After the long pause between loops, a new one began.
However, this one differed from the previous loops. The last one they had seen was the one in which Subaru had decided to end his own life, in an attempt to save everyone, including his killer.
Or that, at least, was what the group wanted to believe.
The new loop showed Subaru in the Royal Capital of Lugunica.
This meant the video hadn't shown how Subaru managed to save everyone during the mansion's events.
Maybe because those events already existed in all of their memories? Or had the one behind everything deemed them unnecessary?
"This... it's about one month after Subaru arrived at the mansion, right?" Emilia asked.
No one answered.
There wasn't anybody who was able to confirm this...
Or was there?
If what was going on in the loop was what Emilia thought it was. There was someone who could. She had left Subaru with someone after a big fight with him. That being—
"Rem?"
The blue-haired twin had been left with Subaru. Therefore, she would be the one to confirm whether the loop being watched was a bad one, or the real one. Albeit, after not seeing the real events unfolding in the previous loops, the possibility of watching a loop that didn't end up in death had greatly decreased.
The video kept moving on, without an answer from Rem.
While Subaru walked through the busy streets of the capital, something caught his attention. Five different posters, showcasing five beautiful women, one of them being Emilia.
"You interested in the royal selection, too?" The appa guy made his appearance next to Subaru, way too close to his face.
"Woah! Don't sneak up on me with that face! Wait... Where's Rem?"
The appa guy pointed in the opposite direction Subaru was looking at.
Following the man's finger, he quickly found her, next to an appa shop. The owner of that shop was the man standing with Subaru.
"Don't make someone with no experience watch your shop."
"Five candidates, huh? It's pure insanity to let that half-elf be one of them, if you ask me."
Seeing herself get criticized, Emilia...
...did nothing. Having grown accustomed to it, Emilia believed it wasn't the man's fault either. If she were able to, she would love to try and change his mind, but that was something that never ended up working the way she wanted. Therefore, complaining or making a fuss about it was meaningless.
The appa guy continued, "Emilia, eh? There's no way a relative of the witch could become our ruler. They've gotta be crazy."
Emilia accepted it. However, someone else didn't.
"Why does everyone say that? It doesn't mean she has anything to do with the witch!"
"Huh?" The man looked at Subaru with a confused expression.
"Don't lump her together and brush her off just because she's a half-elf!"
The crowd around them began to grow as Subaru's tone rose. "H-Hey!" The man that had belittled Emilia seconds ago saw what was forming around them.
Subaru continued, ignoring everything. "That Emilia girl... I mean... She might really care about this kingdom's people, too!"
Subaru was voicing his opinion, but to everyone listening, his words made no sense.
"Hang on... Why are you getting so worked up?"
"I—!"
The words didn't come out anymore. Something stopped Subaru from arguing any further. But that sudden silence amounted to nothing. He didn't think twice and kept ranting.
"You think all half-elves are dangerous just because the witch was one!?!"
"That's right!" The man's answer was clear; his tone was firm. His opinion was one that wouldn't be able to change easily. He once again got really close to Subaru's face. "Everyone's scared of the witch. That's common knowledge. As long as people see her that way, she can't win."
The man sighed. "Sheeesh, who would actually choose to support her?" Having pulled away from Subaru, the man now placed a hand on Subaru's shoulder. "Try not to say the word witch too loudly in public. You never know who's listening or where."
As the words left his mouth, the man made his way back to the shop, leaving behind a speechless Subaru, who was pushed around by the crowd until he fell down to the floor.
"You didn't tell me... everyone felt that way around you... I can't understand if you don't tell me either!"
With a look that couldn't be cataloged as anything but defeated, Subaru put his hands in his pockets and walked back to the appa shop, where Rem waited for him next to the man.
"Why?"
"Emilia, what's wrong?"
Beatrice, after hearing Emilia's bell-like voice to her side, turned to look at her.
"Why does he do it? I don't understand it."
She covered her mouth, but the words kept on spilling out.
"This... this was just after I said horrible things to him. I treated him so badly... and yet he stands up for me. I... can't wrap my head around it."
"That's just how Subaru is, I suppose," responded Beatrice.
"I know... I know that. Subaru is kind and reliable. But back then, what had I done for him? He always said I was the one that saved him. But every time, he keeps getting himself into these horrible situations for my sake."
Beatrice had no answer for that. She too found Subaru's behavior strange at times. He made decisions that didn't make sense, said weird words no one understood, and sometimes kept doing things that were completely out of place.
But that was Subaru. That was Subaru Natsuki's identity.
"I don't think it's something we must understand, I suppose."
Beatrice stated it with pride.
"Even I, as her spirit partner, don't fully understand everything he does. Yet, when the time comes, he's always there to fight for us."
"But... I want to, I want to understand Subaru. I want to know why he does what he does. I want to know why he says what he says. And I want to know why he acts the way he does."
"Trust me... I want that too. But I believe there are things in life we simply cannot achieve. One of them being—"
"Understanding Subaru."
"That's right, I suppose. We don't have to understand everything he says. I believe in him, and so do you, so let's put our faith in him."
Emilia looked down. "...I guess you're right."
◇
"I'm sorry."
A murmur came from the back of the room, so faint that no one could make out the words.
"What?" asked Otto.
"I'm sorry," she repeated.
The one whose lips had moved was—
"Rem? What's wrong?" Her sister next to her quickly noticed and, with caring eyes, questioned Rem.
"The events unfolding... they are not like the ones I remember."