Chapter 591 — Arc 9, Chapter 4 – “Dunderhead”

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???: [――Madelyn?]

Upon finding Madelyn Eschart walking brazenly through the fortress, Emilia called out her name as her eyes widened in surprise.

Then, halting her gait upon hearing that call, the young girl turned her head of black horns, and contorted her lovely face as if she had eaten something bitter.

At that reaction, as Emilia gestured with her hand to show that there was nobody else around them,

Emilia: [You don’t need to make such a face. After all, I’m the only one here.]

Madelyn: […That isn’t friggin’ encouraging or anything. This dragon is making this friggin’ face because it’s you.]

Emilia: [Eh, is that so? But why?]

Madelyn: [Did you friggin’ forget that you’re the one who made it snow a ton and fought a bunch against this dragon and Mezoreia!? How the frig’ could I be left with a good impression!]

As her golden irises sharpened, Madelyn raised her voice. As Madelyn snapped at her like that, Emilia nodded with an “I see…” as she reflected on their relationship.

Indeed, across both the Fortress City and the decisive battle for the Imperial Capital, Emilia had clashed against Madelyn twice. They were both present in the Imperial Capital during the battle against the Great Disaster, but they did not meet again there. Come to think of it, this was the first time they were exchanging words in a calm manner like this.

Emilia: [Then, the last time I saw you, Madelyn, was when I froze you into a block of solid ice.]

Madelyn: [――! So, it really was you after friggin’ all! I couldn’t move my body in the slightest, it was so, so freezing cold and dangerous… you’re friggin’ outrageous!]

Emilia: [Uh, sorry. I was going to unfreeze you properly afterwards, but Madelyn escaped with Mezoreia, so…]

Madelyn: [Don’t friggin’ blame it on this dragon, human!]

Madelyn bore her sharp fangs, and had such vigor that it seemed like she might suddenly try to bite her. Emilia was a bit surprised at her liveliness, but at the same time, she felt relief.

After all, she had heard that Madelyn and Mezoreia had become allies of the Great Disaster at one point.

Emilia: [But, you supported our side in the end. Garfiel told me.]

Madelyn: […That friggin’ tigerperson half-beast, huh?]

Emilia: [Yes, he’s my reliable ally, and sort of like a little brother. He’s reaaally strong, after all.]

Madelyn: [――――]

As Emilia puffed out her chest with a “Ahem”, Madelyn fell silent with a complex expression. It was not as though she doubted Emilia’s words; rather, her silence held a different significance.

For example, it gave off a sense of something close to frustration or embarrassment.

Emilia: [――Madelyn, you’re going to continue on as a General of the Empire, right?]

Madelyn: [――Hk, you got a friggin’ problem with that?]

Emilia: [No, not at all, that’s not what I mean. It’s just, I heard that Mezoreia had gone home, so I was thinking about how Madelyn didn’t do the same.]

Shifting her gaze away from Madelyn as they spoke, Emilia looked to the sky outside the fortress.

An exceedingly rare dragonkin, Madelyn, and the Cloud Dragon, Mezoreia―― Emilia did not know of the relationship between the two in detail. But, if they loved each other dearly, then their relationship could be viewed as something close to that of the one between a Spirit and a Spiritual Arts User.

If that was the case, Mezoreia was to Madelyn as Puck was to Emilia. To make the decision to separate from such a companion, could not have been an easy feat.

Emilia: [I’ve also experienced similar feelings. For me, I wasn’t given the choice to go together or not… That’s why, I think Madelyn is reaaally brave for making her own choice.]

Madelyn: [Of friggin’ course. ――Don’t friggin’ lump this dragon in with you, human.]

Emilia: [You might be right. Or, maybe not? You’re a dragonkin, but does that make you strong enough to endure the painful feelings of parting with a precious companion? Is that how it is?]

Madelyn: [Friggin’ unpleasant woman…!]

Being told so by a bitter face, Emilia clutched her chest with a soft grunt.

An unpleasant woman, she had never been verbally abused with such words, so she had a fresh feeling of bitterness. Recently, she had not been referred to as a “half-devil” as frequently, and to begin with, it no longer hurt her feelings to be called so. ――Only, the woman who would so boldly call Emilia a “half-devil”, was no longer anywhere to be found.

Emilia: [――――]

Madelyn: [Don’t go friggin’ silent all of a sudden. It’s a friggin’ disrespect before this dragon, you know.]

Emilia: [Mhm, yeah. I’m sorry for making you feel lonely.]

Madelyn: [~~!!]

With her indulgence in reveries being halted, Emilia apologized, to which Madelyn’s face went red.

With her face reddened, she tried to say something for a moment, and after taking a deep breath, she stared straight at Emilia, and then,

Madelyn: [Talking with humans is friggin’ exhausting, but that’s especially friggin’ true for you.]

Emilia: [Well, I think that’s definitely because you’re nervous about talking to me. Subaru said that before.]

Though it was frustrating that there was nothing she could do about it, from what Subaru had told her, it seemed that Emilia caused tension in the people she faced. Subaru was always playing it off as various reasons, such as “EMT”, but it was probably because of the fact that she was a Royal Candidate, or because she was a half-elf.

Emilia: [That’s why, I’m relaxing my cheeks as much as I can so that doesn’t happen.]

Since she could not change her position as a Royal Candidate, her half-elf lineage, or her silver hair and amethyst eyes which resembled the Witch of Envy, she wanted to at least keep a gentle facial expression.

Trying her best with those thoughts, Emilia inquired of Madelyn with a “Well?”. Then, Madelyn took yet another deep breath, and,

Madelyn: [When talking to you, this dragon gets the feeling that staying here might’ve been the wrong friggin’ choice.]

Emilia: [Umm, that’s alright? We’ll be leaving the Empire in a few days, so…]

Madelyn: [It doesn’t! Friggin’ have anything to do! With whether you’re here or not!]

Being yelled at in short bursts, Emilia’s eyes widened. Before her, Madelyn placed her hand on her hip, and as if in return for earlier, looked towards the outside of the fortress,

Madelyn: [This country, it’s the land for which this dragon’s darling… Balleroy, staked his life to protect.]

Emilia: [――. Indeed.]

At Madelyn’s whispered words, Emilia briefly nodded.

She had heard that the undead by the name of Balleroy had done a great job. That when the sky had been enveloped in a tremendous light, he had been present amidst the clouds that blanketed the sky of the Imperial Capital.

Emilia had been fighting Sphinx, who had turned into the spitting image of Echidna, so she had been unable to avert her attention there. Therefore, she had no clue whatsoever about what sort of person Balleroy had been.

Emilia: [It’s reaaally unfortunate that I couldn’t say thank you to him.]

Madelyn: [Don’t friggin’ make eyes at this dragon’s darling!]

Emilia: [Make eyes…?]

Madelyn: [Even if he didn’t receive any thanks for it, this dragon’s darling friggin’ accomplished his duties… Until the very end of the end, he didn’t let this dragon tag along in the things he wanted to do.]

Hearing Madelyn’s fragile, somewhat lonely tone of voice, Emilia narrowed her amethyst eyes.

The feelings that Madelyn kept bottled up in that tiny body of hers, Emilia felt like they were ones she was familiar with. Or rather, she was indeed familiar with them.

After all, Subaru would also sometimes decide things all on his own without consulting Emilia.

Emilia: [But, that isn’t because he doesn’t think he can count on me or because he doesn’t like me, but because he treasures me, so it’s a reaaally bad quality to have.]

Madelyn: [You…]

Emilia: [It’s a matter of being valued dearly. That makes it hard to get mad at, it’s a little unfair.]

If one was not valued, and was instead thought of as undependable and unpleasant, they would want to try their best to improve that impression. But, since Emilia was already viewed in a good light, it was challenging to want to do anything more about it.

Emilia: [That’s why, it’s unfair. Really, just what are girls like us to do?]

Madelyn: […Unfair.]

Receiving Emilia’s words, Madelyn cast her eyes down as if pondering something.

Though she did not know Balleroy well, Emilia more or less felt that the irritation that Madelyn harbored towards him was close to what she herself felt towards Subaru.

Alas, even if their troubles were similar, the answer that Madelyn had arrived at was something distant to Emilia.

After all――,

Emilia: [――I can’t stay behind in this country, the land that Priscilla protected.]

Staking one’s life, if it were to be put that way, then Priscilla was undoubtedly one of the people who had accomplished that―― Emilia’s “friend”, whose passing still did not feel real despite several days having elapsed.

Madelyn: [――――]

It would have been nice if their relationship could have developed enough for them to call each other friends. Priscilla had passed away before such a thing could come to fruition, so, right now, Emilia just one-sidedly wanted to call her as such.

However, just before fading away, she had appeared before Emilia and Anastasia as they were conversing, and they all had a pleasant chat for a short while―― Emilia would look back on that with regret for a long, long time.

That peaceful, gentle time they had shared, they ought to have been able to continue on with it from here on out many more times, for much more time, in much more depth; Emilia would end up dreaming of such unattainable hopes.

And then, as Emilia pictured what lay beyond the faded dream――,

Emilia: [――Eh?]

Suddenly, Emilia received a tug at her arm and, unable to hold her ground in the slightest, was pulled down. As Emilia almost tumbled over, her head was gently caught by Madelyn’s shoulder.

There was a noticeable height difference between the two, and yet Emilia’s head was leaning upon Madelyn’s shoulder. If their positioning had been just slightly off, Emilia’s head would have been pierced by one of Madelyn’s horns.

Emilia: [Um, Madelyn? People will get startled by these kinds of things…]

So you shouldn’t do them all of a sudden; Emilia made such an attempt to scold Madelyn.

However――,

Madelyn: [Don’t friggin’ cry.]

Emilia: [――――]

At that comment, Emilia blinked, and then, upon Madelyn’s shoulder where her head was leaning onto, she noticed that droplets of water were trickling down and staining it. For a moment, she did not realize what those were, but from Madelyn’s words, she came to an understanding. ――They were tears.

For what, and for whom those tears flowed, was abundantly clear.

Emilia: [I had thought, we could become friends.]

Madelyn: [――――]

Emilia: [I ended up getting along with Anastasia-san… and could also make proper conversation with Felt-chan and Crusch-san, so I thought that Priscilla would surely be the most stubborn… I finally got to a point where I could chat with her, with Priscilla, so I thought that from here on, even more…]

Madelyn: [――――]

Emilia: [I thought that, I could come to like Priscilla. I wanted to like her.]

As if catching up to her falling tears, her words began to well up with emotion.

While she had always been bold, while she had sometimes been quite mean, while she had worn an expression that seemed to know everything for reasons Emilia did not understand, she was the owner of a truly kind heart.

Priscilla, who had displayed many faces of such good and bad aspects, was a person Emilia wished to have dearer thoughts of. Spanning a long time, she had wanted to nurture such feelings.

As such feelings of regret and lament spilled out of Emilia――,

Madelyn: [This dragon will――]

Emilia: [Eh?]

Madelyn: [This dragon, will friggin’ protect it for you.]

Suddenly, Madelyn caressed the head of Emilia, who was shedding tears upon her shoulder, and spoke thus. At those words, Emilia was taken aback, her eyes still moist.

As the sides of their faces were touching, they could not see the other’s faces. Emilia’s face was a teary one, but what sort of expression was Madelyn making?

Without her expression being seen, Madelyn continued.

Madelyn: [The Empire, is the friggin’ country Balleroy protected. This dragon, has a friggin’ reason to protect this land. ――The reason for your tears, also lived and died for the sake of this country. Then…]

Emilia: […Then?]

Madelyn: [This dragon, will friggin’ protect it with them. Unlike humans, that should be no friggin’ challenge whatsoever for this dragon.]

Emilia had come to believe that it was always crucial to look each other in the eye when having important conversations. That was the absolutely fundamental rule when having an important conversation.

However, at this time, Emilia thought that it was for the best that she, with her teary face, and Madelyn, who was boldly declaring those words, were in a situation where they could not see the face of the other.

There were definitely valuable, important words that could not be said if one was looking into another’s face.

There were definitely words that could only be conveyed because one was not looking into the recipient’s face, and that seemed to be precisely why Madelyn was able to say the words she had just said.

Emilia: [――Mm. Reaaally, thank you.]

Madelyn: [Things just happened to friggin’ align. I didn’t do it to friggin’ be told thanks.]

Emilia: [Yes. But, I still want to say it. Thank you, Madelyn.]

At Emilia’s repeated declaration of gratitude, Madelyn could be heard snorting her nose.

Whether that was because she truly found it irritating, or if it was to hide her abashment, was something Emilia could not tell due to not seeing her face. Such joy could also be found in conversations where the other party’s face could not be seen.

The opportunity to cherish such childish things, resided with herself.

And then――,

Emilia: [――Oh, look over there, Madelyn!]

Madelyn: [Ugh!?]

Then, a deep and important emotion welled up in her heart.

Upon catching sight of a small figure walking along the path directly opposite the fortress, Emilia had been so surprised that she grabbed Madelyn by the horns and turned her head in the same direction.

Ignoring Madelyn’s cries, Emilia’s consciousness was drawn towards the figure. ――It was a small boy with pink hair, Priscilla’s servant, Schult.

Emilia: [Schult-kun…]

When she caught sight of him, Emilia felt a tight, painful knot in her chest.

Priscilla’s death had devastated Emilia, as she had been envisioning a future with her. However, the grief of those who had loved Priscilla dearly would be beyond compare.

Even though she knew that comparing one’s sorrows and misfortunes with those of another would only make her feel lonelier.

Emilia: [――Hk.]

Madelyn: [Hey! You!]

As soon as she realized this, Emilia kicked off the floor and started running towards the corridor, where she could see Schult. Madelyn’s panicked voice called out to her from behind, but Emilia did not stop.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Emilia ran through the fortress and turned down the opposite corridor,

Emilia: [Schult-kun!]

Schult: [――Emily-sama, is that you?]

Schult turned around, his small, thin shoulders trembling at Emilia’s powerful voice.

Emilia could not help but gasp as she faced the young boy directly. He had neat, clean-cut clothes, and his fluffy pink hair was well-groomed. However, even so, the redness of his eyes and the fatigue in his tired, pale expression could not be hidden.

However, instead of crying in his room, he decided to go outside.

Emilia: [You came outside. That’s reaaally…]

Emilia wondered whether she should continue the sentence with the words “amazing” or “great” after that.

She rushed over, unable to sit still, but struggled to choose the right words to say. What was it that Schult needed right now: sympathy, encouragement, or――,

Schult: [There is no need for you to apologize to me, Emily-sama.]

Emilia: [――Ah.]

Schult: [Emily-sama, you have fulfilled your promise.]

When Schult, having lowered the corners of his eyes, murmured as he hung his head, Emilia began regretting her attitude.

Schult saw through Emilia’s indecision and hesitation to apologize. ――Before the battle against the Great Disaster, Emilia had promised Schult that she would definitely bring Priscilla back and let him be reunited with her.

Emilia had not been able to do that. It was Priscilla herself who had fulfilled that promise.

But for that, she must not apologize. If she did, everything that Schult had worked hard for and the words that Priscilla had said to him would all be a lie.

???: [Em, don’t be so down.]

Emilia: […So Utakata-chan was together with Schult-kun.]

Suddenly, Emilia noticed the presence of a girl peering up from below―― Utakata, who had appeared beside the two of them.

She was the same age as Schult and a close friend, and it seemed that she did not stay with the other Shudraqians, but rather with Schult.

In response to Emilia’s words, Utakata nodded slightly.

Utakata: [Mii and Taa are busy. Suu and Ah look like they’re in trouble. The only one who can stay with Shuu is Uu.]

Emilia: [Yes, I see. Thank you for not leaving Schult-kun alone.]

Utakata: [You’re welcome, Em.]

When Utakata thrust her fist out at Emilia, she noticed that her gesture reminded her of one Subaru had made, so Emilia made sure to match her fist with the one that was being held out to her.

Then, Emilia turned to face Schult again and,

Emilia: [Aren’t you supposed to be resting in your room?]

Schult: […I have already had enough rest. By nature, I am small and weak, so I have hardly done any work at all… So now, I want to do lots of things.]

Utakata: [Shuu is working very hard. Puu’s soul will surely be at peace.]

Schult: [Yes.]

Emilia: [――――]

Emilia was surprised that Utakata had said that so naturally, and that Schult had nodded in agreement.

Utakata then tilted her head and asked, “What’s wrong?” to the surprised Emilia,

Utakata: [Life goes in circles, whether it’s prey, people, enemies or allies. That’s how Uu and the others think. Uu’s mother, and Shuu’s Puu, too, go in circles. I’m sure they do.]

Emilia: […What happens after going around in circles like that?]

Utakata: [They’ll be reborn. In a different form, as prey, as a person, as an enemy, as an ally, or as something else entirely. But that’s how it is.]

The souls of the dead were said to cycle through the world and then return again.

Emilia found this way of thinking hard to understand. However, it felt better than the idea that once someone died, everything simply ended.

When a person died, the Od that was in their body would depart, and be dissolved into the Mana of the world. Even if that was the case in reality, if there were to still be a form or a trace of that person left while the Od dissolved, then.

Emilia: [――Would that be… the Books of the Dead?]

As she thought back, Emilia remembered that she had experienced for herself the proof of what Utakata had told her.

Inside Pleiades Watchtower, in the library housing the Books of the Dead, which recorded the memories of the dead, the traces of many people from this world were firmly preserved. The fact that these could be preserved was proof that time had been set aside by someone to transcribe them into books from the souls of those who had departed.

Emilia: [――――]

For the first time, Emilia felt a strong fixation towards the Books of the Dead.

Unlike the time when Subaru’s memories had disappeared inside that tower, this was a fixation towards the Books of the Dead themselves, in the truest sense of the word.

Emilia also had people who had parted ways with her that she would never forget. ――People like Fortuna, Juice, and others she would never be able to see again, even if the ice melted in the Great Forest of Elior. [1]

Although it was sad to say goodbye to Fortuna and the others, it had been a definite ending.

That was what made Emilia harbor such fixation, the sorrow of not being able to overcome that grief.

If possible, she would like to know what she was thinking in her final moments, and whether she was hoping to see the same things as Emilia in the future beyond that lighthearted chat―― had she not spoken to Madelyn.

The parting with Priscilla, the proper way to deal with that hard to swallow reality, if they were not given time to worry over those things, she would have surely thought so.

Schult: [I was found by Priscilla-sama. Priscilla-sama chose me.]

Emilia: [Schult-kun…]

As he faced the silent Emilia, Schult tensed his cheeks and slowly lifted his bowed face, while speaking haltingly, but with a certain passion.

The boy continued, his round eyes welling up with tears.

Schult: [Priscilla-sama, truly loved beautiful and marvelous things. That, Priscilla-sama, chose me… if I were to be worthless, I would disgrace Priscilla-sama’s name…!]

Emilia: [――――]

Schult: [I cannot allow that.]

Indeed, Emilia’s eyes widened at how Schult answered with all the strength he could muster.

Perhaps it was an illusion, or a mistake in perception. For just a brief moment, she felt as if a dazzling light had appeared in Schult’s eyes.

It was the same as what Priscilla, who lived like a flame, made her feel.

――That was the moment Emilia felt that Schult had defined his own life.

From this point on, Schult would probably face many hardships in life. But, Schult would not give up, or be discouraged or intimidated.

His reason for that not to happen, that flame he kept close, he decided to nurture in his heart and use it as fuel so that his energy might never wane.

Emilia: [There are still so many things I can’t do by myself, and even though I’m studying as hard as I can, there are still so many things I don’t know.]

Schult: [Emily-sama?]

Emilia: [I know it’s reaaally selfish of me to say this, because even now and into the future, I’m the kind of person who will always rely on everyone around me to make up for my shortcomings, to support me, and to help me. But, let me say it anyway.]

Schult: [――――]

Emilia: [I will continue to lend my support to you, Schult-kun. I, will definitely stand by you.]

Emilia placed her hand on her chest and told the little boy directly.

Whether or not she had kept her promise to bring Priscilla back, pitying him who lost someone so important, this was Emilia’s resolution after discarding all such reasons.

It was a sign that she wanted to support Schult’s attitude and way of being.

Schult: […Thank you, Emily-sama.]

For a moment, Schult took some time to consider Emilia’s words, before slightly relaxing his lips and replying.

Despite the fact that Emilia had made a self-serving promise, she was glad that she had said it, even if that response made her feel like she had to apologize to Roswaal and Otto later.

Emilia: [Thank goodness you said that. I have to tell the others about this… are Al and Reinhard’s father around?]

In reality, now that Priscilla was gone, the immediate issue was what would happen to the Barielle Domain in the Kingdom of Lugunica. However, it would be difficult to fully discuss this while in the Vollachian Empire.

Especially Al, who, like Subaru, had been present to witness Priscilla disappear.

Emilia: [――Subaru.]

Uttering Subaru’s name, Emilia found it very frustrating that she had her hands full.

Before Emilia and the others reunited in the Empire, Subaru and Rem had already made contact with Priscilla, and as they had spent time together that Emilia and the others did not know about, they must have been hurt more than Emilia.

In truth, she wanted to stay by their side, even if it meant enduring her own pain and sadness.

Emilia: [But, now that I’m finally ready, after talking about this…]

Subaru and Rem, two people who had also suffered heartache; she could talk things over with them.

As Emilia made up her mind, Schult continued, “Well”,

Schult: [Al-sama is still in his room. And as for Heinkel-sama, we had just gone to get him some water…]

Saying that, Schult looked over to Utakata who stood by his side, as she held an empty water jug. It seemed like they were planning to head straight to Heinkel after filling it up.

They had come to quite a long pause by having this conversation, so Emilia was about to go back to attending to her original plans, and just when she was about to open her mouth to declare so――,

???: [――Oh, ah.]

Suddenly, hearing a low groan from within the passage, Emilia lifted her head. Then, meeting the eyes of an unthinkable person, she blinked in surprise.

Present there, was someone who had just come up as the topic of conversation a moment prior――,

Schult: [Heinkel-sama! Have you decided to come outside!?]

In a loud voice Schult called out, the one to whom he had exclaimed being Heinkel, his red hair disheveled, the stubble on his face unkempt. In all likelihood, he had not been keeping himself well-groomed ever since that, and had been in a state of exhaustion since the battle against the Great Disaster had ended.

He had horrible dark circles around his eyes, and it was apparent that he had not been sleeping. Only, those sunken blue irises housed an odd glint as he looked towards them―― nay, towards Emilia.

Schult: [I will bring you some water immediately, so…]

Heinkel: [E-Emilia-sama…!]

While he said that, Schult admirably attempted to support Heinkel’s staggering body. But, without even looking at Schult, Heinkel had called out Emilia’s name.

Frowning at his attitude, Emilia nodded with a “Yes”,

Emilia: [Hey, you look quite pale. As Schult said, you should drink some water and rest. If you aren’t eating either, I can go bring you some food…]

Heinkel: [No, no, none of that stuff matters… No, it really doesn’t matter. More importantly, Emilia-sama, there’s something I’d like to discuss!]

Emilia: [――Hk.]

In an attempt to have him calm down, Emilia tried to touch Heinkel’s shoulder, but as she did so, Heinkel grabbed her hand. She was startled by the strength of his grip, and Heinkel brought his face close to Emilia as her throat clogged up.

Then, as his eyes, the same blue hue as Reinhard’s, greatly wavered,

Heinkel: [Won’t you let me… would you not allow me to humbly serve you, Emilia-sama? No matter what! No matter what, I will be of great use to you in the Royal Selection…!]

Emilia: [W-what are you saying? Saying that so suddenly… aren’t you a servant of Priscilla?]

Heinkel: [I will be useful! I can become a force of deterrence! In order to win the Royal Selection, there’s a competitor that you need to have withdraw no matter what, now isn’t there? As long as they remain, nobody else has a winning chance. But, if you have me, then Reinhard won’t be a problem――]

Emilia: [――Hk.]

Seeing Heinkel’s bloodcurdling state, Emilia was at a loss for words.

Emilia, who had recently begun to think that moving to solve problems before she could think about them was her strong suit, was silenced by Heinkel’s attitude of deluded conviction.

It was a terrible sales pitch for his own horribly inconsistent self―― but, if that was Heinkel’s way of facing the fact that Priscilla had passed away.

Emilia: [I think, it’s reaaally sad…]

Heinkel: [I understand, but it’s the truth! You can’t win against Reinhard if you don’t have me. That’s why Miss Priscilla welcomed me. Yes indeed, the fact that Miss Priscilla did so is a guarantee. Emilia-sama! Let us work together to clear away Miss Priscilla’s regrets!]

Emilia: [――――]

If there was even a sliver of lamentation for Priscilla in those words, Emilia would have listened to him.

But, she felt no such feelings towards Priscilla within Heinkel’s appeal. If they had been present, Schult would have been seen making a sad expression.

Therefore, Emilia bit her lip before Heinkel, and――,

Emilia: [That’s eno――]

Madelyn: [Shut the frig’ up.]

The very next moment, a powerful punch was thrown in front of Emilia, furiously striking the jaw of Heinkel from below, who had been just in front of her. Crying out with a momentary “Koh”, Heinkel fainted and collapsed onto the floor spread-eagled.

The force of that blow had beenenough to separate the head from the body of an average person.

Emilia: [M-Madelyn!?]

Madelyn: [It’s just that this guy here was friggin’ despicable. You shouldn’t friggin’ sympathize with a guy like this.]

Shaking the hand that she had punched Heinkel with, Madelyn spit those words out with displeasure.

After Emilia had hastened to Schult’s side, Madelyn had slowly followed, silently watching the situation unfold, but it seemed that this was where she had run out of patience.

Schult: [Heinkel-sama! Heinkel-sama! Are you alright!?]

Madelyn: [Don’t friggin’ wail like that. It’s aggravating, but this friggin’ human won’t die even if this dragon hits him at full strength. I just friggin’ knocked him out.]

As Schult leaped at the passed-out Heinkel and worried over him, Madelyn spoke. But, even if she said that, it was natural to worry over that level of force.

However, it was not as though Emilia did not understand why Madelyn had done such a thing.

Emilia: [Madelyn, I’m…]

Madelyn: [This dragon will friggin’ protect the Empire. However, I don’t intend to friggin’ protect things other than that. Hurry up and take that friggin’ good-for-nothing human back home with you. There won’t be a friggin’ next time.]

Emilia: […Mm, got it.]

Emilia understood that Madelyn’s words, spoken with her anger stifled, were her way of coming to a compromise. Thus, Emilia crouched down beside Schult, and looked at the fallen Heinkel.

His jaw had been struck with such vigor as to have him completely lose consciousness, so Emilia softly put her hand on his head.

Emilia: [I’m not very skilled at this, but I’ll provide a little treatment before you go to the healing room…]

Activating her healing magic, she took care to make sure that there would not be any after-effects from Madelyn’s blow. Next to Emilia as she did that, as Schult worried over Heinkel,

Schult: [Um, Emily-sama… Heinkel-sama, um, he worked very hard indeed.]

Emilia: [Schult-kun…]

Schult: [Heinkel-sama, he is also mourning what happened to Priscilla-sama. It seems he had some sort of agreement with Priscilla-sama, and, well, he was always trying his absolute hardest…]

Emilia: [Mm, don’t worry. It’s alright.]

Schult: […And, indeed.]

As Schult bowed and cast his gaze downward, Emilia did her best to smile. Even if just a little bit, it would be good if that could serve as some consolation or encouragement for Schult.

Then, as Utakata, carrying the water jug atop her head, looked with wide eyes at Emilia as she healed Heinkel,

Utakata: [Em, you’re so admirable.]

At the calm words uttered by Utakata, Emilia slightly gasped. They were just the impressions spoken by a young girl without any conjecture―― and they caused Emilia to realize.

She was no longer just another person mourning Priscilla’s death, but she had gained the qualifications to be there for others who were also mourning Priscilla’s death.

And, even though that was something she had wanted so desperately when considering Subaru and Rem――,

Emilia: [――Priscilla, you dunderhead.]

The time of Emilia merely looking back on her extremely mean-spirited friend had come to an end, and to the extent that it made her body tremble from the inside, it was a lonely, fleeting moment.

Translation notes:

[1] You may be wondering, considering Petelgeuse is translated as it is, why is the nickname used by Fortuna, Emilia, Beatrice and Echidna translated as “Juice” and not “Geuse”? That would be because there is an intentional difference in the Japanese. The “Geuse” in Petelgeuse is written “ギウス”, whereas the nickname translated as “Juice” is written “ジュース”, which also happens to be the transliteration of the English word “juice”.