Chapter 625 — Arc 9, Chapter 37 – “Mindset”

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???: [――Subaru-sama and Beatrice-sama have fallen into the hands of the man calling himself Aldebaran. Bitter regret. Currently, countermeasures are being taken to deal with that person, with Emilia-sama taking charge. Report.]

Indeed, after receiving Clind’s report, which arrived using the Authority of Tristitia, Roswaal found himself shaken by the gap between his rational acceptance of what had happened and the difficulty of accepting it emotionally.

Their location was the Barielle mansion―― the estate that Priscilla Barielle inherited from her late husband, Leip Barielle, and which had become masterless once more after her death. Currently, Roswaal, accompanied by Priscilla’s servant Schult, was visiting this place after being separated from Emilia and the others.

Clind appeared and brought the report to a room in the mansion.

――Frankly speaking, Roswaal was not at all delighted with Subaru’s suggestion to take the grieving Al to the Pleiades Watchtower.

It required a protracted amount of time to find and secure Subaru, who had been transported to the Vollachian Empire. ――Rem had also been transported there, but Roswaal did not indulge in self-deception. Roswaal’s goal was to bring Subaru back, and Rem’s safety was secondary.

Of course, everyone in the camp was happy that Rem had returned, but they could not be optimistic considering the time that had been squandered. They had to start working immediately to make up for the delay in the necessary measures to be taken for the Royal Selection. ――It was just then that Subaru came to consult with them about going to the Pleiades Watchtower.

What should be given top priority? Roswaal tried to persuade Subaru from such a perspective, but he was unable to change his mind, and in the end, Subaru’s proposal was approved.

Nonetheless, Subaru’s decision was not entirely without merit.

???: [Please, please, I humbly request, you handle Al-sama…]

And the one who said that, bowing their slightly curly pink crown of hair, was Schult, Priscilla Barielle’s servant and loyal vassal who had been carefully protected by her.

Though still a child, Schult was astute and determined to be strong. Despite the enormous shock of Priscilla’s death, he desperately tried to support himself with his own delicate legs, determined not to dishonor the name of his late master. Schult was also close to Al and had been deeply concerned about his trauma.

Subaru’s consideration for Al went a long way in winning Schult’s trust.

Making a favorable impression on Schult and earning the gratitude of the Emilia Camp would be a huge advantage in the upcoming Royal Selection―― particularly in dealing with the now vacant Barielle Domain.

When the Royal Selection began, Emilia and Priscilla became rivals, but they came to respect each other through mutual acceptance and became close friends. When Priscilla passed away, Emilia took on her legacy and supported the people of the Barielle Domain who had been under her protection. ――Schult, who was deeply loved by Priscilla, was essential to this.

Emilia also promised that she “wanted to be friends with Priscilla after the Royal Selection,” so some embellishment was just artistic license.

Hence, Roswaal reluctantly sent Subaru and the others to the Pleiades Watchtower and chose to accompany Schult back to the Barielle Domain. ――However, that had been a mistake.

???: [Subaru-sama and the others… Then, what about Garf? What happened to Garf? Garf went with them to protect Subaru-sama and the others!]

Clind: [Unfortunately, Garfiel was defeated by Aldebaran’s schemes and suffered serious injuries. He fainted. We had hoped that the effects of the Divine Protection of Earth Spirits would take effect, but… the fact that he was injured in the Augria Sand Dunes, a region filled with miasma, proved harmful, and its effects were less than expected. Weak.]

???: [Garf…]

As Roswaal pondered, Frederica, who had accompanied him to the Barielle Domain, overheard Clind talking about Garfiel’s condition while he was with Subaru and the others, and looked down in regret.

Her expression did not show disappointment or dismay at Garfiel’s failure to fulfill his expected role, but rather a deep sense of relief at being alive and concern for what hardships he faced.

Roswaal was also relieved that Garfiel was alive, but――,

Roswaal: […I don’t understaaand~. Al-dono’s strength is nowhere near Garfiel’s. Of course, Garfiel’s mind still has a lot of room for improvement, so it’s possible that he was attacked mentally and his opponent took advantage of that weakneeess~.]

Frederica: […With Garf, that is the most likely explanation. He is so gentle-hearted.]

Clind: [Kindness is not something to be condemned for. Even if it is for disciplining oneself, there is no need to choose harsh words deliberately. Highlight.]

Frederica: [You are always like this whenever this sort of thing comes up…]

In response to Clind’s thoughtful words, Frederica gritted her fangs with a complicated expression.

Their relationship began more than ten years ago, when Frederica left the Sanctuary and began working for Roswaal, but the rift that opened up between them was difficult to reconcile.

At first, Frederica looked up to Clind like an older brother and followed him around, calling him “Nii-sama, Nii-sama” at all times. However, when Frederica started to grow taller, their relationship changed completely.

Roswaal, who knew the circumstances, showed understanding toward Clind in what caused the issue, but Frederica, who was suddenly pushed away, was not convinced. Because of that, she had continued to harbor an intense disdain for him like a poisonous snake or a scorpion, and it was hard to express anything about it.

In any case――,

Roswaal: [Clind, judging from your attitude, I guess there was a situation where Garfiel could not be blamed… What haaappened~?]

Clind: [――. The husk of the Divine Dragon Volcanica has joined Aldebaran. In response, the Sword Saint, Reinhard van Astrea-sama, has already set out to subdue it. Expedient.]

Frederica: [――Hk. Sword Saint-sama? But if that is the case…]

Roswaal: [Unbelievable, Al-dono defeated even Reinhard-kun?]

Clind: [To be precise, it would be more accurate to say that they have been constrained. Correction. In addition, various problems are repeatedly emerging in the Royal Capital. Master, we urgently request your assistance. Proposal.]

At Clind’s words, Roswaal narrowed his eyes and sank deep into thought.

Frederica’s emerald-green eyes were wide open with shock, staring, unable to process the overwhelming torrent of information, and Roswaal shared the same thoughts, more or less. The difference between her and him was that while she was understandably dumbfounded by the deluge of information, even though he was feeling the same, Roswaal still had a choice to make.

In other words, would this not be the appropriate time to fulfill his promise with Subaru?

Roswaal: [――――]

Before Subaru was officially knighted, after the situation surrounding the Sanctuary had settled, Roswaal told Subaru his thoughts and stance.

If Natsuki Subaru vowed to continue picking up all the pieces, Roswaal would resolve to take measures to make him start over if he ever were to lose anything in the future. That meant burning everything he did not wish to lose and the subsequent abandoning of the world in which his subjective self currently lived.

Roswaal: [With Priscilla-sama, it was a tricky decision.]

It was difficult to decide whether or not to include Priscilla in what Subaru considered to be “everything”.

However, Roswaal decided that the death of Priscilla, a preeminent political rival, would be a tailwind for Emilia, who wanted to win the Royal Selection, and therefore decided that her death was not covered by the Contract. ――Furthermore, he did not think that Priscilla’s death, based on what he knew, should be overturned.

Priscilla Barielle’s death was the result of her own choices.

Unless the individual was indispensable to Roswaal’s objectives, he would not deny that choice.

――But Subaru’s current situation appeared to be dire.

According to Clind, it would seem that there had been no severe casualties, but considering Al’s situation, it was only a matter of time before something happened. If something was going to happen sooner or later, then Subaru should be made to start anew, given how things were progressing.

If it were required to do so, Roswaal would do it.

However――,

Roswaal: [――Beatrice.]

Roswaal held a glimmer of hope for Beatrice, who had been taken captive alongside Subaru.

It was not because Beatrice was a Great Spirit who had mastered the Yin attribute, nor because she was an unparalleled being created by Echidna, the Witch of Greed, the greatest magician of the world, nor because she would protect Subaru with her strong feelings of determination and resolve as his Contracted Spirit.

For Roswaal, it was an extremely perplexing and difficult emotion to process, but there was no basis for it.

Roswaal wanted to believe in Beatrice, he could not help but feel that way.

???: [――Margrave-sama, I most graciously ask for your help.]

It was not Frederica or Clind who spoke.

Schult, who had been present in the mansion’s reception room at the meeting to discuss the future of the Barielle Domain, interjected.

When Clind appeared after using Compression to teleport, Schult repeatedly exclaimed, “Huh?” and “Ah!” in surprise at his report. But now, the child who had just spoken to Roswaal appeared to have lost much of his previous weakness―― no, it had been completely hidden.

People would call that hidden, untouchable mask either courage or determination.

Schult: [I apologize on behalf of Al-sama for what he has done. Furthermore, I implore you not to allow Al-sama to do any further harmful behavior.]

Frederica: [Schult-sama…]

Schult: [I will be fine. Everyone at the mansion will help for Priscilla-sama’s sake… so please, I beg you!]

Schult bowed his head deeply, and Frederica looked at Schult’s trembling shoulders, then turned her gaze to Roswaal. In her eyes, there was a plea for him to accept Schult’s wish, and a desire to help him, but――,

Roswaal: [If I’m to act upon Schult-kun’s wishes to the fullest, we can’t leave Frederica behind. Especially if Al-dono has the Divine Dragon with hiiim~.]

Frederica: [Master, what do you mean by that…?]

Clind: [――I will tend to that. Volunteer.]

Frederica frowned, perplexed about her connection to the Divine Dragon, but before she could ask for an answer to her doubts, Clind spoke up.

Frederica found herself confused by what he meant, but Roswaal was not. Clind’s words had a meaning beyond their surface meaning.

Clind thought that no matter how many words he used, Roswaal would not change his decision. Seeing Roswaal’s gaze, Clind slightly relaxed his lips and spoke.

Clind: [I was captivated by a soul so dazzling that I was moved to no longer be a bystander. Jealousy.]

So he spoke.

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???: [――This guy, it seems like he’s able ta go back ta time gone by. But, it don’t seem ta go very far back, though.]

???: [————]

As soon as those words left Rom-jii’s mouth, the room was swept over by a silence that contained all the various conceived thoughts in that moment.

Emilia’s beautiful, gem-like eyes opened wide, while Rem’s eyes, sparkling like the surface of a clear lake, blinked rapidly.

Meanwhile, it was not hard to tell that Ram was clearly puzzled, as Meili tilted her head while playing with her braids,

Meili: [I don’t really get what you’re saying at all~.]

She muttered an impression similar to Emilia’s.

If Clind had been there, someone might have been able to react more calmly to Rom-jii’s report, but Clind, who had just brought Rem and Ram, had been requested to meet Roswaal and the others, so they could not see his response.

Still, not having to hear that topic whilst Roswaal was present alongside the others might have been a blessing in disguise.

???: [Turning back time, that’s…]

“Subaru”: [——Return by Death.]

“Subaru” muttered those words, folding his arms, as Petra’s voice faintly trembled beside him.

Petra looked up at him at those words, and had no room left within to let her heart flutter at her beloved for having reached the same conclusion she had.

After one clash with him, Rom-jii surmised that Al was utilizing an Authority outside of the norm.

He had managed to hold off Garfiel and Ezzo at the Pleiades Watchtower, fought bravely against Reinhard at the Augria Sand Dunes, albeit with the help of the Divine Dragon, and with just three people broke through the five-hundred man Felt Camp led by Rom-jii, and finally took Roy Alphard of Gluttony from the Royal Capital, even evading an unrestrained, enraged Emilia in the process.

That was, as for all the misdeeds and grave sins Al perpetrated, the dots finally began to connect as it all started coming together.

It was possible. ——That Al, the same as Subaru, could wield Return by Death.

“Subaru”: [Al’s a guy from another world just like me. So there’s a considerable chance he awakened to a similar pattern as me. I mean, in isekai stories that type of pattern’s a given. Why didn’t I think of this, I’m beyond stupid…!]

Petra: [Then, as expected, Al-san is the same as Subaru?]

“Subaru”: [Yeah, there’s a high chance of that. No, maybe it’s a leap ability similar to mine, just a type that’s more user-friendly; there’s a possibility. That is to say, the real pleasure and fun often comes from seeing the differences between isekai powers and figuring out that they aren’t exactly the same as one another.]

Petra: [You’re betting your life, so who cares about cliches or the real pleasure? The important thing is we’ve discovered one of Al-san’s secrets, so what are we going to do about it?]

“Subaru”: [Yeah, yes, that’s exactly right… But I’ve unraveled a bunch of things. If that’s really the case, then maybe he could sneak past Reinhard and set traps for him and stuff… Could he? Like actually? Is Return by Death enough to do something about Reinhard? Wouldn’t you need to die like a hundred times?]

Now that Al was suspected to be the user of some other sort of time leap ability, “Subaru” held his head in frustration.

Honestly, Petra did not hold the Sword Saint, Reinhard van Astrea as utterly high up in opinion as her surrounders did. Maybe it was because she had not met him in person, but if he truly was as strong as she had heard he was, then carrying out feats to match that did not seem astonishing.

Rather, the person that took on enemies stronger than themself, produced results that surpassed expectations, and the one who took on those who held power greater than theirs with all they could muster was Subaru; Petra thought he was very cool.

That was why Petra was very disheartened to see “Subaru” estimate himself below Reinhard, she wanted him to puff out his chest and say how cool he was. That said, if too many people became aware of Subaru’s greatness, that could result in another potential problem.

Petra: [Well, with me, Emilia-neesama, and Rem-neesama, along with Beatrice-chan and Patrasche-chan, I think we’ve got a flawless lineup for now.]

Even if someone were to realize Subaru’s charm a bit late and tried to cut in, they had already formed an impregnable enclosure that simply could not be penetrated; that gave Petra confidence.

Presently, her concern was Subaru’s overkindliness, and the possibility that he might have shown some bias to the other side, but even so, she trusted Emilia would remain in his number one spot. ——Although, that was also the thing that gave Petra considerable worries.

In any case——,

???: [If Rom-sama is sane and doesn’t have tunnel vision, then this is troublesome indeed.]

Rom: [I care a lot ‘bout that lass’s case, so yer understandin’ helps. That’s how Aldebaran managed ta break through even our encirclement. And Emilia bein’ bested in the Royal Capital was also likely thanks ta that guy’s Authority.]

Emilia: [Umm, I apologize. I still don’t really understand…]

As for Ram and Rom-jii, these particularly sharp two, they seemed ready to progress the conversation swiftly; Emilia put a stop to that. At Emilia’s side, Rem cutely nodded,

Rem: [I feel the same as Emilia-sama. Turning back time, was it? Nee-sama, what does that mean…]

Ram: [That’s right, Rom-sama didn’t sufficiently explain matters to you, Rem, who have just woken up and aren’t yourself yet. Take a look at this.]

Rem: [That’s… a gold coin?]

Ram stepped forward softly, showing Emilia and Rem the gold coin placed in her hand.

The gold coin was engraved with the image of the famed Divine Dragon Volcanica, and gripping that coin tightly, after she had flaunted it to Emilia and the others, Ram flipped her hand, and let the gold coin fall.

Watching the arc it drew as it fell to the floor, Petra understood Ram’s intent. The gold coin hitting the floor would serve as a metaphor of the advantages of time leaping.

Emilia: [Watch out! Honestly, Ram, you can be such a clumsy scatterbrain.]

Rem: [Nee-sama is sometimes unexpectedly careless. That’s also part of her charm.]

But, before the gold coin hit the floor, Emilia, moving swiftly, picked it up. She returned the coin to Ram, as Rem said something somewhere in the midpoint between comforting and encouraging.

The expression on Ram’s face after she retrieved the gold coin was full of meaning.

“Subaru”: [Hey, wasn’t Ram trying to show that it falls if you didn’t know it would, but if you had known it was going to fall you could stop it?]

Petra: [Probably. But this works out, let’s leave the explaining to Ram-neesama. There’s no time to be all content chatting with Emilia-neesama and Ram-neesama.]

She felt a bit bad for leaving it to Ram, but while Emilia and Rem were still catching up, Petra shifted to the next issue—— she racked her brain on how to really deal with Al.

She wanted a bit more details on whatever Al’s Authority was. If, just if, it turned out they could refute Subaru’s earlier speculation——,

Meili: [——Petra-chan, are you okay~?]

Petra: [Meili-chan…]

While Ram and Rom-jii were focused on explaining things to Emilia and Rem, it was Meili who rather unexpectedly called out to Petra.

Meili, too, was on the meager side of understanding the concept of a time leap, but she prioritized Petra’s wellbeing rather than knowing Al’s Authority.

Reaching her hand out gently, she touched Petra’s cheek, and murmured “so warm”.

Meili: [We’ve been running in a rush around nonstop~ since leaving the Tower, so I haven’t brought it up yet, but I know you read a Book in the Tower, Petra-chan, okay~?]

Petra: [Yeah, that’s true. ——I would appreciate it if you’d keep quiet about it to Emilia-neesama and the others.]

Meili: […You’re keeping quiet because you don’t want to worry the others, right~?]

Petra: [Yes, of course.]

Petra firmly clasped Meili’s hand, that had been on her forehead, with both of her hands.

Just as Meili had said, Petra probably did have a bit of a fever. Although, rather than poor physical shape, she thought it was a fever from her brain overthinking.

As it was, she already had a lot on her mind, and now it felt like her little brain was now also in charge of dealing with “Subaru’s” thoughts and emotions as well.

Maybe it was because of how deeply she cared, but just reading the Book of the Dead of that sole person, of Subaru, had left her like this. Ezzo, who had read more than ten of them, had to be completely off the rails, and as for the one who had built the grand library, Flugel, who had probably designed and built it so that only such lunatics could handle it, he had to be completely out of his mind.

He was surely the type to assume if he could do it then anyone could, the kind of thinking that truly irritated Petra like nothing else for better or worse.

But at the same time, Petra also thought this.

If not for that great library, there were so many things she would have gone her whole life without ever knowing.

And among the things she had come to know, there were definitely things she wanted to know. So long as that flame within her heart continued to burn, Petra did not want to stop.

Even when all was said and done, her mind was still seething.

Petra: [And also, I’ve been thinking.]

Meili: […Thinking… what about~?]

Petra: [If what Rom-jii said is right, and Al-san’s Authority is what I think it is, then…]

“Subaru”: [Petra?]

As Petra lowered her eyes and pressed a finger to her pale lips, Meili and “Subaru” leaned in toward her. The two of them could not see nor recognize each other, yet their puzzled reactions were so matching that Petra almost laughed at the comicality; then she spoke.

What she said was——,

Petra: [——I think I might know Al-san’s weak point.]

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Felt: [――So the one who put Reinhard’s mother to sleep, was Reinhard himself?]

Having hesitated to put that to words, something quite unusual for her, Felt thought bitterly of herself.

And that was not because it was a matter concerning Reinhard. No, in a sense, it was.

Since their initial meeting, Felt was constantly being thrown off balance by Reinhard, and regarding incidents involving him, there were many times where she could not pass judgment or make decisions typical of herself. That was influenced by him continuing to forcibly prevent the results of her decisions, and to take it a step further, was influenced by the fact that he had seen her with a teary face near the loot house at the very beginning.

But, likely the greatest factor, was that Reinhard had given up on many things.

That was what made Felt hesitate to fully accept Reinhard. Simultaneously, it was the reason why Reinhard would never entrust anything to Felt from the bottom of his heart.

There was a philosophy of the slums that resided within Felt, a wise saying that went “live strong”.

No matter where one was born, no matter who one was, the saying believed that a person’s spirit could survive no matter what might befall them. When taking that philosophy into consideration, Reinhard was not living strong.

Be it as a lion, as a Dragon, or as a human being, Reinhard was half-hearted.

But, if part of the reason for that was the truth that Felt had just come to realize――,

Felt: [――Nah, if that’s so, it doesn’t add up.]

However, Felt immediately refuted the hypothesis she had just come up with.

With a certain conviction, Felt carefully examined the relationship between Reinhard and his slumbering mother―― Louanna Astrea, but supposing that Reinhard was aware of the truth, his actions and conduct up to this point would not make coherent sense.

Of course, it was not impossible that Reinhard was concealing that truth from Felt, calmly covering up the fact that he was involved with the cause of his mother’s inability to wake up.

Felt: [Not a chance. That klutz could never pull off something so shrewd.]

Was there anybody else in the world besides Felt who could have described Reinhard like this?

Well, those who foisted their ideals and dreams upon the Sword Saint would surely harbor objections, but the garbage treatment of Reinhard within the Felt Camp had been relatively normalized.

The sisters Flam and Grassis had known him for a long time, and took advantage of their familiarity to embarrass Reinhard with their cute sarcasm, and the stray dogs divorced from notions of respect, Gaston, Rachins, and Camberley, incessantly bombarded Reinhard with a well-grounded stream of bad-mouthing.

Ezzo, who frequently interfered with the management of the Astrea Family’s territories, was often greatly troubled, saying “How have they managed up until now…”, and Rom-jii, who seemed to not harbor a favorable impression of the Sword Saint, never changed his blunt demeanor towards Reinhard since the beginning.

And of course, the one who lambasted and insulted Reinhard the most in the world, besmirching his title of the supposed ideal, greatest Knight, was none other than Felt.

The various words and actions from the Camp’s individuals, Reinhard had taken it all.

And when taking it, what did he do? ――He smiled.

In a truly joyful manner, he smiled.

In those moments alone, it was as if he had not given up on anything at all.

Felt: [Even if that fuckface hides his true feelings, that sorta smile can’t be faked.]

That was Felt’s conclusion, and unlike the people who placed their excessive hopes in Reinhard, it was an idea that could only be produced by someone who saw Reinhard in such a manner.

Hence, besides Felt, the only ones who could talk about Reinhard in this way were the members of her Camp, the Knights who were Reinhard’s close friends, and――,

Felt: [I’m tempted to add the fact that he’s your kid to the reasons why I think he’s incapable of hiding things.]

Before Felt as she scratched her head, having been socked in his mug, Heinkel was down on one knee gripping the sword that had been tossed back to him with a face as pale as could be.

Pouring too much strength into his hand gripping the sword, the fingers and hand had turned white, trembling in a rattle.

The emotions behind that were neither anger, nor fear, nor sorrow, but they were clearly communicated to Felt by Heinkel’s quivering blue eyes regardless.

If those emotions were to be expressed in a single word, despair would likely be the most apt.

A truth that he could not afford for anyone to discover had been discovered; such was his unavoidable, inescapable despair. That deeply etched despair bound Heinkel in his entirety, and had driven him into a corner.

His figure was so exceedingly wretched that it gave Felt the illusion that Heinkel’s very life had been plucked away by despair.

But, in all likelihood, Heinkel would not die so easily. If his life was one capable of being stolen by a despair that swathed him entirely, it would have happened a long time ago.

Heinkel: [――Ah, kuh, uh, no, uh.]

Repeatedly opening and closing his mouth, Heinkel continued to mutter in a voice that formed no words.

Narrowing her red eyes at Heinkel’s reaction, Felt contemplated the relationship between Reinhard and the man before her eyes as the starry sky looked down on them through the gap in the rocks.

――With her decision to take part in the Royal Selection, Felt had made Reinhard her Knight.

From Felt’s perspective, Reinhard was the strongest Knight in the world, known as the Sword Saint, but at the same time, he was the person responsible for separating Felt and Rom-jii, and who furthermore was a loathsome individual who annoyed Felt by trying to refine her and make her wear dresses and shoes with high-heels.

Since that impression existed within Felt, she had never made any effort to pry into Reinhard’s circumstances, but―― she came to hear about them whether she liked it or not.

About how Reinhard was treated by the Astrea Family, and how he was perceived by society.

What arose especially frequently in conversation were rumors surrounding the death of the previous generation’s Sword Saint, Theresia van Astrea, and the circumstances leading to the official recognition of Reinhard as the Sword Saint after inheriting the Divine Protection of the Sword Saint―― those being the incident when he was eight years old, where he stopped the invasion of the Kingdom plotted by a machiavellian of the three countries, and the unerasable stain of his complete obedience to Heinkel Astrea in the years that followed, persisting until around the time he joined the Guard.

Reinhard did not speak much on any of these events, and Felt had not questioned him about them either, but it now gave her a strong feeling of unease.

The most extreme idea being that Reinhard was at one point completely obedient to Heinkel.

If that was the truth, then what exactly was Heinkel fighting so hard for?

Felt had not investigated Reinhard, but in order to grasp the circumstances regarding the power held by the head of the Astrea Family, she had investigated Heinkel.

Heinkel had quite a poor reputation, but most of it was about his failures as a Knight and as a father, and everything Heinkel had tried to forcibly accomplish using the name of the Astrea Family was entirely in an attempt to gain the means to awaken the slumbering Louanna.

She would not describe him as living humbly, but he was far removed from the common luxuries of nobility, and had made curtailments in most facets of his lifestyle so that he could devote everything to waking his wife; that was the impression of him that she got from the numerical figures.

But――,

Felt: [If you really had Reinhard’s complete obedience, you could’ve done anything you wanted.]

In both fame and might, there existed nobody in the Kingdom who exceeded Reinhard.

He might have had the integrity to deem it unacceptable to ever use Reinhard for his own purposes, but not if Heinkel was anything like the rumors suggested.

If the rumors about Heinkel were true, he could have used Reinhard’s fame, might, or whatever else was required to entirely skip the process of going out to locations by himself, negotiating directly with the other side, and resorting to forcing his way through swordsmanship if that proved insufficient.

Instead, he did his best to avoid involvement with Reinhard, and persisted with a hangup to awaken his slumbering wife through his own efforts, but why?

If his wife was more important to him than anything else, then the scales would not tip no matter what was placed on the other side. ――That was, only so long as something equally weighty was not placed there.

In that case――,

Felt: [Your fucking… your approach to what’s important to you, is way too damn twisted.]

Heinkel: [――Hk.]

That instant, the cowering Heinkel grit his teeth, and a light dashed.

Feeling the upsurge of swordly aura as a gust of wind, Felt understood that what had appeared as a flash was an attack of Heinkel’s sword, unsheathed in the blink of an eye, whose chilly point was now fastened to her neck.

Heinkel: [Stop… going on and on… about what’s none of your damn business.]

Felt: [Oi, I’ll say this now, but…]

Heinkel: [DON’T MOVE A FUCKING MUSCLE!]

With eyes bloodshot and spittle foaming at the corners of his mouth, Heinkel’s shout caused Felt to bite the inside of her cheek, lamenting her own blunder of excessively pressing him.

Unlike earlier when she had hit him back, when it was clearly just a threat, the current aura being emitted from Heinkel was charged with a definite intent to kill.

She understood that the source of that intent was neither hatred nor indignation, but rather a certain kind of defensive instinct, but that was exactly why she realized she had drawn out far too troublesome emotions from him.

As tension ran through Felt’s entire body, Heinkel’s blue eyes violently trembled before her,

Heinkel: [This, is my problem. I can’t stand it when outsiders delve into it without a shred of reserve. Much less when it’s a brat like you, I won’t let you learn about any more of this――]

Felt: [――More? So you’re saying there’s still something else?]

Heinkel: [――Hk, SHUT THE FUCK UUUUUUUP!]

Catching on to something at the end of Heinkel’s words, Felt unconsciously blurted that out. Right after she thought she had once again triggered a violent tremor in Heinkel’s expression, he erupted.

Then, the tip of his sword was drawn back for but a moment before accelerating, and it thrust forward a step further―― it happened the instant before that could come to pass.

???: [I’m begging you, please don’t do anything to provoke the old man.]

Heinkel: [Gah!?]

A figure swooped down, and in its hand was a stone sword―― with a stone dao, it had mercilessly struck the temporal region of the kneeling Heinkel, causing the latter to fall flat onto the ground.

As Heinkel fell over, his eyes rolled into the back of his head. Standing beside him and shrugging his shoulders in exasperation was Aldebaran, who had intervened when the situation grew perilous.

And in response to Aldebaran’s entrance, Felt softly snorted her nose,

Felt: [Bastard, you were just watching until I was in serious danger, weren’t you?]

Aldebaran: [Though, you were also just talking to the old man with a hunch that I was keeping an eye out to make sure you didn’t carelessly get yourself killed, Felt-chan. That ain’t a cute way of conducting yourself.]

Felt: [After all, I absolutely hate being called cute.]

Sticking out her tongue with a “Behhh”, Felt gave Aldebaran no thanks whatsoever for being saved.

Only, checking to see that the collapsed Heinkel had not died, she sighed. ――From Heinkel’s last few words there, it seemed like there was still something else with Reinhard.

He was the Sword Saint, seemingly the reason behind his mother’s slumber, and something else on top of that which Heinkel was hiding――.

Felt: [Feels like it’d be irresponsible to say I won’t ask anything until he speaks up.]

Aldebaran: [Well, that’s a fine declaration of your intent. Do you understand the situation?]

Felt: [From what you say, you’ve got no intention of harming me, and once you’ve finished everything for your objective, you’ll let the Royal Selection resume, yeah? I think it’d be best if you were defeated, but for now, whether you win or lose, the things I’ve gotta do from here on out are the same.]

Aldebaran: [Can’t argue with that.]

As Aldebaran lightheartedly waved his right hand, Felt snorted once more; taking the sword still clutched tight in Heinkel’s grip, she aligned its tip with the scabbard, and sheathed it.

The moment before it fully returned to its sheath, the blade of the sword inscribed “Astrea” shimmered in a manner that appeared excessively merciless and cold to Felt’s eyes, irritating her all the more.