This chapter is basically a summary of arc 4, to explain the changes that are going to happen on Subaru's side. Tanaka is not going to be a part of the sanctuary dilemma but still, him being kidnapped by the witch cult, with both Crusch and Rem maintaining their memories and consciousness, some things will change but the overall result will be the same.
In any case, I think I'm going to keep updating this chapter whenever I feel like, but for now you can use it to ask questions.
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"Subaru…" she started gently, "you've been like this since we left. What's wrong?"
He didn't answer immediately. His jaw tightened, and he reached for the Metia in his pocket—an old-world device Tanaka had given him to communicate across distances.
He'd tried calling for hours. No response.
Not from Tanaka, not from Rem.
"Dammit," Subaru muttered, the words scraping through his teeth. "I don't know what happened—but if he gave it to me, why the hell hasn't he called?"
The carriage stopped at the capital gates. Subaru jumped down before the driver could even speak and sprinted toward the nearest squad of royal soldiers standing guard near the gatehouse. His tone came sharp, frantic.
"Hey! You—what the hell happened out there?"
The soldiers exchanged uneasy glances. One stepped forward, helmet tucked under his arm, voice low.
"Subaru-Sama… we were attacked. Two Sin Archbishops—Gluttony and Greed."
Subaru froze. "What?"
He swallowed hard. "Then… you're all alive?"
The soldier nodded slowly. "It was thanks to Tanaka-Sama. He even managed to kill Gluttony."
The words hit Subaru like a spark through fog. For a heartbeat, disbelief held him still—then relief, tangled with irritation, took over.
"Of course he did," Subaru muttered bitterly, running a hand through his hair. "Of course he figured it out somehow."
It made sense. After all the loops, after all the deaths Tanaka had suffered to reach this point, it was natural that he'd found a way to win.
But that didn't make it easier to accept.
"For god's sake," Subaru hissed under his breath, "how does he even know there isn't a limit to this crap…"
Emilia's voice broke through his thoughts, her worry clear. "Are Rem and Tanaka okay? Where are they now?"
The soldier hesitated—just long enough for Subaru's heart to sink.
"That…" he began, but his voice faltered.
Before he could finish, a familiar voice cut through the crowd.
"Subaru-Kun!"
He turned sharply. Rem was standing there, her face pale and eyes trembling as they met his. Subaru ran to her instantly, his worry spilling into anger and relief all at once.
"Rem! You're okay! I was trying to call you both nonstop—why the hell didn't that moron pick up his Metia?!" he shouted, half laughing, half breaking. "If he was just gonna ignore me, why give it to me in the first place?"
But Rem didn't answer. Her lips trembled. Her fingers clutched the edge of her skirt as her gaze fell to the ground.
"Rem?"
When she finally looked up, tears brimmed in her eyes. Her voice cracked as she spoke.
"I'm so sorry, Subaru-Kun…"
And just like that, the air around them seemed to freeze.
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Here Crusch and the Emilia camp form a meeting.
Unlike the original, Felix didn't dare to object on disbanding the alliance. Rather Crusch insisted on maintaining it in order to rescue Tanaka.
She also tied down the witch cult with whatever happened to Tanaka's family. Especially after witnessing
Note: No one remembers Pandora from that encounter, no one except Tanaka.
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Deep inside the Mathers domain, a small hand slammed against the wooden door of a library.
The forbidden library.
Beatrice stood before it, her golden curls bouncing as she threw the door open with uncharacteristic haste. Her wide eyes scanned the figures standing outside—Subaru, panting slightly from the long walk, and Rem, whose posture was rigid with quiet sorrow.
"Where's Tanaka?" she demanded, her tone sharp but her voice betraying a flicker of something—worry.
Neither Subaru nor Rem answered immediately. That silence, that hesitation, told her everything she needed to know. The light in Beatrice's eyes dimmed.
"What is going on, I suppose?" she asked, voice quieter now.
Subaru exhaled heavily. "Sit down for a bit. There's something you need to hear."
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They told her everything.
How the Witch Cult had appeared without warning. How Tanaka had fought against Greed and Gluttony—how he'd saved everyone at the cost of being taken away himself.
When Subaru finished recounting the battle, Beatrice's hands were trembling against the hem of her dress.
"He was taken… as a prisoner by the Witch Cult?" she asked, her voice tight.
"But he's alive," Subaru added quickly, almost reflexively. "If something were to happen to him… I would know."
Her words carried a faint tremor. She tried to sound cold, but the strain in her voice betrayed her.
Subaru caught it, but chose not to call her out. "I don't know what's going on between you two, but before he was captured, he told me something."
He hesitated, then continued. "He said he was going to take you somewhere called the Sacred Parochial Mountain."
Beatrice blinked, her composure fracturing. "Take Betty? For what reason?! Didn't he tell you why?"
Rem stepped forward, her tone softer. "Beatrice-Sama… that's another thing. Before Tanaka-Kun was taken by the Witch Cult, he left a message for you."
Beatrice's eyes narrowed. "A message?"
Rem nodded. "He said, 'All the answers you will seek are with Odglass. Go and find her.'"
The name struck Beatrice like a blade through the chest. Her breath hitched. Her pupils dilated.
"…Odglass…" she whispered, the word falling from her lips like a prayer she hadn't spoken in centuries.
Neither Subaru nor Rem recognized the name, but the air in the room shifted. For Beatrice, it was as though the very walls had begun to breathe.
After a long silence, she finally spoke again—her voice distant, trembling slightly. "Roswaal's intentions… the meaning of the Gospel… Odglass's identity… All the answers you seek lie within the Sanctuary."
Her eyes rose to meet Subaru's. "The half-beast girl—Emilia—can lead you there, I suppose."
Subaru blinked. "Hang on, wait a sec! Who is this Odglass person Tanaka's talking about? And why the hell do I have to go to the Sanctuary when I can just ask y—"
Beatrice's tone sharpened, cutting through his words. "I will not tell you. Betty has the right to refuse, I suppose."
The air around her thickened with mana, the weight of it pressing against Subaru's chest. Her eyes gleamed with a rare, almost divine seriousness.
"I have shown you the path that leads to answers," she said. "Don't expect Betty to indulge you any further, I suppose."
Her voice softened, but only slightly. The conversation was over.
Subaru clenched his teeth, knowing there was no arguing with her like this. Beside him, Rem bowed politely.
"Thank you, Beatrice-Sama," she said quietly.
Beatrice turned away, pretending not to hear.
When the door closed behind them, the library fell silent once more. Beatrice stood in the center of the room, staring at the empty space where they had been.
Note:In this reality, Odglass is a name almost entirely erased from history. Only a handful of beings from four centuries ago remember her existence. The world has long forgotten her—except for a few followers of the Gustekan Church still believe in her existence.
Now, Tanaka is the only person who met her face-to-face.
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When Subaru began the Sanctuary trials, Tanaka's existence was erased from his and Emilia's minds. Because of that, Echidna could not manifest Tanaka within the trials. His image, his soul—none of it existed within the reach of her knowledge.
Echidna is completely unaware of Tanaka's existence.
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Roswaal knew that Tanaka would end up getting captured by the witch cult because that result was written in book of wisdom, the instructions clearly stated that they would lead in him getting captured.
Note: How does it make sense that Roswaal received Instructions regarding Tanaka when Echidna isn't aware of his existence? It's not a plot hole, it's intended and I'm not going to explain it.
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This time, a big factor as to why Beatrice was convinced to leave the forbidden library and form a contract with Subaru, abandoning her former contract. Was because she decided that she wants to save Tanaka regardless on whether he is that person or not.
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After solving everything and freeing the sanctuary. The Emilia camp became less trusting and more hostile towards Roswaal than the original, especially after finding out that his actions led to Tanaka's capture, especially Rem. Now, she sees herself serving Subaru and not Roswaal.
Subaru is the one who convinced them that they still needed his backing, while also reminding them that Tanaka is still alive.
Note: Also one big reason as to why Subaru didn't go down the greed if route, is because Rem told Subaru that he asked him to try not to die until he's back.
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The following chapter will feature the one year time skip.