condition the Witch has forced on him should he fight her wishes." Wilhelm sighed, giving Felix a sense of comradery.

"H-How did you guys miss that anyways?!" Heinkel glared at the others. "Ain't this a slap to the face? Of all the carriages, it was the half-elf's one where the explosives were stashed?"

Emilia and some others like Julius and Reinhard looked back at the man with a pleasant surprise.

"Father…" Reinhard called out with hope in his eyes.

"Are you worried about the children and Emilia-sama, Priscilla-sama's competition, Heinkel-sama?!" Schult gave the man a look of admiration and respect.

"Imagine if I was in one of those carriages! This is some sloppy work!" Heinkel immediately lost the respect in everyone's eyes, while Priscilla and Roswaal ended up being the only ones who chuckled at the pathetic man.

"I don't think any carriages should suffer an explosion just because you're riding in it, sir," Felix muttered from below the third row.

Heinkel looked surprised but he nodded pleased. "Thank you, Blue."

"I don't think a carriage deserves to have you in it in the first place." Felix earned laughs from the mercenaries and even the two Astreas by his side.

Heinkel looked at Schult for a moment, turned the boy's head away, being aided by a disinterested Priscilla as she covered his eyes with her soft delicate hand, and then the holy bird was flipped towards the healer with gracefulness.

[Felix continued to deliver the bad reports. "Ketty's carriage is taking Emilia-sama and the children to the capital."

The scene changes to Emilia, sitting on the cart chair and looking at the roads with a thoughtful face.

Images of Subaru's declaration in the castle and her fight with him played before her.

"Emilia-sama. It's time." The young villager called out to her, kicking her out of her thoughts and making her look back into the carriage that held the village's children.

"What's wrong?"

"Are you all right?"

Emilia flashed a smile to the kids. "I'm sorry. It's nothing. Come on let's hurry!"

The silver-haired girl turned to enter the carriage with the kids…

and the screen showed the giant sack of glowing red crystals placed right below them in the same cart.]

"How did the Great Spirit not sense the presence of such unstable magical stones right beneath you?" Crusch found herself wondering with an aghast expression.

"I told Puck to keep watch on the outside of the carriages to stop anything attacking from reaching us," Emilia whispered in shame, not wanting to look anyone in the eye. "I wish you didn't see me dwelling on my guilt instead but… I should've taken care of the kids."

"You did well enough, Emilia-sama." Petra had to look away so that Emilia doesn't see her tears. "We weren't there to be taken care of in the first place. I'm sure Subaru would've been the most distraught if something had happened to all of us collectively."

"That's right…" Emilia had to smile and chuckle at the thought. "He was the one who put you all there. He would've gone to hell and back to stop anything wrong from happening."

"He did." Petra's stern voice stopped Emilia's smile from growing, her hands clenching instantly as Petra turned away and watched the continuation of the scene with a bit of a stone-faced expression.

Emilia sighed and watched with a tired guilt that made her want to rub her hand softly on Subaru's head but this wouldn't be appropriate at the moment.

"I wonder how he made it there on time, in fact." Beatrice didn't look around her for an answer, but she would've seen Julius and Felix shooting Otto a smirk due to her question.

The merchant boy himself seemed increasingly humbled with a blush as he realized what would be shown next.

[The scene changes to Subaru coming out of the shack with a panicking expression.

"Damn it! My poor man's tendency to use anything at hand backfired!" He shouted as he stood in the middle of the road.

Julius and Felix came out right behind him. "We have verified that no spell was used to set a trap, but if something were physically rigged in the carriage… "

"Ferris, could a ground dragon catch up to them?" Subaru asked in frantic despair, but the cat healer only shook his head.

"If they're already out of the Mathers domain and on the Lifaus Highway, it'll be hard to catch them."

Subaru looked down at the cat's sincere explanation, eyes filled with disbelief and despair. "That still wasn't enough? Even after all that, I still can't… " As the boy's face closed up in fear and regret, a calm intervention came from a polite merchant boy.

"May I say something?"

Everyone looked at the embarrassed Otto as he spoke with a raised hand. "I'm actually in a desperate position right now. If you would accept a trade, I promise to catch up to the carriage that lef-"

"If there's anything I can do, I'll do it!" Subaru shouted without a second thought while pointing to the merchant.

Otto blinked for a moment and smiled brightly. "I like a man who can make quick decisions, Natsuki-san!"]