—Just a little more!
Rem looked at the Subaru before her, filled with intense anger.
She turned her gaze to Frederica, who had barged into the room.
The reason she didn't immediately attack wasn't due to the nearly ten years of guidance she had received from her, but simply because she feared that their battle might affect Subaru lying nearby.
But it was thanks to that hesitation that Frederica was able to speak her purpose.
"Rem, have you seen Garf?"
Rem froze for a moment upon hearing the question.
"No… Did something happen?"
"That idiot… Could it be… Rem…"
"I need to take care of Subaru."
Rem, who had guessed Frederica's thoughts, interrupted her without hesitation. Recalling the boy who had effortlessly blocked her furious attacks, she added:
"And I don't think he needs your help. When the weak forcibly intervene in the battle of the strong, all they do is hold them back—just like me and my sister."
"What you say makes a lot of sense… but he's my only family. Lady Emilia asked for your help. I've got to bring my idiot little brother back."
As she spoke, Frederica transformed from a tall woman into a giant leopard, then forcefully leapt off the ground and dashed away.
Rem hesitated.
With her abilities, she could definitely take care of both Subaru and another person.
As a servant of Roswaal, her priority should be to serve Lady Emilia.
"What happened?"
Rem looked toward the mercenary who had come because of the commotion caused by Frederica, then glanced at Subaru lying on the bed and made her decision.
Rem returned to the bedside and gently stroked the trembling Subaru. Clearly, Subaru could no longer respond, but Rem was not discouraged, because:
"Rem knows that even if Subaru is in endless darkness, he is someone brave enough to reach out his hand."
—Subaru will definitely stand up and save everything.
Their eyes met—Rem's eyes full of determination and Subaru's full of self-loathing. Eventually, the determined gaze won.
The world was no longer a blur.
If described from Subaru's perspective, it went from looking through a thin tissue to viewing the world through a slightly smudged car window.
Naturally, this change was thanks to the blue-haired girl holding food and serving him lunch, after spending the entire night talking to him. If there were enough time, Subaru would surely be able to respond to her trust.
Yes, if there were enough time…
Aaaaahhhh~~~
It was a tragically miserable scream, as if it were a signal.
In the next instant, screams started coming from all directions.
Rem instantly rushed to the window and looked outside in alarm. Red waves, cries of despair, and a hungry white tide were devouring everything.
Rem instinctively ran to the door, but then stopped and looked back at Subaru. There were no roars of beasts outside, no icy air currents.
Could she drive off the Great Rabbit alone?
—Impossible. She didn't have the kind of strength her sister did.
Rem quickly recognized reality, then turned around and picked up Subaru.
"Let's protect Subaru together."
"Raooh~~!"
Petelgeuse, who had been waiting outside the door without anyone noticing, responded energetically. It lowered its body to carry the two and began to move at high speed.
—
"Ul Shuma!"
Rem shouted loudly.
Three massive ice pillars blasted through the white tide ahead. Countless rabbits perished under her full-force attack.
However, the mana attracted even more Great Rabbits, who quickly filled in the gap—and in the process, devoured the slowest of the fleeing people.
Miserable screams echoed from behind.
Rem scanned her surroundings.
Only the mercenary captain Aval, the strongest in combat, and Otto, protected by the mercenaries, had broken through with her.
Behind them, the ravenous cries of the rabbits were getting closer. She wanted to go faster, but the few ground dragons covered in bite wounds were already nearing their limit.
—This is the only way.
"Rem will always pray for Subaru."
Rem kissed Subaru on the cheek and smiled as she spoke. Ignoring Subaru's resistance, she entrusted him to Otto.
Patrasche, as if understanding what was happening, neighed at Subaru.
"Subaru, I leave him to you. I'll buy you all some time."
Saying this, Rem revealed her demon horn again, and mana from around began to pour into her.
The Great Rabbits, sensing something, started moving even faster.
Rem stroked Patrasche.
Understanding her intent, the ground dragon neighed to Subaru once more—as if bidding farewell to its master—and without hesitation, left the group.
Delicious. Lots of meat.
—High-quality food.
The Great Rabbits hesitated for a moment in confusion, but their hunger made the decision.
"Looks like your meat alone isn't enough, little girl. Let me join you."
"…Sorry, and thank you."
Rem replied to Aval, who had come chasing after her, and to the Great Rabbits that changed their target.
"It's fine. Can't let a young girl handle the rear alone. Besides, I've got to avenge my brothers."
.
.
.
Rem and Patrasche were fighting for him.
Subaru felt overwhelmed with emotions he couldn't comprehend. His vision grew clearer.
Rem and Patrasche were saying goodbye. Subaru felt fear rising in his heart. His body began to move.
The white tide of hunger and death chased after Rem and Patrasche as they faded into the distance.
Watching the two once again give their lives for him—at that moment, Subaru's soul, which had been running away, finally returned to his body.
"Let go of me! Let me go! I said let go!!"
Subaru struggled, but Otto—who usually seemed weak—burst forth with strength and resolve beyond Subaru's imagination.
Even as Subaru scratched and bit him to the point of drawing blood, Otto held Subaru tightly in his arms.
"Otto, listen to me! My scent attracts monsters. If you keep carrying me, you'll never escape!"
Realizing their difference in physical strength, Subaru quickly thought it through and shouted.
"Maybe. But even so, I won't let go—because they entrusted you to me. And even if you go back now, what can you even do? Don't waste the life they risked everything to save! Think about what you should do! What you can do!"
Realizing that Subaru had stopped struggling, Otto sighed in relief.
But in that moment of carelessness, Subaru caught the opening.
In the next instant, he used his full strength to leap back, dragging Otto off the ground dragon with him.
Landing hard on the ground, Subaru frantically searched for something.
—Return by Death.
That forbidden phrase had completely consumed his mind.
Subaru picked up a sharp shard from the wreckage and sliced the skin of his throat.
Just a little more force, and it would be over. But at the last moment, Subaru stopped—because he remembered the scene he had seen during the trial.
—If a world truly exists after death, then everything I've done was only for self-satisfaction.
—What can someone like Natsuki Subaru really do?
Before Subaru could finish thinking, Otto—who had come to his senses—kicked Subaru's hand, and his fist suddenly filled Subaru's entire field of vision.
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