Chapter 39: Vicious

Chapter 39: Vicious

Kafma looked out through the large hole in the wall of the hall and curved his lips in disgust.
He looked down at the building below him, where the three people who had managed to escape from the hall had disappeared, a plume of smoke fluttering in the wind.
―The fugitives were nowhere to be seen.

“―”

The cracked beam crumbled noisily, but it was a little too much to hope that the fragments would crush those insolent people.
However―,

Kafma: "I will not let you escape. No matter what, I will punish you for your disrespect to his Excellency..."

Olbart: “Oioi, that’s not it. They're using all they've got to get by, right? It wouldn’t make any sense for us to disrespect that.”

Kafma: “Olbart!”

Stopped in his tracks as he tried to chase the fugitives, Kafma looked back at him with gritted teeth. The diminutive old man cowered at the sight of him, saying “Ooh, scary”
Seeing his reaction, Kafma's eyes grew even sharper and angrier.

Kafma: "Why did you let them go in the first place? You should have been able to seize them in the blink of an eye!"

Olbart: "That's an opinion that rebounds back onto you, you know? And I didn't cut corners too much, either. That youngster with the helmet has got some strange tricks up his sleeve.

Kafma: "...I didn’t get the impression that he was a youngster.”

Olbart: "I'll leave it at that. Generally, most people look like waddling kids to me. I've been an old man since the time you were born."

Olbart pointed at himself and twisted his wrinkled face into a smile. Kafma was about to make another reference to his light-hearted attitude, but Olbart continued, "And,"

Olbart: "You may have forgotten, but I have to be on the lookout for that fox girl over there, right? You never know when she might turn her fangs on his Excellency.”

Kafma: "General Yorna... Indeed, I have been rash."

Olbart: “Ka-ka-ka, I take it you understand.”

When Olbart pointed that out, Kafma sagged down as if he was ashamed of himself for becoming hot-headed. At the exchange between the young and old men, Yorna, who had been designated as a dangerous person, put her hand over her eyes and said,

Yorna: "Those are painful words. To speak of a weak woman like me as if I were a dangerous beast... I have never been so humiliated in my life."

Kafma: “How dare you have the nerve to…!”

Kafma directed his anger at Yorna as she mocked him with crocodile tears.
However, Yorna let out a chuckle at his gaze and gently lowered her hand from her eyes.
As she did so, she brought her kiseru to her mouth, filled her lungs with tobacco smoke, and exhaled a large puff of smoke. ―The puff shook and swayed as it made its way to the large hole in the wall.

As the fluttering tobacco smoke reached the large hole, it created a surprising change.
As if it were merely an illusion, the broken wall was slowly being repaired.
The wood used in the damaged area of the collapsed wall of the Red Lapis Castle wriggled, and the wall was mended like the wounds of a living creature healing.
Although it was a building repair, it was a strange and unearthly thing that gave the impression of a living being rather than inorganic matter.

The unrealistic scene caused Kafma, who was standing near the wall, to droop and look back at Yorna with tense cheeks.

Yorna: "I'm back to normal now... Thank you for putting me in a good mood.”

Kafma: "This is General Yorna’s…?”

Vincent: "It’s the reason why I cannot carelessly interfere with the demon city… but that’s not the only danger this woman poses.”

Kafma gulped at Yorna, who made a coquettish grin as she finished repairing the outer wall.
His shudder was supplemented by Vincent, who hadn't even twitched during the earlier commotion. The man at the top of the empire glanced at the wall, then focused on Yorna.

Vincent: "They are outside of the castle. The conditions you set forth have been met."

Yorna: "So I see. If that's the case, it would be somewhat unseemly for you to deny them their efforts. I hope you understand that, your Excellency."

“―”

Yorna: "Of course, you have your own plans. I respect that. But don't forget."

The lord of the demon city, Yorna Mishigure, who had not attempted to correct her attitude towards the emperor from beginning to end, laughed as she looked at the silent Vincent.

Yorna: "This is the demon city, my city. ―Even that blue brat’s sword cannot reach me."

That declaration might have been appropriate for the lord of the demon city, but it was inappropriate to make it to the Emperor.
To act as if her own right to rule was superior to that of the emperor, who dared to rule the entirety of the empire, was more than just disrespectful, even if it was only one city.

However, Yorna Mishigure's words could not be denied.
That was because everyone knew it was true, whether or not she said it.
In the demon city of Chaosflame, Yorna Mishigure possessed absolute power.
Therefore―,

Vincent: "I'll give you one night.”

It would be ignorant of his deep recklessness to consider this a defeat for the Emperor of Vollachia. However, it was not easy for even those close to the emperor to see the many plots that he held in the depths of his dark eyes.
They could only believe that Vincent’s words were not wrong.

Yorna: "Thank you. If that’s the case, I will have time to carefully formulate a reply to my letter.”

Yorna replied to Vincent’s permission without showing a speck of meekness in her attitude or expression.
Both Kafma and Olbart, who were guarding him, had their own opinions about Yorna's attitude. But the reason why they allowed Yorna’s actions was because it was their own fault for letting those three escape.
Now that Vincent had admitted that, there was nothing to be gained by rehashing it.

Kafma: "But your attitude is unpardonable. I will say it again and again."

Yorna: "Kuhu. I can't stop shivering when you look at me so frighteningly. Olbart, can you do something for me?"

Olbart: "You're going to spring this on me? I’m an old man with a short life ahead of me, and it's the duty of the younger generation to be kind. Hm, could it be that I’ve found the most powerful theory to get goodwill from most people? My time is coming.”

Kafma: “Olbart!”

Kafma raised his voice in anger at Olbart’s mischievous remark.
Yorna watched with laughter, smoke swaying from her kiseru. Vincent's eyes narrowed as he watched the general, and he gave a small snort.
Then, the emperor turned around and looked at the last one accompanying him - the one who, unlike Kafma and Olbart, hadn’t moved any more than Vincent.

Vincent: "You’ve been quite taciturn. It's unlike you."

Escort: “...True. It’s just that... there was someone that meeting with would be complicated.

A young man wearing a wry smile responded.
The man wore a blue robe over his head to keep his face from being seen. That in itself wasn’t unusual, but what was unusual was that he had tightened the neck of his robe, which had something to do with one of the guests that were present.
The man sighed and shrugged his shoulders under the Emperor's silent gaze.

Escort: "You’re like a shellfish in this demon city. ―The stars seem to want that, too."

Vincent: "Is that what the stars want? Nonsense."

Escort: "Don't call it nonsense."

Shrugging, the man put up a wry smile at Vincent's cutting words.
While still smiling, he continued.

Escort: "If you were serious about disregarding the wishes of the stars, you wouldn't have come all the way out here, would you?”

Vincent: "Do you think you can read what's in my heart, you fool?"

Escort: “Don’t be absurd.”

Vincent crossed his arms and lowered his voice, and the man shrugged his shoulders.
Vincent then took his gaze off the man - the “Starchanter" - and squinted at the sky beyond the already healed wall, where the three rebels had disappeared.
Then―,

Vincent: "―The wishes of the stars are nonsense."

Yes, a murmur that no one could hear was whispered only in his mouth, and disappeared.

△▼△▼△▼△

Subaru: “Geh! Gah! Uegh!”

Coughing in the dense dust, he struggled to get his lungs to function.
Subaru’s back ached from the forceful blow, and he ran his hand over the affected area to check for injuries.
There was no blood on his hand, and it seemed he had only suffered a bruise. It was a miracle.

There was a high probability that the materials from the destroyed building or the collapsed beam could have pierced him or tore his vital blood vessels. How lucky was he?

Subaru: "We don't have time for this... Medium! Al!"

Medium: “I, I’m here… Ouch!”

Shaking his head, he quickly called out the names of the two people he was supposed to be with. There was a reply from the rubble next to him, which he hurriedly pushed aside and pulled out the one he was searching for.
The formerly buried Medium painfully coughed and blinked her eyes.

Medium: "Wah, I thought I was going to die! Are you okay, Natsumi?"

Subaru: "I'm okay. Thanks to your and Al’s protection… Are you injured? Does it hurt anywhere?”

Medium: "Uhyahyahyah, that tickles~! I’m okay, I’m okay! I'm healthy!"

Medium wriggled and pushed back against Subaru’s chest as he checked her shoulders and back.
She didn’t seem to have any significant injuries, so it wasn’t bravado or a lie. It seemed that the two of them were blessed with a tremendous amount of luck between them―,

Subaru: “What about Al―,”

Looking for Al, who had not responded, Subaru took a look around.
The fumes had finally calmed down from when Subaru’s team jumped into the stables from the sky.
The building beside the Red Lapis Castle was apparently a warehouse for storing hay for gale horses.
Subaru and the other two, who had fallen helplessly from that height, were saved because the hay had acted as a cushion. If it had not been for the hay, at least Subaru would have died as cruelly as a crushed tomato.

Not only Rem, but in Vollachia, where healing magic was scarce, there was a high possibility that those who were seriously injured would not survive. In that sense, the environment of the empire was much more conducive to death than Lugunica.
Of course, he also had the view that the empire's philosophy of the weak and the strong was too dangerous.

Medium: “Ow! Al!”

And then, beside Subaru, who was looking around the dimly lit room, Medium moved as if to jump out.
She bent down beside a cart that had been overturned by the impact of the fall. The three of them had fallen in a tangled heap on the large pile of hay, which something was stirring beneath.
Subaru hurriedly rushed over, and he and Medium raked through the dry grass. Eventually, a thick arm appeared from under the grass, and the two of them pulled it up.
And then―,

Al: “Gah, it hurts! My right arm is gonna come off too!”

Subaru: “That’s not funny!”

Medium: “But, Al is alive too! Amazing!”

He scolded Al for his unfunny joke, but was relieved by Medium’s words.
Al was pulled out of the haystack, and he looked terrible. Unlike Subaru and the others, who miraculously escaped with only bruises and scratches, Al's entire body was covered in lacerations and blue-black bruises.
Kafma’s thorns and Olbart held him back, even if only temporarily. At the end, when he jumped on Subaru and Medium, he was in a position to be easily pursued by the enemy.

―Each of the wounds he received were wounds that Subaru and Medium were originally supposed to receive.

“―”

Al: "What's the matter, bro… you look depressed."

Subaru: “That’s…”

Al: "It's a miracle we all survived the no-rope bungee. But if you look at me like that, it won't make me feel better about the scars on my back. It's a shame for a swordsman, you know?”

While shrugging his shoulders in a languid manner, Al prattled on to encourage Subaru.
Subaru’s breath halted at his attitude, and then he quickly nodded, saying "I guess so.”

Although Al acted aloof and as if everything was someone else's business, his efforts in the offensive and defense up to this point were all due to his sincerity towards Subaru.
He sympathized with Subaru's goals and promised to lend his support.
In order to do that, the man named Al even risked his life accompanying him into battle.

Subaru: "...I was wrong about you.”

Al: “Hm?”

Subaru: "I thought you were aloof, unreliable, and not serious about anything.”

Al: “Oioi”

Subaru: "But you risked your life for me. ―I will not forget that."

He put his hand on his fake chest and told Al of his genuine determination.
Without him, Natsuki Subaru would not have survived until this moment. Therefore, from now on, Natsuki Subaru would fight without forgetting the debt of gratitude he received from Al.
Even if his life would end in the next moment―,

Medium: “Natsumi, Al, if we mess around too much…”

Subaru: "Yes, I know. Let's get out of here as soon as possible. If we don't, Al's sacrifice will have been in vain.”

Al: “It’s not a sacrifice!?”

At Medium's urging, Subaru, who had wiped his face with his sleeve, responded encouragingly.
It was fortuitous that the three of them were saved, but it was too early to be relieved. For the time being he could say that they had met the conditions that Yorna and Vincent offered, but he didn’t know if that would make Kafma and Olbart back off.
Until he knew for sure, they had to stay alive.

"Let's leave now. Hide yourself and get the answer over there..."

??: "―Do not worry about that.”

Subaru: “―gh!?”

He lent his shoulder to Al and was about to leave when he heard a voice.
Startled by this, his hand fell away, causing Al, who he was lending his shoulder to, to flip over and scream, "Gah!” But he didn’t have time to worry about him.
He stood at the entrance and confronted the figure looking at Subaru and the others.

Subaru: “You’re…”

Tanza: "I am sorry for the delay in greeting you. My name is Tanza, Lady Yorna Mishigure’s servant."

The one who said this while bowing her head in an elegant manner was a person with a distinctive kimono and deer antlers - the deer-girl who had been standing beside Yorna.
The girl who called herself Tanza slowly looked up and confronted Medium, who stood in front of her as if to protect Subaru and Al, and shook her head to the side.

Tanza: "Do not be alarmed. I mean you no harm."

Medium: "Are you sure? But we broke down the walls between here and the castle.”

Tanza: "The castle and stables will be fixed by Lady Yorna. ―Yorna has accepted you as her messengers. No one can touch you now.”

Tanza added, relieving Medium's anxiety. The corners of Medium's eyebrows lowered in relief at her words, but Subaru's impression was the exact opposite.
Aside from the fact that Yorna was going to fix the walls and stables, the problem was beyond that.

Subaru: "You've come a long way without anyone interfering. We both know that it was his Majesty the Emperor there, right?"

Being protected by Medium’s back didn’t look good for him, so he lined up next to her. Tanza's grey eyes stared at Subaru as he stepped forward.
She was a girl whose emotions did not show in spite of her pretty face. She had to have charm to be a kamuro, but her demeanor was almost doll-like.

Subaru: "In no small part, we are harmful to the Emperor... And you think your people will let us get away with that? Are you saying that Lady Yorna made them accept that?

Tanza: "Yes. No one can resist Lady Yorna in this demon city. I'm sure that Lord Vincent knows that.”

Tanza's answer was plain, but with absolute certainty. Hearing this, Subaru was taken aback and swallowed down the words he was about to continue with.
She then looked up at the ceiling of the stables that Subaru and the others had fallen through and confirmed that there was no movement in the Red Lapis Castle. He had the impression that Kafma would have followed them right away.

Subaru: "But not even that happened... It seems we can trust you.”

Tanza: "Lord Vincent will return. Your letter will be replied to tomorrow."

Subaru: "...Understood.”

Tanza: "Well, have a safe trip home."

In response to the lamenting Subaru's reply, Tanza bowed and turned her back to the three of them.
It seemed she would do exactly the bare minimum and return to Yorna’s office. As she was walking away, Subaru stopped her and said, "Tanza.”
Tanza stopped and looked back at him. While gazing at her motionless expression like a doll,

Subaru: "What kind of person is Lady Yorna to you?"

The reason he asked was because the impression of Yorna he had inside his mind was too much for him.
As long as she didn’t know he was a fake, her attitude towards Vincent should be the same as her attitude towards Abel, the emperor.
He didn’t think it was possible to overlook this behavior, which was beyond disrespectful and rude, simply because she was a powerful woman, but it was unclear why she took such an attitude.

What was it that Yorna had for Abel, affection or hostility?
Together with the fact that she urged Subaru and the others to struggle, the depths of her mind were almost unreadable.
Therefore―.

Subaru: "I want to hear what the person who is beside her has to say. What is your impression of Yorna Mishigure?"

Tanza: "She is a loving woman. She loves her allies and detests her enemies. ―She is a lover of all things living in the demon city."

“―”

Tanza answered without hesitation, and for the first time, a hint of emotion flashed in her eyes.
It disappeared in a blink, but to Subaru, it seemed to be filled with a faint heat, and he couldn’t say anything else.
Without being able to continue, he could only watch the girl's back as she walked away.

If asked whether he got the answer he wanted or not, he would say he didn’t.
It only deepened his mysterious impression of Yorna. He couldn’t sense a lie in Tanza’s words. However, it was hard to believe that Yorna was loving.
Ever since they arrived in the demon city, Subaru and his companions had been toyed with by her.

Al: "Oh, she’s gone. What are we going to do now?"

Subaru: "...There's nothing we can do but head back. For now, we have no choice but to trust Tanza's words and wait for a reply tomorrow.”

In the stables where Tanza had disappeared, he once again lent his shoulder to Al, who had fallen on his butt.
While supporting his weight, Subaru looked up at the Red Lapis Castle once again.

Subaru: “An eye-catching and flashy castle… is that part of ‘flamboyant’ too?

As he muttered this, Subaru understood that what Tanza had said earlier was true.
No matter how hard he searched, he could not find the big hole that was supposed to be in the castle tower, which was a complex and mysterious castle of red in blue.

△▼△▼△▼△

Abel: “I see. So he came, huh.”

Subaru: "Is there anything else you want to say? Like forgive me, I’m sorry, or thank you?”

Scrambling back to the inn, Abel received a report on the details of the delivery of the letter from them. Abel's first words made Subaru frown and come at him with hatred.
But Abel, who was wearing an oni mask, pressed his palm on Subaru’s forehead and pushed him away, saying,

Abel: "Why do I owe you an apology? You did well. I was just about to congratulate you on a job well done.”

Subaru: "It’s a compliment! You’re trying to give us a compliment! That way of speaking is so condescending, you know! You don't have to praise us, we just did what we needed to do. Right, you two?”

Al: “You’re dragging us into it?”

Sticking out his tongue at the disgruntled Abel, a fiercely protesting Subaru called for backup. But Al, who threw his feet on the floor, waved his hand, saying, “Give me a break.”
All had worked the hardest out of them. He left Taritha to take care of the wounds all over his body, turning him into a completely bandaged man.
With his black helmet and bandages all over his body, the surrealism of his appearance knew no bounds.

Taritha: "I'm just glad that Natsumi and Medium are okay. I was so worried, I should have come with you."

Subaru: "There, you hear that? That is the correct response. Why don't you, as emperor, take a lesson from Taritha, who is taking over as chief?"

Taritha: “Please stop, you'll kill me..."

Subaru, who preached Taritha’s attitude as a role model, shook her head and turned pale.
Her stance was that it was discourteous, but to Subaru, that was very regrettable. Wasn’t there anyone qualified to punish Abel?
At times like this, he felt ashamed that he had no choice but to wear someone else's loincloth and fight.

Rui: “Uu―! Au―!”

Medium: "Ah! Rui, you can't do that! Look, Natsumi and the others are in the middle of an important conversation!”

Rui: “Uu―! Uu―!”

However, Subaru's thoughts were interrupted by a high-pitched scream coming from the next room.
If he looked, he would see that Rui and Medium were fighting at the door that lead to the next room. Of course, it was a wrestling match between a child and an adult, so there was no way that Rui could resist Medium.
Soon, Rui was carried away and her figure disappeared again into the other room.

Rui: “Uu―!”

Subaru: "...What’s with her? She’s been trying to jump on me ever since I came back.”

Al: "Somehow, it’s you who she’s the most attached to, bro. She doesn’t even look at me. It's not that I want her to get attached to me, but..."

Hearing Subaru’s sigh, Al blurted that out while looking like a badly made Halloween costume.
Next to him, Taritha wiped her forehead with satisfaction. Her aesthetic sense was also quite good.
He had found someone who could compete with Emilia and Beatrice, and once again, he missed them. ―No, it wasn’t just the two of them that he missed, but everyone on the other side of the border.

It has been almost 20 days since Subaru was sent to Vollachia.
As long as Beatrice and Ram were there, they should know whether Subaru and Rem were safe or not, but no further information could be provided, which continued to irritate him.
He wanted to find a way to meet up with Emilia and the others as soon as possible.

Subaru: "And yet, this masked man doesn't say anything important…”

Abel: "Hmph, you’re calling me a masked man. What are you two if I'm a masked man? A fool and a clown, perhaps?"

Al: "We're like bad Halloween costumes, aren't we?"

Al's words and Abel pointing out Subaru's inner thoughts earlier made Subaru clench his teeth and say, "Gnh.”
In fact, the three of them, with Subaru dressed as a woman, Abel wearing an oni mask, and Al covered in bandages wearing a helmet, looked like participants in a costume party.
In Chaosflame, where many different races came and went, it seemed as if they were trying hard to prevent their individuality from being buried.
Of course, Subaru's cross-dressing was for practical purposes, so it wasn’t like that at all.

Subaru: "Anyways! We met Yorna at the castle, but in exchange, we also met the emperor’s party… that was your body double, correct?"

Clapping his hands, Subaru forced himself to change the course of the conversation.
He was careful to keep his voice loud enough so as not to be talked over by those around him, and tried to ask exactly what he needed to hear.
In response, Abel nodded with the oni mask on his face and said, "Yes,”

Abel: "There are many that can imitate my appearance, but there is only one who can embody me. ―Chisha Gold."

Subaru: “Chisha Gold… that’s one of the Nine Divine Generals. ‘White Spider’ right?”

Abel: "Yes. He is wise and good at commanding a large army. And."

Al: “That guy was first to betray Abel-chan.”

Abel, crossing his arms on the bed, silently affirmed Al’s supplement.
The first of the Nine Divine Generals to betray Abel, and a man who Abel trusted very much. That was Abel’s substitute who was acting as the emperor.

Subaru: "What purpose do you think Chisha… the fake emperor came to the demon city for?

Abel: "He understands the victory conditions in a battle with me.”

Subaru: "The one who gets more of the Nine Divine Generals on his side wins, right?"

Securing the Nine Divine Generals, the symbol of the Vollachian Empire's fighting power, was the decisive key to victory or defeat.
Subaru and the others had gone through the trouble of going to the Chaosflame in order to obtain that key. However, judging from Abel's current answer, there was one purpose he could infer.

Subaru: "So they're also trying to get Yorna Mishigure on their side?"

Abel: "It's unlikely. Yorna Mishigure... He’s not reckless enough to think that she will listen to persuasion and negotiations.”

Subaru: “―? Then what is he doing here?”

Abel: "That’s obvious. ―He knew I would come to the demon city."

Hearing Abel's answer, Subaru couldn't make sense of it, and a question mark popped into his head.
Al, who was equally confused, raised his hand and said, "Abel-chan,”

Al: “Are you really saying that the fake emperor predicted that you would come to Chaosflame? If that’s true, we’re in trouble.”

Abel: "He follows my thinking with a great deal of accuracy. Considering the flow from where I fled from the throne to the capture of the fortified city, and the placement of the Nine Divine Generals… Naturally, he could narrow down the key locations to the demon city.”

Subaru: "I get that... no way!”

As he processed Abel's plain words, Subaru's eyes widened with a huff. He then pointed a wagging, trembling finger at Abel, who was quietly watching him.

Subaru: "Did you predict our meeting with the fake emperor? To avoid running into him in person, you stayed at the inn by yourself..."

Abel: "Fool. What would be the point of doing such a thing? If you reduce the number of pawns you have, you will lose the chance to win, even if it works in Shatranj.”

Subaru: "...That’s true.”

The only point that didn’t make sense was the fact that Abel made a move that was detrimental to himself.
That was the biggest and only problem, and unless that could be refuted, Subaru's conspiracy theory about the ill-natured Abel could only be dismissed as a conspiracy theory.
Anyway―,

Subaru: "In that case! Back to the point, what do you mean? The fake emperor knew that he couldn't get Yorna on his side. Still, he showed up in the demon city because you were coming..."

Abel: "Make the first move and break the peace between Vincent Vollachia and Yorna Mishigure. Do you think that I, appearing later, would be able to easily climb to the keep of the Red Lapis Castle then?”

Al: “Ah, that’s… that’s one cunning guy, oi.”

When Al nodded his head in agreement, Subaru closed his mouth and agreed.
At last, Subaru understood what Abel was trying to do. In other words, Vincent's goal was to make Yorna neither friend nor foe, but an invalid vote.
To do so, he had planned to personally visit the castle and make a decisive breakdown of negotiations with the emperor.

Subaru: "...So, if we had arrived a day later..."

Abel: "That plan was in place. That's why I said it was a big deal."

“―”

Subaru looked at Abel fixedly.
That meant that the previous exchange was his way of expressing his sincere appreciation? If that was the case, there had to be a limit to how bad a boss could be at praising his subordinates.
At least, his self-praise was more effective than Abel's praise.

Subaru: “Well done, me… and Al and Medium!”

Al: "Oh? Oh yeah, good job, guys."

Medium: "That's right. Natsumi's dare was really cool!"

The three of them, who had been on the line between life and death together and had become more united, praised each other. Unlike Abel, Subaru felt pity for Taritha, who was left out of the group.

Subaru: "But there are many things I wish you had said beforehand. For example, the fact that Yorna has feelings for you."

Al: "Ah, I've been meaning to tell you about that. Please, Abel-chan. I get that you were born a ladykiller, so you can’t help it, but even so, you’ve got to pay the ikemen tax.”

Abel: "I have no idea what you’re talking about, clown. And you have the wrong idea."

Subaru: "What do you mean by ‘the wrong idea’?”

Although the exchange was actually between Yorna and Vincent, it was true that she had been giving Abel a look of provocation and seduction.
However, Abel sighed deeply as Subaru and Al pursued him.

Abel: "It's not me that Yorna Mishigure has her heart set on. It’s the Emperor of Vollachia."

Subaru: "...But that's you, isn't it? You're not going to tell me now that you're actually a fake and that the emperor back there was the real emperor, are you?"

For a moment, the suspicion that he had at the Red Lapis Castle was rekindled, and Subaru glared at Abel, telling him not to joke about it. But Abel brushed it off as "Ridiculous,”

Abel: "Don't take it at face value. I am the Emperor of Vollachia, but that doesn't mean I am the only one. There have been emperors in the past and there will be in the future."

Subaru: “That’s…”

After Abel's simplified explanation, Subaru’s eyes widened. Next to him, Al also let out a dumb-sounding “Wow,"

Al: "So you're saying that Yorna is after your money and status?”

Abel: "She won't divulge the details, but I'm fairly certain that's how she sees it. What she wants is the top of the empire… to be the favorite mistress of the Emperor of Vollachia. It doesn’t have to be me.”

Subaru: “...Somehow, I feel sorry for you.”

Abel: "Don't feel sorry for me over something you brought up."

In a sense, it was something of a decisive love condition.
It seemed that Yorna's goal was to become the emperor's favorite mistress, or in other words, the emperor's wife. Certainly, in that position, she could control the empire both in terms of power and financial resources without having to become the emperor.
Ruling the demon city of Chaosflame alone would not be enough to satisfy the greed of that beautiful foxwoman.

Subaru: "On that topic, what did you write in your letter?"

Al: "Well, maybe it was about taking her as his bride here or something? I think that would be the quickest way, plus she's beautiful."

Subaru: "I don’t know if her beauty is enough to make up for the fact that she’s so difficult to handle…”

If she was beautiful, a little selfishness and bad character could be tolerated, but Subaru thought there was a limit to that as well.
Priscilla and Yorna were undoubtedly beautiful, but Subaru would not want to take them as wives. No matter how many lives he had, it would not be enough, and he would have to spend many uncomfortable days.

Abel: "I will not divulge the contents of the letter. But, her reply will not betray your expectations. I can assure you of that.”

Subaru: "Guarantees are only possible when there is trust... Oh no, I'll stop. There’s no use saying it, I’m stopping!"

Clapping his hands together, Subaru forcibly ended the topic there.
Abel looked disapprovingly at the unacceptable settlement, but Subaru said, "By the way," looking at Al, "I'd like to talk about something new.”

Subaru: “The Divine General there said he was called Olbart. The ‘vicious old man.’”

Al: "Yeah, he was. He was a bad old man. I've met a lot of guys, but he was one of the worst kinds I've come across.”

Subaru: "Do you think the old man has already been taken by our opposition? If that's the case, they've already taken Arakiya and Chisha, and now a third person.”

Of the Nine Divine Generals, a majority of five needed to be captured.
And yet, while Subaru and the others were still stuck on their first one, three of the Nine Divine Generals were already lined up over there.

Al: “By the way, I heard that the old man is ‘three.’ Arakiya, ‘two’, and Chisha, ‘four’, have already been taken.”

Subaru: "They’ve got the upper numbers down pat!”

Subaru shouted at the hopeless report from Al.
If the rankings were given in order of strength, the difference in strength would already seem hopeless. Since Yorna was “seven", Subaru's agony was reasonable.

Abel: "Don't yell. ...Olbart has probably not joined their ranks. Currently, as a Divine General, he is only following the orders of the emperor."

Subaru: “...What’s the basis for that claim?”

Abel: "The basis is that Olbart Dunkelkenn is another man whose moves are unpredictable. If we want to advance the situation, we have to get the winning strategy right. That would have worked with Arakiya, but it's no easy task to ensnare Olbart."

Subaru: “So you’re saying that it’s that you can’t control the Divine General at all…?

In other words, since Abel was not able to control him, the body double who took his place would not be able to control him either.
He couldn’t say that he was about that, and it made him feel uneasy about the future.

Taritha: "Then, there's room for this old man Olbart on our side.”

Abel: "Of course, we need the right materials to get him to the bargaining table. He's too cunning to buy into it. As soon as the situation is clear, we can weigh our options."

Subaru: "...By the way, he knew you, right, Al? How did you two get along?"

Subaru thought that if they wanted to ask Olbart for room to negotiate, the most likely candidate would be Al.
That possibility could be seen in the conversation between Al and Olbart at the keep.

Subaru: "Gladiator Island Ginunhive, was it? I heard you played a role in resolving an incident there..."

Al: "Oh, yeah. But there's nothing much to add, is there? Eight years ago, when I was still a gladiator in Vollachia, I was caught up in a rebellion on an island. A gladiator on the island took a senior count who was watching the fight to the death as a hostage and demanded that he be released.”

Subaru: "That sounds like a big deal... And what did you do?”

Al : "Strictly speaking, it was me and Arakiya when she was still a l*li. And about the senior count who was supposedly being held hostage... I'll get back to you on that."

Al scratched his neck awkwardly, muddling the second half of the conversation. It seemed to be a difficult thing to talk about, but even without the hidden details, Subaru could probably get the gist of it.
Al had solved an incident in the empire and asked for a reward for his achievement eight years later. That's what let Subaru’s group achieve their goal and save their lives.

Subaru: "Was it okay to use that once-in-a-lifetime chance on that?”

Al: "I don't think I would ever have the chance to use it anywhere but there, so why not? To be honest, I didn't think it would be such great foreshadowing either. Thanks to my apathy at the time.”

Al, who was smiling cheerfully, didn't seem to want to make Subaru feel any more uncomfortable.
At the same time as Subaru showed his gratitude, Abel nodded his head in agreement, saying “So that’s how it is.”
He grabbed the chin of his oni mask and gently took it off to expose his bare face to Al.

Abel: "I heard that there was a gladiator who laboured on the gladiator island Ginunhive during the uproar immediately after my accession. I also heard that he did not ask for a reward for his work... So that was you, clown."

Al: "It was. I'm surprised that it reached the emperor's ears and that he was able to remember it. I'm sure you remember every little thing we said during the trip."

Abel: "It was a great deed. ―I will reward you for your service. No matter what."

Al: “Woah…”

Abel's words were grave and adorned with an unmovable sincerity as he showed his true face.
Abel's creed of "reward or punishment," once again gave him the face of an emperor. Abel's imperialism had no mercy on those who did not seek rewards for their achievements.
Al, too, would not be able to escape this time without receiving a reward.

Abel: "Whatever the case, now that the letter is in her hands, we will have to wait for her response tomorrow."

Subaru: "That's true. There’s nothing more we can do. In the meantime, thanks to Yorna's retainer, the false emperor's group shouldn’t get to us either.”

Abel: "If that's what Yorna Mishigure said, I don't doubt it."

Abel accepted the guarantee of safety that Tanza had given without hesitation. It seemed that there was a hidden situation that Abel hadn’t told them about and that Subaru and the others didn’t know about.
But―,

Subaru: “Even if I tell you to tell me…”

Abel: "I'll choose what information to give you. The information you get is what you can afford to know. ―At least for the time being."

Subaru: “For the time being… huh.”

For a moment, Subaru's voice returned to its original tone, and he admonished himself for the discord that had arisen in his heart.
It would be easy to dismiss Abel's behavior as uncooperative. However, Abel did not want to be defeated himself. As Subaru did his best, Abel also did his best.
It was just that the way he did so disagreed with Subaru's desire to use all the words he could.

Al: "So, that's it for today? Fortunately, we were able to pick up our lives and save them for tomorrow. In addition, we were able to defeat the opponent's aim, so I’d say that’s a good result.”

Al spoke in a loud voice to break up the delicate atmosphere between Subaru and Abel.
Taking up the consideration, Subaru nodded, saying "I see,”

Despite the irregular situation, they were able to make a good first step in their capture of Yorna Mishigure, thanks to Al and Medium. Now they had to wait until tomorrow for Yorna’s response.

Subaru: "...I'm awfully tired.”

As soon as he concluded that there was nothing he could do today, his body became heavy.

The tension must have dissipated and his body became aware of the fatigue. He had to go to the castle right after his long journey, and then he had to encounter the fake emperor and his party, and then he had to see Yorna, the last big event.
His right arm was sore from the strain he had put on it, and he also had to take care of his whip, which he had used quite recklessly.
After a long day of work, it's important to maintain your body and tools.

Subaru: “But, I’m sleepy…”

Holding his wobbly head, Subaru muttered to himself with a dazed consciousness.
Seeing Subaru's condition, Taritha supported his shoulder, saying "Natsumi,”

Taritha: "You have had important duties today. I will take care of your armor, so please rest early. I will be on guard for a night attack."

Subaru: "A night attack in the middle of the city would be an unexpected turn of events..."

With a small smile at Taritha's concern, Subaru decided to take her word for it.
Exhaling deeply, he went to his assigned room. Only, in doing so―,

Rui: “Uu―!”

Subaru: “You again…”

Rui, who was supposed to be quarantined in the next room, jumped on Subaru as if she had been waiting for him. She grabbed his arm, and Subaru held his head in disgust.
If it were anyone other than Rui, he would not have minded her childish pleas for attention. But with Rui, it was hard to let his guard down, especially when he was tired.
Subaru silently brung his finger close and flicked Rui’s white forehead to make her move back.

Subaru: "I don't have time for you. Now, get out of my way."

Rui: “Aa―, Ua―!”

Medium: "Ah, she’s out of bed again! Sorry, Natsumi. Come over here, Rui! To me!”

Rui's body, holding her forehead, was carried by Medium’s arms stretching out from behind her. She continued to flap her legs and struggled to jump at Subaru.
The figure disappeared behind the door again, and this time, Rui's evil deed had come to an end.

Subaru: “Jeez, what was that…”

Al: "She’s even more obsessed with you, bro. Isn’t it that? Even if she couldn’t follow the conversation, she felt that you almost died."

“―”

If Al's point was true, then Rui's attitude was out of concern for Subaru.
To admit this would be hard on Subaru's heart. Rui was acting like an innocent child, but underneath lied an evil and unforgivable malice.
The basic premise of Subaru's relationship with Rui was that he stubbornly continued to believe that.

Subaru: "Abel, I'm going to rest in my room. You..."

Abel: "Don't worry. You would be of little use to us in a crisis anyways.”

Subaru: "Don't just leave it to Taritha, be on guard for night attacks all throughout the night.”

Subaru returned Abel’s unconcerned reply with a hateful remark.
He was sorry that Taritha, who was caught in the middle of this, was in a bit of a panic, but for the time being, this was the best way to get rid of his pent-up anger before taking a break.

Subaru: "I'm going to take off my makeup, loosen my clothes… then sleep like a log."

Returning to the room where he was assigned, Subaru moved his head back and forth while taking off his crossdressing.
Now that he had left the village of Shudrach, his wig could not be easily repaired. It needed to be carefully cared for and used, so the process was very careful.

The wig was pressed into a fine mesh net and washed, and the clothes and shoes that had been taken off were also carefully washed.
After completing the bare minimum measures, Subaru collapsed onto the bed.
He closed his eyes and his consciousness slowly drifted away.

Subaru: “Because, tomorrow…”

The situation would move.
When the situation changed, what he saw would change. If what he saw changed, a path would open. Once the path opened, he could get closer to his goal. To where everyone who is separated from him was.

Subaru: “Rem, Beako… Emilia, tan…”

With an ache in his heart, Subaru called out the names of his loved ones in a foreign country.
As he called out their names and dreamed of their reunion, his consciousness faded―,

△▼△▼△▼△

Slowly, his consciousness arose and he opened his eyelids on the bed.
Normally, he was not a good sleeper, but last night he was tired and slept very well. He slept so deeply that he didn’t even remember having a dream.
He thought he was able to get rid of a lot of his fatigue, but―,

Subaru: “What?”

However, it was not sufficient sleep that prompted Subaru's awakening, but a noisy presence.
Some kind of lively voice and sensation came from behind the door of the bedroom where Subaru was sleeping. This acted as an alarm and pulled Subaru out of sleep.

―A noisy atmosphere upon waking was never a good sign.

Outside the window, the morning sun was leaking through the closed curtains, indicating that it was sometime in the early morning.
Feeling the already noisy air of the demon city, Subaru looked at the wig he had been drying in the shade and couldn't decide what to do with it.

Considering what he had done so far, he should crossdress as Natsumi Schwartz.
But if the situation on the other side of the door was dire, there was no time for cross-dressing. He pondered for a while and decided that the first priority was to confirm the situation.
In the first place, there was always the possibility that he was jumping to the wrong conclusion. If it was a big deal, Al, Medium, Taritha, or anyone other than Abel would have woken Subaru up.
Therefore―,

Subaru: “Agh!?”

With that thought in mind, Subaru tried to get out of bed and fell on his shoulders to the floor.
The impact sent sparks flying in front of his eyes, and he was shocked at what had happened to him. It wasn't that he was sick or that he had stepped on the clothes he had taken off.
It was just that his foot swung across the floor as if he had misjudged it.

―Subaru's feet couldn't reach the distance from the bed to the floor.

Subaru: “That’s ridiculous…”

Subaru, too, was troubled by the fact that he was short-legged, but not to the extent that it interfered with his daily life in any way. Even with his short legs, he had been with his body for 18 years.
As he sat up, he realized that it couldn’t be that bad.

―Strangely, compared to last night, everything in the room looked bigger.

Subaru: “Oioi, what kind of joke, is this…”

His cheeks tense and his voice trembling, Subaru repeatedly slapped at his face. The loud beating of his heart made his breath heavy, and he crawled away, his arms and legs caught in his loose-fitting clothes.
He then headed to the mirror in his bag. The mirror was essential for fixing makeup and getting ready for the day, and he reflected his image in it to see what had happened―.

Subaru: “What, is this…”

Looking at the reflection in the mirror, Subaru was taken aback and muttered to himself.
The reflection in the mirror trembling in his hand was none other than Natsuki Subaru.
However―,

“―”

--However, it was a child nearly ten years younger, a young boy named Natsuki Subaru.