If one day someone you know suddenly claims they traveled into the future and then returned — and even reveals secrets about you that you have never told anyone — would you believe them, or would you fear them?
That was precisely how Ryuzu felt at this moment.
Lillian continued speaking:
"Of course, that's all I know. You didn't tell me anything else. I think you should be able to trust me — after all, I have no reason to lie."
"…That's true."
Ryuzu nodded slowly. At first, she had suspected that Echidna might have told him these things. While Echidna knew about the replicas and Apostles, she would not know the unique personality Ryuzu had developed over the years — something that belonged solely to her.
Although Echidna was powerful, her sphere of observation was limited to the tomb and the Book of Wisdom. As long as Ryuzu stayed away from the tomb, she would not be controlled. That was why Lillian's words carried credibility.
"The ability to reverse time… that boy Subaru is truly remarkable. I never would have guessed," Ryuzu said. Then she added, "According to what Ram said, Roswaal already knew about his ability?"
"Yes," Ram replied. "He just doesn't know the conditions that trigger it… and even now, he probably still doesn't." As she spoke, her gaze shifted toward Lillian's face. "But you… you might know, right?"
"It's 'death.'"
Without any intention of hiding the truth, Lillian gave them the answer directly.
"Death…"
Perhaps the answer was too cruel — the two women could not accept it immediately. Lillian continued calmly:
"This ability is called 'Return by Death.' Every time Natsuki Subaru dies, time rewinds by a certain amount. It may be several days, or it may be only a few hours. The exact point depends on the judgment of that existence — most likely returning him to a moment that can help him avoid the fatal outcome."
"Return by Death… who is that existence?" Ram asked.
"Even a witch like Echidna probably couldn't accomplish something like this," Ryuzu added.
After speaking, Ram seemed to recall something and hesitantly voiced a name:
"The Witch… the Witch of Envy…?"
Lillian glanced at her. "You sensed it too?"
Ram's face grew pale. Although she was an oni rather than a human, the Witch of Envy had slaughtered indiscriminately in the past, regardless of race. Like humans, the oni bore a deep and irreconcilable hatred toward her.
"When he and Emilia-sama returned to the mansion back then, Rem sensed the Witch's scent on him," Ram said quietly. "She even wanted to… At the time we thought it was nothing important. But now it seems things were never that simple."
She had wanted to kill him — Lillian thought silently. And indeed, she had tried. It was only through several cycles of repetition that Subaru had resolved the crisis.
Perhaps Lillian's expression had been too revealing, because Ram suddenly realized something and her entire body trembled slightly.
"…How many times has his ability been activated?"
In the past, ignorance had been one thing. But now that she knew he possessed such an ability, the thought that she might have lost countless memories left her deeply unsettled.
"I don't know either," Lillian answered.
"I have a question," Ryuzu interjected, turning to Lillian. "Why are you unaffected by that ability? If it truly comes from the Witch of Envy, then in this world only those three great figures from the past should be able to resist it."
"The world is vast," Lillian replied simply.
"…I see."
Ryuzu did not pursue the matter further.
The three fell silent. The information revealed in such a brief exchange was overwhelming. For both Ram and Ryuzu, it was far from easy to accept.
As for Lillian, he had his own reasons for revealing all of this. The moment he realized that Ram, like himself, was unaffected by Return by Death, many new possibilities began to form in his mind.
Since arriving in this world, Lillian had always maintained a certain distance from others. The person he had spent the most time with was probably Priscilla, yet even their relationship could barely be called acquaintance, much less familiarity.
In this world, he had no one truly close to him. Even Elsa, who had sacrificed herself for him, did not share a particularly deep bond with him. Lillian did not believe that Elsa loved him. As she herself had said at the end, she had simply been alone for too long. When someone appeared who held no malice toward her, she chose to repay him with everything she had. Because she had never possessed anything, she clung tightly to what little she found.
But could that be called "liking" or "love"? Lillian did not think so.
He was deeply grateful to Elsa and had resolved to obtain dragon's blood to revive her. Yet that did not mean he loved her. Ultimately, they had spent too little time together — so little that sometimes, lying awake at night, he racked his brain yet could not recall any meaningful shared memories between them.
In such moments, he would feel sorrow and regret. He would think that perhaps things might have been better if he had spoken to her more, if he had not kept such distance.
Yet this was not truly his nature. As he often said, Lillian was actually a very "easygoing" person. He disliked putting on a cold façade and preferred to interact with others normally and on equal terms.
So why had he become like this in this world — actively distancing himself from everyone?
The root cause lay in the existence of Subaru.
When someone capable of reversing time exists, even the best relationships you build with others may suddenly be reset to nothing. Just like what had happened between Lillian and Felt.
In such circumstances, what should one do? Build the relationship again?
To Lillian, that felt… despicable.
It was like loving someone who did not love you back. Then, through various means, you discover what kind of person they like — their preferences, their ideal personality — and you deliberately change yourself to fit those expectations, packaging yourself into something they desire in order to win their affection. Was that truly meaningful?
If he offered you an apple and you disliked it, saying you preferred watermelon — then he kills himself, rewinds time, and brings you watermelon instead. You like it, and thus you develop feelings for him.
In such a situation, was that emotion genuine? A feeling obtained through trial and error, through calculation — could it truly be called real?
Lillian did not know what others might think, but he cared deeply about the "purity" of emotions. If all he could offer was an apple, then surely someone who liked apples would accept him. He would not betray his own heart by pretending to like watermelons and going to great lengths to obtain them.
Thus, in a world where time could unpredictably rewind, Lillian was unwilling to form relationships with anyone — not just romantic ones, but friendships as well. Though he had been in this world for quite some time, he had never truly opened up to anyone.
Yet Ram's transformation stirred something in his heart. If she was also unaffected, then perhaps with her, he could establish a stable partnership. Still… whether she would be willing remained uncertain.
There was also an even more important consideration: Ram had resisted the effects because of the golden mana he had infused into her body. If the same method were applied to others… could they also achieve the same result?
If so, everything would change drastically.