Chapter 657 — Arc 10, Chapter 7 – “My Friend”

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???: [Are you okay? Do you think you can handle it?]

???: [Onee-chan, watch what you’re doing! Uh-oh, uh-oh!]

???: [Is that the silver-haired half-elf everyone’s been talking about? Splash it on her head!]

???: [Don’t just say such nonsense off to the side! Also, don’t incite such blatant malice! This too, is in the scriptures. “Thou shalt not touch the scales of the Dragon with an impure mind. The defiled shall not be permitted to pass through the Golden Gates ere they have been struck by silver rain and the filth of their hearts hath been ground away.”]

???: […Which means?]

???: […Which means?]

???: […Which means?]

???: [It means if you even think about doing naughty things, I’ll be just as mad as if you actually did them! Now look, I have guests to attend to! Run along and play outside!]

A resonant voice gently shooed the innocent children outside. At that scolding, the children squealed as they noisily fled outside the building.

There were two boys and one girl, with the girl being the one with the nastiest comments. As all of them were clad in habits dyed indigo, nearly as dark as black itself, they were most likely members of the Church.

In any case, Subaru took it in stride, thinking it was good for them to be so energetic.

???: [I apologize for our children being so noisy. I admonish them daily, and yet it doesn’t quite seem to be sinking in, or rather, perhaps they just look down on me… hoh.]

Watching the backs of those children, the golden-haired, crimson-eyed nun leisurely shrugged her shoulders―― it was Filóre. In the midst of preparing to entertain her guests, she lamented that the children had continued to bother her, and in truth, it seemed that their behavior was an equal mix of fondness and ridicule.

In any case, rather than offering any consolation on that matter, the attention of Subaru and the others was seized by the tea set being carried upon a silver tray along with the girl’s unsteady gait as she approached them.

Rattling and clattering, everything upon the tray was indicating imminent disaster.

Watching the state of the tea set’s precarious journey to the table in the common room they had been shown to, Subaru and the others gulped.

???: […Um, do you need a hand?]

Filóre: [Please wait, don’t touch me! Right now, I’m maintaining a perfect balance on the tray, and even a single wrong step would spell the end. Slowly, slowly…]

???: [R-reaaally do your best…!]

Weaving between Rem, who offered to help, and Emilia, who earnestly cheered her on, somehow Filóre gingerly managed an emergency landing with the tray onto the table without spilling a drop.

As they reflexively applauded her with an “Ooooh”, whilst wiping her forehead, she said,

Filóre: [Ahem, sorry to keep you waiting. My apologies for making you anxious and on edge all of a sudden. Normally, I would leave it up to someone else to welcome guests in this way, but there is no one else here aside from me at present.]

Emilia: [No, it’s fine. Thanks for welcoming us. If anything, we’re the ones who dropped by while you’re so short on hands.]

Filóre: [No, it’s no trouble. The doors of the Church should always be open. This too, is in the scriptures. “Fearing and revering the power of the Dragon is itself a sign of love. Love without reverence is conceit, reverence without love is servility, and righteous love is to be found in the nobility of standing tall in the presence of the Dragon.”]

Emilia: [Umm, and that means?]

Filóre: [In other words, it means you should always be at your finest so that you never have to worry about when someone important might be watching you.]

Raising her index finger, Filóre answered Emilia’s question in that way.

That quotation was likely a verse from the scriptures of the Church of the Divine Dragon, but she had an excellent sense at how to simplify and convey the ideas to make them easier to understand. Moreover, the way her explanation made the ceremonious language easy to comprehend was welcomed by Subaru, whose understanding of religious beliefs was superficial.

Subaru: [That said, the way you were shouting at those kids with spit flying everywhere was you at your finest?]

Filóre: [Guh-]

Beatrice: [And after that, the way her face turned bright red after noticing Betty and everyone else was quite the spectacle, I suppose.]

Filóre: [Urgh-]

As Subaru and Beatrice pointed this out, Filóre clutched her chest and groaned after each point. While feeling quite pleased with that reaction, suddenly Rem, next to Subaru, and Emilia, next to Beatrice, each pinched their ears.

Rem: [That was an unnecessary comment just now.]

Emilia: [Geez, don’t bully her.]

Subaru & Beatrice: [Ouch, ouch, ouch!]

And so, Subaru and Beatrice were each made to pay the price for their mischief, leaving them with some damage. In the end, simply bringing out the tea had resulted in a tally of three casualties.

But, that was enough of such nonsense――,

Filóre: [Once again, I thank you for visiting me. I am Filóre… a nun of the Church of the Divine Dragon who just caused quite the commotion at the Royal Castle.]

Everyone: [――――]

Subaru and the others stared in total silence as Filóre introduced herself with her hand upon her chest. Then, her expression quickly clouding over,

Filóre: [Hey, please say something. Otherwise, I’ll get anxious…]

Subaru: [Nah, it’s just that I was thinking, “Oh, so she is aware that she caused a commotion, huh.”]

Filóre: [Well of course I am… I mean, I am indeed. If everyone in the Castle was looking at you with such indescribable eyes, anyone would think “Huh? Did I do something wrong?”.]

Subaru: [Well, we weren’t there for that, but I do in fact understand that unbearable sensation of feeling out of place like that preeetty well.]

Filóre: [Really!? That hellish sensation!?]

Emilia: [Oh, Subaru, could you be talking about the time when you went off and declared yourself my Knight in front of everybody, and then I was embarrassed so I said you weren’t?]

Subaru: [Guh, that’s pretty much it!]

With Filóre jumping up, and Emilia clasping her hands together in front of her chest, Subaru was bombarded by innocent exclamations from both sides, and this time it was his old wounds that began to sting anew.

Or rather, from Emilia’s perspective, her rejection of him on that occasion was simply due to her embarrassment. Of course, he had not conducted a survey on her feelings about that time, but contrary to her cute reason, the damage Subaru had suffered was horrific.

Rem: […I can’t even bear to hear what was said just now, but is it true?]

Beatrice: [Unfortunately, Betty had yet to form a Contract with Subaru at the time, so she doesn’t know the details, in fact. However, it wouldn’t have been strange for Subaru to make such a mistake back then, I suppose.]

Subaru: [It’s super depressing hearing Rem and Beako saying all sorts of things about that day after so long! Just so you know, before you lost your Memories, you understood the situation Rem, and you were rather sympathetic toward me.]

Rem: [Are you sure about that? Perhaps my previous self was so dumbfounded that I simply refrained from commenting?]

Subaru: [Stop it, now I’m kinda starting to feel like you could be right!]

Truthfully, regardless of Subaru’s feelings at that time, his way of doing things, his methods, the way he spoke to others, the way he presented himself; he had no doubt that he had persisted in making poor choices in all aspects. Still, he had already reflected on that, so he hoped he would be let off the hook already, even though he had been the one to initially bring it up.

However, as Subaru found himself being crushed by his own actions in the past――,

Filóre: [――I understand those feelings.]

Both of her hands unflinchingly reached over the table to firmly grasp Subaru’s right hand. As he looked, he saw Filóre leaning forward directly in front of him, nodding toward Subaru.

Meeting the wide-eyed Subaru, those crimson eyes of hers blazing,

Filóre: [The icy stares of everyone around you, glaring at you, who appeared out of nowhere, and clearly don’t belong.]

Subaru: [――!]

Filóre: [Your tongue, which had started speaking with such enthusiasm, is unable to turn back now.]

Subaru: [Yeah, yeah. That’s exactly right!]

Filóre: [After you’ve more or less finished speaking, there’s a long silence that feels like an eternity before someone says something!]

Subaru: [Those few seconds are endlessly long…!]

Filóre: [I realized that I really overdid it… That I might have made a mistake, or something.]

Subaru: [Filóre…!]

The shudder of fear she had experienced coursing through her, he felt every bit of it as if it were his own―― no, in truth, it was his own. Realizing this, Subaru also grasped Filóre’s hands in return.

Hands clasped together atop the table, Subaru and Filóre nodded to each other.

Indeed, Subaru and Filóre were comrades who had both gotten carried away and made a mess of things at the Castle――,

Rem: [However, aren’t your positions quite different between the likes of Filóre-san, who immediately produced results, and you, who postponed the opportunity to make amends?]

Subaru: [St-stooop… we were totally having a moment just nooow.]

Filóre: [Indeed, indeed. This too, is in the scriptures. “Sharpen not thy claws that tear at thy neighbor whilst sheltered beneath the shade of the same wing. Brothers who quarrel under the same sky are those who err in abandoning the benevolence of the Dragon by their own hand”.]

Emilia: [Umm, and that means?]

Filóre: [We are all comrades who have suffered the same taste of shame, so get along instead of arguing.]

Subaru: [I totally get it! Maybe I’ll join the Church of the Divine Dragon!]

Beatrice: [That would be a delicate matter, so don’t treat it so carelessly, in fact!]

Taken in by the overly kind treatment, and on the verge of joining a new religion, Subaru was stopped by Beatrice’s loving open palm. If love for the object of one’s faith was a major driving force, then Subaru was surely already an adherent of Beatrice-ism, as well as Emilia-ism and Rem-ism.

Subaru: [No, by that logic, that’s a whole lot of religions I’m joining. Up to now, I’ve been pretending to be non-religious as typical of a Japanese person, but perhaps in the eyes of God, I’m actually an unfaithful person…?]

Rem: [――. Well, isn’t that right?]

Subaru: [Those are simply unbelievably cold eyes!]

As soon as he muttered something nervously, he was stabbed to death by Rem’s pale-blue eyes. With Emilia and Beatrice also offering wry smiles beside Rem, Subaru stopped investigating the topic further.

Having made his tactical retreat, Subaru and the others turned their gaze to Filóre once again. Frankly, she already was very easy to get along with at this point, but there was something he needed to tell her.

And that was――,

Subaru: [I heard you helped Crusch-san. This might sound odd for me to say, but… thank you. Seriously, thank you.]

Filóre: [――――]

Saying this, Subaru bowed so deeply that he nearly cracked his forehead against the table. In response to those words of gratitude from Subaru, Filóre’s eyes widened, looking toward Emilia and the others.

Though he had prefaced it as odd, it apparently did not dispel the reason for her astonishment. However, Emilia also bowed her head toward Filóre.

Emilia: [Allow me to give my thanks as well. We all wanted to do something to help Crusch-san. And you were the one who actually managed to make it happen.]

Beatrice: [Actually, a solution was just being looked into on our end, I suppose. You’ve performed a great achievement, in fact.]

Rem: [I’ve only heard about it, but I think it’s truly admirable.]

Just like that, not only Emilia, but Beatrice and Rem as well all conveyed their gratitude in succession, leaving Filóre’s jaw hanging agape for a time. And then, somehow absorbing that shock she had been struck by, she slowly shook her head.

Then, before them all, calmly showing a smile filled with benevolent love,

Filóre: [――Think nothing of it. I merely did what I had to do. If someone should be saved by that, then that itself is my greatest wish.]

It was a response truly fitting for the nun of benevolent love that Subaru had embraced. ――To the extent that he could have said it was beyond reproach, if only her nostrils had not twitched in delight.

Of course, out of both his appreciation and a samurai’s mercy, Subaru refrained from commenting on it.

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Filóre: [――I was found abandoned in front of a church when I was an infant. That was a little over fifteen years ago now.]

Upon the conclusion of their initial exchange that had started with greetings, Filóre began to recount for them the position she had been placed in, the circumstances which surrounded her, and the story of her own life related to it all.

Subaru and the others reflexively exchanged looks in response to the comment about an abandoned child that initiated the conversation. ――Because when it came to the suspicions that “Filóre was the missing princess”, it was truly not a topic that could be avoided.

Emilia: [You were abandoned… so then, you don’t remember your parents?]

Filóre: [Correct, I don’t know their faces or their names. But, everyone in the Church is my family. So I’ve never felt lonely… well, I’ve occasionally been perturbed when some heartless individual would mock me, but I’ve basically been fine. Because someone has always been there for me.]

Subaru: [I see. But you know, did you ever think it was weird or something? After all, golden hair, crimson eyes, and “Filóre” are like a royal flush, or a critical hit, or something…]

Filóre: [This is the Church of the Divine Dragon, remember? It is only natural for the Church to distance itself from the Royal Family and the Royal Castle, so I never received such information… No, looking back on it now, they probably kept it a secret from me on purpose. You jeeerks…]

Her fists trembling upon the table, Filóre lamented her situation.

As one might surmise from their considerably startling first encounter with her, as well as their brief conversation up to this point, Filóre appeared to be the fairly impulsive type, or rather, someone easily swayed by her own emotions.

Her negotiations at the Royal Castle, which united Subaru with her in a bond of powerful empathy, seemed to have also been a consequence of an outburst of these emotions.

Filóre: [From the start, I have thought that the Witch Cult’s debauchery has been unpardonable as of late. Then came the incident in Pristella… I had already run out of patience.]

Subaru: [So you ignored those around you who were trying to stop you, and raised an uproar in the Castle?]

Filóre: [You could have phrased that with a bit more consideration… I know, how about saying I did so in a dignified and ladylike manner?]

Subaru: [Alright then, you raised an uproar in a dignified and ladylike manner.]

Filóre: […I feel like my commendable qualities aren’t quite coming across as well as I had thought they would.]

Be that as it may, for Subaru, who had obeyed her instructions, it was not on him to take responsibility for the extent of their effectiveness.

At any rate, it was clear to him that Filóre had acted out of a sense of duty and fierce indignation. However, the interest of Subaru and the others lay in the part concerning what had led her to take such an action.

That was――,

Emilia: [――A Sacrament, that’s what you mentioned, right Filóre?]

The atmosphere in the common room became slightly tense as Emilia’s words broached the subject.

A Sacrament, that was the “something” that Filóre was said to have used to cure Crusch’s body, going so far as to march into the Royal Castle to demonstrate it; this was the possibility of overturning an Authority.

And for some reason, the Church of the Divine Dragon had concealed its existence, and she had attempted to expose it to the public; it was a means by which they could save the victims of the Witch Cult.

Subaru: [――――]

Wetting his lips with his tongue, Subaru tried to contain his faint sense of urgency.

As it was declared to be a Sacrament, it was only natural that it would be quite a significant secret of the Church of the Divine Dragon. Depending on the circumstances, mere knowledge of its existence might have been enough for the Church to treat them as an enemy.

If they were to dig deeper into it, even Filóre would shut her mouth――,

Filóre: [The Sacrament? Yes, indeed. It is a secret art handed down from antiquity only within the Church, and there are very few individuals who can use it. The Church calls such individuals Saintesses, and I myself am qualified as well, hence why I can employ that power.] [1]

Subaru: [You told us way too readily, is that allowed!?]

Filóre: [Whether it’s allowed or not, though the Church has tried to hide it, it has already been discussed extensively at the Castle. It’s pointless to try and conceal it at this point… This too, is in the scriptures. “Thou shalt not defile the earth the Dragon hath purified with the poison of selfish desire. It requires a thousand years of prayer, and the tears of sinners, to fill a spring that hath dried up but once.”]

Emilia: [Umm, and that means?]

Filóre: [In other words, if you try to profit only yourself, it’s incredibly challenging to recover if something were to happen. ――And I thought that right now was the time when something had happened.]

Therefore, contrary to the intentions of the Church of the Divine Dragon, who wished to conceal the Sacrament’s very existence, Filóre had chosen to wield that power publicly, in accordance with the doctrines to which she adhered.

Naturally, the Church of the Divine Dragon was in a state of considerable disorder after she had done such a thing on her own accord, and the Royal Castle, which had incurred a huge debt, was likewise surely in a state of mayhem.

However, setting aside the chaotic consequences, Subaru was certain that her motive was born of good intentions.

Filóre: [Right now, they are discussing how to handle me at the Royal Castle… higher-ups from the Church and my long-standing family are both participating, but…]

Emilia: [Even though it’s about you, Filóre, you aren’t a part of the discussion?]

Filóre: [Even though I wanted to join them, they chased me away! It’s about me, and yet if I were to be present, they said things might get complicated… but there’s at least a slight chance it wouldn’t, so don’t you find that heartless!?]

Beatrice: [It’s lamentable that you estimate the chance of it not happening to be low, I suppose.]

Subaru: [Don’t tell her that, Beako.]

Red-faced, Filóre complained about her unjust treatment, but looking at the impulsive and straightforward girl, he could not help but admit that the judgment of those involved was apt.

Filóre claimed to be fifteen years of age, and contrary to her mature appearance, she was most certainly fifteen years old on the inside―― or perhaps, even more childish. This might have also been influenced by her upbringing as a sheltered child, isolated from the rest of the world.

To be honest, Subaru could not comprehend the intention of the Church of the Divine Dragon who had raised her in such a way.

Rem: [Then, those concerned are at the Castle? And so, Filóre-san was left alone in this church?]

Filóre: [It’s as you say. Well, I don’t feel lonely because those kids from before are here for me, but I’ve been instructed not to go off on my own. I want to go and spread the power of the Sacrament as quickly as I can, even a single second quicker, and yet…]

Subaru: [I’ve never heard of this Saintess of Motivation.]

He supposed that was just how much she desired to deliver salvation, but there were also Saintesses that lacked such a saintly affectation.

Nevertheless, it was also as Garfiel had discussed at the Royal Residence: when he thought of the victims in Pristella who were waiting for such a time as this, he could do nothing but agree with Filóre’s sentiments.

If anything, as far as Subaru was concerned, he felt like giving Filóre some encouragement.

Subaru: [I totally get how you feel. Maybe I’ll beg Reinhard, and he can carry Filóre to Pristella in a single leap…]

Filóre: [Guh… hk, what a fascinating proposal…! However, I was told to wait patiently.]

Subaru: [You didn’t make a promise, did you? Besides, even if you promised, if it saves someone in the end, then breaking it just a little bit…]

Emilia: [Subaru? Are you perhaps not only breaking your own promises, but making others break them as well? That’s reaaally not good, you know…?]

Beatrice: [Even a habitual promise breaker has reached his limit, in fact.]

Subaru: [Guhhh…!]

Reprimanded with the nuance of “I understand your feelings, but…”, Subaru could only respond with that gurgling noise. Together with Filóre, who made a similar sound herself, they bent the knee before that promise.

At the moment, all they could do was pray that the discussions at the Castle would come to a swift and constructive resolution.

Rem: [――At any rate, I heard that Filóre-san is a nun of the Church of the Divine Dragon.]

Subaru: [Rem?]

Rem: [Even with such a position, you included Emilia-san so readily.]

Subaru, who had been offering up a prayer in the direction of the Castle, frowned quizzically when Rem suddenly broached this different topic.

However, that subject was not entirely off the mark, as made apparent from the reactions of Emilia, who frowned, and Filóre, who lowered her hands that had been raised in prayer, the same as Subaru.

Rem had pointed it out: when it came to the relationship between the Church of the Divine Dragon and Emilia, her true point was that――,

Rem: [The Church of the Divine Dragon reveres the power and grace of the Divine Dragon Volcanica, and the Covenant with it. And, the grandest achievement of the Divine Dragon within the Kingdom of Lugunica is the sealing of the Witch of Envy, isn’t that right?]

Subaru: [Oi, that can’t mean…]

Rem: [The more devout adherents of the Church of the Divine Dragon may feel conflicted concerning Emilia-san… that’s what I’m saying.]

Subaru rose to his feet in spite of himself, but Rem did not turn toward his countenance, nor attempt to meet his eyes. Her lips pursed tight, Rem knew her remarks had been callous, and could very well end up demolishing the heretofore relatively amicable atmosphere of the meeting.And yet, Rem still spoke out. She would not simply avert her eyes from that unnatural situation and allow it to remain unnatural.

Truthfully, Subaru had not perceived that peculiarity until Rem had pointed it out.

There was also the fact that the Church of the Divine Dragon’s existence was entirely foreign to him, but what was more significant for Subaru was this: although he felt novel amazement each day at Emilia being an ultra-beautiful girl, from their first encounter until today, she had never once been an object of dread or awe to him.

But, he must not forget. ――Due to her lineage and the characteristics of her appearance, Emilia constantly had her resemblance to the most dreaded Witch in this world thrust upon her.

Subaru: [――――]

And, that resemblance to the Witch of Envy was certainly an affair that could never be ignored, nor openly approved of by the Church of the Divine Dragon, who dedicated themselves to the Divine Dragon itself, one of the Three Great Heroes who, four hundred years prior, had put a stop to the atrocities of the Witch.

Moreover, Filóre was a bearer of the Sacrament that was a secret of the Church, and a presence placed in a position akin to that of a Saintess. Having been raised under the doctrines of the Church of the Divine Dragon, it would not be strange if she bore such an impression of Emilia.

Subaru: [Am I an idiot? No, I am definitely an idiot.]

This sort of thing was something Subaru should have taken notice of, not Rem.

Despite his position as Emilia’s one and only Knight, he was far too lacking in knowledge of and vigilance towards places where she might be harmed unjustly. Would he try to make up for it by cursing himself and saying it was his own fault, even if Emilia’s face clouded over as a result?

He regretted his own lack of knowledge, and that had been one of the reasons he had hastened back to the Royal Capital, and yet――,

Emilia: [Rem, just when have you been studying? You reaaally surprised me.]

However, as Subaru felt such regrets, Emilia herself spoke, neither to rebuke her good-for-nothing one and only Knight, nor to express surprise upon realizing Rem’s remarks.

She simply smiled, thanking Rem for her decision to bring up that topic.

Rem: […Something like studying isn’t really that big of a deal. It’s just, I am also in a position where I have been given a place for myself to belong, so I simply listened to what Nee-sama had to say.]

Emilia: [Still, it makes me happy. Even though I made you worry… how weird.]

Rem: [――. No, it’s not that I don’t understand. I often feel pathetic for worrying others, but it also makes me feel cared for.]

Emilia: [Fufu, is that so? In that case, Rem, please take good care of me, too.]

Rem: […I think Emilia-san has done so for me already.]

Casting her eyes down, Rem directed that retort back towards Emilia, who stared straight ahead at her. However, to Subaru’s eyes, that attitude of Rem’s was just her way of hiding her embarrassment.

Emilia’s pure, honest gaze could strip away any contemplated motives. Subaru understood exactly how Rem was feeling, as he too was frequently made to face himself because of it.

Subaru: [Beako, cheek!]

Beatrice: [Good grief, I sup, pose!]

Immediately following the exchange between those two, Subaru called out in such a manner to Beatrice. As soon as he did, Beatrice slapped Subaru’s face with her tiny palm as if she had been preparing to do so―― numbness racing from her lovely hand with a smack, Subaru’s shoulders trembled.

Emilia: [Kya!? Why’d you do that so suddenly?]

Taken aback by that unexpected action, Emilia gently touched Subaru’s cheek. As the coolness of those fair fingertips soothed his stinging cheek, Subaru shrugged his shoulders with a “Nah”,

Subaru: [I just got a little fired up. It’s mentalism by Beako to stand back up… perhaps I’ll call it Bea-ntalism. Or maybe Bea-therapy? Which one do you prefer?]

Emilia: [Sorry, I’ve got no idea what you’re talking about.]

Emilia responded in her usual tone to Subaru, who had spouted out such pointless words.

From that response alone, he recognized that Emilia appeared unafraid of the circumstances which were worrying Subaru, nor did she appear disheartened over Subaru’s shameful display.

Subaru: [Of course, I can’t just rely on that. It’s also a problem that my judgment regarding circumstances that should worry our camp is worse than the amnesiac Rem.]

Rem: [Reflect properly on that.]

Subaru: [You’re telling me that because you think I can do it, right? All right, leave it to me.]

Rem: [――. Well, that’s fine.]

Subaru had begun to lose heart, but with that encouragement from Rem, his motivation was restored. After doing so, Subaru once again turned sharply toward Filóre.

She was a nun and Saintess of the Church of the Divine Dragon. However, that was precisely why――,

Subaru: [There is significance in freeing such people from prejudice, I think. So, how about it, Filóre? For a start, how about forming a friendly relationship with Emilia-tan?]

Emilia: [A friendly relationship? Hey, Subaru, do you mean…?]

Subaru: [Yeah, in other words―― the two of you becoming friends!]

Firmly clenching his fist, Subaru made that vehement proclamation. And, in response to that, with her amethyst eyes sparkling, Emilia clasped her hands together in front of her chest.

It went without saying that Emilia craved companionship. She possessed the accomplishment of directly making a proposal to Felt and becoming friends with her.

And, it was not only that friend monster, Emilia――,

Filóre: [――Friends… with me? Seriously!?]

Making an ostentatious noise, Filóre placed both hands on the table with a thud, jumping at the offer.

Her large crimson eyes trembling violently, looking back and forth between Subaru and Emilia,

Filóre: [No, my apologies. There must have been some sort of mistake. Perhaps I misheard you. You didn’t say friends, you must have said… ah, “friendless”. You meant I have no friends.]

Subaru: [Yikes, this Saintess is far too much of a loner.]

Emilia: [B-but, I might know just how you feel. I was also reaaally anxious when Subaru tried to be friends with me, since I didn’t understand what he might be thinking.]

Subaru: [I’m sorry for making you anxious! My feelings haven’t changed since the start, and have only grown even stronger with the passage of time… ouch! Rem, did you just step on my foot!?]

Rem: [Incorrect. I simply dropped this iron ball.]

Subaru: [You brought the Morningstar with you!?]

Cheerfully, Rem concealed the Morningstar, which she had dropped on top of Subaru’s foot, behind her back. He trembled in fear after she had nearly crushed his foot, but the sight of Rem in a maid uniform, carrying around that spiked iron ball that Subaru had so diligently polished while at the mansion, was heartwarming to see.

Emilia: [Hey, Filóre.]

Ignoring Subaru and Rem, Emilia approached Filóre, who was escaping reality.

Then, when Emilia touched her hands upon the table, Filóre’s shoulders jumped with a start, and she stared at Emilia in astonishment.

Emilia: [Subaru’s the one who suggested it, so by just going along with it, I’m just being reaaally lackadaisical, but how about it, Filóre?]

Filóre: [H-h-how a-about it, you say? I’m, not really sure what you mean… if you don’t say it more clearly, I’ll misunderstand you. Or rather, am I not doing so right now? Is this a dream…?]

Emilia: [No, this isn’t a dream. Besides, let me be clear so you don’t misunderstand me. If you’d like, we… no, let’s be friends together!]

Filóre: [――Yes, of course, very well, I’d be happy to!!]

In an instant, her delicateness and meekness up to that point did an about-face, and Filóre, her face brightening in a flash, clasped Emilia’s hands in return, and the two of them nurtured a new friendship in close quarters.

Despite being overwhelmed by such a speedy development, Subaru sensed that the wind was unmistakably blowing in a favorable direction, and he nodded deeply.

Subaru: [I’m glad we were able to progress the conversation without it turning sour somehow. However, that momentum… it reminds me of when Beako listened to my persuasion.]

Beatrice: [When it came to Betty, it was more romantic and dramatic, in fact! She wasn’t so ravenously starved like this girl, I suppose!]

Subaru: [It hurts, it hurts, it’s cute, it’s cute.]

Upset, with no other outlet for her irritation, Beatrice stamped on the foot opposite the one Rem had nearly crushed, but the weight of it and the way she pouted were adorable.

Furthermore, when he took a glance, Rem was patting her chest as if in relief that Emilia and Filóre were kindling a relationship.

Although it had been something that had to be touched upon, it was a relationship that could have been severed by her. He could surmise what Rem was feeling.

Subaru: [Are you also satisfied, Rem? When it comes to friends?]

Rem: [I don’t believe it is something so simple. Besides, I have Katya-san.]

Subaru: [You don’t really care about how many friends you have? I, for one, consider pretty much everyone I met on the Gladiator Island to be my friend.]

Rem: [I have Katya-san.]

It was quite an obstinate answer. Well, how one categorized their own friends was up to them, so it would be tactless to say much on the matter one way or another.

At the very least, an amicable relationship had been forged between Emilia and Filóre. Could this not be called a historic achievement for both the Emilia Camp and the Church of the Divine Dragon?

Emilia: [I was also able to become friends with Felt-chan, and I’ve promised to become friends with Anastasia-san too, so perhaps I’m good at making friends.]

Emilia was Emilia, and she had gained self-confidence by making multiple friends in a short span of time. At this rate, her momentum might well cause her to end up greeting passersby on the street, one after another, and increase her number of friends that way.

That might not be a bad idea, but while he could not say either way, he felt it might be disgraceful in a different sense, so he would have to put a stop to Emilia’s craving for friends for the time being.

Filóre: [Hey, wait, Emilia… you’ll allow me to call you Emilia, right? We’re friends now, aren’t we? Still, isn’t it a bit cruel to mention the names of friends other than me? It doesn’t really matter, though? It’s fine, but if you could just pay a little more attention to me since we only just became friends…]

Filóre was Filóre, and had perhaps been without friends for too long. Her speech had a slight yandere quality to it, as if she was expecting a bit much from her friend. [2]

This was probably due to her desire for friends being overly directed at a single person, so it might be dangerous if she did not make more friends and successfully distribute that desire amongst them. If Rem could not be forced to do so, then it seemed like Subaru, or perhaps Beatrice, would have to take on that role.

Subaru: [But actually, would that be okay from Filóre’s perspective? Of course, the only thing my Emilia-tan has in common with the Witch of Envy is her looks.]

Filóre: [――? Do you have some sort of problem with my Emilia?]

Subaru: [Yikes, this Saintess, it’s no wonder she can’t make friends!]

At this attitude of Filóre’s, who had pulled on the arm of Emilia’s she had grasped, and settled down into her chest, Subaru pressed on his forehead as he thought that this friendship might end up being more troublesome than he anticipated.

Laughing at the exchange between Subaru and Filóre, Emilia hugged her from behind, and,

Emilia: [Geez, settle down. I’m sorry, my friend.]

Subaru: [What the? Why am I having dominance asserted over me right now? Emilia-tan, what am I to you!?]

Emilia: [Huh, Subaru is my Knight, right?]

Subaru: [Right! Phew, that was close. That satisfied my self-esteem.]

The rift between the silver-haired half-elf and the Church of the Divine Dragon that could have arisen had not, but instead, a rift began to arise between Emilia’s one and only Knight and her friend. ――It was on the verge of becoming something much more substantial.

???: [――Filóre, did you kick out Lucien and the others? Didn’t you promise to be watched over as proof that you were properly reflecting on your actions?]

Suddenly, the door to the common room was pushed open, and the figure of a young man appeared there.

With a wide-brimmed black hat, clad in attire of deep violet, and with a handsome slender face―― once he noticed Filóre, along with Subaru and the others aside from her, within the room, his yellow eyes widening with an “Oya,”

???: [Visitors have arrived, huh? Goodness, those kids, they abandoned their post and didn’t even tell me. I’ll have to give them a proper scolding later.]

Filóre: [Oh, welcome back, Tiga. Hey, look, this girl is Emilia, my friend. Isn’t that great? My friend… hehe, friend, hehehe.]

With the brim of his hat lowered, the young man’s eyes were obscured. Delight overflowing, Filóre introduced Emilia to the young man while still cuddling with her.

She was a beautiful girl, so it was just barely within the acceptable limits, but her face made it appear that she was on the brink of friend addiction.

At Filóre’s words, the young man by the name of Tiga said, “Emilia?”, and raising an eyebrow, and looking between the aforementioned Emilia, Subaru, and the rest,

Tiga: [I see. I’m also glad you were able to make a friend. However, the way you’re making a triumphant face at me is unacceptable. For instance… say, would you be my friend?]

Subaru: [Huh, me?]

Tiga: [Yes, I’m Tiga Rauleon. And you are…?]

Subaru: [Natsuki Subaru. Treat me well, my friend.]

Tiga: [――Ah, likewise, my friend.]

Tiga leisurely walked over and extended his hand, which Subaru shook without any hesitation. He responded effortlessly to the foreign words thrown his way, and he even threw in a wink perfectly. While doing so, he repeated the words “My friend, my friend” over in his mouth a few times, quickly acclimating himself to them.

Meanwhile, Filóre, who had long suffered a friendship deficiency disease, could not hide her shock at the lightning-fast friendship between Subaru and Tiga.

Her eyes widened in astonishment, and pointing at Subaru, then Tiga,

Filóre: [A-aren’t you scared? What if you get rejected, or something?]

Subaru: [Oi, what’s up with the upbringing where you’re from? She has such a fearless personality, and yet she’s so cowardly only when it comes to making friends, what a strange balance.]

Tiga: [I have no excuse for it. After all, since she has been so strictly sheltered, she craves contact with the outside world. We may have a long association from here on out, so gradually help me tame her. She’s not going to bite you.]

Filóre: [That was an unnecessary comment! There’s no way I would bite! Just who do you think I am!? Aren’t I Emilia’s friend!? And nigh a Saintess!]

Rem: [Is it okay to treat the position of Saintess so lightly…?]

Rem’s murmurs were quite reasonable, as their impressions of Filóre were being tossed all about in a short time.

Be that as it may, the return of Tiga, who appeared to be someone from the Church involved in the matter, probably meant that the discussions at the Castle mentioned previously by Filóre had come to some sort of conclusion.

Tiga: [Indeed, it is so. That said, there’s much we must talk about amongst ourselves. Apologies, but I would like to ask you to leave for today.]

Subaru: [Are you serious, my friend? Isn’t it so distant to have things such as secrets between us?]

Tiga: [Is laying everything bare a requirement for friendship? I’d rather be friends that are considerate about the essential points, and put in an effort together to maintain the relationship between them; how about you?]

Subaru: [It’s no good, I was cleverly rebuffed. Beako, be a sore loser.]

Beatrice: [Unlike with you, there are no such things as trivial secrets between Betty and Subaru, in fact.]

Rem: [That really was just being a sore loser.]

He had not seriously considered what defined a friend, but Tiga’s description had a certain level of persuasiveness, so he was at a disadvantage in continuing to persist.

Therefore, it seemed like they had no choice but to go along with Beatrice being a sore loser, who had understood Subaru’s intentions, and to obediently remove themselves.

Subaru: [Well, we learned a lot. I wasn’t sure until I met her, but for now it seems like Filóre had no intentions of throwing the Royal Selection into chaos.]

Emilia: [Yeah, Filóre is a good girl.]

Filóre: [Hear that, Tiga? That’s my friend.]

Tiga: [I get it, I get it. Thank you for being friends with our Filóre.]

He had wondered what they would do if she refused to detach herself and continued to cling to Emilia forever, but Filóre obediently released Emilia, and so they successfully extracted her without any incidents.

And then, standing next to Filóre in place of Emilia, as she returned to Subaru and the others, removing his hat and bowing elegantly, Tiga,

Tiga: [Thank you, and by the way, it’s not like I’m just chasing off Filóre’s friend and my friend. I have a piece of good news for you as well.]

Subaru: [Good news, for us? What?]

Tiga: [――The word is, that the slumbering Duchess Karsten has awakened.]

Subaru: [――Hk, Crusch-san has…?]

Naturally, Subaru leaned forward, asking for confirmation, and Tiga made a show of giving a fashionable nod. He felt like he had been tricked into giving the reaction that was anticipated of him.

However, he did not mind being tricked. Crusch’s awakening was certainly welcome news.

Subaru: [Emilia-tan, after this…]

Emilia: [Yes, of course. Let’s go visit her. I want to speak with Crusch-san, too.]

Filóre: [Well then, I’ll also tag along with Emilia and the others and――]

Tiga: [Filóre, you’re staying here. You’ll wait with me for Sakura and the rest to return.]

Tiga seized Filóre’s shoulder as she tried to slickly line up with them. Glaring resentfully at that hand of Tiga’s resting on her shoulder,

Filóre: […Isn’t it strange? After all, this is about Duchess Karsten, right? I have a duty to ascertain the results of the Sacrament. Indeed, a duty. How about it?]

Tiga: [In that case, it wouldn’t make sense if you didn’t also fulfill your duties as a bearer of the Sacrament. Of course, we shall go confirm Duchess Karsten’s condition. But later, as members of the Church.]

Filóre: [Ah, Emilia…]

Emilia: [No, it’s fine, Filóre. I’ll make sure to visit on your behalf, too.]

Filóre: [I’m not getting through!? Even though you’re my friend!?]

She had estimated her friend too highly.

In any case, although he felt bad for Filóre, his desire to verify Crusch’s safety weighed quite heavily on Subaru. That was exactly why he wished to leave right away.

Subaru: [Let’s talk again at another time. I’m glad I got to speak with you today. So, that’s it.]

Filóre: [How perfunctory! I’m not okay with… Mmhmmm mmhmmm-]

Tiga: [Allow me to handle this, and go on ahead!]

Restraining Filóre, who was still brimming with lingering attachments, Tiga assumed the role of a villain and saw them off with an excessively reassuring statement.

And so, despite their feelings of reluctance, Subaru and the others slipped away from the church.

Boy 1: [Aww, leaving already?]

Boy 2: [How was Onee-chan? How was she?]

Girl: [It didn’t go anywhere after all, huh? Good grief, she’s hopeless without us.]

And, as they left the church, the children who had been playing with Filóre saw them off. It was a rather scathing assessment, but it was accurate nonetheless.

In any case――,

Subaru: [――Wait for us, Crusch-san. There’s so much we want to talk to you about.]

Indeed, unable to contain his restless feelings, Subaru’s pace only quickened.

△▼△▼△▼△

――And so, after seeing off the fleeing Emilia Camp who had turned up there, Tiga released his restraint on Filóre.

Freed, Filóre staggered and placed both hands on the table, following the lingering vestiges of Emilia and the others, as she turned to scowl at Tiga.

Tiga: [What a look your eyes have. Is there something you want to say to me?]

Filóre: [Hate you…]

Tiga: [Don’t just say nasty words! It couldn’t be helped. There are things we must discuss, and the fact remains that Duchess Karsten has awakened.]

Filóre: [Hmph. The outstandingly sociable Tiga Rauleon-san wouldn’t understaaand.]

Turning away while pouting, Filóre then picked up her own untouched cup of tea from the table and took a sip.

The course of the conversation had unfolded so tumultuously that she truly did not have a single moment to drink her tea until now.

Tiga’s yellow eyes narrowed as he observed Filóre’s profile, but――,

Tiga: [Even so, of all people, it had to be Emilia-sama.]

Filóre: […What about her? No way, even you with the silver-haired half-elf stuff?]

Tiga: [There’s that too. However, it’s more than that. ――Filóre, the insignia?]

Asked this by Tiga, Filóre produced the insignia from her pocket after looking a bit embarrassed. When she opened her clasped hand, the crimson Dragon Gem’s light blossomed.

While gazing at that―― nay, while gazing at that light and the girl who had made it gleam, Filóre, he muttered.

That was――,

Tiga: [――We’re going to be busy from here on out. After all, we are a year and a half behind, huh.]

Translation Notes:

[1] – We have chosen to use the same translation for the term 聖女 here that we also used when it showed up in Arc 9 for the Saintess and the Valiant. We considered going with the more generic Saint, but given that we have very little context at this point for the term in either instance and how they may or may not be connected, and due to the fact that 聖女 is an exclusively feminine term (lit. holy woman), we discarded the idea.

[2] – A yandere is a character trope where a character is obsessively in love with another, to the point of mental illness, which may result in violence.