Chapter 648 — Arc 9, Interlude – “Cheer”

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――Right from the very beginning, there was only ever one ending that the Witch of Tristitia, Petra Leyte, had needed to aim for, strive towards, and ultimately arrive at.

That was from before she had ever become the Witch of Tristitia, from back when Petra Leyte, a mere village girl, had ended up reading the outrageous artifact that was Natsuki Subaru’s Book of the Dead.

From back when she had first learned that Natsuki Subaru, in exchange for his own Death, had been fighting in a constant struggle in order to alter the fates of countless people.

From back when she had fallen in love with Natsuki Subaru through their ordinary, quiet days together, discovering what brought him joy, what made him grieve, and what caused him to feel happiness and sorrow.

――Taking all those varied reasons, gathering them together, bundling them up, and collecting them all into one, she had made her decision.

Petra: [Because no matter what, Subaru still wants to do something about Al-san, right?]

Honestly, from Petra’s point of view, it was an unthinkable idea.

If one were to count up all the things Al had done on their fingers, not even all the digits on their hands and feet would be enough to list everything, so they would need to go as far as using the Unseen Hand to enumerate the rest of what the hands and feet had been unable to.

To that extent, Al had done enough irreversible things to fill a mountain. ――But even so, she did not believe that at heart, Al was a heinous villain who had done all of that while scorning everything.

Petra: [I wonder, is this the influence of being corrupted by Subaru’s book…?]

It might not be her place to say it, but Petra was a realist, and the extent of what she could handle was limited. Rather than just limited, it was more accurate to say she deliberately kept it limited.

After all, if she were to use her abilities to their fullest extent, her vessel would have been capable of carrying an extraordinary amount of things, a fact which Petra took great pride in. She would not feel ashamed of that.

However, using her vessel to its limits, she did not believe that she would be able to treasure everything that she could cram into it.

And yet――,

Petra: [Subaru’s greediness…]

But, that’s what I like about him. ――That’s wrong. It’s part of what I like about him.

And so, because that Natsuki Subaru could not be changed, Petra Leyte would do it.

It was a painful decision, one that seemed to cut deep into her, as if mercilessly ripping her heart to shreds.

――By making Natsuki Subaru Return By Death, she would reset everything that had happened.

From the moment she made the decision to leave the Pleiades Watchtower and journey alongside the Imaginary Subaru, Petra Leyte had been forging ahead towards that ending.

She had firmly insisted on becoming the holder of the Witch Factor of Tristitia, taking it upon herself to pay most of the compensation, save a small few exceptions, that came with wielding the Authority. She had not spared any card she could play in the negotiations, and provided all of the information she could share, thereby plotting the course for the Aldebusters.

Petra: [If me reading the book is what caused the Witch of Envy to go on a rampage―― then, I’ll be able to use that too, right?]

Ever since the Sin Archbishop of Gluttony, Roy Alphard, was released from the prison tower, and the effects of his Authority became clear to her, a certain suspicion had sprouted within Petra. ――Having read the Book of the Dead, if Petra were to be dispossessed of her Memories, just what verdict might the Witch of Envy pass?

Then, she also wondered if this was perhaps the very strategy Al had aimed to use in order to make the Witch of Envy withdraw, since he had claimed to have no intention of destroying the world.

Hence, when Roy Alphard was defeated by the combined might of the Aldebusters, while he was tied up and barely clinging onto life, she had made a promise with him.

Petra: [If you want to eat me, I’ll give you a chance.]

Of course, this was a promise she intended to break without remorse if he had not been willing to keep it.

Corrupted by Natsuki Subaru, Petra had become an outlaw who bore no reservations whatsoever about breaking the promises she had made with people she disliked.

Moreover, in preparation for when that unlikely event came to pass, she had secured a reliable ally.

Petra: [Rem-neesama, is truly amazing.]

With sincerity, even when setting aside the tremendous bias from Natsuki Subaru’s influence, she believed this.

Rem had uncovered Subaru’s Return by Death―― back then it was “Turning Back Time”, but even if the impetus for that was Rom-jii explaining the true nature of Al’s Authority, she had pieced it together on her own.

On her own, Rem had come to the realization that Natsuki Subaru was a person who had always continued to fight by sacrificing his own life. ――Though the thought of that had made her happy, she also felt devastated.

Petra: [But, that’s why I can entrust it to Rem-neesama… No, I can’t entrust it to anybody but Rem-neesama.]

No matter how many wonderful things happened along the way, no matter how many unrelinquishable feelings she gained, Petra Leyte had resolved herself to overturn everything, and make it so that none of it had ever happened.

And true to that, even Rem, who had at long last regained her Name and Memories, and had thus truly returned home to them all, would be erased and disappear.

Knowing that full well and still determined to go through with it, Petra had an obligation to get Rem involved.

They were kindred souls that knew they were going to be erased, who in spite of that, were fellow women who, from the bottom of their hearts, wished for the person they loved most to not lose even a single thing.

She could have only ever entrusted this to someone who truly believed that there was no other way, one who was willing to give up everything for love.

Such a terrible thing could have never been entrusted to someone who, if they believed a better solution might exist somewhere, would relentlessly search for it until the very last moment.

That was why Petra and Rem were the ones who would carry this through.

Petra: [Subaru, Emilia-neesama, I know you must be so tired. I’m sorry. But I’m going to wind up being a burden too. I’m sorry. All the thanks I’d wanted to say could never be enough…]

Thank you, thank you in the truest sense of the word: that is what she had wished to convey.

Knowing everything that she did from having read the Book of the Dead, Petra Leyte had wished to assist both Emilia, who was walking down a thorny path, and Natsuki Subaru, who had chosen to work himself to the bone in order to support her.

That would not come true. No matter how hard she tried, Petra Leyte would always be a mere village girl who knew absolutely nothing at all.

That would be frustrating, it would be miserable, and no matter how many thank you’s and sorry’s she said, it would never be enough.

Even so――,

Petra: […I wonder, did I really do everything I could?]

Given the constraints in her situation, had she not done the absolute extent of what she was capable of?

Al had prepared an all-star lineup to ensure he would not lose, and yet she had only been granted a single chance of trial and error in order to overcome him; there were limits to how unfair it could be.

But she had done it. She had pulled it off. Though she had been a little taken aback when Otto, stripped of his memories, had joined the fray midway, but everything, every single bit, had been thanks to everyone joining together.

Petra: [Hehe, I’m pretty amazing, aren’t I? Think you’re going to fall for me now?]

???: [――. Yeah. Seems like I might.]

Slightly inclining her head, she greeted him with the cutest face she could put on.

At Petra’s adorable gesture and question, the Imaginary Subaru blushed in a shy manner. Was this just a deception that Petra had wanted him to say? Or, was it genuine enough that even the real him would actually say it?

Petra: [Well, since I’m about to disappear, I might as well interpret it in the way that’s most convenient for me.]

She gently reached out, placing her hand over his intangible one, entwining their fingers. A phantasmal perk to this degree, could surely be allowed. She had worked so hard, after all.

“Subaru”: [By the way, can I ask you something? I mean, it’s kind of weird for me to be asking, considering my position.]

Petra: [Hmm~? What is it?]

“Subaru”: [Even before Clind-san passed the Witch Factor down to you, just one time, Petra, you paid some compensation for the traversal… but you never told me what it was, did you? I’ve just been wondering what it could have been.]

Petra: [Since I didn’t tell you, why not just leave it at that?]

“Subaru”: [Don’t be so cruel!]

Even his pathetic expression looked cute, so Petra let out a small chuckle.

But as expected, imaginary or not, Subaru was still Subaru. Even if he was a resident of her mind, he would not take liberties with what Petra had kept hidden from him, those things which she did not wish for him to see or know.

Relieved by that, Petra stuck out her tongue in a playful manner and,

Petra: [It’s~a~secret!]

That made the Imaginary Subaru put on a sullen look, but Petra wanted to keep it a secret.

It should be fine to have at least one maiden’s secret that she would not show even to the Imaginary Subaru. And besides, this particular maiden’s secret had just a touch of girlish cunning.

Back then, to Clind, Petra had offered a certain possibility of hers as compensation.

That was――,

Petra: [――The possibility of me becoming Subaru’s bride.]

The surprise on Clind’s face when he learned of Petra’s resolve had been truly remarkable.

Bearing a weighty history as a dragonkin, the eyes with which Clind had looked upon Petra as she sacrificed that potentiality of hers, contained a reaction overcome with such deep emotion that she would never be able to forget it.

That was precisely why she had felt so apologetic. ――After all, it was that compensation that had convinced Petra.

Petra: [If I could offer that as compensation, then the possibility of that future truly does exist for me.]

Considering the abilities of the Witch Factor of Tristitia, it would be more accurate to say that Petra had offered up part of her ability to exert influence over the world, specifically, “the various efforts she would have needed to make in order to secure a future in which she married Subaru”. But, such details meant nothing to Petra at that moment.

What mattered was to believe in a future in which Petra Leyte would become Natsuki Subaru’s bride.

And that had been proven by none other than a Witch Factor, something that made contact with the very core of the world.

Because she had that evidence, she had resolved herself to see it through, and had thus been able to make it all the way to the end.

That was why――,

Petra: [Do your best, me. ――Whether or not I seize this chance, depends entirely on how hard I try!]

From the village girl who had become the Witch of Tristitia, utilizing even a Witch Factor for the sake of her own happiness, that was an earnest cheer directed toward her future self, one who would never become the Witch of Tristitia.

――It was the heavy-hearted cheer of love from a tough and determined girl from another world.