Chapter 115: "Why Did He Die Again?"
Faced with the white whale's attack and without any more ground dragons to ride, the three—Wilhelm, Crusch, and Natsuki Subaru—exchanged glances.
Crusch and Subaru each dodged to the sides, while Wilhelm, remaining in place, leapt once again onto the white whale's head just as it approached.
If the white whale couldn't fly, it likely wouldn't have plagued the world for hundreds of years.
Wilhelm was agile, and though his attacks weren't ineffective, to a massive creature like the white whale, they were more like light scratches.
But the white whale didn't have arms; apart from flying and summoning the fog that made people disappear, it wasn't much of a threat—at least not in front of a powerhouse like Wilhelm.
As long as Wilhelm stayed alert, his life wouldn't be in danger.
Subaru observed Wilhelm repeatedly wounding the whale and then glanced at Crusch, who, from a considerable distance, was slashing with her sword to unleash invisible attacks that hit the whale's body.
Among the three, Subaru alone had no offensive capabilities.
Even if he imitated Wilhelm by jumping onto the whale, he wouldn't inflict much damage.
His agility was nowhere near Wilhelm's, and running on the whale's back would be far too risky.
"Am I just going to sit here and watch…" Subaru sighed.
He felt that if they kept fighting like this, the white whale would eventually be worn down.
At most, they'd be exhausted, but suffer no further losses. At least, that's how it should have been.
Just as Subaru relaxed, something caught his eye in the fog. When he focused on the mist behind Crusch, his pupils contracted.
His body moved before he could shout. He sprinted with a speed he'd never reached before.
"Crusch, watch out!"
Crusch was stunned for a moment upon hearing his voice and turned toward him.
Seeing Subaru running her way, she realized something was behind her.
Her time knowing Subaru had been too short. If she'd trusted him more, she wouldn't have needed to look at him—just scan her surroundings.
As she turned, she saw a thick fog rushing toward her.
It was too late to dodge.
Realizing this, Crusch mustered all her strength and swung her sword at the incoming fog.
Her invisible sword energy clashed with the fog. After a brief standoff, it exploded.
The violent shockwave pelted her with rocks and dirt, knocking her away.
She rolled several times on the ground, then struggled to her feet and looked toward where the fog attack had come from.
Within the mist, the vague shape of a giant beast swam.
As Crusch stood alert, trying to understand this new threat, she heard footsteps from the side.
She turned instinctively. Before her head could fully turn, she felt her body being violently knocked away.
Time seemed to slow.
As she flew sideways through the air, she saw blood spraying and Subaru's stunned expression.
Time resumed.
Crusch hit the ground hard but scrambled to her feet, hearing a groan of pain nearby.
What she saw was the white whale flying back into the sky—and half of Subaru's body lying on the ground.
"Subaru!"
Crusch ran to his side and saw his lower half had been destroyed, his intestines and blood spilling out.
On his face was a look of quiet acceptance—and danger.
"Thank goodness... you're okay…"
"Subaru… what's your final wish…"
Lying on the ground, Subaru understood he was doomed. His lower body was gone, and he could barely feel pain. His vision darkened.
"Subaru-sama!"
Wilhelm, who had been on the whale, rushed over after hearing the commotion. What he saw was Subaru, missing half his body, and Crusch kneeling beside him with grief in her eyes.
"You're already asking about my last wish… maybe I could still be saved, you know…" Subaru joked weakly, then, seeing his time was short, stopped joking and spoke seriously.
"Wilhelm… take Crusch and get out of here…"
"I understand, Subaru-sama."
"Wait! Subaru, you haven't told us your last wish yet! Say it—I'll make it come true!"
"Then live… As long as you live… this failure will have meaning… Wilhelm… Crusch… go now…"
Neither of them spoke. Crusch stood up and silently ran.
Wilhelm turned without a word and followed, leaving Subaru alone, staring up at the fog-covered sky.
As his vision darkened, he saw three giant beasts swimming in the mist and heard the white whale's call.
And just before everything went black and his consciousness faded, he saw the white whale rushing toward him, jaws wide open.
.
.
.
As the sky gradually brightened, Crusch, having failed to slay the white whale, walked toward Roswaal's territory with the rising sun ahead.
Behind her followed a small group of combat-capable soldiers.
"Lady Crusch? Where are we going?" someone asked.
Crusch glanced at Felix beside her. He had been tending to the wounded in the rear and didn't know Subaru had appeared here—and saved her with his life.
"We're heading to Emilia's side," Crusch said.
Felix responded irritably, "Of course I know that, but we don't have any reason to go to Emilia's camp, right? Oh! Are we planning to recruit Subaru? Wait, no… They're dealing with the Witch Cult now. Are we really okay heading there?"
"…"
"What's going on, Lady Crusch? You and Lord Wilhelm have both been acting strange since the failed subjugation.
I know the defeat was bad and we suffered heavy losses, but neither of you are the type to change just because of a setback. This isn't like either of you."
Crusch stayed silent for a long while. As Felix was about to speak again, she finally said:
"Subaru is dead."
"Huh? But didn't he leave the capital days ago? How could he die? And where did you even hear something that ridiculous?
Besides, Subaru may not be super strong, but he wouldn't be killed by some random bandit or beast. I saw him sparring with Lord Wilhelm the other day—he even made Wilhelm get serious!"
Before Crusch could answer, Wilhelm spoke from nearby.
"Subaru-sama died at the hands of the white whale."
"What?!"
"Last night, Subaru appeared on the battlefield and saved Lady Crusch from the white whale… but at the cost of his own life. Lady Crusch asked him for his final wish. He said… for us to live. That's why she's sending the wounded back and bringing us to Lady Emilia's side."
After that, Wilhelm fell silent.
"You're joking…"
Felix turned to Crusch for confirmation, but her silence and expression gave him the answer.
Now convinced, Felix looked ahead and muttered:
"How am I supposed to explain this to Rem…"