The Gradual Awakening of Emilia (Part 2)
"To be honest, if this Puck is useless, we might as well throw him away early."
In Class D, Karuizawa Kei truly couldn't hold back anymore.
"Great Spirit Puck—the title is impressive enough to stun people, and those who don't know better would think he's incredibly powerful. But from beginning to end, even up until now, he's been complete useless against enemies."
"He talks big, but aside from killing Hikigaya-kun, I haven't seen him play any role at all."
"Even though Emilia was crying so pitifully and needs his comfort most right now, he just dumps that job onto Hikigaya-kun. If it were me, I would have swapped contract spirits long ago."
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka glanced at her and calmly countered: "Broaden your perspective. Puck is indeed useful."
"Eh?" Karuizawa Kei, Horikita Suzune, and the others all perked up their ears, ready to listen to his unique insight. Ayanokouji's sheer capability had cowed them; they instinctively deferred to his views, even if he had punched one of them before.
"As long as Puck remains in Emilia's camp, Hikigaya can make a lot of moves. He can grandly exaggerate their camp's combat power, which serves as a very real deterrent. If your vision remains so narrow that you only see surface-level combat power instead of actual utility, then you've watched his future in vain."
'This...' Suzune Horikita twitched her lips. She finally understood—this guy was just finding roundabout ways to praise Hikigaya Hachiman's resourcefulness.
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「When Emilia woke up from a nightmare whose contents she could no longer clearly remember, she stared blankly at the ceiling. Suddenly, her eyes widened; she reached up to touch her cheek, wanting to wipe away the tear tracks she wasn't sure were still there.」
「Feeling resistance when she tried to pull her arm back, Emilia turned her head.」
「Her hand was encased, held firmly between two warm, thick, masculine palms, protected in the center of them.」
「Hikigaya Hachiman, his lips dry and parched, had his eyes closed, his head drooping in exhaustion.」
「Emilia, having a complete memory of her behavior the previous night, could easily see just how much effort he had expended to take care of someone as troublesome as her.」
「The moment she realized this, the remnants of her broken trial memories—the suffocating fear—actually dissipated by more than half, like a receding tide.」
「"..."」
「Emilia murmured. Holding her breath, she carefully slipped her hand out and stealthily pulled back the covers, managing to get out of bed without making a sound.」
「She only made a slight noise afterward when she brought a glass of water, feeding it to Hikigaya Hachiman sip by sip, and then carried him to her bed to let him lie down and sleep properly. It scared her so much her heart raced, and she only relaxed after observing that Hachiman hadn't been woken up.」
「A fair and soft little hand caressed Hikigaya Hachiman's face.」
「Emilia spoke softly, her voice incredibly quiet: "I... will de-fi-nite-ly work hard."」
「If she couldn't pass the trial, she couldn't break the barrier. If she couldn't break the barrier, they would be trapped here forever, unable to continue the selection, and her status as a royal candidate might be jeopardized.」
「In that case, an ordinary half-elf wouldn't have the standing to possess her own knight.」
「"I... will de-fi-nite-ly work hard!"」
「Absolutely, definitely, even if only to keep her first knight—to keep her Hachiman—by her side...」
「"You've always, always been saving me... Hachiman," Emilia said softly. She leaned down, her cheek pressed against Hikigaya Hachiman's face. "Thank you... So, I definitely... won't give you up to Crusch!"」
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"Hey!"
Crusch's face turned extremely grim.
"You didn't care when your maid Rem confessed to Lord Hachiman, and you didn't care when Lord Hachiman confessed to his first love Yukino-sama. Why are you specifically targeting me? This is too unreasonable, Emilia!"
She had felt quite gratified just a second ago, seeing Emilia being so serious about taking care of Hachiman in return, thinking the odds of victory were rising.
"Repaying kindness with enmity... if it weren't for the fact that Hachiman has no better options at this time, I would definitely stop supporting you and him!"
"Well..." Ferris wore a very subtle expression. He rubbed his eyes; for some reason—maybe it was an illusion—he seemed to vaguely see the shadow of Yukino Yukinoshita in Crusch-sama.
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On the other side, Anastasia let out a heavy sigh, her heart full of envy and jealousy.
"Crusch, Crusch, it's Crusch again. Why is her frequency of appearance so high? Even if it means my future self gets beaten up, it doesn't matter! Please, future me, can't you appear a bit more?
Crusch at least has an allied friendship with Hachiman. If I keep being a background character like this, by the time Hachiman comes over, even if I kidnap him, I won't even have an excuse to get close. Won't that just make Hachiman dislike me? How worrying!"
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In the convenience store, Yukino's state of mind was even worse than Anastasia's, let alone Crusch's.
Though she had expected this and knew such a moment might come, seeing Hikigaya Hachiman and Emilia pressed so closely together still caused a surge of complex emotions. She immediately stood on her tiptoes and pressed her own cheek against the face of the Hikigaya Hachiman beside her.
Sensing the envious gazes of the other customers in the convenience store, Hachiman remained silent.
To be honest, he naturally harbored feelings of affection for Emilia.
However, keeping that affection in his heart was enough; now that actual physical intimacy had appeared... for someone like him who wanted to be single-minded, it wasn't exactly pure happiness or joy.
His current state of mind was just as complex as Yukino's beside him.
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On the streets of the Royal Capital, Puck clenched his fists, his eyes sparkling.
"Press closer! Press harder! It wasn't easy, it really wasn't easy! Lia, you've finally seen the light! Fantastic! Wonderful! As expected of my daughter—I knew my Lia couldn't lose to that little maid!"
He was manically excited.
"What a pity he wasn't awake; the effect would have been even better. Given your mental state at the time, no matter how hard it was for Hachiman to accept, he wouldn't have rejected you. This was the perfect opportunity, Lia!"
"Ugh..."
With her face flushed red, Emilia lowered her head bashfully, not daring to look. But despite the embarrassment... she couldn't help but occasionally steal a glance upward at her future self performing those actions.
At that time, she had felt so at peace.
"Hachiman..."
A Clash of Intellects
The two worlds have already drawn closer and closer together.
Hikigaya Hachiman's strength left Kawata Osamu in awe... Relying on an incomparable sincerity, a method of exchanging heart for heart and genuine article for genuine article, he captured the heartfelt approval of the vast majority of people.
He is as gentle as a marshmallow in spirit, yet as strong as steel in action. Having shed the flaws of a "literature youth" and a "riddler" due to the regret of not being able to say goodbye to Yukinoshita, the grown-up Hikigaya Hachiman is a person hard for anyone to dislike.
"I have to work hard too."
Kawata Osamu murmured to himself. He had already reached a deeper level of cooperation with the consciousness of the Re:Zero world, stealthily transferring the parts of Subaru Natsuki that belonged to the Sage and the legacy of Shaula's master over to Hikigaya Hachiman, completely undetected.
This wouldn't cause damage to Subaru or Hachiman.
After all, Subaru and the Sage from four hundred years ago were two different people; what Shaula recognized as her master wasn't some remnant soul of the Sage, but something similar to the Witch's Scent, yet distinct.
As compensation, he granted Subaru a portion of good luck. From now on, Subaru would live well, live comfortably, lead a life free of illness and disaster, reach a ripe old age, and have great financial fortune.
He could continue watching all the white-haired anime he loved—hardly a loss.
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「By the time Hikigaya Hachiman woke up, Emilia had already ceased those bashful, intimate gestures. She sat by the bed, not showing a hint of boredom, her eyes full of peace, joy, and admiration as she quietly watched him.」
「"Emilia—"」
「Calling the silver-haired girl's name, Hachiman was stunned. He couldn't figure out why he was sleeping in the bed while Emilia was sitting on the chair beside it; Hachiman was utterly bewildered.」
「"I'm here. I'm right here, Hachiman."」
「She was the one who was supposed to be in a panic; she was the one who was supposed to be dazed and confused. But... it was great. It was truly great... to be able to see that look of relief on Hachiman's face when he saw her.」
「With a voice as lovely as silver bells, an Emilia completely different from the night before looked at Hachiman and smiled sweetly.」
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"Hmph, a home-wrecker taking advantage of an opening. You really are shameless, Emilia."
In the courtyard of the Roswaal mansion, Ram sneered. "Just taking advantage of the fact that Rem is temporarily unable to move. Once Rem wakes up, Ram's brother-in-law will definitely distance himself from a shameless mistress like you."
"Sister..."
Rem felt this was unlikely.
However, watching the Hachiman who had issued a declaration of eternal farewell to his first love for her sake, the Hachiman who had already declared his marriage proposal to her, and then seeing Lady Emilia monopolizing him...
To say she didn't feel a bit aggrieved would be Rem lying to herself. She could only guarantee that she wouldn't say anything harsh to Lady Emilia, but as for what her sister said... she would just let her sister be.
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「When Emilia high-spiritedly said she wanted to challenge the trial again, Hikigaya Hachiman stopped her, pushing the challenge time back a little.」
「He saw through her.」
「Though she was likely forcing herself so as not to disappoint him, the Sanctuary residents, or the villagers, she was far from being as relaxed deep down as she appeared on the surface. She needed a little time to adjust her mindset.」
「On the other hand, he wanted to use this time to have a long-overdue showdown with Roswaal; otherwise, there were too many doubts in his heart.」
「Ram was sent away to look after Emilia. At this moment, the room contained only the bedridden Roswaal and the monster of logic, Hikigaya Hachiman.」
「"I'll speak plainly."」
「Hachiman knew Roswaal was a clever man who couldn't fail to guess his intent, so he didn't beat around the bush: "Emilia's encounter with the Bowel Hunter in the Royal Capital, the Mabeast invasion of the territory, and the recent Witch Cult invasion—for these major events, you weren't present a single time, and you didn't provide Emilia with help even once."」
「"Roswaal," his tone was stern, "you were actually... intentionally avoiding the battles every time, weren't you? You don't care at all whether Emilia can win or not, right? If that's the case, why did you recommend her? What exactly is your goal?"」
「He went straight to the point because Hachiman had no choice. He could only pray Roswaal was willing to answer; otherwise, he had no means to force him.」
「Claiming to be bedridden—that kind of talk only fooled Emilia. Even if Roswaal truly was injured, his strength would still not be inferior to the current Emilia's, not to mention the presence of Ram, and Garfiel and the others who should lean toward Roswaal. There was no benefit in a forced confrontation.」
「"Hmph, as expected, I can't hide it from you. Very sharp, Hachiman-kun."」
「Roswaal smiled. He didn't seem to care about being exposed and was quite happy to answer these questions.」
「"Correct. You are absolutely right, Hachiman-kun. I have been intentionally avoiding the battles all along. You are quite accurate on that point. But—that is not to say I don't value whether Lady Emilia can obtain victory. Quite the opposite, I care immensely about Emilia winning the candidate race."」
「Hikigaya Hachiman's mind whirred at high speeds.」
「Roswaal continued: "These two things are not contradictory, Hachiman-kun. Precisely because I want Lady Emilia to win, I avoid the battles."」
「Hachiman could sense that these few sentences from Roswaal were the truth: "If I didn't avoid the battles, if I didn't withhold aid from Lady Emilia, how would these merits fall upon the half-elf Lady Emilia, or upon an outsider knight of unknown origin like you? If I were to lend a hand, the credit would inevitably be attributed to me."」
「"Furthermore."」
「Roswaal wore an ambiguous, teasing expression: "If I didn't do this, the progress of the relationship between Hachiman-kun and Lady Emilia would likely not have been this fast."」
「"Wrong."」
「Hachiman thought it through and found the blind spot: "How could you assume I would successfully save Emilia? Did you never consider the consequences of my failure? You shouldn't be such a reckless gambler, someone without a single backup plan. And yet—"」
「And yet, Emilia had indeed died several times. This proved that Roswaal truly believed in his heart that Hachiman would succeed 100% of the time.」
「Hikigaya Hachiman suddenly felt a surge of pressure. His eyes grew sharp as his thinking reached a conclusion.」
「He looked at Roswaal and said, syllable by syllable: "Unless... you believe I must succeed. You have evidence to prove that my success is certain."」
「"Roswaal, you..."」
「"Can prophesy the future!"」
The Disintegration of Roswaal
"Predicting the future?!"
In the Sacred Vollachia Empire, outside the Kingdom of Lugunica, the young Emperor Vincent Vollachia's pupils shrank.
Previously, he had been watching this light screen—which displayed the future—with an appreciative attitude toward Hikigaya Hachiman. As for the internal secrets of Lugunica revealed within, they were largely useless; most were pieces of information that could be discovered with a bit of investigation.
Even the secrets that couldn't be investigated were of little benefit. After all, the Empire was currently teeming with undercurrents and had no time to look elsewhere. Moreover, as long as the Divine Dragon and Reinhard lived, the Empire would never dare to invade Lugunica.
But predicting the future was different. Although the Empire had its stargazers and Lugunica had the Dragon Tablet, both forms of prophecy were vague and cryptic.
Roswaal's ability to predict the future was terrifying to the point where he had calculated the final outcome Hikigaya Hachiman achieved after multiple cycles of "Return by Death." The gap in skill here was clear at a glance.
This was absolutely the most terrifying strategic weapon!
"Watch further, watch further... If Margrave Roswaal's ability to predict the future is truly this formidable, then even if I must dispatch the Blue Lightning or the Nine Divine Generals—even if we cannot kidnap him—he must be struck down on the spot."
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"Predicting the future? Hm, that's logical."
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka nodded almost imperceptibly. Previously, everything had been framed under the premise of Roswaal harboring ill intent. But since Roswaal had spoken so sincerely about being the person who most wanted Emilia to take the throne, the only explanation for his bizarre actions was future sight.
Meanwhile, in the KTV, Hayama Hayato felt completely overwhelmed.
"The Witch of Envy, Satella, with Return by Death; the Sword Saint Reinhard, invincible under heaven; Regulus, the Archbishop of Greed, whose defense can shrug off a nuclear-level impact; the Witch of Greed Echidna, who fabricated a Sanctuary barrier and trials, peering into memories and manipulating souls at will... and now, a Roswaal who can witness the final timeline of Return by Death through prophecy.
What kind of place is this other world?! This power ceiling is wrong; it's completely over the limit!"
He sighed incessantly, feeling immense pain for his best friend.
If this had been an ordinary fantasy world where modern armies could crush the opposition—without all these flashy, terrifying figures—Hikigaya Hachiman's intellect alone, even without Return by Death, would have surely allowed him to live much more safely than he was now.
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「"Predicting the future?"」
「Roswaal was visibly surprised for a moment. "To make such a guess... I thought you would throw a punch at me immediately. I truly underestimated you."」
「"There will be chances to throw punches at you later, Roswaal." Hikigaya Hachiman shook his head. He was rational; now was not the time for a conflict with Roswaal, even though he felt a stomach full of rage thinking about the various ways Emilia had died. "Answer my question."」
「"Predicting the future, is it? Yes, you could interpret it that way."」
「Roswaal nodded, confirming it: "With that answer, I'm sure you understand many things on your own. There's no need for me to explain in detail."」
「"Then, what about Frederica?"」
「Since the cards were on the table, Hikigaya Hachiman had no more reservations. He wanted to understand Roswaal and everything surrounding him, so he asked directly: "Is Frederica loyal to you? Did you give her any special instructions because of the prophecy?"」
「Roswaal made a clicking sound of admiration.」
「He hadn't intended to bring up Frederica, but since Hachiman had keenly initiated the topic, there was nothing to hide.」
「"Frederica is indeed loyal to me. You needn't worry about her being an outsider's spy. As for special instructions, there are none left. If there's a place you wish to use her, she is likely someone you can trust more than Ram."」
「Roswaal's words could not be fully trusted.」
「Hachiman could not and would not trust a man who allowed Emilia to die multiple times for the sake of a prophecy, a man who might intend for a "better outcome" but cared nothing for the costs paid along the way.」
「Of course, that didn't stop him from asking two final questions.」
「"Is your confession of everything to me also dictated by the prophecy?"」
「"—"」
「Roswaal paused, then shook his head.」
「"Then, one last confirmation, Roswaal." Hikigaya Hachiman stared intently at the man who had removed his clown makeup. Based on Roswaal's answer, he would choose to remain a monster of logic or dive straight into emotion. "Was Rem's death within your prophecy?"」
「"Rem...?"」
「Roswaal furrowed his brows, then had a sudden realization. "I see, the sister of Ram you mentioned—no, I did not foresee her death. She is not yet qualified to stand upon the stage of prophecy. If you are very sad, I could offer an apology, though it seems you do not need one."」
「Without Crusch's Divine Protection to detect lies or Puck's ability to sense moods, Hikigaya Hachiman could only use his heart to observe and feel. Through deductive details, he concluded that Roswaal was not lying.」
「And it was logical... precisely because of this form of future sight, things had happened as they did back in the Royal Capital...」
「"Your expression just now was truly terrifying, Hachiman-kun. That murderous aura... even the most battle-hardened soldier couldn't compare."」
「Roswaal watched Hikigaya Hachiman as he turned to leave. Suddenly, he felt a bit relieved... Hachiman's willingness to turn hostile suggested that, in his heart, Rem might be more important than Emilia. That could not be allowed. In Hikigaya Hachiman's heart, Emilia must be first; only then would things not deviate from the Gospel's instructions.」
「"Fortunately, fortunately. Fortunately, you are already dead... hm... though it seems you aren't 'thoroughly' dead yet..."」
「But it didn't matter.」
「Regardless, his heart-breaking chess match was already set. According to the habits of that escaped Bowel Hunter, everyone in the mansion would surely have their bellies sliced open—even if that Rem was already spiritually dead.」
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Roswaal's inner thoughts could not be known even with a "God's eye view."
However, even though they could only see his expressions and hear his mutterings, Roswaal's attitude—his joy at Rem's "death"—was enough to cause profound revulsion and deep hatred.
"Master Roswaal."
A cold glint flashed through Ram's eyes. She respected Roswaal immensely. But compared to her sister Rem, nothing in the world was worth mentioning.
"If you say such things again, even if it is Master Roswaal, Ram will not forgive you."
Variables of the Jailbreak
「Ryuzu Birma.」
「She is a figurehead of the Sanctuary with a status even higher than Garfiel's.」
「She has long pink hair and looks about the same size as Betty. When she speaks, she refers to herself as "this old one," calls Garfiel "Garf," and even addresses Hikigaya Hachiman as "Hachi-kun." She seems to have lived for a very long time.」
「After his showdown with Roswaal, Hikigaya Hachiman spoke with Granny Ryuzu to understand the current situation of the Sanctuary residents and the villagers. It appeared they had integrated well and were getting along quite nicely.」
「The villagers no longer discriminate even against the legendary "Half-Witch," so naturally, they don't reject demi-humans. Furthermore, having survived the Mabeast invasion, their courage has grown. People with courage gain recognition no matter where they are.」
「Unfortunately, because Roswaal is also trapped here and the Witch Cult's invasion left the outside world in a state of ruin, no food or supplies have been sent to the Sanctuary. It is becoming difficult to support so many mouths.」
「"In other words, you want me to escort the villagers out first?" Hikigaya Hachiman was actually a bit reluctant. Logically speaking, the villagers were extremely useful; with them whispering in the ears of the Sanctuary residents, even if Emilia failed the trials repeatedly, her reputation wouldn't drop too much.」
「"Since it is a request from Granny Ryuzu, whom even Garfiel respects, please rest assured. I will handle it tomorrow."」
「With one sentence, he complimented two people. Showing off his social finesse for the first time in a while, Hachiman instantly boosted Garfiel's favorability toward him significantly.」
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"Heh, see that? Even he recognizes this Great Self as a talent!"
In the Sanctuary, Garfiel grinned. Being valued by a man he himself respected felt much better than just boasting.
"That's right, that's right, that's how it should be—this Great Self should have more screen time. Women and romance... how can they be more interesting than my charisma? Unless it's Ram, of course."
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「The shot of Garfiel flashed by.」
「He was a combat asset Hachiman valued highly, but there was no rush to recruit him yet; it could be done slowly. The urgent priority was dealing with the barrier.」
「On this day, Emilia failed the trial once again.」
「Waiting outside the tomb, Hikigaya Hachiman could hear Emilia's crying from within. But he didn't rush in like he had the day before, because the crying was gradually decreasing in volume and frequency.」
「By the time Emilia stumbled out leaning against the wall, she had already wiped her own tears. She even managed a very forced smile, saying with a slight sob: "Sorry... I failed again."」
「Something had sparked growth in her, but compared to last time, Emilia had clearly made progress. However... this progress wasn't enough—not enough for her to face her past head-on.」
「"I won't give up," Emilia said. She was still terrified, yet she didn't shrink back, as if she were forcing herself forward for the sake of something. "Tomorrow, the day after... I will definitely, definitely pass the trial and break the barrier. Hey, Hachiman, can you believe in me?"」
「"...I believe in you."」
「It was a bit eerie... If Emilia truly wanted to take the initiative, Hachiman would naturally support her with both hands. But something felt off... the way she felt now was like someone being forced by a tiger to chase after a lion.」
「"However, you should take a good rest tomorrow, Emilia."」
「Hikigaya Hachiman shook his head slightly. "Tomorrow, I need to escort the villagers back with Otto. While I'm at it, I'll return to the mansion and instruct Frederica to organize a transport team to bring food here."」
「Buying people's hearts. Food and money are always the most practical methods.」
「"Eh?"」
「Emilia looked at Hikigaya Hachiman with reluctance, but she couldn't bring herself to say something as selfish as asking him to dump all the work on Otto just to stay here with her.」
「...She also noticed it: her subconscious felt a sense of relief, a feeling that almost celebrated Hachiman's departure because it meant she wouldn't have to force herself just to avoid disappointing him. That thought made Emilia shudder.」
「Hikigaya Hachiman did not notice this tiny, almost non-existent detail.」
「His keen observation was used for dissecting enemies, not for constantly monitoring his closest companion. Toward Emilia, Hachiman's current mindset was one of absolute trust; toward the Emilia who had comforted him in that manner, he held absolute faith.」
「Before setting off with the residents and Otto on ground dragons, Hachiman went to see Roswaal again, hoping to learn if there would be any milestone results for Emilia's trial.」
「Roswaal was completely unable to answer; he knew nothing.」
「"It's not that you get whatever prophecy you want to foresee, but rather, because you receive a prophecy, you are able to foresee it... is that it?"」
「Upon leaving the Sanctuary, Hachiman and Otto split up. Otto led the villagers back to the village, while Hachiman rode his ground dragon alone back to the Roswaal mansion.」
「Roswaal had said Frederica could be trusted. Although that man's words couldn't be fully believed, there was no reason to lie about such a small matter, so Hachiman wasn't worried about his safety.」
「At least, that's what he thought before reaching the mansion.」
「But when he pushed open the front doors, entered the parlor, and called out the names of Frederica and Petra only to receive no response, Hachiman's expression changed instantly. Not coming to greet him could be understood as the mansion being too large and the work too overwhelming, or perhaps they were cooking or tending to Rem.」
「But if there was no response at all, something was definitely wrong!」
「Sensing danger in the silent air, Hikigaya Hachiman didn't hesitate and immediately turned to escape.」
「The moment he attempted to do so, his danger senses—sharpened by multiple deaths—keenly stopped such a foolish move. The sound of a cold weapon slicing through the air came from behind, forcing his legs to kick off powerfully mid-motion, leaping forward to dodge the sudden attack.」
「His clothes were sliced open, and a wound oozing blood was carved into his skin and flesh. If he hadn't happened to be in motion, he wouldn't have been able to dodge it entirely. That single attack alone would have been enough to kill him.」
「Hachiman remembered this style of injury vividly; it was how he had died for the very first time in his life.」
「"The Bowel Hunter, Elsa Granhiert!!"」
「With a tone full of shock, Hikigaya Hachiman drew his sword the moment he turned around. Fully concentrated, he looked up and saw that all-too-familiar killer entering his field of vision.」
Hikigaya Hachiman on His Knees
"What's happening?!"
Shirogane Kei was so startled she panicked. The Bowel Hunter's first appearance had resulted in four people having their stomachs sliced open in a row; it was a bloody scene that had terrified most people back then.
This wasn't some piece of fiction; the visceral, bloody impact of actual death became more terrifying the more one thought about it.
"Isn't she supposed to be locked up in the Royal Capital's prison? Why is she appearing here?!"
Shirogane Miyuki was also shocked, but he was smarter and bolder than his sister. He quickly deduced the truth based on the existing conditions: "Reinhard isn't in the capital, and Crusch's camp is in a state of utter chaos, unable to look after themselves. The chaos caused by the Sin Archbishop's attack on Crusch would definitely terrify the Council of Sages, leading them to reassign a large number of guards to bolster the city gates and defense.
At the same time, a high-value prisoner like Petelgeuse surely requires significant manpower to guard. Amidst all these shifts, if the Bowel Hunter had been behaving herself since her imprisonment, it's highly possible they reduced the manpower watching her. Escaping by taking advantage of that isn't impossible.
The problem is, why does she haunt him like a ghost and come all the way to Roswaal's mansion? She likely even killed Frederica and Petra. Is it for revenge? Or—"
「"Or did that employer who hired you to steal Emilia's insignia issue a new task?"」
「Hikigaya Hachiman figured out the cause and effect of the Bowel Hunter's successful jailbreak within seconds. Based on his brief conversation with Elsa at the prison before the White Whale hunt, he didn't believe this woman was here purely for revenge; she didn't seem like that type of person.」
「"Oh my, didn't I say back at the prison? I won't reveal any information about my employer. Even adding more money won't work."」
「Elsa licked her kukri like a coiled venomous snake. She scanned the tense Hikigaya Hachiman, her eyes flickering with excitement: "Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful—you are the first person to ever put me in prison. I truly want to slice open your stomach and see just how beautiful it is. I've endured for so long, ah, the wait has been truly excruciating."」
「Employer? There was no need to ask; Hikigaya Hachiman had long since realized that employer's identity... For now, his only thoughts were how to save people and how to stay alive.」
「"Frederica—where is the maid of this house!"」
「"Oh, Frederica? I'm not sure which one you mean, but I've already dealt with those two, the big one and the small one. No one will come to interfere with us."」
「The big one and the small one... Although he felt terrible for Frederica and Petra, and truly felt anger and sorrow for them, Hachiman felt a sincere wave of relief when he heard that Rem hadn't been discovered yet.」
「But he immediately lost even that much leeway.」
「Elsa was like an arrow shot from a bow; her legs were agile and swift, her speed dazzling. Hachiman's vision was stuck on where she was a second ago, while in reality, she had already leaped elsewhere. Hachiman could only track her movement by focusing his gaze on the chilling glint reflected off her two kukris—blades that had killed countless people—in the dark of the night.」
「The clanging of cold weapons clashing rang out countless times in the air.」
「Within less than a minute of engagement, Hachiman's cheeks, arms, and back were covered in wounds that cut deep into his flesh.」
「These weren't caused by Elsa directly; he had caused them himself by using those parts of his body to block attacks his sword couldn't reach in time.」
「Every one of Elsa's attacks was aimed at his abdomen to slice his bowels open. Given these predictable attacks, Hachiman barely managed to parry using other parts of his body.」
「Elsa was playing with him, slaughtering him for sport. Although his strength had improved significantly, a professional assassin specializing in human opponents like Elsa could likely kill him within ten moves if she wished. There was no reason for a stalemate. She was intentionally targeting only his stomach, allowing him to predict her.」
「Gasping for breath, Hikigaya Hachiman retreated as he fought, following a premeditated plan. He had already lost a massive amount of blood, but he didn't think he was dead yet... As he retreated near a door, he used the Yin Magic 'Shamak' taught by Puck. He opened the door, went inside, and closed it—all in one fluid motion, so fast that Elsa, her vision obscured by the Shamak, was momentarily stunned—and then she lost track of Hikigaya Hachiman.」
「Inside the Forbidden Library, Beatrice held a book and looked expressionlessly at the blood-covered Hikigaya Hachiman.」
「"So, you really are still alive... Beatrice."」
「Hikigaya Hachiman gritted his teeth. It was impossible for him not to feel sorrow over Beatrice's refusal to save Petra and Frederica, but there was no time to discuss that now. "Beatrice, kill Elsa... help me kill her! Help me!"」
「If Elsa found he had vanished, she would surely open every room to check. If that happened, she might discover Rem at any moment—he had exposed Beatrice to pull in reinforcements, not to put Rem in danger.」
「Beatrice remained silent for a few seconds. In a trembling, cold voice, she said: "...Betty has no reason to do such a thing. Those outsiders have nothing to do with Betty."」
「"If you need a reason, didn't you also save me without a reason!"」
「"Betty didn't save you! You barged in yourself! And you don't even—"」
「"—!!!"」
「Beatrice stopped abruptly, her pupils shrinking. She could no longer maintain her expressionless mask. She looked on, dumbfounded and utterly shocked, at Hikigaya Hachiman—at Hikigaya Hachiman who was kneeling before her.」
「"Help me, Beatrice! I beg you, at least, at least save Rem!!—Just save Rem and that's enough, I'll figure out something about Elsa myself, I beg you! I'm begging you to help me, Beatrice!!"」
「Hachiman's knees had already been sliced by Elsa earlier; the pain stimulated his nerves every second.」
「But he still knelt. Even if it worsened the pain and the wounds, he knelt without hesitation—he shouted until his voice was hoarse, discarding his dignity, kneeling for the first time in this world without a moment's doubt.」
「"—I beg you, help me save Rem, Beatrice!!"」
「"I—I understand—"」
「Beatrice, who seemed to be acting cold or throwing a tantrum for some reason, and who was taking her anger out on Hachiman, deeply felt the resolve of the man before her. She realized just how important that little maid was to the current Hikigaya Hachiman—」
「But just as she was about to agree, her face turned pale. She didn't dare look at Hachiman. Her mouth hung open. "No—wrong! It's—it's gone... It's already gone—"」
「She was so ashamed she couldn't even speak clearly.」
「However, her meaning was transmitted accurately to Hachiman's ears, and into Hachiman's heart.」
「Kneeling on both knees, Hikigaya Hachiman...」
「Began to shed a torrent of tears.」
Sanctuary, the First Death
"Damn it!"
At this moment, Reinhard could no longer maintain his gentle demeanor. He clenched his fists, one hand gripping the Dragon Sword with a death grip, his face filled with rage and self-reproach.
His future self had once promised Hikigaya Hachiman that he would keep Elsa securely imprisoned. But the reality now was that Elsa had not only escaped, but her escape had forced his best friend to kneel without dignity—and even then, he had failed to save the life of the person he cherished.
"What on earth have I done!
Elsa Granhiert!!"
Everyone in the Royal Capital could feel the wrath and remorse emanating from the Sword Saint. That soaring intent to kill carried a lethal determination directed solely at the Bowel Hunter.
The White Whale, the Witch Cult... none of the previous enemies had managed to provoke Reinhard to this extent.
Reinhard was far from the only one harboring a murderous intent toward Elsa.
At the Karsten estate, Crusch's expression was grim. She had unconsciously crushed the armrest of her chair, her fury no less than Reinhard's: "Lord Hachiman..."
At this moment, even Elsa herself, lurking in the shadows, couldn't help but frown. To taste Hikigaya Hachiman's bowels—that, she agreed with. However... seeing this man kneel and beg was absolutely not what she wanted to see.
Wanting to kill Hikigaya Hachiman did not equate to hating him, nor did it mean wanting to see him humiliated.
On the contrary, driving Hachiman to the brink and watching him resist with his dignity intact until the very end—that was the ultimate pleasure. In this situation, even though she was the culprit and the killer, she felt no joy.
--
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"It's too cruel. This reality is too cruel."
Miyuki Shirogane turned his head away, unable to bear watching any longer. Hikigaya Hachiman's ability to discard his dignity for Rem—this sincerity of truly giving everything for those he valued—should have received the world's applause. And yet...
Rem was dead.
How ironic. Discarding dignity to kneel and beg only resulted in Rem's death.
"..."
Though she knew everything was the responsibility of Elsa and her employer, a fuming Shirogane Kei glared fiercely at Beatrice on the screen. She couldn't help but vent her anger, blaming Beatrice for not providing timely rescue.
"Puck is the same, Roswaal is the same, and Beatrice is the same! They're all traitors! None of them have good intentions toward Hikigaya-senpai! They just keep causing trouble!!"
Miyuki Shirogane looked at his emotionally overwhelmed sister and sighed. He wanted to remind Kei that Rem had technically been an "insider threat" at the very beginning... but Rem had long since redeemed her mistakes through her subsequent actions.
"It's truly too difficult, Hikigaya-kun."
In the courtyard of the Roswaal mansion, Rem's face was as cold as frost. She looked at her sister and said nothing, but the twins were in perfect sync; Ram nodded heavily.
Making her future sister die, making her future brother-in-law kneel, and causing her current sister's mental state to collapse.
No more words were needed. Even if they had to hunt her to the ends of the earth, Ram and Rem would make sure Elsa Granhiert was wiped from existence!
As for the Beatrice who stood by and watched...
Ram glanced toward the mansion. She saw Beatrice standing by the window near the Forbidden Library entrance, her face pale as she stared at the sky.
While there was a slight instinctive resentment, Rem would not agree with it, and Hikigaya Hachiman would not agree with it either.
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「Hikigaya Hachiman endured a heartache that felt like being cut by a thousand blades. Realizing the fact that Rem was dead, he instead found the clarity to observe Beatrice and think about the reason for her strange behavior.」
「Rem, and Emilia.」
「Only these two—he would absolutely not let them die. So even if it meant abusing 'Return by Death' in a way that seemed to despise death, even if it seemed like he was devaluing human life or disrespecting the world, he was definitely going to commit suicide this time.」
「To be able to persuade Beatrice to help in the next loop, he had to at least find out the specific reason for her behavior before he died.」
「"No, I—I—That's right, the Gospel, the Gospel... Yes, the Gospel gave no instructions! It was right that I didn't save her just now; what I did was logical! Mother didn't tell me to save her!!"」
「A panicked Beatrice fumbled through the book in her arms with trembling hands. Upon seeing the contents of the pages, she looked as if she had found salvation; her daze and guilt gradually faded, replaced by a sense of self-justification. She even attempted to use this argument to convince Hachiman.」
「Hachiman's throat tightened... He saw it clearly. If one looked closely, wasn't the book in Beatrice's arms almost identical to Petelgeuse's Gospel?」
「According to rumors and Petelgeuse's behavior, the Gospel would display text that functioned as either a prophecy of the future or a set of required tasks. Members of the Witch Cult would act according to the "gospel" shown in the book.」
「"You too? Beatrice... are you also someone who acts according to a Gospel?"」
「"Don't ask Betty—don't ask Betty!! Don't talk to Betty! Don't come near Betty! Don't beg Betty! No, no no no—No, NO!! Humans, humans, you're just a human—!!"」
「Watching Hikigaya Hachiman slowly approach her, Beatrice flipped the pages faster and faster. she looked at the pages in terror, as if seeking some comfort, but the more she flipped, the more panicked she became. She couldn't find the solace she wanted.」
「Dragging his broken body, Hachiman moved step by step, staining the floor with blood along the way. His hand touched the Gospel.」
「Beatrice looked up in terror. She wanted to snatch the book back, she wanted to drive Hachiman away, but she did nothing.」
「Hikigaya Hachiman snatched the Gospel with trembling hands, and for a moment, he was stunned. The Gospel was completely empty—blank. There were no instructions, no so-called "gospel." He wondered if it was simply that he couldn't see it.」
「"It's been... a long time." Beatrice's voice, relieved yet filled with sorrow, denied his thought. "A long, long time... Since a long time ago, no instructions have ever appeared in the book again."」
「Beatrice lowered her head, her fists clenched, her trembling hands resting on her knees. At this point, she was finally... going to confess, to welcome the final day. It didn't matter if there was no Gospel. If it was Hikigaya Hachiman, if it was him—」
「"—"」
「Beatrice, about to look up and speak, froze... Hachiman's body slumped against her, his breathing fading away.」
「A kukri had pierced through his back and out his chest, taking his life.」
「The silent assassin who had entered the room at some unknown point—the Bowel Hunter, Elsa Granhiert.」
A Riddler Enduring the Agony of Dealing with a Riddler
Already, she could no longer think.
Betty stared blankly at that future. She watched her selfish self—because of her own pain, her stubbornness, her long-held wish, and her confusion—act like someone knocking over a tower of blocks, layer upon layer, letting Rem die, forcing Hikigaya Hachiman to his knees, and allowing the Bowel Hunter to succeed in her revenge.
Standing by and watching people die... it wasn't the first time. But this time was completely different.
"It should be you... it's definitely you—didn't Mother receive you twice in a row? Wasn't Mother full of interest in you? Didn't Mother grant you whatever you sought? —Why, why... in the book, why... is there... nothing..."
"Tell me... Mother... what on earth have I done..."
Why. Why wouldn't the Gospel show anything? Why wasn't he "That Person"? Why was she so paralyzed without the Gospel that she couldn't even respond to his plea for help in time?
"..."
Beatrice held out the blank Gospel. She looked tremblingly at this book that had brought her far too much pain... but in the end, she still couldn't bring herself to do anything to it.
"Mother, what exactly are you thinking... Betty, Betty wants... Betty really wants him to be 'That Person'!"
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「"I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you."」
「With every Return by Death, Satella's whispers followed. For some reason, this time they seemed exceptionally close and clear, as if she were physically drawing nearer.」
「"—"」
「Hikigaya Hachiman snapped his eyes open. The stone ceiling entered his vision.」
「"Is this... right when the trial ended?"」
「It was a point in time where everything could still be salvaged. The tightness in Hachiman's heart loosened slightly, but before he could categorize and organize the chaotic reality in his head, the low, pained voice of Emilia lying on the ground beside him reached his ears.」
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"Don't let it be like this, please, Hachiman, don't die again this time, I'm really begging you, uugh..."
Emilia was a mess, overwhelmed by Beatrice standing by, the reappearance of the Bowel Hunter, and the outrageous future of Hikigaya Hachiman kneeling to beg for help.
She was so shocked she didn't even have time for sorrow before she saw her weak, weeping future self repeat that performance once again. This sense of shame was far stronger than anything Anastasia had felt.
Emilia had already donned the cat-eared magical cloak Roswaal gave her to become inconspicuous. she stealthily hid in a deserted street corner, squatting down and clutching her head.
Puck, however, didn't think there was any need to hide... the only one feeling ashamed was his simple-minded daughter.
Even though she was crying, Lia's exquisite beauty combined with her weeping would only stimulate others' protective instincts. Because Lia was so beautiful, crying didn't make her look ugly; instead, it added a different kind of charm she didn't usually have.
As long as one cast aside the "Half-Witch" lens, no one could hate a Lia this cute. In contrast, he cared more about another matter.
"Four hundred years of long waiting... have you finally made up your mind and refused to wait any longer, Betty?"
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「Comforting, guarding.」
「Having already experienced this once, Hikigaya Hachiman moved with practiced ease. He watched over the sleeping Emilia by the bed until the early hours of the morning. Then, in a weary voice:」
「"Puck, let's talk." He said, "Tell me about Beatrice—her past, her trauma, and why she has a Gospel held by the Witch Cult."」
「The gemstone housing Puck flickered. He paused, his voice sounding particularly surprised: "You're asking about Betty at a time like this?... If I didn't know how much you care for Lia, I'd almost suspect you were a different person."」
「"I will take good care of Emilia, but first, tell me about Beatrice."」
「"Hmm... how should I put it? I do know some things, but since you are already able to ask me these things, it proves she has already made a decision—ask her yourself, Hachiman. It's best if she tells you these things personally. Now that she's made up her mind, she won't refuse your questions."」
「Puck spoke evasively. It wasn't that he was intentionally hiding things, but he truly hoped Beatrice would pour her heart out to Hachiman herself. That way, whether she found 'That Person' or chose death, she could at least vent the pain accumulated over four hundred years before the end; someone would finally know.」
「If she couldn't even do that, it would be far too tragic.」
「"All the answers will be told to you by her. I can only plead with you, Hachiman... I hope you can be her 'That Person'."」
「Not just for Beatrice's sake, but for his own daughter's as well.」
.
.
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"Talking to riddlers is truly painful."
Hikigaya Hachiman sighed. He remembered the half-year he spent in the Service Club where he and Yukinoshita had been riddlers all along.
He couldn't help but glance at the girl beside him; Yukinoshita looked back in sync, and the two shared a wry smile.
Among those watching the future, Hikigaya Hachiman was currently the most relaxed one.
In the previous displays, "Hikigaya Hachiman" had always projected the image of a tough, manly man. Although Japanese people kneeling (dogeza) is relatively low-burden culturally, given his manly image, many people felt the world was collapsing when they saw him kneel; it felt incredibly grave.
However, only he himself understood... the person named Hikigaya Hachiman was not nearly as "righteous" as others believed. If he needed to discard his pride and dignity to reach a goal, he wasn't unwilling; he could even do it proactively.
It had always been this way.
If he had knelt to Elsa, perhaps he would have felt bad. But since the recipient was Beatrice, whether it was his current self or his future self, he certainly wouldn't feel he had lost anything.
He didn't resent Puck, either. Puck loved Emilia most and was the most trustworthy; as long as he understood that, even if Puck's actions had some flaws or "traitorous" tendencies, they were forgivable.
But others were far from having Hikigaya Hachiman's broad capacity for tolerance.
"I'm tired, just let it all burn."
Ichika Nakano shook her head repeatedly. "If I were Hikigaya-kun, I'd just step onto the stage myself, break the three trials, and then fly away with Emilia and Rem. To hell with the royal selection, the mansion, Roswaal, and Betty."
Yotsuba's bunny ribbon hopped. "Eh, is that possible? Emilia wouldn't agree, right?"
"She might not at first, but if Hikigaya-kun were just a bit firmer—as long as Puck didn't object—Emilia would definitely be a good girl and listen.
But, he just won't do that."
Ichika spread her hands. That's why he's Hikigaya Hachiman.
There Is Only One Truth
「Puck stubbornly refused to reveal Beatrice's exact condition, but he did inform Hikigaya Hachiman of what could be told.」
「For instance, the Gospels held by the Witch Cultists are merely low-grade, degraded versions of the Tome of Wisdom. There are only two high-grade degraded versions remaining in the world, held respectively by Beatrice and Roswaal. The true Tome of Wisdom is held by the Witch of Greed, Echidna—the master of this tomb known as the Sanctuary.」
「In other words, although Beatrice speaks of "Gospels" just like Petelgeuse, she is not a Witch Cultist. On the contrary, if the Witch Cult knew she possessed a high-grade version of the Gospel, they might even come to seize it.」
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"High-grade Gospel? Hmph."
Regulus sneered with contempt. Now that he knew the whereabouts of Echidna's soul, who would care for such a thing? In a few days, when he was in the mood, he would march straight into the Sanctuary and interrogate Echidna to find the location of the true Tome of Wisdom.
Other weak ants might fear a dead person, but he would not. Even if Echidna were in her prime, she would be beneath mention before him, Regulus Corneas.
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「After guarding Emilia until she woke up, Hikigaya Hachiman did not fall asleep like last time... On one hand, he didn't want to lie in Emilia's bed again. Waking up that way left him covered in the faint, natural fragrance innate to Emilia; while it was very comfortable and relieved fatigue, he felt a sense of "half-infidelity," as if he were betraying Rem.」
「On the other hand, forcing himself to stay alert, he intended to have another showdown with Roswaal. He basicially understood some of the doubts he couldn't conclude before, and this caused his dissatisfaction with Roswaal to rise even further.」
「With Roswaal's tacit consent, they sent everyone else away.」
「"—Bam!"」
「A swift punch came out of nowhere. Roswaal, lying on the sickbed, wore an intrigued smile; his hand-to-hand combat skills were not inferior in the slightest, and he blocked Hachiman's fist with lightning-fast reflexes.」
「"Hmph. 'Seriously injured'... quite the 'serious injury,' Roswaal."」
「"Oh—my, your anger toward my passive avoidance of battle has been brewing for a long time. It was expected that you would take a swing at me. However, for someone as rational as you—who held back when first arriving at the Sanctuary—why have you suddenly become so impatient today?"」
「Roswaal's intellect was never inferior to anyone else's. He clicked his tongue: "Is it because you suddenly discovered something else, Hachiman-kun?"」
「"Don't misunderstand, Roswaal." Hikigaya Hachiman withdrew his fist. He didn't feel the slightest frustration at the failed sneak attack; he hadn't expected the punch to land in the first place. "If I truly intended to move against you, the one doing the attacking would be Puck, not me."」
「This was merely a small probe.」
「"I heard everything from Puck regarding the two Tomes of Wisdom. I now understand the reasons behind your actions." Hikigaya Hachiman masked his source of information; while it was difficult for a normal person to imagine a Blessing or Authority like Return by Death, he still had to be cautious.」
「"Roswaal, are your and Beatrice's Tomes of Wisdom truly identical?"」
「"I see, I see. So you've already realized it. The fact that Beatrice's Tome of Wisdom has been blank for four hundred years."」
「To converse and obtain information from Roswaal, one inevitably had to reveal the information they already held. This was a form of equivalent exchange, as Hikigaya Hachiman expected.」
「"However, unlike Beatrice, I have always been receiving 'Gospels' and possessing instructions. You understand, don't you, Hachiman-kun? It is precisely because of this that I engage in the contradictory behavior of recommending Lady Emilia while offering no actual assistance in practice."」
「Mentioning the guidance of the Tome of Wisdom, Roswaal spoke incessantly, his sense of superiority obvious. The scent of his "Genuine Thing" wafted over... that book was the vessel for the man known as Roswaal.」
「However, Hikigaya Hachiman would never acknowledge a "Genuine Thing" that sacrificed others for its own sake.」
「"To be frank, my tolerance for you has been quite high, Roswaal. If you were simply avoiding battle, it's not that I couldn't forgive you."」
「Hachiman's voice silenced the talkative Roswaal, who narrowed his eyes thoughtfully.」
「"The Bowel Hunter, Elsa Granhiert."」
「Hikigaya Hachiman's tone at this moment was incredibly certain as his analysis unfolded: "Her first appearance was in the slums of the Royal Capital, where she hired Felt to steal Emilia's insignia. This was the catalyst for me meeting Emilia, and it also allowed Reinhard to discover that Felt was the fifth candidate, allowing the distant Royal Selection to officially begin smoothly."」
「"I have met all five candidates. Crusch goes without saying. Anastasia has a merchant's mindset, and precisely because of that, she wouldn't steal Emilia's insignia. The haughty Priscilla wouldn't stoop to such low-handed methods. None of this could be Felt's scheme; she doesn't have that level of cunning."」
「"The stubborn old men of the Council of Sages are prejudiced against Emilia, but their very stubbornness is proof they are unrelated. They are the people who most respect and believe in the Divine Dragon; even the most brainless and impulsive counselor would only dare to use Emilia's race as a talking point, never daring to speak of the insubordination required to strip her of her candidacy."」
「"The style of the Witch Cult is enough for me to exclude them from the suspects."」
「"Emilia spends most of her time at the mansion. Excluding those mentioned above, there aren't many people who know her. So, who is the suspect? The villagers who used to hate her? Rem and Ram who were cold to her? Or Beatrice, who imprisons herself in the Forbidden Library all day? Or perhaps, it could be me, a person of unknown origin?"」
「"Ho..." Roswaal truly couldn't help himself.」
「He clapped his hands. "Splendid, splendid... yes, the logic of these deductions is quite sufficient. I imagine even if I were to object, you would be able to produce corresponding evidence."」
「"During the time you and Emilia returned to the mansion, I had already gathered evidence in the Royal Capital. However, I originally thought those pieces of evidence would never see the light of day."」
「Even back then, Hikigaya Hachiman had thoughts of using it for something. But after learning of Roswaal's future prediction and knowing he acted according to a Gospel, he gave up—because he understood.」
「"What seems like a coincidence linking three consequences is no coincidence—there is only one answer, Roswaal."」
「"The employer of the Bowel Hunter, Elsa herself, is you! It was you who hired her to instruct Felt to steal the insignia, and all of this was the Gospel of the Tome of Wisdom. You were acting according to the Gospel, all so that Emilia and I would meet."」
「"As long as one thinks in this direction, the entire chain of logic holds up."」
Answer Me, Roswaal
"This... this, that's right, exactly! Everything is linked together, it's too logical—no, I should say, this is the only possibility!"
In the Classic Literature Club, Fukube Satoshi stared wide-eyed, realization dawning after his initial shock.
Not just him, but Chitanda Eru and Ibara Mayaka also wore expressions of utter disbelief. Only Oreki Houtarou remained calm and unruffled, showing far less agitation than when he had witnessed Beatrice's bystander-like coldness earlier.
"Did Oreki-san deduce this long ago?"
Chitanda Eru turned to look at Houtarou, her magnificent purple eyes sparkling with a mix of excitement and affection for his brilliance.
"Well, the timing of my conclusion wasn't much different from Hikigaya's. It was during the last loop, when I heard Roswaal say he had a means of predicting the future and that avoiding battle was for Emilia's benefit. At that point, the answer was basically right in front of us."
"That's amazing!"
"Yeah..." Unable to handle the praise from Chitanda—who seemed to have no sense of personal space—Houtarou shifted his chair slightly and said seriously, "Actually, it wasn't that difficult. It's just that at the time, you were all focused on a different aspect."
Fukube Satoshi shook his head gloomily.
If the conclusion was reached only after Roswaal claimed he could predict the future and help Emilia by doing nothing, then indeed, it wasn't exceptionally hard. Given enough time, Satoshi could have thought of that himself...
The problem was that both Oreki and Hikigaya Hachiman had suspected Roswaal long before that.
They had locked onto Roswaal as the sole suspect ages ago, but they were hindered by a lack of direct evidence and an understanding of his motive. That was the only reason they had delayed the confrontation.
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"Haah?"
At the same time, far away in the Hoshin Trading Company of the other world, Anastasia let out a sound like a startled duck.
"So when we were in the Royal Capital and he was running around like a madman, doing those confusing things with no apparent profit... it was all because of dual-track operations? This lady thought he had simply forgotten about the Bowel Hunter's employer, especially since Elsa herself was already rotting in prison."
"How reliable... as expected." Anastasia looked at Hachiman Hikigaya with eyes full of admiration.
It wasn't that she was uninterested in the Tome of Wisdom, but it was a relic of the Witch of Greed. The danger was unknown, so she decided to let it go.
"Crusch's eye for talent is truly good. This lady realized it far too late... fortunately, none of this has happened yet. Everyone is at the same starting line now, Crusch, Emilia."
Beside her, Julius stood tall with pride.
Seeing his best friend recognized by his lord made him happier than receiving praise himself... the only issue was that Lady Anastasia's thoughts regarding Hachiman-kun seemed a bit... questionable.
To be honest, he belonged to the faction that hoped Rem would marry Hachiman-kun.
'I am truly sorry, Lady Anastasia. Though I will not stop you, I find it difficult to offer counsel on this particular matter.'
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「Amidst the brilliant deduction, Roswaal remained perfectly composed. "Sophistry is meaningless now. In that case—yes, correct. It was I. The one who hired Elsa was I."」
「Hachiman Hikigaya said with certainty: "The mastermind behind the Mabeast invasion was also you, wasn't it?"」
「"That was a Mabeast User named Meili." Roswaal's answer unraveled another unsolved mystery.」
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"—How can this be?"
On a street corner in the Royal Capital, Emilia staggered. She bit her lower lip and clenched her fists.
"All of this... so much suffering Hachiman endured, dying so many times... it was all Roswaal's arrangement. It was all caused by Roswaal. The culprit is... me? It was for my sake? Is that it?"
"Lia, Lia, calm down!" Puck immediately knew things were bad.
"This isn't your fault. It's all Roswaal. It's Roswaal's responsibility."
"But I..."
"Look, Hachiman himself hasn't held a grudge because of this, nor has he thought about distancing himself from you! Calm down, Lia. If you feel so sorry for him that you want to give up being with him because you think you only bring him trouble, first ask yourself: would Hachiman himself want that?"
Puck hurriedly comforted his daughter, a murderous glint in his eyes.
"I promise you, Lia, this won't happen this time. I will kill Roswaal, or at the very least, shatter his limbs so he can never plot against Hachiman again."
All factors hindering Lia and Hachiman from being together were his enemies.
"But..." Emilia's head drooped, her spirit dampened.
"My meeting with Hachiman was all part of Roswaal's calculations. I didn't have the luck to meet Hachiman on my own... If he had met Crusch from the start, would it have been better for Hachiman—uugh!"
The silver-haired girl, consumed by guilt, was ruthlessly tapped on the head by Puck.
"Lia, listen closely. If you pushed Hachiman to Crusch, ask yourself: would you be willing? Could you be happy?" Puck looked her straight in the eye.
"Whether it was Roswaal's calculation or not, you like him, and he likes you. That is a fact, isn't it?
Matters of the heart cannot be calculated. All Roswaal could do was create the opportunity. The result was actually your own choice.
Now, tell me, Lia. Are you willing to push Hachiman to someone else and be all alone?"
Emilia's fingertips twitched. She hesitated for less than three seconds before shaking her head violently. Thinking about it... was completely unnecessary.
"I... love Hachiman ve~ry much!"
"That's more like it." Puck nodded with satisfaction.
"So, remember: no matter what goes wrong, it's all Roswaal's fault. That's the only truth you need."
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「"Whether it was stealing the insignia or the Mabeast invasion, those were difficulties you proactively added for me... I understand. I can truly understand you, Roswaal. After all, in your view, you were doing it for Emilia's sake. Therefore, I can more or less temper my anger."」
「Hachiman Hikigaya took a deep breath, looking coldly at the mastermind weaving this play. "If it had only been those two times, I truly could have forgiven you."」
「Elsa killed Emilia once, but at the very least, the Mabeast invasion resulted in no additional casualties besides himself.」
「"But three strikes and you're out."」
「Hachiman Hikigaya spoke syllable by syllable. His voice remained calm, but his tone was terrifying. "Why are you hiring Elsa to attack your own mansion again now?"」
「"Answer me, Roswaal."」
Mule, Surrender! You're Surrounded by People Who Want You Dead
「The room fell into a sudden, heavy silence.」
「Roswaal froze for quite a while, then flashed a look of realization. His next words sent a tidal wave through Hikigaya Hachiman's heart: "The information you presented—with your intellect, I believe you derived it through deduction. However... you already know about the mansion being attacked? That is news that requires firsthand experience to obtain."」
「He tilted his head, asking as casually as if inquiring about dinner: "Which time is this for you now, Hachiman-kun?"」
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"The Tome of Wisdom, the Tome of Wisdom—curse that Echidna! Even in death, she's still stirring up trouble!"
Crusch recalled the details and immediately understood how Roswaal knew of Hachiman's power. The one with that ability was Echidna; essentially, Echidna had leaked the information regarding "Return by Death" to Roswaal through that high-end imitation Tome of Wisdom.
"Lord Hachiman's intuition was as accurate as ever. One moment Echidna is hypocritically saying she can answer any question, yet the truth is she had already betrayed Lord Hachiman before he even arrived in this world."
Elsa caused the direct pain, Roswaal was the mastermind behind the scenes, but the ultimate culprit was Echidna.
"A witch is a witch; they've never been any good. Once the future broadcast ends, contact Anastasia and the others to join forces and subjugate the Sanctuary. Bring the Sword Saint Reinhard along—we must grind Echidna's bones to ash and destroy Roswaal's Tome of Wisdom!"
This wasn't just to vent for her Lord Hachiman.
The fact that Echidna and the Tome of Wisdom could perceive and plot around "Return by Death" was bone-chilling. No person in power could tolerate the existence of such a thing.
"..."
Priscilla's contemptuous smirk gradually faded, her thoughts aligning with Crusch's. Even the Peerless Priscilla felt a deep sense of wariness toward Echidna and the Tome.
"Destroy it! Such filthy, unsightly trash must be destroyed! This mistress will never allow anyone to stand above her!"
As for Roswaal, that deep-scheming clown—everyone who had witnessed Hikigaya Hachiman's suffering wanted nothing more than to tear him apart.
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"...So it was you, Lord Roswaal—no, Roswaal."
The eye hidden beneath Ram's pink bangs brimmed with a mounting, murderous intent.
She turned around, gazing coldly toward the distant part of the mansion where Roswaal was looking at the sky. This master she served seemed to be deep in thought at this moment, paying her no mind.
"Ram does not mind sacrificing herself for you, but since you dared to involve Rem, it seems our bond ends here."
Through years of "mana replenishment," her feelings for Roswaal were complex... but no matter how much affection she held, the moment he dared to endanger Rem—the most important person in the world—there was nothing left to say.
"Harm my sister, and we shall settle our accounts later, Roswaal."
Ram snorted and turned back. She wanted to avenge Rem immediately, but unfortunately, with her current strength, she couldn't win against Roswaal... Once Hikigaya Hachiman arrived and they gathered their strength, everything would be settled.
Turning back, Ram managed to stop Rem, whose eyes were bloodshot and was about to rush off to fight Roswaal to avenge her beloved.
"We cannot defeat him now. Do not sacrifice yourself in vain, Rem." Ram shook her head with a headache. Realizing words alone wouldn't stop her sister, she glanced at the light screen in the sky and quickly added, "Rem, Hachiman's future is still unfolding. Do you want to waste time on things unrelated to him? You'll miss seeing him."
This second reason finally brought the enraged Rem back to her senses.
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「"What do you mean, 'which time'?" Hikigaya Hachiman feigned ignorance, a response that made Roswaal chuckle. He reached under his pillow and pulled out his Tome of Wisdom. "There's no need to test me, Hachiman-kun. Let's be blunt: I know. You possess the power to correct the world, to reset the world. You don't need to play dumb and hide it from me."」
「Troublesome... incredibly troublesome. At this moment, Hikigaya Hachiman experienced the feeling of the enemies he had crushed using the information gap of Return by Death. Roswaal, having "cheated" by making moves early, possessed far more information than he did.」
「"Looking at your eyes, you seem very confused. Do you not understand my reason for arranging Elsa's attack on the mansion?" Roswaal smiled. "I see, it seems this is only the second time."」
「"The theft of the insignia, the Mabeast invasion, the avoidance of the Witch Cult—every one of your plots was designed to reach that 'perfect result' shown in the Tome of Wisdom."」
「Hikigaya Hachiman frowned. "But what is the purpose this time? Could Elsa's invasion possibly improve my relationship with Frederica or Beatrice? Those two things don't need Elsa to facilitate them."」
「Roswaal clutched the Tome of Wisdom, noncommittal. "Before I answer that, I want to ask you first, Hachiman-kun: what do you plan to do this time?"」
「"If you are willing, I will take Ram and Garfiel with me this time." Hachiman didn't mention what his plan was "if he wasn't willing."」
「"Hmm~ a very good plan. If you can convince Garfiel, it would be enough to at least clear the danger at the mansion."」
「"Are you trying to tell me that because of the Tome's instructions, you haven't just planted a death trap at the mansion, but have also self-righteously tampered with something elsewhere? Is it the Sanctuary?"」
「Hikigaya Hachiman knew it was already too late... Just like with Elsa, since Roswaal had the confidence to speak of it, the pieces were likely already in place.」
「However, being too late this time didn't mean it would be too late in the future.」
「Staring at the book in Roswaal's arms, Hachiman narrowed his eyes... Sooner or later, he would burn that book to cinders to prevent Roswaal from doing any more "helpful" stupid things. Whether or not they could eventually reach the "perfect ending" the Gospel promised, Hachiman could not tolerate the deaths of others in the loops in between.」
「If it weren't for the fact that Ram was currently on Roswaal's side, they were in the Sanctuary, and Roswaal understood Garfiel and the others better—making too many factors unstable—he truly wanted to strike right then and have a real fight with Roswaal.」
「"I know what you're thinking, Hachiman-kun. You are a clever man just like me, and clever people always have the most misgivings. I specifically created this current situation to bind you."」
「Roswaal laughed. "Once you've settled things at the mansion, please hurry back to the Sanctuary. There's a good show waiting—though, I'm actually not optimistic that you can resolve the mansion this time. After all, this is only your second try."」