After Ram's footsteps completely faded, Roswaal's smile vanished instantly. From beneath his pillow, he retrieved the Book of Wisdom, his fingers gently caressing its pages.
"Everything—is proceeding according to plan~" Roswaal's voice twisted with excitement, his heterochromatic eyes glinting with a mad light in the dim candlelight.
"Soon—soon, my four-hundred-year-long fervent wish will be realized—Echidna~"
Meanwhile.
With that thought, Natsuki Subaru couldn't help but quicken his pace, his figure swiftly disappearing into the dim shadows of the corridor.
Natsuki Subaru walked along the dim corridor, his brows tightly furrowed, quickly sorting out his upcoming action plan in his mind:
He figured Roswaal would act soon; he needed to resolve three crises simultaneously. Elsa Granhiert, the Gut Hunter, and Meili Portroute, the Beast Tamer, at the mansion; the Great Rabbit appearing in the Sanctuary; and severing Beatrice's contract.
First, regarding the mansion.
The main enemies were Elsa Granhiert, the Gut Hunter, and Meili Portroute, the Beast Tamer. Elsa Granhiert's strength was comparable to the Archbishop of Sloth; with his current power, dealing with her shouldn't be a problem.
Rem, Beatrice, and Frederica Baumann were at the mansion, and their safety had to be ensured.
Next, there was the Great Rabbit, one of the three Great Mabeasts.
Once the Great Rabbit appeared, all living beings in the Sanctuary would be devoured. To eliminate them, large-area AoE Magic was necessary. In the original story, they were resolved by Beatrice's Yin Magic, but Beatrice was still in the Forbidden Library at the mansion.
It seemed he still needed to resolve the Great Spirit Beatrice's emotional knot.
From the current perspective, the most troublesome issue was the Sanctuary's barrier. After all, the villagers in the Sanctuary were all mixed-bloods. They couldn't leave before the Sanctuary's barrier was lifted, including Emilia.
If the Great Rabbit suddenly attacked, everyone would inevitably perish. Therefore, to fundamentally solve the problem, Emilia had to pass the trial.
But the first stage had caused her so much pain, and there were two more stages to come. Although he could suggest taking the trial in Emilia's place, ultimately, she had to complete it.
In a sense, having Emilia clear the trial was even more difficult than dealing with Elsa Granhiert and the Great Rabbit. However, the most urgent matter at hand was to first resolve the threat from Elsa Granhiert at the mansion.
Given Roswaal's scheming nature, as soon as he took the villagers out of the Sanctuary, Roswaal would definitely take action.
With that thought, Natsuki Subaru couldn't help but quicken his pace, his figure swiftly disappearing into the dim shadows of the corridor.
......
Natsuki Subaru quietly approached Emilia's door, his fingertips lingering on the door panel for a moment. Then, he carefully pushed the door open, wanting to confirm how well Emilia had recovered.
"...Subaru?"
He had deliberately lightened his steps, yet he was still discovered. Natsuki Subaru scratched his head in annoyance, turning to look at the source of the voice.
The silver-haired half-elf girl was sitting by the bed, the moonlight casting a soft silver glow on her delicate profile. She rubbed her sleepy eyes, her purple irises still holding a hint of drowsy haziness.
"Sorry, did I wake you?"
Natsuki Subaru lowered his voice, unconsciously slowing his breathing.
"No..." Emilia gently shook her head, her long silver hair flowing like water with the movement, revealing a gentle smile. "I was already awake before you came. It's just that you walk so quietly, Subaru, you startled me."
"Well, I've just gotten used to it..." Natsuki Subaru scratched his cheek, slowly walking to the bedside and semi-jokingly saying to Emilia,
"I was actually planning to play a prank while you were asleep, Emilia, but... it seems my plan's ruined."
"A prank?" Emilia blinked, her long eyelashes casting tiny shadows in the moonlight. "Were you going to draw something on my face, Subaru?"
"Exactly, exactly!" Natsuki Subaru nodded, saying seriously, "Too bad I got caught, what a huge failure."
While joking, Natsuki Subaru subtly observed Emilia's condition. Emilia's complexion had returned to its usual healthy flush, her breathing was steady, and her amethyst-like eyes were clear and bright. She seemed to have fully recovered from the impact of the trial.
"I'm sorry, Subaru..." Emilia lowered her head, her long silver hair falling to obscure her expression. "When I woke up in the tomb... I completely lost my mind..."
She lowered her gaze, her long eyelashes casting tiny shadows on her face, appearing lost in thought. Her slender fingers unconsciously rubbed the hem of Natsuki Subaru's clothes, a gesture like anxiously seeking reassurance.
"Is this... treating me as a reliance?"
"Ah!"
Following Natsuki Subaru's gaze, Emilia realized what she had done. She quickly released her fingers as if shocked, her cheeks instantly flushing crimson as she frantically waved her hands.
"No, it's not like that! Oh, that's strange? Why would I... That was very rude."
"Oh my, oh my, oh my" Natsuki Subaru suddenly clutched his chest dramatically, intentionally speaking in a lighthearted tone, "Emilia-chan is finally subconsciously pursuing me! You just have to say it honestly, you know. Feel free to leave everything to me"
"No! That's not it at all!" Emilia immediately retorted, her voice several decibels higher than usual, her purple eyes flickering with a panicked light. "I was probably just spacing out..."
"You denied it too quickly! I'm so sad~"
Natsuki Subaru feigned being hurt but quickly returned to his gentle expression. He didn't press the matter further. He chose to remain silent because Emilia's unconsciously revealed unease was too obvious, and it was clearly related to tonight's trial.
With that thought, Natsuki Subaru carefully chose his words and softly asked Emilia:
"Emilia, can I ask you about the trial? What kind of past did you see in there?"
"Subaru?" Emilia suddenly looked up, a flicker of surprise in her amethyst-like eyes.
"Why are you suddenly asking this?"
Natsuki Subaru quickly added.
"If it's something difficult to speak of, then I won't ask."
"No, it's not like that..." Emilia gently shook her head, her long silver hair swaying slightly with the movement, her expression somewhat puzzled. "It's just... why does Subaru know that the trial is about seeing the past?"
Damn it... he slipped up.
Natsuki Subaru's heart tightened.
Indeed, the contents of the trial should only be known by the challenger who entered the tomb. Thinking this, Natsuki Subaru explained without changing his expression:
"Because, when I went to Roswaal earlier, he mentioned some things. That guy clearly knows about the trial but refused to elaborate, only saying something about 'facing one's past'... I'm not really sure about the specifics."
Anyway, it was best to pin the blame on Roswaal; that scoundrel wouldn't mind one more thing to shoulder.
"Oh, I see..." Emilia nodded innocently, fully believing Natsuki Subaru's explanation. Then, after a slight hesitation, she softly asked,
"Then... did Roswaal say anything else?"
"Let me think..." Natsuki Subaru pretended to recall, counting on his fingers,
"He said the trial has three parts. Seeing the past is just the first; the second is facing a present that shouldn't exist; and the third is a disaster that might arrive in the future. Simply put, it's a trial of triple illusions: past, present, and future."
After speaking, he sighed inwardly. Even knowing this information didn't help much with actually challenging the trial. The most crucial part still depended on Emilia herself to face and overcome.
"So there are three trials..."
Emilia whispered dejectedly, her long silver hair obscuring her somber expression.
Natsuki Subaru secretly let out a sigh of relief. At least Emilia didn't doubt the authenticity of this information at all, still trusting him wholeheartedly.
"Emilia, don't blame yourself anymore." Natsuki Subaru unconsciously leaned forward, softly comforting her,
"You did your best tonight. Besides, the trial can be challenged infinitely, so you can go again whenever you want. From now on... it's all up to your feelings, Emilia-chan."
However, if Emilia were to challenge it again now, she would inevitably fail.
Natsuki Subaru sighed inwardly.
The root of Emilia's failure in the trial lay in her fear and avoidance of the past, a problem that could not be solved in an instant.
The first trial seemed simple—"Face the Past." But the profound meaning it contained was far more than that.
In life, who doesn't have past regrets? Yesterday's self is always more ignorant than today's, and today's self is destined to be less wise than tomorrow's. Feeling lost, confused, and pained when confronting past regrets is simply human nature.
The true answer is actually very simple: whether it's completely breaking with the past or transforming the past into a cornerstone for progress, whether pessimistic or optimistic... As long as one can overcome it, any answer is correct! This is the true essence of completing the first trial.
And the reason for failure was equally evident—being dominated by fear, shrinking back due to aversion, or stagnating in pain.
But for Emilia... it was simply too difficult.
Emilia's past was filled with tragedies unimaginable to ordinary people: her foster mother's brutal death before her eyes, her mana running wild and freezing an entire forest, and her kin eternally sleeping in extreme cold.
All of these made it impossible for Emilia to face her past.
Of course, more critically, the contract Puck made with Emilia had sealed all these memories, and the trial specifically demanded facing the complete past. Incomplete memories, when confronted with cruel truths, instead became a fatal flaw.
The absence of memories was Emilia's true obstacle, the core of the problem.
Natsuki Subaru gazed at Emilia's downcast profile, reaching a definite conclusion in his heart:
Only by breaking the contract with Puck and allowing Emilia to retrieve all her memories could she truly pass the trial.
"My feelings?"
Emilia paused slightly, a hint of confusion flashing in her purple eyes.
"Judging by your dazed expression earlier, I know those weren't happy memories." Natsuki Subaru gazed earnestly at Emilia, his voice gentle yet firm,
"While liberating the Sanctuary only makes sense if you complete it, this isn't your responsibility... at least, that's what I think."
"So, do you still want to continue the challenge?" Natsuki Subaru paused, his gaze questioning, and gently took Emilia's trembling hand.
"If you choose to give up, that's fine too. As your knight, I will always support you and stay by your side, Emilia."
"..."
Emilia fell silent, her fingers unconsciously stroking the green crystal stone on her chest. That was Puck, her only family, but he remained unresponsive.
"..."
Natsuki Subaru waited quietly, giving Emilia ample space to think. If Emilia chose to retreat and thus abandon the trial, he would completely understand.
After all, liberating the Sanctuary wasn't her obligation to begin with. Rather than forcing her to face those painful memories, it wouldn't be wrong to temporarily avoid them. While escape might be shameful, it was certainly effective.
"—Subaru is an idiot."
Emilia suddenly spoke, her purple eyes looking directly at him.
Natsuki Subaru looked at Emilia, somewhat taken aback.
"Huh? No matter how you answer... Wait, why are you suddenly insulting me!?"
"Being persuaded by such gentle eyes and voice..." Emilia's cheeks slightly flushed as she continued,
"How could I possibly say 'I can't do it'? I may not be smart enough... but at least I understand that this is my mission."
"I've told you, Emilia, this is not your mission."
Natsuki Subaru insisted.
"Please don't spoil me like this..." Emilia's voice was soft yet firm. "Please trust me."
"Although... I might not be very convincing today."
After uttering these determined words, Emilia shyly lowered her head, her cheeks tinged with a faint blush.
"Of course not, I believe in you, Emilia."
Natsuki Subaru softly replied.
Since Emilia said she would do it, then she would surely succeed. This wasn't blind optimism, but a heartfelt trust from him, who had long witnessed her growth.
Whether it was her tonight or her in the future, she would surely overcome this trial.
"Anyway, whether you need to retake it or try countless times, I'll always be with you." Natsuki Subaru looked at Emilia, his eyes shimmering with gentle light, and said firmly,
"I believe in you, and I'll always be waiting for you."
"Subaru, you always worry about me so much."
Emilia gently twirled a silver strand of her hair around her finger, speaking softly.
"It's my duty as Emilia's knight." Natsuki Subaru calmly responded, his gaze gentle yet resolute. "Furthermore, being able to protect Emilia's smile is the greatest reward for me."
"From the Royal Selection to the trials of the Sanctuary... Subaru, you're always the first one to step forward to protect me."
Hearing this, Emilia's eyes widened slightly, and then she displayed a gentle smile.
"Because this is my choice." Natsuki Subaru said earnestly. "And I believe Emilia will definitely overcome these difficulties."
"Mm..." Emilia nodded gently, then looked up at Natsuki Subaru. "But you also need to take care of yourself, Subaru."
"Don't worry." Natsuki Subaru chuckled lightly. "I know my limits."
"Thank you, Subaru." Emilia showed a grateful smile, but then lowered her head again, her silver hair falling to cover half her face,
"It's just... the residents of Arlam Village will continue to be trapped here because of my failure, and I truly feel terrible about it..."
She had once promised to lift the barrier and let the villagers return to their village. Although she knew the villagers wouldn't blame her for failing the trial, the thought of their disappointed faces filled her with guilt.
"You don't need to worry about that." Natsuki Subaru said to Emilia with ease. "I've already discussed it with Roswaal. We'll have Garfiel and the others let the villagers return to the village first. It should be fine."
"Eh? The villagers can really go back?"
Emilia looked up in surprise, her purple eyes shimmering with delight.
"What? Don't you believe what I say?"
Natsuki Subaru deliberately put on a serious face, but his eyes held a smile.
He knew perfectly well that even if Garfiel and the others disagreed to let the villagers leave, with his current strength, he could forcibly lead them out of the Sanctuary's barrier. Even if Roswaal and Garfiel teamed up, they wouldn't be his match.
"I believe you, Subaru."
Facing Natsuki Subaru's confident assurance, Emilia narrowed her eyes, a relieved smile appearing on her face. "How could I ever doubt you, Subaru? I trust you completely."
This unreserved trust was built upon the results Natsuki Subaru had consistently proven through his actions.
And so.
Under the bright moonlight, Natsuki Subaru and Emilia smiled at each other. The silver moonlight coated them both in a soft halo, as if even time itself had become gentle in that moment.
______
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