Monster
The girl named Rem was radiating murderous hostility, as if she wanted to tear Subaru to pieces.
That wasn't an exaggeration from Subaru — if Reinhild, who was walking next to him, hadn't grabbed the iron chain of the flail just in time, the flail that had nearly touched his face probably would've reduced him to minced meat.
"Um, can I talk to Ram alone?"
"A person related to the Witch... daring to openly ask to speak to my sister..."
"Rem, let me speak to him alone."
Reluctantly, Rem backed away and glared at Subaru with fierce eyes.
But Subaru didn't mind.
In fact, he was secretly relieved that Ram was as composed as ever — that meant there was a chance his plan could work.
Subaru smiled at the worried girl not far away, who responded with a nod, and then he stepped alone into the room of the inn.
"I didn't expect a weakling like you to have at least some courage.
What a pity that's all you've got.
Honestly, letting the Sword Saint deal with things directly would've been the smart move. Can't believe you don't get even that, Barasu. What are we supposed to talk about?"
"Feels like I've suddenly picked up some alien nickname, but hey, it's been a while since I heard that sharp tongue.
Honestly, I'm scared to death.
But if it's to protect the people I care about, I have to step up.
I'm carrying their trust on my back now. I can't screw up like before.
Even if she didn't say it outright, I've got to give it my all to give her the answer she hopes for."
The two fell into silence. Ram noticed that Subaru's body was shaking uncontrollably, and realized he wasn't lying.
"I'll tentatively acknowledge you. I'm Ram. So, what do you want to talk about?"
"I'm Natsuki Subaru. I'll get straight to the point.
You've been hesitating, haven't you? Wondering whether you should really follow Roswaal's orders and attack Reinhild's forces."
"Don't project your narrow viewpoint onto me. Ram would give her life for Lord Roswaal without hesitation."
"I'm not questioning your loyalty.
But that loyalty is for Roswaal, right? Are you really sure this is what's best for him? Can Roswaal truly handle Reinhild's retaliation? And what about Rem?
Are you planning to let your sister — who trusts you more than anyone — die with you? Do you even know that Roswaal is just..."
"Enough!!!"
A wind blade slashed across Subaru's cheek, and a sticky liquid slid down his face.
But Subaru didn't have the mind to care.
It was the first time he had ever seen Ram this agitated.
"Ram knows! I know Roswaal is being guided by that damn book.
But what can I do?! This is what Lord Roswaal wants.
This is what Rem wants.
I know what lies ahead is a hell of death, but to them, living is more painful than dying.
So how the hell am I supposed to stop them?! How could I possibly stop them?!"
"If Ram can't stop the flow of time that pushes them forward, then Ram can only accompany them... into hell."
"..."
The tears she shed were full of indescribable sorrow.
Yet Ram's voice remained resolute as she raised her hand.
"Maybe... I have a way."
The wind blade vanished.
Then, in the next moment, fierce winds enveloped Ram, slicing through the entire room.
Yet no one else entered.
Subaru, knowing this meant he was trusted, felt a wellspring of courage.
He stared straight into Ram's angry eyes.
"Do you really think Rem becoming your 'horn' was salvation for her?
That look — smiling blissfully while bleeding all over — you really believe that's salvation? No.
It shouldn't be like that.
That's just false salvation.
She's still living in endless pain and guilt.
All she's done is turn her guilt into physical suffering for temporary relief.
If you really want to save Rem, then tell me everything — your situation.
And I'll tell you my method.
If you're willing to die for her, then trust me, just once.
What's the harm in taking a gamble?"
"Do you know the taboos of the Oni race...?"
After a long silence, the swirling wind finally dissipated.
Then the pink-haired oni girl began to tell a story — a story of a genius who became an ordinary person to protect her family, and of that family member losing herself in pursuit of redemption.
.
.
.
"Rem. Rem, wake up."
"Big sister...? Wait—!"
Rem remembered sensing her sister's mana surge, rushing over to help her, and then being knocked out.
She sat up in a panic and realized it was already afternoon.
Not far away stood the woman who had knocked her out and the foul-smelling boy.
There were also heaps of discarded magic ore debris.
"Rem, I want to fight with all my strength. Is that okay?"
Ram suddenly spoke.
Rem knew her sister had four sealed powers.
The third one was already unbearably painful.
If she released the fourth... Rem might really die this time.
—If it takes her life just to let her sister return to her old self, even for a brief moment, how weak she truly was...
"Big sister... Go for it."
"Thank you. I'm ready. I am Ram."
"I am the 'Sword Saint', Reinhild van Astrea."
After absorbing countless magic ores, and with her sister's full-empathy gamble, Ram finally unlocked the fourth seal she had placed on herself.
Having tested it a few times already, Ram knew she could handle the dual burden — and chose to bear most of the pain herself.
Static buzzed in her mind.
As a child, the villagers used to say she was the reincarnation of a demon god.
Only Ram knew it was true.
The more her horn evolved, the more it developed a will of its own — or perhaps the demon god itself had attached to her horn.
As a child, she often heard it speak.
Sometimes she even felt the desire to destroy the world.
Originally, Ram wasn't too worried about the demon god being revived — her body wouldn't last long anyway.
It's not like the Sword Saint couldn't buy at least a few dozen seconds.
But as the voice grew clearer and her power surged, Ram finally felt a sliver of fear — what if I really destroy the world? Unable to resist, she made contact with that consciousness.
"Yameteeee! Mommy, there's a monster! Help! The oni's gone mad! This dumb girl, run! I don't wanna die—I don't wanna dieee...!"
…????
In that instant, Ram thought she must've misheard.
Was that really the demon god who once wanted to destroy the world?
Not until she saw who the demon god was looking at did Ram understand — it was looking at Reinhild.
Divine Protection are gifts from the heavens. Yet this girl not only already possessed nearly a hundred Divine Protection, there were still countless others waiting to be drawn to her.
Then there was the Od — the very essence of life force — and hers was greater than even Ram's.
On top of that, the amount of mana Reinhild possessed exceeded the total in the surrounding air.
"Can I really fight her?"
She had originally been thinking of how to act more convincingly.
But now, even if she fought with everything she had — she wasn't sure she would survive.