But Humans, by Nature, Are Meant to Change (Middle)
"—?!"
Kousaka Kyousuke and Kousaka Kirino staggered, nearly falling head-first. They rubbed their eyes vigorously, but they weren't mistaken; it wasn't an illusion. It was all real.
"What are you doing? What the hell are you doing—you've lost your mind, Hikigaya Hachiman!"
Kousaka Kirino shook her head like a rattle, quickly covering her eyes with both hands. She was furious, angry—so angry she felt like she was going to explode. She felt as if all her previous sympathy, pity, and admiration for this pervert had been thrown to the dogs!
"And to think I actually felt—ahhh—Sister Rem, Sister Emilia, Sister Yukinoshita... you've betrayed them! You've betrayed them all, Hikigaya Hachiman! And here I was thinking there was actually such a thing as beautiful love in this world. Drop dead! Die, die, die, die, die, Hikigaya Hachiman! You deserve to die all those times!"
"Kirino, stop it!"
Kousaka Kyousuke bitterly covered his sister's mouth, watching as she glared at him. She looked ready to vent her spleen, to curse Hikigaya Hachiman as the lowliest, most shameless villain—perhaps even feeling that her own brother was aiding a tyrant, favoring a stranger over his sister, and a piece of trash, a philandering stranger at that.
He felt a deep, bitter ache for Hikigaya... a pain, an incomparable heartbreak.
Clatter.
Inside her bedroom, after witnessing the manifestations of love from Rem, Yukinoshita, and Emilia, Shinomiya Kaguya had been holding her phone, hesitating over whether to call Shirogane Miyuki. Now, it clattered onto the floor.
"...Hey, you saw that, right, Hayasaka? This isn't an illusion, is it?"
"...Yes, it is real, Miss Kaguya."
They weren't blinded by rage. After exchanging glances, the mistress and maid knit their brows, their hearts heavy. They watched in silence as Hikigaya Hachiman pinned down Echidna.
If one were to look only at this single frame, perhaps they too would immediately conclude this was a violation—that Hikigaya Hachiman was a scumbag.
However... anyone with even a shred of judgment, anyone whose mouth didn't move faster than their brain, could see it. For Hikigaya Hachiman, who was initiating a kiss with a girl for the first time in his life, just how high the peaks of helplessness and resolve hidden in his heart had reached.
"The genuine Thing. That is what he has been searching for all this time... Although I still don't fully understand what the 'genuine Thing' is, responding to sincerity with sincerity and keeping faith in a single love—to be worthy of those who love him—is absolutely Hikigaya Hachiman's bottom line.
For the sake of that bottom line, he could resolutely give up on his first love. For that bottom line, he was willing to live like a widower for Rem. For that line, he had been deliberately distancing himself from Emilia."
"...But, it's broken."
Shirogane Miyuki was so shocked he felt light-headed; he stumbled and was caught by his sister.
"He took the initiative to break that bottom line himself..."
In the village, the villagers and Ram and Rem felt as if ants were crawling over their skin. They were deathly silent, swallowing hard.
Rem wrapped her arms around her shoulders. She suddenly felt cold—a coldness like falling into an ice cellar.
"Echidna has no interest in the Hachiman who holds onto his self and his principles; she refused to give him help or answers. So, so...
For the sake of Lady Emilia... to save Lady Emilia... Lady Emilia's physical safety, Lady Emilia's mental health—Hachiman didn't want to give up on either; he wanted to save them both.
So... he discarded himself."
Before, he discarded his physical safety; now, it had regressed to the point where he discarded even his mental well-being.
For a man like Hachiman, what did it mean to proactively break the threshold of the "genuine Thing"? It was hard to understand, truly hard to fathom.
But Rem knew it must be something terrifying, something horrific, something agonizing—something that would make him tremble with nausea. It was a hell more cruel than being slaughtered by the Elsa the Bowel Hunter, being twisted by Petelgeuse, or being eaten alive by the Great Rabbit.
"Lady... Emilia," Rem murmured softly, chewing over the name. There was a tremor in her voice, containing pity, and... resentment.
It was the exact same resentment Emilia felt toward herself. That resentment was like a hammer, transforming into dense guilt, shame, dark self-reproach, and regret, striking her soul at every moment.
"...I will absolutely never let this happen again, absolutely, definitely!"
Standing tall in the Royal Capital, the silver-haired girl, Emilia, bit her lower lip. Her thoughts were the most chaotic, the most guilt-ridden.
"For Hachiman, for Puck, for myself. No matter what happens, it's absolutely not allowed. I won't escape and be afraid like in that future, throwing all the responsibility onto Hachiman!
So many, so many, many things—so many events. If I can be of use, if I can share Hachiman's burdens, if I can have an actual effect... at least... at least don't drag Hachiman down!"
"..."
In the convenience store, Hikigaya Hachiman did something extremely rare—almost unprecedented. For the very first time, he averted his eyes. He didn't want to, couldn't bear to, and was unwilling to watch this segment.
Even among all the suffering after his reincarnation, this was the only one that provoked such a reaction from him.
Yukinoshita, in his arms, nuzzled against this man covered in scars. Yukinoshita understood; she understood better than anyone how much this man valued the "genuine Thing" and his spiritual bottom line... and yet.
"Even so, you will still go through with it, won't you, Hikigaya-kun?"
No answer was needed. Hikigaya Hachiman had never once mentioned wanting to escape this future or the idea of rejecting it. Even if he were reduced to such a state, he remained as he always was!
Heart-wrenching. Incomparably heart-wrenching.
Crusch, far away in the Karsten Estate; Anastasia, far away in the Hoshin Trading Company; even Felix and Julius. The more mature a person was, the closer they were to Hikigaya Hachiman, the more they felt an incomparable heartache for his seemingly "scumbag" behavior.
"I once envied you, admired you, pitied you, and even liked you a little, Emilia... but now, I feel a bit of hostility and resentment toward you, Emilia."
Crusch's sharp gaze stared directly at the future Echidna, the Witch of Greed, who was overjoyed, riding a high of peak ecstasy.
"I'll kill you. I must kill you. You are the one who absolutely must die, Echidna!"
"...That is not Teacher, Beatrice."
On the roof of the Roswaal Mansion, the breeze blew, fluttering his hair. Roswaal no longer spoke in his clownish tone.
"What?"
Beatrice was stunned.
"How could that not be Mother? Although she's acting very strange, but... no, the most important thing right now is him... Ah! You said Teacher, you, you-you-you... Ros-waal? You... you...!?"
In her confusion, Beatrice looked at Roswaal, then back at the screen of light, falling into a dead silence as her mind crashed.
But Humans, by Nature, Are Meant to Change (End)
「Disheveled hair, a face flushed with a surge of passion born from surprise and curiosity—this was the Echidna that Hikigaya Hachiman saw when the kiss ended and he ceased his desecration and offense.」
「Hikigaya Hachiman's heartbeat was normal, his expression blank. He didn't even have the slightest physiological reaction. Despite such intimate contact, he felt not a shred of interest. He simply looked down calmly at the Witch still lying on the grass and said softly, 'Tell me, Echidna, are you surprised?'」
「'Mmm~ ah, surprised. It was all a surprise. Unexpected, curiosity, greed, the thirst for knowledge, ahh... wonderful, simply wonderful! You are the best, the most interesting. You truly are the most interesting. Mmm~ it seems I was too narrow-minded. Staying in this tomb for four hundred years, has my thinking started to fossilize? Oh dear, how sad.'」
「Echidna giggled, looking at Hikigaya Hachiman with an exploding desire for knowledge. The expressions of boredom and disgust from before were completely cast aside, as if those sarcastic and abusive words had never come from her mouth. She replaced them with a look of extreme satisfaction and charm, full of wonder, layering praise upon Hikigaya Hachiman without restraint.」
「'Emilia's importance is above mine. That won't change today, and it won't change tomorrow. But to what lengths I will go for her—did you really think you had seen through me? Echidna, you are too arrogant.'」
「'Yes, yes, I was too arrogant, mhm.'" Echidna nodded as if she were soothing her own child. At this moment, her patience with Hikigaya Hachiman was at an unprecedented high. She was truly delighted.
「'You were already completely molded—obstinate, opinionated, with unbreakable bottom lines and a clear direction. Boring, uninteresting. One didn't even need to look to know everything about you. I was wrong, I was truly wrong. It is exactly because of that—exactly because of this—that you are the most interesting of all, Hikigaya Hachiman.'」
「Echidna rambled on, laughing with jubilation like a child who had received a new toy. She took Hikigaya Hachiman's palm in hers and gazed at him affectionately.」
「'An unbreakable bottom line—whether it will be broken, when it can be broken, what circumstances are required to break it; someone you want to save no matter what—how long until you want to give up, what impassable difficulties would make you run away alone; a strong heart—how many layers of guilt, self-reproach, resentment, and pain must accumulate to crush it—yes, yes, you are fascinating. You are quite simply the most interesting material in the world. I should apologize, you know? I'm sorry, truly sorry. I... I love you the most, hehe.'」
「Echidna gave him a playful wink, pulled his hand up, and gave him a high-five to seal the vow. 'Mhm, I'll help you. Of course I'll help you. Although I hate her, watching her suffer is still quite pleasant. Come with me; I'll show you her past.'」
「Faced with Echidna's complete reversal of attitude, Hikigaya Hachiman didn't show even a hint of surprise... After all, that is just how 'fakes' are.」
「However.」
「It was truly nauseating. Truly sickening. Truly disgusting.」
「However.」
「'Echidna.'」
「'Eh?'」
「'I'm sorry. And thank you.'」
「'—Eh?!'」
「Echidna was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter, clutching her stomach and doubling over.」
「'Mhm, I know, I get it. This was also unexpected. Interesting, so interesting! Ahh, how embarrassing, I almost missed out on you.'」
「Hikigaya Hachiman did not retract his statement because of her attitude. Frankly, his opinion of Echidna right now was much higher than it had been during their previous two meetings.」
「Though she was still a fake, Echidna was willing to help him. Regardless of her mindset or her reasons.」
「'Echidna, what is the price for me to retain my memories?'」
「'Eh, a price?' Echidna paused, seemingly having never considered such a thing. Then, she gave a rather amused smile. 'I see, a price... Well, you are not allowed to make any more remarks about my age. And if I must say, you have to treat me with the same standard as you do Emilia. How about that?'」
「Hikigaya Hachiman was stunned. He froze for a moment. 'So in reality, the so-called price isn't actually a mandatory equivalent exchange?'」
「'How rude. If I couldn't even control the price according to my own whims, what kind of Witch of Greed would I be? A price, well, it's just a "price." You could use another word for it, too. For example, "Echidna's Dona Tea," maybe?'」
「'Seriously, you—' Hikigaya Hachiman stopped halfway and closed his mouth. 'Fine. Let that be the price.'」
「Echidna was in high spirits. Her sun-drenched face showed that she clearly thought she had made a great deal. 'So, what do you want to know now? Come, please speak up. I like you best right now, so I can tell you anything, don't be shy.'」
「'Show me.'」
「Hikigaya Hachiman said straightforwardly, 'Show me. I want to see what Emilia saw in the past trial. What she saw—all of it, everything. I want to see the whole thing from beginning to end.'」
「'...'" Echidna visibly showed an expression of disgust—a genuine hatred, an emotion from the bottom of her heart. Whenever Emilia was mentioned, she was truly repulsed. '...Whew, in that case, fine, fine. Since I like you best, after all.'」
「'Anyway, watching her suffer isn't too bad either. Oh my, is this a date? This is a date, right? Heehee.'」
「'Come, follow me. I'll take you there.' Echidna's tone was incredibly gentle. A swarm of green butterflies erupted from her hands, and in an instant, ripples spread, connecting the world of the trials to the location of the Witches' Tea Party.」
「Following behind her, Hikigaya Hachiman waited about three or four seconds before stepping forward. By then, he had hidden all his negative emotions deep in his heart... That place where too many negative emotions had accumulated. He couldn't be sure when the circuit breaker would trip... but at least, it wasn't now.」
「It's about to begin. The past of the Frozen Witch, Emilia, is revealed here.」
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Crusch sat upright, faintly expectant. She hoped that Emilia's past would allow her perception of this woman to recover.
Given Sir Hachiman's affection for Emilia and Emilia's own likable personality, she didn't actually want to resent the woman if possible. But every time she saw the various sufferings Sir Hachiman endured because of Emilia, she was provoked to an unbearable level of anger.
Petelgeuse and Geuse
"I still don't quite get it."
Ibara Mayaka found it difficult to understand.
"Kissing Echidna was to prove to her that he is an unpredictable person for the sake of 'diversity,' all to convince Echidna to help.
I can understand that he's willing to discard his own mental well-being to save Emilia. But why would he kiss Echidna? That borders on forcing himself on someone, doesn't it? Knowing Hachiman's character, he should be capable of sacrificing himself, but it seems impossible for him to lay a hand on an innocent person."
She looked at Fukube Satoshi, then at Oreki Houtarou. Oreki sighed, noticing that Chitanda Eru was also watching him. To be able to quietly watch the upcoming past that led to Emilia's breakdown, he felt he had to answer.
"First, Echidna is not an innocent person. Remember Roswaal's Gospel? That's a high-quality imitation of Echidna's original Tome of Wisdom. I suspect the prophecies in the imitation also originate from Echidna. In other words, the root cause of these sufferings—the so-called 'perfect ending'—is Echidna herself. Even Roswaal doesn't compare to her.
Second, Echidna herself doesn't mind being kissed. Think carefully about her tea—she's a woman who casually gives her own body fluids to a man she just met to drink. How could a woman like that care about so-called 'chastity'?"
Upon hearing this explanation, both Chitanda Eru and Ibara Mayaka had a moment of realization.
Oreki Houtarou breathed a sigh of relief and shifted his attention back to Hikigaya Hachiman.
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「Passing through the tunnel woven by butterflies. A dazzling sun, the scent of soil, fresh air, and residents coming and going on the road. Aside from the residents being unable to detect his or Echidna's presence, in Hikigaya Hachiman's eyes, it was almost indistinguishable from the real world.」
「"This place is...?"」
「"Elior Forest," Echidna answered, smiling as she spoke. "Thanks to that little cat kidnapping you and making her go through the trials like a madwoman. Otherwise, given her state of memory loss, it would have been quite difficult even for me to peer into her entire past."」
「This woman had no intention of provoking Hikigaya Hachiman; she was simply being sarcastic toward Emilia.」
「"Do you hate Emilia that much? What's the reason?"」
「"Does one need a reason to hate someone?" Echidna affectionately drew a circle on his chest with her index finger and giggled dreamily. "Don't you also hate me for no reason? Mmm... though I actually do have a reason. Come, let's go this way. We're about to see that annoying brat soon. Even as a child, she was so irritating. Truly annoying."」
「It was a treehouse.」
「Stepping through the entrance, Hikigaya Hachiman saw two people in the room. One looked like an enlarged version of Emilia, though they only shared about sixty percent resemblance; she wasn't as beautiful as Emilia, and her gaze was naturally quite fierce. The other was like a miniature Emilia, appearing to be around eleven years old. That familiar appearance immediately allowed one to be certain of her identity.」
「"Listen carefully, Emilia. Everyone has important things to do today, so we'll be very busy. You stay in the house by yourself and be good, okay?"」
「"Ugh..."」
「"Your parents... I am your father's sister, merely your acting mother. So~, I must be even more responsible for you. You mustn't wander off, understand?"」
「"Mhm, Mother Fortuna."」
「"Good, brave girl." Fortuna knelt down and embraced the young Emilia with a look of pure happiness.」
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"Ugh..."
Almost instantly, Emilia couldn't help but shudder.
She recognized them. She recognized all of them. In the Great Forest where she woke up, those ice statues she used to clean every day—every single one of them was now appearing on the light screen as a living resident.
"When everyone... was still safe..."
Her sense of displacement regarding her strange past vanished instantly. These were the people she knew. Even for Mother Fortuna, of whom she had the least impression, the hair ornament Fortuna wore was the very one she wore in her own hair now.
Emilia's heart pounded, and a new warmth spread through her body.
"Everyone... liked me so much... Mother Fortuna loved me that much... Half-elf, Witch... nobody discriminated against me."
Vaguely, some broken fragments of memory began to break through the seals and return to her mind.
In the village within Roswaal's territory, Ram gave a cold snort, full of disdain: "So this is the young Emilia? Hmph. Ram and Rem were much cuter when we were little."
Rem, unable to do anything about her sister, showed a helpless expression... Her own memories of childhood consisted only of her long-standing feelings of inferiority; she truly didn't think she was as cute as Lady Emilia. But, her sister was indeed very cute!
"An acting mother? ...It looks like her biological parents might have already..."
In the convenience store, Yukinoshita pitied Emilia from the bottom of her heart. Fortunately, compared to her later situation of being ostracized by everyone, her childhood at least looked quite happy. The contrast offered a small bit of comfort.
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「"Young Emilia..."」
「"Young, mhm, she certainly is young. Though now she's a hundred-year-old hag. I hope you'll face reality."」
「Echidna hated Emilia so much that she wouldn't miss a single chance to insult her indirectly, trying to poison Hachiman's view of her.」
「Hikigaya Hachiman glanced at her but ignored her, acting as if he hadn't heard a thing.」
「"Told me I'm not allowed to lie or hide things, but then Mother goes and does exactly that, hmph... Everyone always hides things from children to go play. I want to go out too..."」
「In the treehouse, the lonely Emilia grumbled in boredom. She complained, and then a green phosphorescence suddenly appeared in the corner of the room, sinking into the wall and disappearing under her gaze. Emilia was startled, then curiously poked at the spot, discovering a hole through which she could go outside.」
「"...I promised not to go out. But Mother Fortuna and the others are hiding things from me too, so we're even."」
「Making excuses, Emilia squeezed through the hole, getting quite dirty, and went out with high spirits. She jogged stealthily toward the plaza, hiding to the side to watch the adults gathered there.」
「Everyone from the forest, Mother Fortuna, and a group of strangers. And...」
「"—We are in your debt, as always."」
「"You overstate it. We are the ones who regret only being able to support you in this manner. We cause Lady Fortuna trouble every time."」
「"The feeling is mutual, Geuse."」
「Fortuna was conversing intimately with a person—a tall man dressed in black robes called Geuse.」
「Geuse had short green hair. His voice was very gentle, his expression very kind. He had a relatively thin build. His cheeks, his features, his looks...」
「"Petelgeuse?!"」
「Hikigaya Hachiman's expression changed drastically as he cried out the name.」
The Vindication of Geuse
"Petelgeuse?!"
At the same moment, the pupils of almost every viewer across two worlds constricted. The screech of sliding chairs, the clatter of objects hitting the floor, violently thumping hearts, and looks of utter disbelief filled the air.
A massive wave of confusion, like a tsunami or a landslide, enveloped everyone—doubt, shock, bewilderment, and the most intense hostility.
"It's actually Petelgeuse..."
There was no mistake. Although Fortuna called him Geuse, with that voice and that appearance, how could anyone misidentify him? Even identical twins would find it hard to be similar to this degree.
"According to the self-introduction Emilia once gave, her actual physical age is over a hundred years old. Does that mean Petelgeuse is also a long-lived species?"
"But, although they look alike... look at his face. If they weren't identical, I'd find it hard to imagine this could be Petelgeuse... Could he be an elder relative of his?"
Watching Yumiko Miura and the others discuss, Hayama frowned, unable to be certain: "Perhaps he's just acting very well. Before Roswaal was exposed, didn't we also think there was nothing wrong with him?"
"That's right!" Iroha Isshiki agreed wholeheartedly; with Roswaal's example, it was easy to understand. "Which means, a hundred years ago, Petelgeuse had already begun coveting Emilia... This is just too tragic!"
This speculation was the general consensus. Petelgeuse's perversion and terror, as well as his obsession with Emilia, had long been deeply ingrained in everyone's minds.
"Petelgeuse, for the sake of the trials and the Gospel, disguised himself to get close to that place a hundred years ago. He subsequently gained Emilia's trust, then launched a sneak attack to kill everyone except her.
If that's how it develops, it's only natural that Emilia would wail in grief... but can things really be that simple?"
Miyuki Shirogane wasn't sure. He withheld his final judgment for now.
"No."
Crusch had also subconsciously taken Geuse for Petelgeuse at first. However, for someone who wasn't an ordinary person, it was easier to discern the difference. "The feeling isn't the same... just what is going on here?"
The history from a hundred years ago, starting from Geuse's appearance, made it impossible for anyone to look away.
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"Fortuna, Lady Fortuna?! ...Elior Forest?! ...No, no, no—no no no no no no no no! Zero impression! No memory! Falsehood, vanity, a complete blank! It's illogical!!"
In an instant, the Witch Cultists serving nearby were crushed by sudden Unseen Hands, twisted and exploded into fragments of flesh. Clutching his head with both hands, his eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets, Petelgeuse felt a sharp, buzzing pain in his brain.
Fortuna. This name, this appearance, this voice, and this scene were striking his soul and his memory at every moment.
"No, no no, how is it possible, how how how how how is it possible? There's nothing, nothing nothing nothing—I've never been to a place like that... Who is Geuse? Who is Geuse? ...I am Petelgeuse Romanée-Conti, aaaaaaaah!!"
Stumbling, Petelgeuse roared in the shadows, leveling the surrounding trees. He looked up at the light screen in the sky, his Unseen Hands extending as if to fly up and tear these scenes to shreds.
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「Fortuna called him Geuse, while others called him Bishop Romanée-Conti.」
「The Witch Cultists, including the Sin Archbishop Geuse, interacted amically with the half-elves in the forest. Both sides respected one another from the bottom of their hearts.」
「Geuse Romanée-Conti, the man who brought supplies to everyone in the forest—he didn't hide his identity at all.」
"Was the Witch Cult actually like this a hundred years ago?"
The previous speculations were rapidly overturned. Anastasia and her knight, Julius, exchanged glances.
Aside from veterans like the Sword Demon who were well-traveled and had heard rumors of the past, the vast majority of people in the Kingdom of Lugunica—and even the Vollachia Empire, which had suffered an invasion by the Regulus Corneas where even the Eight-Armed War God died—were utterly lost.
"If none of this is an act, then what exactly happened? Why did he become like that a hundred years later?"
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「Geuse would bring supplies with his subordinates at fixed intervals. Emilia, having discovered this secret, would sneak out on those days to eavesdrop near the plaza, and thus learned a great deal.」
「Though among this 'great deal,' there was much she couldn't understand... for instance, why Mother Fortuna, who was usually only so affectionate with her, acted the same way toward Geuse. Why Fortuna would blush at Geuse's praise, and why she would suddenly get angry when Geuse accidentally mentioned he viewed her as a child.」
「And things about 'Guardians,' or being the next Guardian... she couldn't understand it at all.」
「Most strangely, Geuse had clearly never met her, yet he would ask Mother Fortuna about her safety and well-being.」
「And strangest of all—what was this 'Seal'?」
「"Eh, you're going to take me to see it? The 'Seal'... This way? I understand, Mr. Fairy!"」
「It was a massive, unyielding gate, locked tight. The area around it was frozen with unmelting frost, completely out of place with the rest of the forest.」
「The young Emilia saw the Seal, satisfied her curiosity, and ran back happily.」
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Watching this, the tense Emilia felt a slight sense of relief.
Such a thing was clearly not to be touched, but the young version of herself knew nothing.
Emilia gave a bitter smile. Before this, she truly hadn't realized how mischievous and willful she was as a child. She felt a bit embarrassed... but it was truly wonderful to be able to see these things with her own eyes.
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「Due to her curiosity about the Seal, Emilia hadn't timed her return well today. Panicking, she suddenly dove into the bushes halfway back. She heard footsteps; someone was nearby.」
「"Oh my? And whose cute little bottom might this be?"」
「It was Geuse's voice.」
「"As—As a prisoner, I demand reasonable treatment." Caught while playing, a trembling Emilia was forced to crawl out.」
「Geuse, who had been teasing the child in a gentle tone, suddenly froze when he saw Emilia's face.」
「"L-Little girl, you... no, could you be..."」
「His voice trembled as if he were seeing an incredible sight. Geuse shook his head, looking like a lost child finding a relative, or a traveler in the dark finding light. Fear and anticipation were intertwined.」
「Emilia tilted her head slightly and whispered, "Geuse, are you okay?"」
「"—?! Oh, uh, mhm, aaaaaaaah...!"」
「Her concern completely broke Geuse in an instant.」
「"I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm truly fine... yes, no problem at all. Because I... I just now, just this moment, have been saved... I've received an unprecedented salvation, ahhh..."」
「Tears fell like rain, his back trembling. Geuse knelt on the spot, lowering his eye level to match the young Emilia's. Geuse sobbed and choked, but his eyes shone with the most brilliant light.」
Beating Down Echidna
"Huh?"
Priscilla was stunned; she found it harder and harder to understand. Just what was the relationship between this man Geuse and Emilia?
It wasn't just her. Thinking of the grudges and entangled fate a hundred years later, and then looking back a century ago at Romanée-Conti—who treated Emilia almost as the most radiant sun in the world, with a fanaticism akin to a believer looking upon their worshiped faith—it was truly hard not to be wide-eyed. It felt like a bizarre distortion of reality.
On the streets of the Royal Capital, Emilia pursed her lips, her heart sinking with apprehension.
"Puck, Geuse... Geuse, he..."
Faced with her daughter's seeking gaze, Puck was too embarrassed to answer.
Geuse had once been invited by Echidna to be Beatrice's tutor, so Puck naturally knew him. But the current situation... Romanée-Conti, under a different name, had undoubtedly pitied Hikigaya Hachiman to death—not just once or twice.
If Geuse was truly a good person, a good person who had once been this close to Emilia, the pressure on Emilia as the one caught in the middle would be agonizing. How she should treat Romanée-Conti in reality from now on was a harrowing choice.
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「"Tsk, tsk. Look at that. Knowing how to seduce men even at such a young age. Oh my, the genuine Thing, truly. Mhm." Echidna pinched her nose in disgust. Even though the young Emilia was perfectly clean and innocent, she just had to slander her. She was banking on the fact that Hikigaya Hachiman wouldn't do anything to her right now. After all, Hikigaya Hachiman was just that kind of person.」
「Of course, if he truly couldn't take it and lashed out at her, Echidna would surely be so happy she'd pick up her skirt and twirl... After all, that would be one of the novel possibilities, and very interesting indeed.」
「Hikigaya Hachiman glanced at this old woman and said nothing. He didn't defend Emilia, nor did he curse Echidna in anger. On the surface, he seemed to be ignoring her, but in reality... his contempt for Echidna's age was written all over his face.」
「The price was that he wasn't allowed to mock Echidna's age verbally; it didn't forbid physical expression.」
「Hikigaya Hachiman shrugged. He observed the young Emilia comforting Geuse and smiled. "Emilia was so cute when she was little, and she's beautiful now that she's grown up. Well, you can't really say 'grown up,' since her current appearance is only around eighteen. She's both cute and pretty."」
「He praised her sincerely. "Ms. Fortuna... Emilia has been this cute and kind since she was a child. Much of that must be thanks to her. Unlike certain other people, she is a truly wonderful mother."」
「Creeeeak...」
「The sound of Echidna grinding her teeth. With a distorted expression, she raised a fist toward Hachiman, who turned to look at her with a bewildered face as if saying, 'Ah, what's wrong? Why are you suddenly angry?' Ultimately, she just gave a light huff.」
「"A bit mischievous, but not willful at all. Very lively and healthy. Never argues with others, obedient and well-behaved, yet has her own opinions. Little Emilia is basically as cute as Komachi. Eh? Echidna, what's wrong? Why do you look so pale? Echidna? You aren't sick, are you, Echidna?"」
「Echidna had already closed her eyes and covered her ears, squatting on the ground like a pouting, aggrieved puppy.」
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"You say that isn't Mother? How could that not be Mother! Roswaal, you must be mad! You, who have spent four hundred years suffocating your own bloodline through soul possession—have you become unable to recognize Mother?"
At the Witches' Tea Party, Echidna's behavior had indeed made Beatrice's heart turn cold. But this lively Mother before them now was exactly the Mother in her memories.
"The one who cannot recognize Teacher is not me, but you. Your obsession is merely to find 'that person.' I have lived for four hundred years solely to bring Teacher back to life! Beatrice, you are too naive. That is not Teacher. It cannot be!"
Roswaal shook his head. He looked at the 'Echidna' in the Sanctuary who was acting as if she had emotions, wearing his Teacher's face, his mind a mess of conflicting thoughts.
As for Emilia's past, neither Beatrice nor Roswaal cared in the slightest. At this moment, they were the only ones who didn't care about it.
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Staying in the room of his dozens of wives, Regulus Corneas suddenly remembered.
"Oh, so it was from that time. Not bad, not bad at all. Come to think of it, I had already met Emilia back then."
"I see, I see. So she was already my child bride even then. She had already lost her heart to me; she was already my property. Tsk. That idiot Petelgeuse—both then and later—dared to unilaterally strip a woman who admires me of her right to approach me, violating the personal freedom of my living new wife. Ha! Who does he think he is? What a fool!"
"A waste who hasn't improved at all in a hundred years. It's only natural that he died."
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「Echidna hated Emilia. She hated her very, very much—so much she wished she could degrade Emilia into the filthiest mud. However, for the time being, she remained silent.」
"Pfft."
In the convenience store, the cashier and some customers couldn't help but laugh. They looked at the suppressed Echidna as if they were watching a clown.
"Someone who insults Emilia truly deserves this. Serves her right!"
"Well done, Hikigaya! Keep it up!"
They pumped their fists in support of Hachiman.
Although insulting a woman's age is usually bad form, a creature like Echidna—who looked down on Emilia and shifted faces so quickly to treat Hachiman as mere 'research material'—hardly counted as human anymore.
Hachiman's expression was subtle. Though in the future he would turn an entire village into his fanatical followers, experiencing a portion of that feeling in advance left him unsure of how to describe it.
One thing was certain: seeing Echidna shut up was quite refreshing.
Even Yukinoshita, in his arms, couldn't help but let out a beautiful smile.
Everyone knew a storm was coming. It was warm and fuzzy now, but a past that could make Emilia cry until she fainted could not possibly remain peaceful. Everyone was on edge, afraid to breathe heavily, bracing themselves for tragedy.
Echidna's comeuppance had slightly eased everyone's hearts.
"He isn't gentle to everyone; he's only gentle to those who deserve it. Hmph... an old hag like Echidna was out of the running from the start."
Crusch puffed out her chest, finding an incomparable sense of confidence. Even if her progress couldn't match Emilia's, at least she, Crusch, was far, far superior to a manipulative 'third wheel' like Echidna!
The Beginning of the End (Part 1)
「After truthfully telling Mother Fortuna everything—about sneaking out to play, meeting Geuse, and the fact that Geuse had cried despite being an adult—Emilia was not scolded. Fortuna merely looked at Geuse, who seemed a hundred times more energetic than ever before, with a mix of helplessness and relief.」
「After that incident, whenever Geuse came to deliver supplies, Fortuna no longer locked Emilia in the treehouse.」
「Geuse began to stay in the forest longer each time. He looked after Emilia with meticulous care, addressing her as 'Lady Emilia.'」
「Everyone in the Elior Forest loved Emilia dearly. Among them, the one who loved her most was Mother Fortuna, followed by Archi, who was set to inherit Fortuna's duties and status. However, after she met Geuse, Geuse became the one who loved her second most, even showing a faint tendency to surpass Mother Fortuna.」
"Lady Emilia... Lady Fortuna... ah, aaaaaah... My brain, it's trembling—what is this? What on earth is this?! No, no no no no no!?"
Memories that seemed non-existent, yet felt undeniably real, resonated with the past shown on the screen. They struck Petelgeuse's mind in waves, causing him excruciating agony. Even though he had long been accustomed to self-harm, this pain originating from the depths of his soul remained unbearable.
In a distant location far from where Petelgeuse resided, the Sin Archbishop of Wrath, Sirius Romanée-Conti—covered in bandages—stared blankly at these images of the past. She had fallen into a strange, motionless state.
「Geuse played with Emilia and brought her gifts. If not for Fortuna's presence, Geuse's affection for Emilia would have almost reached the level of absolute spoiling.」
「Even the power Emilia used as a Spirit Arts User a hundred years later was a result of Geuse discovering her talent during these days and suggesting she develop in that direction.」
「During this time, Emilia had said more than once, "I always feel like Mother Fortuna and Geuse are just like a mother and a father."」
「Her innocent childhood words often made Fortuna's cheeks turn red. She would become hesitant and stutter, stealing glances at Geuse.」
「Geuse had an extremely high opinion of Fortuna and respected her deeply, but he would seriously explain to Emilia every time that he and Lady Fortuna were not in that kind of relationship. This caused Fortuna to immediately shift from a shy blush to indignant annoyance.」
Fortuna's feelings were clearly as plain as day, yet Geuse, who was denser than a block of wood, simply failed to notice.
The Nakano quintuplets all turned their heads in unison to look at Futaro Uesugi. They saw reflections of themselves and Futaro in Fortuna and Geuse. Futaro was left looking back at them with a completely bewildered expression.
"This can't be an act."
Shirogane Miyuki shook his head. In the past, he might not have been able to tell for sure, but now there were two pieces of evidence right before his eyes.
First, Hikigaya Hachiman had been watching Geuse for this long without showing a hint of anger toward him or concern for Emilia.
Second, with the contrast of the "fake" Echidna, one only had to look at her and then at Geuse to immediately see the difference between a fake and the genuine Thing.
But precisely because of this, Shirogane Miyuki felt even more despondent... The fall of a good person, leading them to draw blades against former friends—this kind of contrast brought far more sorrow than someone who was a villain from the very beginning.
"..."
Felt and Reinhard both fell silent.
Because of his status as the Sword Saint, Reinhard might have caused his grandmother's death. The pain of having a relative's life on one's hands was something Reinhard knew all too well. Even so, at least his grandmother hadn't been killed by his own hand.
"To protect her husband, using the power her adoptive father taught her to fight her frenzied adoptive father... The burden you carry is even heavier than I thought, Lady Emilia."
Felt exhaled a deep breath from the bottom of her heart.
Fortunately, Hikigaya Hachiman had stopped Emilia from killing Petelgeuse. Otherwise, it would have been an utterly irredeemable tragedy. Though it hadn't happened in reality yet, it was enough to cause profound sadness and despair.
"In other words, Sir Hachiman died several times at the hands of Emilia's two adoptive fathers?"
Crusch's face turned ashen. However, looking at the warm and gentle Geuse, she found it hard to curse such a man.
So, what exactly was it that turned this 'Geuse' into that 'Petelgeuse'?
「It was a beautiful, sunny day, just like any other. After some playing around, Fortuna and Geuse were preparing to return to the treehouse with Emilia. At that exact moment, a sudden sense of threat—the pressure of death—accompanied the abrupt approach of footsteps.」
「"—Who is it?!"」
「It was a man with short white hair and an unremarkable, average face.」
「"Sin Archbishop of the Witch Cult, representing Greed, Regulus Corneas."」
「That was how he introduced himself.」
"—?!"
Despite having an inconspicuous, average face, the moment this man appeared, not only Geuse and Fortuna, but the people of both current worlds couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.
"Regulus Corneas... unchanged even after a hundred years? I thought we could at least wait for him to die of old age, but it seems he is an invincible existence with no weaknesses or flaws in any aspect."
Even Ayanokouji Kiyotaka found it difficult to remain indifferent.
Different from Ayanokouji's specific point of observation...
"You bastard...!"
No one could forget the terror of this man.
In just an instant, he had casually defeated Crusch and turned Rem into a vegetable that even Felix was powerless to help. Without Regulus, if Crusch and Rem had joined forces against the Archbishop of Gluttony alone, whether they could win was one thing, but they certainly could have protected themselves.
Seeing him, Ram's eyes immediately turned blood-red with a predatory gaze. Crusch subconsciously touched her right arm, her brow furrowing deeply.
「Geuse's pupils shrank. "Why are you here? No one but me is allowed to interfere with the matters of this forest. That was the agreement!"」
「Regulus looked dismissive. "An agreement? That was just your unilateral protocol. To try and force it on others and make them obey—you're far too self-important for a minor spirit."」
「"If you are dissatisfied with the protocol, go to the Cult to discuss it! Why come here?!"」
「"Because those were my instructions."」
「A girl's voice intervened in the argument between Geuse and Regulus.」
「A girl appeared behind Regulus. Her physical age appeared to be in her teens, with long white hair. Her body was wrapped only in a piece of white cloth. Like Echidna, even her eyebrows were white.」
The Beginning of the End (Part 2)
「The moment they laid eyes on this girl, everyone's instincts would subconsciously perceive this fact: she was a danger that should not exist in this world.」
「Geuse's expression was one of absolute trepidation. It was clear he held both extreme respect and extreme terror for this girl, yet glancing at the mother and daughter by his side, he remained firmly on their side.」
「"—Hand over the Seal and the Key. For the long-cherished wish of our Witch Cult."」
「"PANDORA!!!!"」
「The girl's name was Pandora. This roar, saturated with rage and hatred, erupted from Fortuna's mouth. Simultaneously, countless ice spears filled the heavens and earth, piercing through Pandora's body. A final ice spear, the size of a meteorite, smashed down upon her along with Corneas.」
「Fortuna's magical prowess was breathtaking. Hikigaya Hachiman could conclude that without Puck's full assistance, Emilia would be unable to produce an attack of this caliber.」
「However, a hundred years later, Emilia is all alone, and Geuse has forgotten her. Therefore, in this battle, regrettably, Hikigaya Hachiman had zero confidence in them from the very start.」
「"I say. I came here, I stand here, yet you go on talking to yourselves as if I'm not even in your sight. To use an attack that involves me under such circumstances—this is a fundamental violation of my life, my personality, my rights, and my existence, isn't it?"」
「The dust settled, the ice spears shattered. The self-centered Regulus was completely unscathed, and Pandora, who had clearly been torn to shreds just moments ago, was likewise perfectly fine.」
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"Again..."
Whether it was Julius, Wilhelm, or the Nine Divine Generals, every powerhouse of a certain level felt their hearts sink. "That irrational defensive power is practically invincible. And not just him—Pandora returned from the dead as well... Just what kind of Authority is this?"
Regulus's strength was enough to plunge anyone except Reinhard into despair. Furthermore, this time there was Pandora, an enigmatic figure whose status was superior to his.
Linking this to Emilia's current predicament, the outcome of the battle was obvious. Some who couldn't bear to see the tragedy unfold had already looked away, not daring to watch.
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「"Lady Fortuna, please take Lady Emilia and leave quickly!"」
「Fortuna, unwilling to abandon Geuse, did not want to be a deserter. But for Emilia's safety, she had no choice but to do as Geuse said. "Then what about you?!"」
「"Please rest assured. I did not stay behind out of mere recklessness; I have my trump card as well."」
「Regulus clicked his tongue in disdain. However, upon seeing the death-resolved Geuse pull a black box from his robes, the man who was unscrupulously self-centered to the extreme widened his eyes for the first time, losing his composure.」
「"That is...! You fool, you are the person least qualified to use that!"」
「In stark contrast to his attitude, Pandora clapped her hands admiringly. Her words were as sincere as their literal meaning: "I wish you a pleasant journey, Bishop Romanée-Conti."」
「Geuse took a deep breath and whispered softly: "Please forgive me, Lord Flugel!"」
「In the next second, he opened the box and allowed the pitch-black substance inside to contact his body, pouring it into his frame. Amidst a shrill, agonizing scream of ultimate pain, he underwent a metamorphosis. Some changes began to manifest upon his body.」
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"Those are... the Unseen Hands?!"
It was like clouds parting to reveal the sun; everything became clear. The secret of how the Sin Archbishops obtained their various terrifying and bizarre Authorities was finally revealed.
"Flugel... that is the name of the Great Sage from four hundred years ago."
Crusch never expected that the past from a hundred years ago would involve a hero from four centuries prior. "In that case, could it be that Geuse also lived for four hundred years, knew the Great Sage, and was perhaps even his friend? Were those substances items related to the Witches that the Great Sage entrusted to him for safekeeping?"
There were simply too many mysteries.
Just as old secrets were unveiled, new ones followed in rapid succession, leaving people overwhelmed. But the one constant was... Regulus's despair-inducing power that remained unchanged from ancient times to the present.
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「The Unseen Hands easily swung the defenseless Regulus up, smashing him here and there before throwing him far away.」
「"What do those filthy eyes of yours see, Bishop Romanée-Conti?"」
「"Love—it is love. I can never forget the profound kindness of those who made me who I am today... So now, if my life has the value of spitting blood in desperation!"」
「"Love. I must be the person who loves you most in the world, Bishop Romanée-Conti. Your proof of resolve is wonderful. Though unqualified, you forcibly ignored the price and absorbed a Witch Factor. In the name of the Witch of Vainglory, I bestow upon you the name of 'Sloth' for your resolve and steadfast will."」
「"What I want now—is only the safety of that mother and daughter!"」
「The shouting Geuse used the Unseen Hands to attack Pandora, but those attacks were easily blocked by Regulus, who had casually returned and stood before Pandora to take them in her stead. This time, seemingly exerting his true strength, a serious Regulus took the hits of the Unseen Hands without budging an inch, appearing even more composed than before.」
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"The Witch of Vainglory... a Witch who does not exist in historical records. It should be correct that all recorded Witches died four hundred years ago, yet this non-existent Witch was still alive a hundred years ago. Someone like that couldn't possibly die before Regulus or Petelgeuse."
"Which means..."
"A Witch still exists today! She is hiding somewhere unknown, controlling the Witch Cult!!"
No one cared about Regulus's overwhelming strength anymore, for that was already understood. But the unrecorded Witch of Vainglory—this was an absolute sensation.
Aside from the Kingdom of Lugunica having the world's strongest Sword Saint, Reinhard, no one in other places felt safe.
After all, aside from Reinhard, it seemed no one could defeat Regulus, let alone the resurrecting Pandora.
"Hmph."
Inside the Pleiades Watchtower, the first-generation Sword Saint let out a cold, disdainful laugh. At the top of the tower, the spiritually dead Divine Dragon—its lifeless eyes fixed on the light screen—gradually and quietly regained a small amount of vitality and spirit as time passed.
"Geuse..."
Emilia watched Geuse, who was trading his life to stall for time, with a heart full of concern. That was Geuse, her relative, her adoptive father, and the person Mother Fortuna loved.
By now, there was nothing left to doubt... Geuse was one of the people closest to her in this world.
But at the thought of the scenes shown previously in the future where he brutally murdered Hikigaya Hachiman...
The turmoil in her heart reached an all-time peak.
"...Ugh."
The Beginning of the End (Conclusion)
「The Sin Archbishop of Greed, the Witch of Vainglory... Hikigaya Hachiman didn't recognize either of them. But he watched with absolute focus, etching the appearances, personalities, and manifestations of their Authorities into his mind.」
「"How surprising." Echidna broke the silence. "I thought you would be more agitated. What is it—are you hiding your anger and anxiety? How distant of you; won't you even show me your true emotions? You miser."」
「"Only if I had the leisure to be agitated."」
「Hikigaya Hachiman watched Geuse, who was clearly enduring the agonizing price of forcibly absorbing the Witch Factor. He weighed his thoughts for a long time, finally let out a sigh, and spoke in a unilateral declaration: "I peeked into your past, and I threw you into a prison... so at least, my part of the debt is settled. As for the parts involving others, you can apologize to them in person once I find a way to return you to normal, Petelgeuse—no, Geuse."」
「If Petelgeuse had killed Rem, Hachiman could never have forgiven him, no matter what. But those who died were himself and Emilia... and Emilia would certainly forgive her adoptive father.」
「Hikigaya Hachiman felt incredibly lucky that he had spared Petelgeuse's life back then; there was still a chance to change this tragedy.」
「Echidna had no interest in his gentle act of forgiving Geuse. Her thirst for knowledge was simply overflowing; she leaned in close to Hikigaya Hachiman like a fluttering butterfly, a look of "I'm curious" on her face as she whispered, "Now, what is your brain thinking about?"」
「"Many things. About the Witch Cult, about those two... Will you tell me all the information you have on them, Echidna?"」
「"If I know it."」
「"In that case, please be quiet for a while." Burning the bridge as soon as he crossed it, Hikigaya Hachiman pushed away the faking-resentful Echidna the moment she gave her promise.」
「On the surface, he could maintain his composure. But that was for the sake of recording these scenes, these people, and these events—it required him to be calm. However, watching the young Emilia fall into danger, watching her kin encounter invincible enemies... how could that kind of care, heartache, urgency, and worry possibly be hidden?」
「Especially when he thought about how this was already history, that he was powerless and unable to intervene—it was truly frustrating.」
「"Telling me to shut up and such... there won't be any progress here for a while. Are you sure you want me quiet? Then I won't give any advice."」
「Echidna, who had already seen this past more than once, had her suggestion taken by Hachiman. Their location shifted, arriving at the side of the fleeing Fortuna and Emilia.」
「After escaping to a grassy field and finding Archi, Fortuna resolutely handed Emilia over to him, demanding he take her out of the forest while she went back to aid Geuse.」
「Sensing that this might be a life-and-death parting, Emilia was deathly unwilling to leave her foster mother. Thus, Fortuna made a promise to her: she would always be with Emilia, and she loved Emilia most of all.」
「The young Emilia, the wandering Emilia, the helpless Emilia—she hugged Mother Fortuna and cried her heart out.」
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In an alleyway on the streets of the Royal Capital, Emilia clenched her teeth. Having already cried for Hikigaya Hachiman earlier, she was much stronger now than her childhood self, yet her tears still flowed in torrents. Emilia's voice was choked with sobs.
"Mother Fortuna, I... I love you most too...!"
Puck said nothing, quietly wiping away his daughter's tears.
In normal times, he would have vied for affection with Fortuna, arguing over who truly loved Emilia the most. But at a time like this, his heart was also heavy.
The more heartwarming the previous daily life was, the more sorrowful the current parting became.
Even more terrifyingly, this sorrow was continuous; this was not yet the end.
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「During their escape, the Black Serpent—one of the Three Great Mabeasts —attacked Archi. Archi decisively cut off his own leg, but even so, the Black Snake's poison gradually began to corrode his entire being.」
「Knowing he couldn't survive, Archi hid his wound, not letting Emilia discover his condition. He forced a smile, encouraging Emilia and telling her to run out alone.」
「"Yes, run. Run. You can do it, Emilia, just like how you usually lead us on a merry chase... Lady Fortuna, that child... she will definitely be alright..."」
「Until the moment of his death, Archi remembered his mission.」
「Emilia, running alone, thought of Pandora's demand: "If I bring her the Seal and the Key, will everyone be safe? The Seal..."」
「Guided by lesser spirits, she ran toward the site of the Seal.」
「Behind her, Archi was completely corroded by the Black Snake's poison, leaving not even a corpse behind—just as if he had been killed by the White Whale or the Great Rabbit.」
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"—"
A surge of stifled rage rose in Priscilla's chest. She snapped her fan shut and said irritably, "Fool. A total fool! So many people are sacrificing themselves for her, yet she is still so willful and self-righteous... Truly unpleasant!"
She could already imagine even more tragedies caused by this.
Watching Hikigaya Hachiman's love life gave her a stomach ache. Watching Emilia's childhood experiences made her want to strangle Emilia!
Though she didn't care about people like Archi or Geuse, Priscilla did not lack the basic empathy of a normal human.
"Phew... a desperate situation."
Anastasia shook her head slightly.
"Even if Emilia chose to run out of the forest, it wouldn't have mattered. As long as they couldn't defeat Regulus and Pandora, once Geuse and Fortuna died, I don't believe for a second the Witch Cult wouldn't find Emilia... Her choice seems to carry a child's willfulness and ignorance, but in reality, it didn't matter at all."
"No matter what she did, it was all in vain."
Crusch pursed her lips, her heart pounding.
"The Regulus and Pandora of a hundred years ago were after Emilia... I can't protect her. Aside from Sir Hachiman, who can return by death, perhaps we can only look for the Sword Saint."
At the same time.
Inside the Pleiades Watchtower, Shaula—wearing only her undergarments—felt her eyes grow brighter and brighter. She stared intently at Hikigaya Hachiman on the light screen, like a puppy wagging its tail in anticipation of its master's return.
"Master! It's Master... it's really Master-da!"
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「It would still take some time for Emilia to reach the location of the Seal. Echidna took Hikigaya Hachiman back to Geuse's battlefield once more.」
「"—Rip."」
「Regulus, having grown bored, gave a casual wave of his hand. The panting Geuse's left arm was instantly severed.」
「A total crush, an instant defeat—an overwhelming disparity.」
「A scene identical to the one involving Crusch had appeared once again!」
The Terror of Pandora
"—"
No matter how many times they saw it, Regulus's strength was profoundly shocking.
Even without being there in person, Julius felt a sense of despair similar to facing Reinhard in a duel. Seeing Geuse's Authority, Julius couldn't say for sure if he could win a fight against him without Hachiman sharing his vision.
Yet, this Geuse, who was overall on the same level as himself, was being overwhelmingly crushed by Regulus.
"How ironic... during the previous battle against Sloth, I wished with all my heart that Petelgeuse would be weaker, that he would stay dead... but now, I sincerely wish he were stronger, even stronger—strong enough that no one could defeat him."
Julius's eyes burned with intensity; he wasn't being self-deprecating. He saw that his own sovereign, Lady Anastasia, wore an equally complex and moved expression.
"No extra demands, simply betting one's own resolve for the sake of one's kin. Who could remain unmoved by such a person? Geuse... this man is an equal to Otto, an equal to Hikigaya Hachiman."
Shirogane Miyuki's heart felt heavy. Looking at the insurmountable difficulty standing before Geuse, he felt as if he were seeing himself—his desire to protect Shinomiya Kaguya and be with her, and the wall named the Shinomiya family capital standing in the way.
For an ordinary high school student like him, it was just as desperate as Geuse facing Regulus.
"Senior from a hundred years ago... I am deeply grateful for your teachings. Even if it ends in failure, it doesn't matter; at least I won't give up. I will carry out my resolve just like you, no matter how difficult it is!"
.
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.
「She made it back.」
「Just as Regulus was about to crush Geuse's skull, a massive ice spear sent him flying. Fortuna, who had cast the magic, had returned without hesitation.」
「Regulus was unscathed as usual, but just as he was losing his temper, Pandora—who had been observing for a long time—suddenly spoke: "Wait a moment, Bishop Corneas. Please calm your anger. I will not allow you to kill them just yet."」
「Regulus froze for a moment. He seemed to have heard something utterly inconceivable. The moment he processed Pandora's words, his expression became abruptly violent.」
「"You order me... to calm my anger?!"」
「Widens his eyes, Regulus flung a handful of sand toward Pandora. In that instant, those ordinary grains of sand became like a dense hail of bullets. The smiling Pandora's petite body was instantly torn into fine mincemeat by the projectiles.」
「"Don't think just because I respect you, you can get pushy with me, you bitch!"」
「Having vented his rage and exacted his revenge, Regulus's mood immediately brightened. His voice calmed down as he muttered incessantly to himself: "It's your fault for being disrespectful and interrupting me. That's why you ended up like this."」
「His gaze fell back onto Geuse and Fortuna.」
「At this moment, Geuse was shouting for Fortuna to run. But having sent Emilia away with Archia, Fortuna no longer had any lingering worries and refused to leave him alone again.」
「"In a forest where you don't visit, what else could I look forward to? I am weak. I am very weak, Geuse."」
「She was weak... therefore, she couldn't live in a world without Geuse. At the very least, they should die together.」
「Regulus, enraged once more, stepped toward Geuse and Fortuna. He only needed one strike—one strike to kill these two bastards who ignored his existence and trampled on his human rights. He would make them die miserably.」
「"That is why I said 'wait a moment,' Bishop Corneas."」
「—」
「Pandora, returned from the dead, was standing on top of Regulus's head with a smile.」
「"Your violent words, your violent actions—I forgive them all. However, the purpose of bringing you here has been fulfilled. Therefore, you should go back."」
「"You want me to go back just because you're satisfied?!"」
「"I see. Then let me do it." Pandora said softly, "Regulus Corneas shouldn't be here. He is in his own room, surrounded by his wives."」
「"Wai—"」
「Regulus's voice cut off abruptly. He vanished as if he had never existed. In the forest, all the destruction he had caused—the craters in the ground, the destroyed trees—all returned to their previous, pristine state.」
「Fortuna looked at Pandora in horror. "...Weren't you just torn to pieces and killed?"」
「"Oh my, did you mistake something?" Pandora replied gently, "Regulus Corneas isn't here, so all the results caused by his actions naturally do not exist either."」
「The moment she finished speaking, Geuse found that the arm Regulus had torn off was back on his body. All his wounds had vanished. If the events just now weren't so vivid in his mind, he would have thought it was a hallucination.」
「"I haven't modified the absorption of the Witch Factor, though. That is a reward for your resolve and your love."」
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Yukinoshita's hand suddenly jerked, and the drink she had just opened in the convenience store spilled out. But no one, including herself, paid attention to the mistake.
"I always thought Pandora's Authority was having multiple lives, or returning from the dead—at most being very hard to kill... I thought she just held a high status and didn't have much combat power, which is why she specifically moved with Regulus."
How should it be described?
"Rewriting reality? Absolute command? Altering the past?"
Hikigaya Hachiman muttered various guesses under his breath, his face looking grim.
Is Return by Death strong? It's strong, very strong.
But if he couldn't even break Regulus's defense, then no matter how many times he died, he couldn't defeat the opponent. And if all his efforts could be negated by a single sentence from Pandora, then it made no difference how many times he restarted.
"What kind of monsters are the top-tier existences of this other world..."
Even Ayanokouji Kiyotaka felt a sense of powerlessness. If there were restrictions, it would be fine, but if there were no weaknesses and no limits, Ayanokouji believed that no matter how smart Hikigaya Hachiman was, he would be at his wit's end.
"Against this kind of enemy, even if it were me... perhaps I could only try to instigate the Sword Saint, Reinhard. But even if Reinhard is invincible, I might be toyed with at will by Pandora. That would still be a failure."
It was too unsolvable, too powerful.
Regulus's strength was an honest, straightforward overwhelming power. Pandora's strength was far more frustrating.
Facing Regulus, one might at least dare to fight to the death without looking back. But facing Pandora, there was a high probability that even the wish to die in battle would remain unfulfilled.
Everything Is for the Sake of Love
"That damned, wretched woman!"
Seeing his own clumsy behavior broadcasted before the entire world—even if it was something from a hundred years ago—Regulus's fury reignited, feeling his human rights violated and his face lost before the globe.
"My rights, my privacy, my freedom, my very self have been completely trampled upon. What is the meaning of this? I am here, I did not participate, yet I am forcibly ordered to have my image displayed in this nonsensical thing? Fine, then! Fine!"
"First, I'll go kill that pushy bitch another hundred times. Then, I shall exercise my right to marital freedom. Hikigaya Hachiman, since you dared to peek at my past without permission, it's only natural that I 'invite' you to participate in the wedding of me and my new wife, Emilia, without your permission. I'm not the type to force people, mind you—it's just that you're too weak, so I'll have to break your limbs to make you watch the ceremony!"
In his room, his voice roared with the irritability of a giant infant.
Like dolls, his wives remained motionless, without a shred of expression, not daring to speak. In the depths of their eyes, there was pity for Emilia, pain for themselves, their own numbness, and... a flicker of hope directed toward Hikigaya Hachiman.
It was a tiny spark, yet one capable of starting a prairie fire.
.
.
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"The Witch Cult must be eliminated—at the very least, the Sin Archbishop of Greed and the Witch of Vainglory must be slain."
Reinhard reached a conclusion. Once the broadcast of the future ended, he would have to submit this demand to the Council of Sages, requesting the lords of the Council to negotiate with other nations to grant him the right to temporary free travel.
Though Reinhard was humble, he knew in his heart that he could do what others could not. Other Archbishops, or the souls of the Witches in the Sanctuary—those didn't matter as much; others could handle them. However, when it came to Regulus and Pandora, in all probability, only he could achieve victory.
.
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Ram once again touched her horn... She had once been grateful that her horn was broken; that horn had always been an abyss obstructing the truly unburdened love between her and Rem.
But now, seeing that this world harbored so many hidden dangers and so many monsters, she truly missed her horn more and more.
"If I still had my horn, Ram would surely be able to protect Rem properly, and there would be nothing to worry about."
Setting aside someone like Pandora... although Puck had constraints due to his contract, the assistance he provided to Emilia was, in essence, still far superior to the help she could give Rem.
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「Death, dying, then resurrecting, gently advising surrender, then re-experiencing a rich variety of deaths over and over again—it was impossible to count how many times Pandora had died.」
「When Geuse and Fortuna were utterly exhausted and gasping for breath, Pandora seemed to realize it was impossible to persuade these two to surrender. She resurrected from her death once more, but this time she did not stay to entangle with them. Instead, she appeared at the site of the Seal with maximum speed.」
「The young Emilia had also reached this place.」
「Pandora, with a kind face, asked her for the Key, explaining that only those with the qualification could see it. After Pandora promised that she would not harm the people here as long as the Seal was opened, a trembling Emilia stood before the great gates of the Seal. Imagining the key, she finally saw the object Pandora craved.」
「Just a second before being enticed into undoing the Seal, Emilia suddenly stopped. She remembered that she had made a promise to Mother Fortuna.」
「"I can't open it... It's a promise."」
「As an ignorant child, Emilia was on the verge of tears, completely lost. However, she wanted to keep her promise to her mother; she didn't want to break it. As long as she kept her word, Mother Fortuna would surely keep hers too, and they would be together forever.」
「"I see..."」
「Just as she had praised Geuse's resolve, Pandora praised Emilia's heartfelt choice with a pleasant demeanor. Then, in a light tone, she uttered the most terrifying words: "I shall
respect your choice. Therefore, I shall use any means necessary for the sake of the Seal, and you must respect my decision as well."
「She gave a faint glance behind her. Fortuna, who had been tracking her trail, arrived and launched an attack with a roar. But upon seeing Emilia, Fortuna panicked instantly.」
「In Emilia's eyes, Pandora truly couldn't be considered a "bad" person. She didn't look scary, her voice was gentle, and she wasn't attacking anyone. Yet, Mother Fortuna kept trying to kill her. Even so, Emilia chose to obey her promise to Mother Fortuna.」
「After hearing this from the rambling Pandora, Fortuna hugged Emilia excitedly, praising her for keeping the promise, which only strengthened her resolve to kill Pandora.」
「"Lady Fortuna!"」
「Geuse arrived at the battlefield at that moment as well. He intended to join forces with Fortuna to pin Pandora down and kill her once and for all.」
「Fortuna stood up, holding Emilia's small hand. Coordinating with Geuse, she prepared to unleash magic to blast Pandora away————」
「...Squelch.」
「The magic stopped mid-incantation. Fortuna's eyes widened at that moment. Her chest was pierced through by an Unseen Hand. Blood sprayed out in large quantities; the wound was so severe that there was no room for hope.」
「"With this, finally—Lady Fortuna, please leave quickly! I will handle the inspection———— Lady... Fortuna?"」
「Geuse, having landed, saw his anxious voice cut off abruptly.」
「In his sight, Pandora lay on the ground, pierced by his own Unseen Hand... Was that Pandora?」
「"Geuse?"」
「A confused, trembling voice. Emilia, who had been checking Mother Fortuna's wound, turned her head. Her eyes were vacant as she looked at Geuse.」
「"————?!"」
「The person lying on the ground, having suffered his attack, was not Pandora. It was... it was... ah, ah, aaaaaah......」
「"Impossible!"」
」
「Geuse's eyes turned bloodshot and bulging. He stumbled and fell to his knees, unable to believe this reality. "Impossible impossible impossible impossible impossible impossible impossible impossible impossible!!"」
「"It couldn't be helped." Pandora, standing to the side, was still smiling. "After all, you simply 'mistook' what you were seeing."」
「"Impossible impossible impossible impossible, what have I done? What did I do? What was all of this for? Ah, ah, aaaaaah..."」
「Pandora lightly approached Geuse, who was clutching his head. Her voice held a kind of temptation, a bewitchment, a power capable of making one lose themselves. "Everything was for the sake of 'Love,' after all."」