The Great Rabbit—so long as even a single one exists, it can multiply into countless numbers. Unless destroyed simultaneously by a catastrophic spell, they will spread endlessly like weeds. Their boundless hunger seeks to consume everything in the world.
Created by the Witch of Gluttony, Daphne, the Great Rabbit was originally intended to be "an inexhaustible source of food." Instead, it became an overwhelming natural disaster. While Daphne herself had not foreseen this outcome, other races saw it only as a tool of destruction created by the witches, deepening their hatred toward them.
Notably, most races did not know that the Three Great Mabeasts were created by Daphne. They believed, like ordinary magical beasts, that they had been created by Satella, the Witch of Envy—and thus placed their resentment upon her. Seen from this perspective, the intense discrimination faced by Emilia became all the more understandable.
It was already fortunate that she had not yet been attacked by any organized "beast-hunting" forces.
"Drawn here by climate magic… the Great Rabbits that feed on flesh and mana," said Roswaal softly as he watched the approaching tide of rabbits in the distance.
"It's over."
"What do you mean?!" Subaru had heard of them but had never seen them before. He continued struggling desperately. "We have to go save the villagers now!! Otherwise—"
"There's no time," Lillian said. "Their speed is on an entirely different level. Besides, with the barrier in place, where could those half-bloods even run?" He turned to Roswaal. "And you won't intervene, will you?"
"Indeed. My part here is already finished. As for you…"
Before he could finish speaking, Lillian's body rose into the air. He stood suspended in midair, then swiftly shot off into the distance.
"Running away, are you?"
Lillian had no choice but to flee. Even if time would soon rewind, he could not afford to die before that happened. If Roswaal killed him, he would lose one chance to confront him. And if he were devoured by the Great Rabbits… that might be a true death—one even his return from death might not reverse.
After all, creatures like the Great Rabbits, like the White Whale before them, did possess a kind of awareness—yet it was not clearly defined. Because of that, Lillian could not be certain whether being killed by such beings would still allow him to revive. Since he could not be sure, he chose not to take the risk.
Roswaal made no move to stop him. Instead, he looked down at Subaru.
"My life is about to end. Yours as well. Before that, use your ability. Then, next time—do it properly."
A clownish smile appeared on his face once more. "If you fail again, the next me will kill you just the same."
With that, he walked toward the oncoming swarm of Great Rabbits. Though they were merely rabbits, in less than a few seconds they devoured his entire body. If not for the vast pool of blood left on the ground, no one would have believed he had ever existed.
"Roswaal!!"
Next, it was Subaru's turn. He let out a furious yet futile roar. Lillian, already far away, glanced back and saw a patch of vivid crimson staining the endless white.
Moments later, the massive swarm of rabbits continued forward—now pursuing him.
Lillian used his unseen hands to propel himself through the air. His speed was not much slower than that of a ground dragon at full gallop. Yet even so, the distance between him and the swarm rapidly shrank at a visible rate.
Looking at the overwhelming, endless sea of rabbits that filled his vision, Lillian thought that even Roswaal would struggle to exterminate them all. As for anyone else, fleeing was the only possible response.
In comparison, although the White Whale's massive form was terrifying, these countless rabbits were far more dreadful. If the so-called White Whale Subjugation Force had encountered these creatures instead, not a single person would likely have returned alive. Whether it was Priscilla or Crusch, all of them would have become food in the rabbits' bellies…
As he was thinking this, the raging snowstorm suddenly froze.
Lillian clearly felt time come to a standstill. Then came a strange distortion of space and time—the invisible flow of time began rapidly reversing, and the scenes before his eyes shifted at incredible speed in less than a tenth of a second.
It was the first time he had not simply been sent back, but had actually experienced the process of returning.
In the next moment, the damp air and dim surroundings reminded Lillian that he had returned—returned to…
"What are you doing here, you bastard?!"
Garfiel's loud voice rang out. Lillian looked at him, then at the figure beside him.
He had returned to the moment when his conversation with Echidna had been interrupted by the two of them.
Surprisingly, this time the rollback had gone back far less than before. If events followed the same course as last time, the heavy snow would begin in two or three hours—meaning this return had only brought him back a few hours.
Why? Lillian wondered. Recently, he had been trying to determine where the return point was and whether any pattern existed. After much thought, he could only conclude: it returned to the moment when Subaru's fate of death could still be changed.
The purpose of this authority was to ensure Subaru's survival. Other people did not matter at all—or rather, Satella did not care whether anyone else lived or died. If so, what could Subaru possibly change within these mere few hours?
"Hey! Are you even listening to me?!"
Garfiel grew irritated when Lillian ignored him. Coming back to his senses, Lillian immediately decided on his course of action. He could not rely on whatever Subaru might do—he would change that outcome in his own way.
"This is not a place where outsiders may tread," said the woman beside Garfiel, Ryuzu.
After time had rewound, she no longer remembered telling Lillian about apostles or clones. But Lillian himself already knew everything.
Without a word, Lillian walked outside. The two of them seemed surprised by his decisiveness and followed him out. Once outside, without any warning, Lillian controlled his unseen hands and attacked Garfiel.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Hundreds of fists slammed into Garfiel. Just like before, even as he roared and transformed, he remained powerless to resist and was beaten nearly to death.
Everything happened so quickly that Ryuzu had no time to react. By the time she raised her staff, it was already over. Lillian cast her a cold glance.
"Guard the entrance to the tomb. Do not allow anyone to disturb me."
"Uh… yes."
Ryuzu lowered her staff. Only after responding did she realize in shock that Lillian's words compelled her actions. She blurted out:
"You're an apostle of the Witch?!"
Already knowing the answer, Lillian did not bother explaining. He returned to the tomb, and as if sensing his arrival, Echidna immediately drew his consciousness into the dream world.
---
"You've returned."
The white-haired girl in black stood with her hands behind her back in the same posture as when Lillian had left, as if everything that had happened before had been an illusion—as if Lillian had merely been momentarily distracted.
"Finish what you were saying earlier," Lillian said. "You said there was a way—as long as I… What comes after that?"
Echidna blinked.
"I thought you would ask about what just happened—about Roswaal, about the Great Rabbits. Aren't you curious?"
It was not surprising that she knew these things. Lillian certainly had questions, but they could wait.
"Well then," she said, seeing his silence and growing more serious. "Since you desire that answer so much, I shall finish."
"With me—form a contract."
"…What?"
"A contract." Echidna spoke without the slightest hint of jest. "Only if you take me to the world of the person you wish to save can I use the knowledge of that world as a reference and devise a solution to your problem. Do not doubt my capabilities. Even the impossible—I can create. You have already seen it, haven't you?"
"Life… you mean."
Lillian looked at the smiling Echidna. He had to admit that her mastery in applying knowledge was far beyond anyone else's reach. If she could create life itself, then perhaps—
"Well? Will you form a contract with me?" she continued. "All my knowledge will be yours to use. Everything I know can be told to you. Whatever product of knowledge or wisdom you desire, my mind will accomplish it for you. If you wish to become a king, I shall be your greatest military and political adviser. If you wish to become a grand mage, I can let you commune with the souls of countless masters of magic. If you wish to commit every evil and cook the world itself, I will be your finest accomplice and partner in crime. So—what do you say? Come, form a contract with me."