[ "—That's impossible now." However, Zerestia denied this.
"Sorry. I can't do it. Once I retrieve the Light Sphere, I must return to my territory. It's impossible for me to live with you all. This is set in stone."
"But why? Rem... No, if Zerestia-sama is still feeling bad about what happened before, it's okay, Rem won't mind! Because everyone now understands Zerestia-sama's difficulties." Rem thought so.
"...I am inherently a spirit whose mind is only capable of slaughter... It's just that I was stripped of almost all my power, becoming an incomplete being, and even the consciousness of slaughter abandoned me. As long as I retrieve the Light Sphere, I will once again revert to being that spirit of pure slaughter. Whether it's Rem, Subaru, Halibel, or everyone in the city, I will kill you all. So I cannot stay with you any longer. Therefore, this is the last time, truly the last time. The deadline has arrived, Rem. My promise with you ends here... But I misunderstood everything; perhaps there was never any promise to begin with."
"Uh... ah..." Rem's expression suddenly turned pained. ]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
"This is?!"
Emilia asked hurriedly.
"This is... Rem is going into labor."
Natsuki Rem stated this fact with a pained expression.
Perhaps to protect her beloved, or to maintain her relationship with Zerestia-sama, Rem had endured until then, delaying her delivery.
But upon hearing that the promise was canceled, she could no longer hold back, and her long-suppressed endurance erupted.
No... The main reason was still Rem's fear.
"From the looks of it, Lady Zerestia is going to resolve this alone?!"
Otto exclaimed, looking at the screen.
—
[ "Zerestia-sama..." Rem tried to grab Zerestia but missed.
Zerestia opened the window, preparing to leave.
"All of this began with me, and it will end with me. If I fail, Halibel, I'll leave it to you... Ah, how should I put it, this might not quite fit my status, that day, that, I'm sorry. It was my fault. You must give birth to healthy babies! Give birth to many!"
With that, she rode the wind and departed. ]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
"Ah, she's a good spirit."
Otto said.
"So the ending is..."
Emilia showed a sad expression.
"Ah, no. Zerestia-sama eventually retrieved the Light Sphere and returned to her original self."
Natsuki Rem quickly explained.
"...Sigh. Ah, Big Sis-in-law!"
Before Garfiel could sigh, the screen showed what he considered more important.
His little nephew was about to be born.
—
[ "Rem! Rem, it's okay... It must be okay. Damn it, ah, I'm right here."
The environment here was a typical healing ward.
Subaru held Rem's hand, who was lying on the bed.
"Won't do... such a thing, this is... husband's hand..."
Then, Rem said tremblingly:
"...Zerestia-sama said something like this, that the child in my belly is being born now because the knot in Rem's heart has been untied. The promise... has no meaning, the child... is finally going to be born..."
"Although it might be hard to believe, this is just a coincidence. It's just that the timing accidentally overlapped; you don't need to worry."
"Of course, I'm worried. That's because... Rem..."
Rem fell silent, then cried and spoke:
"Rem, is very scared... for the child to be born... For the child to be born, Subaru-kun will be happy, and Rem is also very happy. Truly, truly happy. But, I'm also very scared, because... because Rem, when I was little, I wasn't a good child. I couldn't meet the expectations of my parents, and the people in the village... Rem wasn't a good child... Such a Rem, having a child... I have absolutely no confidence. A daughter and a younger sister! I couldn't do well, so I definitely can't be a mother either..." ]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
"...Mhm."
Ram, outside the screen, smiled and hugged Natsuki Rem.
"You still remember your sister."
"Because... Rem was really scared at that time..."
Natsuki Rem felt her sister's embrace, her eyes welling up with tears.
"Rem is still too hard on herself. Saying you weren't a good sister, and won't be a good mother. It's enough that Ram is satisfied with you as a sister. Presumably Rem's children... Ram's cute little nephews and nieces will also be very satisfied with Rem. That's enough."
—
[ "Rem is very scared of becoming a mother. Scared of seeing the child. Actually, I've always been worried about whether I can be a qualified mother. Every time Rem... disappoints the people around me."
On the screen, Rem held Subaru's hand and cried.
"...Rem." Subaru held Rem's hand with one hand and stroked Rem's hair with the other.
"I understand your feelings very well... Actually, I'm even worse. I also couldn't be a good child; I'm ashamed to face my father and mother. My parents are super good; they love each other, and they were especially good to me. But this side of me cannot be seen by you. It was I who brought you here. I must use all my strength to secure your happiness, I must do this... However, naturally, the problem isn't that simple. After all, I'm about to become a father; this kind of logic definitely won't work. So, I am also now..."
"Subaru-kun... regrets it?"
"No, Rem. I don't regret it, I... I was saved. I was always running away, abandoning everything, taking you and fleeing here... But when I knew I was having a child, I was so happy. At that time, I was saved. I left too much behind, but what I gained in front of me was Rem and our child. I was a bad child; I couldn't be a good son to them. But no matter what happens, I will definitely love my child." ]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
The word salvation was not false at all.
After experiencing so much despair, Rem finally took Subaru's outstretched hand for help, allowing Subaru to find salvation.
"My dear..."
Natsuki Rem couldn't help but shed tears.
Hearing these words again now, it felt completely different.
Rem had no idea at the time that her beloved's words contained so much emotion.
She had no idea of the hardships her beloved had endured.
—
[ "I was a rotten child, but my father and mother still loved me. I know, I always knew that—so, I can love my child, love my family."
"—That's truly 'as if by magic'."
Rem's eyes widened, her cheeks flushing even redder.
"Husband, please step out!" The midwife shouted.
Rem... Natsuki Rem officially began labor. ]
.....