AN: My longest chapter by far, so it took me awhile. So I hope everyone enjoys it, we are nearing the end of Arc Five with a few more chapters left.

AN FUN FACTS: Well...song title this time is from Greg Kihn Band, so there's that.

Also a certain Ma-Beast this chapter has the same roar as the monster from the film Python. ENJOY.

ARC Five: Trials of the Sanctuary

Chapter Forty: Jeopardy

Ram aims her wand at Garfiel, who continued to roar his frustrations at her.

Whistling wind turns to blades, blades tear toward the entity standing in their eye, and as they burst, they splay their destruction in every which direction.

"Fula!"

"Ghhk!?"

Garfiel yells as he meets the oncoming wind blades head-on. He drives his heel into the earth, caving the ground in beneath him, his foot the axle for a rectangular section of earth to slant upwards and spring into the air. The wind blades surging in from below strike the ground, annihilating the earth's face before dispersing.

Ram swing her wand again and fires another powerful wind slice at Garfiel. He had to decide on what to do if he was going to survive. Run? Duck? No, he decided on something else entirely.

"Fucking 'round with me!"

Roaring, Garfiel slams his palms to catch the point of the invisible sword flat between his hands. While it may look like he has stopped the sword, when practising this move upon an incorporeal and invisible blade, the action would amount to no defence. But, even being a blade of wind, the thing certainly did exist. Garfiel's palms as they slam down disrupt the sword's edge, and his skin which would have been torn to shreds instead gets away with only a laceration.

His launching kick aims for Ram's abdomen, her having just made touchdown. Garfiel's foot drills through the air, practically enough to break through boulders—but it will not strike Ram, who stoops her posture down low to dodge.

"Your feet stopped touching the ground."

Immediately following this whisper as it grazes past his ear, a heel slammed down from above sends Garfiel plummeting toward the ground.

This offbeat attack came from Ram, who dove out of her post-swing stance, launching herself and her leg out forward while rotating on the vertical.

Midair and unable to neutralize the attack, Garfiel immediately draws his arms up to protect himself. His bones creak as he is shunted away, ricocheting off the earth to crash to a stop against a tree-trunk.

Confirming the damage on Garfiel, Ram gives a small sigh. She directs her gaze to Otto, him having watched the surprise attack from behind.

"I already anticipated this, but it truly is difficult to lay eyes on you, with how graceless you look."

"Spoken to someone who put all their heart and soul into fighting, that opinion surely has to be unjustified..."

"All that everything is is the results. Did your efforts succeed, or not succeed? The process to reach the result is secondary... and so I will say it again. You look so graceless it is difficult to lay eyes on you."

"Ugh, she's merciless, truly. ...This is exactly who Natsuki-san described."

The two's small banter ended when Ram questioned him on why he didn't try his best to get rid of Garfiel's other skill.

"It seems you didn't remove Garf's EARTHSOUL BLESSING." Otto: "Earthsoul... pardon?" Ram gives a small sigh. She shakes her head in astonishment, looks down at the confused Otto with a gaze of absolute disdain, and sighed again.

"How much disappointment are you going to show? Since I have to say that this does hurt!"

"Garf's Divine Protection of Earth Soul, literally means a blessing where he receives the blessings of the earth. Provided that his foot is touching the ground, a powerful aegis of dirt encases his body...And even were it not, earth magic's affinity here is abysmal. Your ace was an Al-class spell, and then it just had to be Dona..."

Putting her hand to her forehead, Ram closes her eyes as she looks down.

"Your luck is so poor, I cannot even feel sympathetic."

"So my misfortune detonated again even at this juncture, terrifying! Or actually, if you were aware of this beforehand, Ram-san, don't you think you would have contributed notably more to the effort if you had just informed me!?"

"Ram-sama, surely?"

"Why is it that everyone has to try kicking me down to the absolute lowest stratum!?"

Ignoring Otto as he raves, Ram swishes the tip of her wand as she heads out to deal with Garfiel.

"...Goddamn swear. Really truly a merciless lady, you are."

Unfathomable quantities of blood pour from Garfiel, but he easily flits to his feet in a manner that suggests no great fatigue or damages. Everything the windblade and storm had done to him was entirely superficial.

"Say, Ram. Why're you teamin' up with him? What's gone'n made y'do that?"

Ram closed her eyes. In a rare moment for her, Ram's lips gean to tremble a bit. Garfiel's eyes widen, but Ram's expression disperses like mist after only an instant.

"I... I am acting in the way I believe most meaningful in regards to my wish. That's all."

"Yer wish... that is?"

"Naturally, the fulfilment of Roswaal-sama's deepest desire. And nothing else."

Wailing, Otto taxes his shaking legs as he manages to stand. His body sways dizzily, the nosebleed finally over. Standing up obviously did not make him quantifiable as any combat force. But seeing how Otto's will to fight has failed to wane, Garfiel gives an annoyed snort.

"Y'goddamn... was pretty sure our last bout told yer full well there's nothin' y'can do. Ain't you seen how damn lively my amazin' self is after ya used yer ace? Be a loser 'bout givin' up and it makes yer less of a man, oi."

"Unfortunately, I do not ever remember forfeiting my deviousness to any degree that would allow me to accept surrender. I'll strive to be bankrupt; if I still have a body, I can still run. Or at least that's what I imagine my friend would say here, right as he'd move to start running."

Garfiel clicks his tongue at Otto's word: FRIEND.

"How can yer trust so much in that all-talk asshole? He ain't got any real power. No ability either. He can get his tongue working, n' that's goddamn it. 'S a guy like that any bastard worth helpin', huh? Can't do anythin' without that costumed fucker aroun' him!"

"Worth, really does invite question. Presently Natsuki-san may lack it."

"...eh?"

"But the future will be different."

Garfiel tilts his head at the unexpected reply, while Otto's grin intensifies. He had exhausted his stamina and had spent himself on much labour for his tactics, but ignoring the nigh absolute absence of hope, Otto speaks with not a speck of unease.

"It's because I am a merchant. I don't think it sounds such a bad deal, to try placing an investment in someone liable to greatly benefit me in the future. You see, I feel that with Natsuki- san... just maybe and just possibly, he might perpetrate something huge. Not just him, Batman-dono is like a something out of a fairy tail, a knight which none of us have even seen before, a hero. Those two, in the future, will be bring about something grand."

Hearing this, Ram gives a bored sigh.

"Honestly, I cannot tell whether there's anything about Barusu that'd merit that impression. That he's weak, useless, cannot brew a proper cup of tea and incompetent is something on which I agree with Garf."

"Overstatements are... perhaps not the case here."

"But Barusu is a man with strangely good timing when it matters."

The men tilt their heads and ask, "Timing?". Ram nods.

"Timing. A man of only good timeliness, that is what Barusu is. Let alone what Batman-dono can do to make up for it."

Subaru was a man who is ordinarily useless, and you have no idea what role he could possibly serve-but nevertheless the character named Natsuki Subaru had a mysterious propensity to be at the places you wanted him in, at the times you wanted him there.

When Emilia strayed away from Ram at the Capital, Subaru protected her in Ram's place. Wounded, he was taken to the mansion, and there came the ruckus with the witchbeasts.

This again concluded in Subaru saving both the village and the children, and he participated in exterminating the beasts. He was not the contributor of the greatest services, but his presence truly did help.

When the camp ventured to Dunharrow, Subaru gave the most valuable information of Scarecrow's presence and they were able to coordinate a plan to save the village from utter devastation

When Emilia returned from the Capital and entrusted the mansion to Ram, and signs of unrest began to spread across the surrounding region, Subaru returned with a military unit in tow and beautifully repelled the danger.

Batman was a man who was the exact opposite of Natsuki Subaru.

His role would be that of some knight in shining armor, the kind in fairy tales and not in reality.

His strength was remarkable, his intellect was exceedingly high and his skills as a fighter seemed almost unmatched. Yet, he never used these skill for himself, not for gain or profit...but for others.

He helped two complete strangers when they were attacked by an assassin.

He helped save an entire town he only stepped foot in a day before from danger.

He helped battle an arch rival in a town he just arrived in, with no intention of payment.

He battled the White Whale and the Witch's Cult, expecting no reward from it.

Yet he would always stand by Natsuki Subaru, as if when those two were together, the impossible would happen.

And so, for Ram…

"It's safe to trust in the goodness of Barusu's timing and Batman-san's skills. Once Barusu thinks he's seen a chance, and acts so with that belief, that remains the only single method to salvage any victory. And once Batman-san returns, then our victory is set in stone...When those two are seeing victory on the horizon, nothing can stand in their way."

Otto smiled at Ram's response, as if he too agreed with her assessment of those two.

"...enough, already."

"...?"

"Ram, tha' hell are you keepin' to yourself, huh?! I see th' way ya' look at tha' costumed freak! Wha' is he ta you?!"

"Batman-san?"

She took her time to think about Batman and the time they lived in the mansion for.

His arrival in the mansion.

His birthday party with them.

His training with Subaru.

His unwillingness to leave Dunharrow to Scarecrow.

His kind actions towards the Irlham Villagers.

His kind actions to her….

To her, Batman was a person she felt she got to know, even in the course of one month. He was a self-less person, who worried only about others and not himself.

Thus...

"Next to my master, Roswaal L. Mathers, Batman is someone I have the utmost respect for. And I can see him as...a friend."

"...Thinking is just a goddamn fuckin' pain-"

Spoken in an exhausted tone, Garfiel mutters. And….

"ROOOOAAAAAAARRRRRRRR!"

Standing before them, was a massive Golden Tiger….it's eyes filled with insurmountable rage.

With a breezy breath out, Ram flits her heels off the ground as she shifts to stand on her toes. Maintaining that posture, she lowers her heels again, then lifts, then lowers, lifts, lowers, commencing some simple leg exercises. Otto furrows his brows at Ram's strange behaviour, tiling his head.

"R-Ram-san? What are you doing?"

"I'm warming up. Quickly loosening my body before I begin. Loathe as I am to admit it, Barusu is correct about this being efficient."

Rage arises in its golden eyes as it raises its forepaw, the thing thicker than Ram's torso, those vicious claws extended. A single strike from these claws, each big as dainty Ram's arms, possessed enough force to instantly transfigure her limbs into clumps of gore with just graze.

"Deplorable, Garf. —Who do you think it is that you're facing?"

Crouching down, Ram bypasses the mighty paw overhead as she speaks to the tiger in commiseration.

"Have you ever beaten me in a fistfight even once?"

After dodging his vicious strike, Ram unleashed a vicious kick to Garfiel's head, Otto followed through with a vicious Earth Magic attack, sending the tiger back a bit. The tiger charged again only for Ram to leap over and unleash a vicious haymaker on the mad beast.

However, Garfiel caught Ram by doing a quick handstand and attempting to kick her away. She dodged but didn't expect him to twist his powerful body and quickly slam her back down to the ground. But before

Enraged further, Garfiel slammed the ground, causing pieces of the very Earth to fly out and attack them.

"El Goa!"

Otto rushed in front of Ram and put up a sturdy wall of earth, it was able to hold. But Garfiel knocked it all away. Ram then began to stand up as her forehead began to glow white.

"The spirits of the forest should be helping you now Ram-san!"

"...Then I won't waste this."

Ram aimed her wand as it too began to glow white. Garfiel charged at them with a force and ferocity of truly wild beast, the very ground caving away under his strength...then…

"Al Fula."

A vicious blast of wind destroyed much of the forest they were in, sending dirt and even trees flying into the air…

Subaru was now outside the Tomb, having finished his conversation with Lewes, he took a breath and began to head inside.

Inside the room right before the Trials room, he had found Emilia curled up and hugging her knees. Subaru decided to sit next to Emilia and have a talk with her, the sentimental distance between the two was likely much bigger than a fist.

"Subaru..."

"..?"

"How come... you're here?"

"Ask me how come, and well that's a tricky one. It's because I'm always thinking about you, Emilia-tan, and thus magnificently figured out where you were, I guess."

"...Really..?"

"Instead of thinking about where you went, I put all my effort into thinking about why'd you gone. And when I did, I figured you'd probably be here. And when I found you was a crazy relief."

"...Just, a relief?"

Her voice is quiet, liable to disappear. Subaru's brows shoot up in hearing it, only for Emilia to stare at him fixedly, peering into his eyes.

"You found me here, and all you were was relieved? ...You weren't mad?"

"Heck is that, Emilia-tan. No way, you were scared I'd be mad at you?"

Subaru did his absolute best to explain to her how relieved he was in finding her...in a normal sense it would have been effective.

"You're not mad..."

That is what he was trying to tell her, but the accompaniment to her mutter is not relief.

"Emilia-?"

"-You are not mad at me. You won't be mad for me!"

"I did something selfish, didn't I? I did something that distressed you, didn't I. I said nothing and went away, and I worried you, didn't I? I made you anxious, wondering if I'd run away... that's what I did, isn't it. And when someone does that to you, you get mad, don't you? Or aren't you like that, Subaru?"

"I can't be mad at you, but it's not because I think anything like-"

"-If that's true, then...! How come! How come you didn't keep your promise?!"

He was quiet, he knew he broke the promise of letting go of her hand when she needed it. It hurt her, much more than he expected.

"B-Both you, and Puck, broke... your promises, and went away. You left me behind, and went away... you liars. Subaru's a liar. Puck's a liar. ...Liars, liars... liars..."

"...Emilia."

"Don't break promises... don't tell lies... you mustn't break promises... if, you do that, if I do, then, Mother and Juice..."

Her voice shakes with grief. A clawing pain tears at Subaru's chest. Promise...a word which carried multiple different connotations when used between Subaru and Emilia. Subaru had once disregarded their promises, wounding Emilia, and spawned a mutual divide between them. After their reunion he ascertained the significance of a promise, and they tied one between themselves in the form of a bond.

Subaru's head spins and spin as he thinks, unable to grasp any hint toward the solution. What to do, what could he, what should he, what ought he, what would be, the best-

"Emilia. I love you."

"...Huh?"

Her teary amethyst eyes open wide as her gaze captures Subaru. His visage is warped atop the sheen of her tears, and so he manages to resiliently maintain an unshakable heart. After all, he no longer has any hesitation on what to say.

"Every fucking night, you go shunting yourself again and again into the same exact Trial. The hell is the Trial? It's just the goddamn past. Stop dawdling around getting caught up in things that're already over."

"S-suhbaru..."

"And to top it off when your pet-slash-guardian goes missing, you can't even stand for yourself. You throw a tantrum and worry everybody, then shirk your duties to go sulk in bed. Well how lovely for goddamn you, enough's enough, I'm sick of it."

"That's... right, isn't it. O-of course you'd, think this about me as well, Subaru..."

"They're all things, that you just have to call awful... they are. Ever since I came to Sanctuary... no, way before that... I've always caused just so many problems, and so, I...I've been abandoned, not just by you and Puck...but Batman-san as well."

"..."

"He left didn't he? He must've been so sickened by my weakness that he decided to leave...I would not blame him."

"Yeah. You honestly haven't done a single good thing since coming to Sanctuary. I know I'm not one to talk here, but it's too horrendous to ignore. There's no way to back it."

"...And so-"

"-But. I love you. Emilia."

"...!"

"I love you. I love you and love you and love you, love you so much it's hopeless."

"Wh-what are you... all of a sudden..."

Subaru: "I love your super pretty silver hair, I love your amethyst eyes and how when they're wet they look like jewels, I super love your voice and how I get dreamy just from hearing it, and your slender long legs and your pale skin, and our height difference and all of that is so to my ideal I can't stand it, just being with you makes my heart race I can't stop it and oh god I love you."

His feelings for Emilia, flowing out his mouth. Emilia casts his words away with a shriek.

"Why are you, right now... stop messing around with me!"

Her shoulders heave, her brows shoot down, as Emilia sees how Subaru's attitude is sidestepping the issue, is fleeing from the condemnations he made, is attempting to ruin everything they spoke about, and bares her fury.

"The uselessness and hopelessness, all of it, that's me! So then why are you trying to overlook it? Why are you forgiving me?! Why..."

"If it's just answering that, I'll say it endlessly. Because, I, love you!"

"..."

"Even if you hate how weak and pathetic you are, and brood thinking a that others should be judging you negatively as well... I'm gonna keep expecting things from you. I am never going to use your weakness as a reason to desert or to abandon you."

Emilia's eyes waver. Her gaze has been fixed on Subaru, her eyes full of acceptance for his invalidations of her, receptiveness toward resignation, and her weak desire to drown in a pool of sorrow and grief. Emilia wanted to be invalidated…

"You invalidated me, you said lots of times that I'm useless, and now you're still saying you love me? ...W-who could believe! Subaru, how can you believe in me like that, that's... that's the thing I don't understand!"

No! No, that's utterly wrong! There's some reason I believe in you, and so I love you….That...idea's wrong. I love you. And so I believe in you. That way around!"

"Just love alone is not a reason to believe!"

"...! If love alone weren't reason enough to believe, then who the hell would be willingly to go through all this suffering to help a pain in the ass woman like you!"

Voices peaking, the two's emotions crash into each other. Subaru puts his hand to the wall as he drags himself up to stand, for Emilia to also stand up to face him.

Close enough to butt heads, both their eyebrows lowered, Subaru and Emilia howl their feelings. With spit flying, faces red, yelling 'No you're wrong!', having never before raised their voices at each other, these two.

"I love you!"

"You're lying!"

Subaru screams the whole of his feelings in desperation, only for Emilia to yell over him.

"I'm not lying! I love you! How about you talk, what do you think of me! You've always got this attitude where you're making these fucking insinuations! Do you have any fucking idea what a jolt it is to my heart every time you make these cute expressions and it looks like there's hope!? Stop fucking around with me!"

"I-I'm not messing with you! I'm just being normal, stop saying weird things! I have so many things to think about right now and am facing a serious problem, and you're asking what I feel about you... I'm not able to think about it! Stop it! Don't pester me!"

"Who's pestering who here! It's you! Pestering me!"

"But it's you! Pestering me!"

Subaru and Emilia had no logic backing for their arguing, but it was what both of them needed to let loose their emotions.

"There's no reason I have to hear that from a promise-breaking liar!"

"Me breaking the promise has nothing to do with this!"

Emilia's cheeks redden with fury as Subaru easily attempts to sidestep the issue. She cannot fully dispel her anger, the emotion so intense that she cannot speak.

"Why did you break your promise?"

"...I can't say it."

Gritting his teeth, Subaru replies to Emilia's question with an anguished moan. Seeing him attempt to dodge questions this late, Emilia gives a long sigh.

"You won't keep your promises. You won't tell me why you break them, either. ...And now you're yelling at me to do something. If you're going to tell me you love me... then act like it! If you don't do that, I... can't, believe you..."

"...Then I'll make you believe…"

Within breathing range...or no, not even their breaths could intervene in the space between them. Subaru reaches out for Emilia's shoulder, and draws his face in closer. As she witnesses Subaru's approach, confusion arises in Emilia's eyes, her body going rigid.

"If you don't want it, dodge."

"..."

But Emilia closes her eyes. Whether it was resignation, or the result of hesitation, Subaru couldn't tell.

"Mmh"

"Ngh"

Their breathing intermingles as Emilia then holds her breath, Subaru's brows furrowing in pain. The quiet noises come from the force of their teeth striking together.

It all begins with that slight, achy pain, but that immediately disappears from even the crevices of his mind when faced with the intensity of this heat.

Soft lips. Nothing more than a mutual touch, this kiss.

This being the first for Emilia, and for Subaru his second time kissing her.

It is unlike his first time, with its cold taste of Death.

His second kiss tastes of hot Life.

They draw their faces away from each other, both forgetting to breathe as they gaze at the other.

"I love you."

"...!"

"No matter what bad things I see of you, no matter what arguments we get into, I'm unchangingly going to keep loving you. That'll never change no matter what happens, and so I am always believing in you. And hell, not just me…"

"...Batman-san?"

Subaru breathed a long sigh as he nodded in a comforting manner.

"He's always been worried about you, but I think we both know he doesn't like to show it. Heh, you know, Batman-san told me something a while ago about you."

"What?"

"He said that if-...if he ever had a daughter, he'd want her to be just like you."

"...! Then...why did he leave?"

"We both know he spreads himself thin, trying to help everyone. So that's what he's doing. Helping others, than himself...what a selfless person huh?"

"...Heh, yes...he is like that."

Subaru took Emilia's hand, but felt woozy and had to lean his arm on the wall.

"Subaru?"

"It's nothing... is what I wanna say but, it's something. I am pretty bad right now. Anyway, if we're going to keep arguing or fighting can we kinda do it outside."

"Geez... But I don't even want to do those."

As she made a faint smile she took Subaru's hand and helped him out, his other hand against the wall, Subaru starts walking for the tomb's exit.

They exit the tomb, the bright sun beginning to descend creating a slight darker blue sky.

"Hey, kept you waiting."

"Tch." Whatever, ain't like I was waitin' any."

There stood Garfiel, covered in blood, the clear victor of the previous battle.

"I figured you were going to be mad, but not that you'd wind up looking like that."

"Don't worry nothin' bout me. Jus' had a lil' slip and fall."

Subaru's cheeks stiffen as he speaks, Garfiel responding with a dissatisfied look.

Garfiel's statement is of course entirely bullshit.

"You moron, Otto, I told you to just spew everything and run!"

"Guy was damn brave, I'll give em' that. He weren't any fuckin' suited fer battle, n' also ain't been in any real fights before. And then he starts spoutin' this idiot shit 'bout it bein' for a friend... he handed my fuckin' ass t'me."

"...He's not, dead. Right?"

"He went and pulled all that nice fuckin' bullshit on me... an' so my fangs maim'd'm t'bits and now his body's out fertilizin' tha' forest."

"So he's alive then. The heck, you had me fucking worried... My guts were seriously frozen there wondering if everything had been ruined, no joke."

"Oi, OI, Fuck off!"

Garfiel howls in rage, his flood of emotions slamming into the ground, rupturing it

"Which means Ram goddamn helped with tearing you up. I mean yeah. No way Otto could do this much solo. The hell?! This had me wondering if that damn Otto'd been hiding some secret powers from me, was sorta fracturing my feelings of friendship with him."

"Fucker! Tha' fuck're you goin' on about! Eh!?"

Garfiel continued to howl before wiping some leftover blood from his cheek and putting on a devious smile, his fangs gritting against each other.

I ain't got any thought t'overlook what yer bastards're doin' here either. You get away from there, n' don't get any closer. No one's goin' n' th' tomb any more. My amazin' hands 're tearin' tha' thing down."

Subaru: "You do that, and there'll be no way to break the barrier. ...This Sanctuary will be a closed little garden forever, you seriously good with that?"

"Yup. Anythin' other than tha' is jus' bad."

Emilia steps forward from behind Subaru, standing in Garfiel's way as he attempts to close in on the tomb.

Garfiel looks up at her, unimpressed.

"What, oi. Get outta my way, y'flimsy woman."

"No, I will get in your way. I'm not letting you destroy the tomb. Because no matter what,

I'm going to overcome the TRIAL."

"It's damn obvious yer can't do it. Day after fuckin' day yer wah wah wah wah cryin' all over th' damn place. N' now yer lost yer friends, can't help that yer gonna be sad. Go curl up n'bed n'fuckin' cry. Y'do that, and I ain't doin' nothin."

Sorrow flashes over Emilia's expression in response to Garfiel's cruel statement. But said expression only last for an instant as Emilia immediately swallows down the pain.

"I'm sorry, but even if you say those things, I can't step back for you. I need to challenge the Trial. And then face my past, and..."

"Just goddamn fuckin' everybody!"

Garfiel clicks his tongue in irritation, fury blazing in his eyes. The grisly pressure he expels compounds in intensity, Emilia's shoulders trembling. Seeing her fear, sharp-eyed Garfiel snorts.

""What happened t'that blusterin' 'bout yer past?-"

"-I know I can do this. No. I have to, not just for the villagers or even Subaru! I have to do this for myself!"

"Huh?"

"If...If Batman-san can do it...I know I can."

"What th' hell does tha' freak hav'ta' do with this?!"

"Batman-san is a strong person I can look up to. Anyone else would have been crushed by the past he's had. The loss of his family and friends, the endless battles he's had to endure and the cruel situations he's been put under. And yet...He's still here!"

"...!"

"He doesn't let the past push him down, he's risen above it and continues forward. I want to have that strength, just like him. Just like Subaru. I want to accept the past and move forward!"

Subaru moved closer as well and faced Garfiel from the top of the steps of the Tomb.

"Emilia will challnege the Trials, no matter who many times it takes….Unlike you."

"Th' fuck did ya' say-"

"-You heard me!"Garfiel. You lost and you ran away, and Emilia is not like you."

"-Hk! Don't, you fuckin' dare, get cocky!"

Immediately following Subaru's statement, Garfiel shouts in rage, his right foot shattering the earth. The impact of his stomp sends the ground flying aloft.

Seeing the faint but definite bond of trust between the two, Garfiel's eyes shoot open outrageously wide. The gleam in his bloodshot pupils compounds in ferocity.

"You won't let yourself kill anyone, yet."

"Fuck's your, basis fer that. Nevermind Ram, my amazin' self ain't got a speck've a reason t'hesitate in gnashin' yer lackey dead."

"Exactly, nevermind Ram."

Emilia timidly cuts in to comment about Otto, who is receiving very unfortunate treatment in this conversation.

"H-Hey... you two, is there some kind of grudge you have against Otto-kun...?"

But, perhaps for the first time ever, Subaru consciously ignores Emilia and jabs his finger at Garfiel.

"Quit making threats you can't follow through on. I had my fill of cowardly people trying to act tough back in the alleyway with Tom, Dick and Larry. Though at least they had enough guts to stab me."

"Stop... stop it..."

"And your oh so prided claws and fangs too, you groom them nicely every day, but just leave them there as decoration. If you want, how about trying on some stylish nail stickers? It's what all the girls do where I'm from. Don't think it's a perfect match for your spineless, girly self?"

"I told you t'fuckin' stop—!"

Garfiel roared at the two of them as he slammed the ground again...and once again Subaru and Emilia didn't move an inch.

Garfiel takes ragged breaths and stands very still as he glares at Subaru. When his gaze switches to Emilia. His nose scrunches up, as if he has noticed something.

"Oi... fuck off, you. Fuck's with those eyes."

"..."

"If yer got somethin' yer tryin' ta' say, goddamn say it! It's fuckin' pissin' me off I'm gettin'-"

"-Garfiel... what are you so afraid of?"

"I'm, afraid... yer sayin'?"

"Well you're afraid. You're talking loud, reaching out as best you can, and stomping the ground to cheer yourself up, aren't you?"

"Like yer know, fuckin' anything 'bout me..."

"I do know. After all..."

Cutting off Garfiel's quieter statement, Emilia takes a single breath.

"-I've also been living in constant fear of many things."

"...!"

"I don't clearly know what's right yet, or what it is I have to do. But I feel like I know that there's SOMETHING. And I can find that SOMETHING inside the tomb. I can't move out of your path."

"Shut it. Disappear. Don't talk to me!"

"...But don't you truly already have that SOMETHING?"

Garfiel fell silent as he looked up at the two of them...unmoving, hardly breathing.

"Garfiel. Are you seriously still running from your past with your family?"

"Wh-!?"

Garfiel's face changes colors. It reddens in rage, pales in shock, and now, turns pallid.

The clicking from his fangs results from the trembling of his chattering teeth. With chills, or perhaps in dread, Garfiel looks up at Subaru.

"Who, told you... about my past?!"

"Basically everyone you're thinking of. Do you think that's a betrayal? Or do you think it's something else?"

"...!"

"Frederica told me that when she offered you to leave with her, you denied her."

"Sister..."

"Lewes-san told me that what you saw in the tomb, was your goodbye with your mother."

"...Mother…"

"In the tomb you saw your past. You saw your mother leaving you and Frederica behind in Sanctuary.. did you?"

"..."

"That's the reason you're avoiding the outside world? Because your mother abandoned you. Because you hate your mother who-"

"No! No, nonononononono, yer wrong! The fuck'd you goddamn understand! Stop runnin' yer mouth like yer know shit!"

Garfiel frantically shook his head at him.

"Answer me, Garfiel! What is it you're afraid of!"

His theory from speaking with Lewes, Echidna's words, Roswaal and Frederica's attitudes, Ram's expression when she looks at Garfiel...Subaru saw an answer differing from all of them.

If he was right, if this was the truth, then...

"No, my amazin' self's... my amazin'... "

"What is it you truly think!"

"My amazing... mine, mother..." Garfiel swallows his breath, gazes up at the sky, his fangs chattering as he,

"—I wanted her to be happy!"

Emilia and Subaru swallowed their breaths as they saw the pain etched in his face. The mad, vicious look in eyes faded and a lonesome aura was behind them now.

Well I knew that! She abandoned me and sis. And of course she would!"

Garfiel's reasoning, which he had kept in his heart, never revealed to anybody.

"Couple of goddamn brats she couldnt've wanted, n' ones with demihuman blood at that... of course we'd impede her from living in the outside world! Leaving us behind, throwing us away,

what is weird about that... there ain't nothing... incorrect with that!"

Unable to hide his wavering voice, he buries his face in his hands to hide his wavering eyes.

"But y'know, that night... I, saw it. There in th' tomb, in the Trial, I saw it. I saw it. S-she, left us, and left Sanctuary, and... right then, right after she left, her carriage got caught in a landslide, swallowed in the dirt and she just died..."

"...!"

"Sis doesn't know... Sis fucking thinks mom's off somewhere, forgotten about us and living a happy life. ...But reality's not that! Mom, the second she abandoned us! She died! Why?! But you know she left for the outside so that she could be happy?! What are we meant to do about our sadness, about this feeling of being thrown away?! I wanted mom to be happy!"

Having reached this conclusion, there amid the smouldering ashes inside him, Garfiel decided.

He looks up at the tomb, and in a low voice…

"...I ain't ever going t'tha' outside world."

His voice shakes. In rage, in sorrow, in vestiges of fury, the flame still blazing even now.

"Desertin' th'place and going outside ain't going to give you happiness! Trying to change anything comes accompanied with pain, and not everybody can withstand that hurt!"

"There's shittons of hopeless people out there! This place's full'v'em! What'm I meant to do! Just make them sacrifices for happiness, and give them sad experiences?! Just be like my sis?! NO. "I will-my amazin' self will-protect them!

He clenches his fists. His howling stops, his eyes hosting quiet determination as he pauses.

"My amazin' self'll protect them! Everything my hands can reach, my amazin' self'll protect! Protect, protect, protect... never ever lose anybody... never let anyone experience anything like what my mom did!"

"...Garfiel…"

"I'll be the barrier! Even if you get rid of this goddamn one in front of me! I'LL BE IT! A real one, dividing inside and outside, a barrier! I! Will! Protect the Sanctuary, protect everyone! Protect nanna! My amazin' self's the only one who can do it! My amazin' self's the only one who knows it! And it's fine for them not to know!"

Garfiel slowly began to transform into his golden tiger form as his crazed eyes stared at Subaru and Emilia…

"AND NOT YOU! OR ANYONE IS GONNA' STAND IN THE WAY!"

Subaru stood in front of Emilia as he clenched a spare Pyroxene Jewel in his hand.

"I'll force you into absolute surrender, and teach you. That you're a kind, weak, stupid idiot!"

Subaru dashed forward as the monster formerly known as Garfiel roars at the young man ahead of him. Subaru had his plan together, Puck was inside the jewel ready to drain all the mana out of Garfiel and put him on an even playing field.

But Subaru had to do one last thing…

"SHAMAAAAAAAK!"

The taxation of his gate, which he had been warned not to use. The Capital's greatest healer had cautioned that he may never be able to use magic again.

Betraying that advice, Subaru utilized the thing once more.

He feels his imperceptible gate burn. The foundations of this gateway within his centre sways tremendously, and somewhere far and distant and separate from his body, something severs.

This pain of something violently, messily, being wrest away. Alongside the lossful sense of what will never be recovered, it brings Subaru's heart understanding.

"Thank you."

He looks forward. His last cast of magic had failed to fully enshroud Garfiel's tremendous form. While crucially his head is veiled in the centre of the smoke, his overhanging body has its right flank peeking out.

Garfiel hunched over to search for him in the smoke, so Subaru did a quick jump and stabbed him in the shoulder with the jewel.

"GRAAAGGGGGGGHHHHH!"

"You lost the moment you transformed Garfiel!"

Garfiel quickly returned to his original form and stared wide eyed at Subaru.

"Th' hell?!"

"Didn't I say Garfiel!? I don't like getting in fights I have no chance of winning!"

The two then engaged bare knuckles fist fight. Garfiel had much more training than Subaru's one month of exercises with Batman, but it helped quite a bit.

A punch to the temple by Garfiel was met with a palm thrust to his nose.

A knee to the sides by Subaru was met with a backhanded punch to the cheeks.

A headbutt from Garfiel was met with a kick quick to the shins.

A punch to the chin by Subaru was met with a bite to the left shoulder by Garfiel.

The vicious tearing of flesh made Subaru decide to...bite him in the ear.

The two let go from the sheer pain and they pushed themselves away from the other. Both then tried to counter each other's punches, only for both of them to hit each other in the chin at the same time. Both fell back on the ground, breathing heavily.

"Go get dead collapsed, Garfiel. Behold the power of numbers."

"There had t'be other goddamn ways t'say that!"

In the past, Subaru would have been the weakest one in any fight. He could obviously never win. But now, he had a chance. With a teacher willing to make him stronger not just for the sake of others, but also for his own life. In order to spare him from abusing the cruel powers of his Return by Death, he would do it.

He swings his left arm down to hook Garfiel by the neck, sending the two of them toppling to the ground. With his body battered, Subaru grimaces in pain as he attempts to upright himself.

Garfiel countered an incoming punch from Subaru, Garfiel dodged and spun his body around and unleashed a vicious kick to his temple.

"S th'end! Now there ain't nothin' y'can do! What I shouldd'er done was this... was turn yer into a floppin' sardine from th'start!"

Seeing Subaru writhe on the ground, Garfiel's cheeks twist in victorious jubilation. He gets to his unsteady feet before turning his head to the sky, letting loose his voice. The howl of an animal, an aria of triumph. Now all Subaru could do was wait to be stepped on, finished off, and...

"...How many times do I have to tell you, don't decide my end!"

"Fuck off! Here's the end for me and ya!"

"Bullshit! You said Frederica left for the outside world, and left you behind. But you're wrong. You're absolutely wrong, Garfiel. You aren't bound to the barrier. If you wanted to follow her, you could've any time. You're the one who neglected to!"

"No! I-!"

"You're the one who drew away first, Garfiel! Then you fucking winge winge winge about it being your sister's fault! You don't think it's fucking pathetic!?"

"...No…!"

"Any time! Any moment! When you want to act! When you want to change! The instant you think that marks the starting line! Raise your head again, walk the path in front of you. And how can anyone order you to give up on that!"

A strange burning feeling fills the pit of his chest and starts to warp around his heart then his mind.

His chest, burns.

"Aren't I right, Garfiel?!"

He calls the name of the man before him, his eyes wavering feebly, his visage small.

His guts, blazing.

"Aren't I right, Emilia?!"

He calls of the name of the girl behind him, her gaze looking down at him, her standing on the threshold between weakness and something else.

His heart, pumping.

"Aren't I right, Batman?!"

He calls out the name of the man who gives him the hope to move forward and challenge anything ahead of him.

His mind, racing.

...His eyes, with tears spilling over.

"Say...aren't I right, REM!"

His head raised, mouth open, eyes wide, he calls the name of the person who gave him the impetus to stand.

A power which does not belong to Subaru squirms within the core of him, shrieking its birthing cry. Cheering the fact of its birthing, and welcoming the fact of its birth.

An Unseen Hand bursts out of Subaru's chest.

Subaru's eyes widen as he sees his newfound power in front of him.

Garfiel leaped to Subaru as he let out an inhuman scream with a fearful look on his face. The world looks to move in slow motion.

Subaru focuses his gaze on the tip of Garfiel's chin. Somehow, he knows. Before makes it happen, he gains comprehension.

All he has to do is fix his aim, and let this thing he's tugging taut loose. That alone, and surely, it would be accomplished.

"HUH?!"

Struck by a completely unanticipated attack, Garfiel fails to catch himself as he slams back to the ground. He tumbles to a stop, splayed out on the earth. Subaru understands that he has just fired the decisive blow.

He falls to his knees, his body folding as he vomits all he wishes. But not a single drop of blood or bile comes out. Not a drop of scarlet or saliva, for nothing extraneous remains within him. That was what a final strike it was, on the tail of so much effort.

Garfiel then immediately got up and stumbled over to Subaru.

"Damn…"

"Now it's…!"

Before he could finish a loud roar came over and rushed over to Garfiel. The charging black dragon rams head-first into undefended Garfiel, striking him in the side and sending him flying.

"Gaugh!?"

Stricken with an impact which literally carts him away, wide-eyed Garfiel shoots off as easily as a kicked pebble.

Aside Patrasche as she bellows of the victory, Subaru calls out to the fallen Garfiel. In a voice so frail, it's questionable whether he heard it.

"This...is the power of numbers."

"Had t'be, other... goddamn, ways t', say that..."

Motionless Garfiel responds sourly to Subaru's words. Subaru's cheeks relax slightly in hearing it.

"Okay then, it's the assemblage of everyone's feelings, a victory for bonds."

"Haah... 's like a damn, JEWELS NEVER COME FROM THE SOLITARY QUENE..."

"...Heh, that one's...pretty good…."

Both combatants fell unconscious, with Subaru's team being the clear victors.

After a while Subaru awoke and found himself receiving another lap pillow from Emilia. Even with this, Subaru had time to rename his new ability…

"THE IMPERCEPTIBLE WILL OF THE GODS... We'll call it Invisible Providence..."

Otto had walked over to the two, to make sure to see if they were alright, when Subaru got up and slowly walked over to him.

Having confirmed their mutual safety, a rather satisfied smile arises on Otto's face...when Subaru charges.

"Hi-yah!"

"Eewhauhg!?"

He rides the momentum as he leaps to acquaint Otto with a flying kick. Stuck between the stairs and Subaru, Otto cries out.

"Ow! Ouch! Stairs are, grinding my head—ow! M-my hair! I'm going bald! Wh-Natsuki-san, what on earth are you doing!?"

"Shut it, stupid! Stop trying to be cool. What's going on with this vibe where it's like you did something big? Who told you to do anything more than buy time? You know how close my plans were to winding up par for course because of this? But if you hadn't helped I don't think I would've beat Garfiel so I can't say I don't thank you!"

I have no idea what you're even saying any more!"

Unable to give a sincere thanks, Subaru scuffles with Otto on the stairs while he speaks, when Otto kicks him away.

Subaru rolls down the steps to land on his backside before standing up.

"Either way, glad you're safe. If you died you'd make for an annoying visitant bedside."

"I'd rather we leave these eccentric customs undiscussed. ...Or actually, why didn't those sentiments of yours show up nicely and at the start?"

"Don't slather on too much praise, we're talking me here!"

"I am aware of that, yes!"

Emilia chuckled at the two of them, their antics amusing her.

Subaru approaches Patrasche and reaches out to stroke her back. But the dragon dodges away before his fingertips can touch her, avoiding his hand.

The swing of her tail strikes Subaru in the ass, leaving him half in-tears from pain as he leaps. He looks at her, questioning and defiant, to see that her sharp eyes have sharpened further and she is growling displeased at him with her neck stooped low.

"Would you like a translation?"

"No, even I can figure this one out."

Subaru replies to Otto's considerations with a shake of his head. He gives a small sigh.

"...It's 'don't make me worry', isn't it? Seriously what is going on with your heroine power? Are you throwing your name into the heroine race?"

Subaru gives a wry smile and reaches out. This time his fingers do touch Patrasche's tough hide. She closes her eyes, accepting it as if inevitable, Subaru's gratitude for the tolerant dragon unending.

"Are you awake, Garf?"

What Garfiel sees when he wakes up is the face of a familiar girl. This was someone he wanted to see upon waking, who he did not want to see upon waking. It's a complex feeling. But he cannot deny that his chest has begun to beat faintly faster. Garfiel hums.

"Yeah... 'm up."

"I see. Then move. This has gone on far long enough, and my legs are numb."

"Augh!"

The instant they establish communication, Garfiel is expelled from the soft touch as his head falls to the ground. He hadn't been expecting a kind reaction, but this kind of coldness does hurt. And especially so when his pride is already wounded, and his crush is the one being icy.

"You lost. You have lost. Then act like the loser you are and heed the commands of the victor. How wretched must you be in presence of a woman you like, flaunting your inane and girlish temperament as a sore loser, before you will be satisfied, Garf? Your flagellation of others becomes flagellation of yourself the moment that you lose, all you have changed is the aim of your braying, idiotic."

"But…"

"But nothing...from now on you will fight on behalf of myself and Emilia-sama. You will protect us...just as Batman-san has all this time."

"And where is he now-"

"-He is off doing his best to protect the Sanctuary from an outside threat."

"...?"

"But even he will need help. We need your help...but first you must help yourself."

"Myself…?"

"Garf...you must face your past."

And with the considerations of everyone around him...Garfiel still afraid of what he will see and what he would face...entered the Tomb to take his Trial.

Everyone stood outside waiting for whatever outcome they would receive.

Would Garfiel accept his past…?

Would Garfiel continue his current path…?

How would it end up after all this…?

Then...Garfiel emerged from the Tomb...with a small droplet of tear forming on the side of his eyes.

Right then and there a silence fell onto everyone standing at the bottom of the stairs of the Tomb.

Garfiel looked over at them all...and smiled. He learned the truth...

His mother left Sanctuary for Garfiel and Frederica's sake in search of his father. But immediately after its founding that journey was crushed, alongside his mother.

He learned that his mother...from the bottom of her heart...truly loved him.

Lewes Theta, named that by Subaru to differentiate the clones walked over to Garfiel…

"L-Lil' Gar. Erm, I..."

"Don't go making a face which don't look like yer. I'M sorry fer worryin' you."

"Lil' Gar."

With that blunt statement, Garfiel puts his hand on small Lewes's head.

Ram clears the stairs following Lewes and Subaru, and calls out to Garfiel.

"How did it go, Garf?"

"Can't yer see with yer eyes th'results? Gotta say I expected somethin' more."

Garfiel's gaze lands in Subaru. Subaru's brows shoot up as Garfiel scratches his cheek.

"Uh, I need to, right... yeah."

Subaru: "What's up? Skittishness's out of character for you. You're an archetype which just kills those hesitant or broody patterns, we'll do tribal play instead."

"...It's probably 'cause of you that I passed the Trial. Thank you."

"...Did you just thank me?"

"I ain't sayin' it again. But, I got t'remember somethin' I wanted t'remember. So goin' in there was... beneficial. Fuck!"

"...Okay."

"So I'm gonner be watchin' yer from right up close t'see whether yer wind up just bein' some all-talk bastard'r not...Ya' better pull it off, Boss!"

"...B-Boss?"

Garfiel vigorously slaps Subaru's shoulders, gaze fixed on him, and makes that incredible statement. His unexpected form of address and his attitude stun Subaru so much that he's slow to react.

Emilia is also happily surprised by it.

"Garfiel, your face is sooo red."

"Boss... I'm not the one heading this group, that's Emilia."

"But it was your group which beat Garfiel, Subaru. He accepted what came out of a man-to- man conflict, which means his Boss is you. Isn't it great, Boss?"

With that, Subaru had to accept his new role to the young man. Even learning from Ram that he was actually younger than him...being 14. Subaru shook his head and decided to continue their plans.

"Emilia...it's time…"

"Okay."

With words of encouragement from the group, Emilia entered the Tomb as everyone else wished her luck.

As Emilia entered the halls of the Tomb she then noticed it, the reason Subaru didn't hold her hand last night.

On the wall next to a carved sketch of Puck were letters...ones filled with love.

You can do it, I know you can!

Me and Puck are supporting you, everything's okay

This girl I'm into is amazing! Have confidence in yourself!

Once this is all over let's go on a date!

Go for it, Emilia!

Nobody is expecting anything from us. Is there anything more fun than proving them all wrong?

I love you! So I believe in you!

"Heh...that featherbrained...idiot."

Emilia smiled as she continued entering the Tomb to start her Trials…

"Oh yeah, Boss. When we were fightn' n' yer smacked me flyin', what was that?"

"You mean Invisible Providence?"

"Inv... what?"

"Invisible Providence. THE IMPERCEPTIBLE WILL OF THE GODS. Isn't it cool?"

"'S crazy cool yeah."

Garfiel had found a compatriot. With that, Subaru and Otto explained to him what disaster was lurking in the mansions shadows…

"...Got it, so these assassins are goin' after my Sis?"

"Yes, not only that but Roswaal is going to lead the Sizeable Hare here...Batman-san is luring them away right now...but I don't know how long that'll work."

"Goin' tha' for us?...Right' Ima' have to apologize to tha' guy too."

Subaru slammed his fists together and looked to the direction of the mansion.

"Garfiel. Otto. Patrasche. What do you say we go be heroes today?"

The two young men then grinned happily, with Patrasche growling with excitement. The team moved forward and began their journey to the mansion.

Emilia was now facing her past...the past which her contract with Puck prevented her from seeing.

Her village in Elior Forest.

The Princess Room which she would spend her days locked away.

Her friend Juice….a man named Petelgeuse Romanee Conti.

A caretaker named Arch.

The Villagers.

And of course….

"Mother Fortuna."

A lovely woman who looked like Emilia but with short hair.

Emilia could feel the compassion and love from her and sought it again. She was scared at first, but then happy to see them.

"Juice...Mother…"

However...

A white young man.

White skin, white hair.

He wears a simple shirt and pants, nothing ornate about him.

His face does have its looks, but even said he is lacking in anything defining, his appearance utterly banal. He could mix into a crowd and disappear instantly with how he epitomized any lack of individuality, but his presence right here, right now, made him seem an abnormal kind of outsider.

He was Regulus Corneas.

Fortuna and Petelgeuse shielded Emilia from his sudden appearance.

"Who are you?!"

"Don't you think it follows reasonable sense that when asking a person for their name, you begin by introducing yourself first?"

Petelgeuse got closer as he screamed at Regulus.

"Archbishop Regulus! Why are here?!"

Then a voice…

"I brought him here."

Petelgeuse's eyes wavered as he saw her.

Her long, platinum hair gleams sweetly as if sunlight given form, flowing to her slender neck and streaming down her back.

Long eyelashes border her eyes, their shade so deep a blue that they seem to entrap the world, her looks so overwhelmingly attractive that even a god would hesitate to touch her fingers, with all her perfect pulchritude.

Her petite frame is adorable enough that even having the wind cradle her appears dangerous. What garbs her is merely a single white cloth, the atmosphere suggesting that world would permit nothing else to touch her skin.

"Why have you brought her here?!"

"Bringing people places, do you think it's possible for me of all people to pull that kind of stunt with how it infringes on the will of others? It is by her own volition that we are in company. Your attempts to make all of this my fault are yes an amazing exhibition of prejudice. I'd appreciate you not to go off passing your unasked-for judgements on this human being that I am."

"That is... remarkably, cruel... Pandora-sama..."

And so Fortuna and Petelgeuse attempted to defeat the two of them, allowing Emilia to escape, but as Emilia caught up with Arch, the sound of hissing could be heard.

"No...the Black Snake is here as well?"

It's head rose from the fog and stared at the two of them. It had a green sclera and a red iris for eyes, the very things that could make any beast freeze in fear. It opened it's mouth, revealing four sets of teeth and a large black tongue, matching it's dark body. It had a horn on it's nose and whiskers similar to that of a catfish...but it was not cute, it was horror incarnate.

Arch pushed Emilia out of the way and was hit by it's tongue, the poison from it spread through his body.

"Emilia! RUN! GET OUT OF HERE!"

"But…"

She attempted to get near him, but the eyes of the Black Snake watched her. Her terrified expression reflected in them.

"Al Fula!"

Arch attacked with magic, it didn't hurt it, but it most certainly got its attention back to him. Emilia looked back at Arch who simply whimpered.

"Go Princess...flee."

The young Emilia then ran for her life, rushing through the forest at great speed.

Arch smiled a bit and aimed his palm at the Ma-Beast...only for it to bite down on him, leaving only the top of his head, his feet and a pool of blood left.

"SSSSSSSSSHRAAAAAAGGGHHHHH!'

The Black Snake let out a mighty roar with it's blood coasted mouth, as it continued…

Emilia eventually made it to the special place near a tree she was warned not to enter. There Pandora appeared before her, se asked her to make a choice.

Open the door.

Don't open the door.

"Make your choice…"

The young Emilia decided not to open it.

"Then face the results of your decisions."

With it, the Emilia watching had to watch as Petelgeuse accidentally killed Fortuna, lose his mind and be controlled by Pandora. She noticed Regulus was gone at this point and in the distance she could see plumes of smoke where the village was.

The terror and sadness she felt was crippling. She watched as her young self lashed out her powers at the Witch, but nothing truly ever killed her.

"The manifestation of power surpassing your capacities, such that you cannot even avoid damages to your own body, would be because of your bloodline. The blood of a witch cannot escape that karma….Perhaps this forest had been necessary so that you would not awaken to this power."

"Just die, just die just die just die, just die..."

"I will regard this day as well enough finished with only the presence of your lineage, and the creation of a new Sin Archbishop. I will achieve my goal at another time."

"...DIE DIE DIE!"

"ALL OF YOUR MEMORIES LEADING TO THIS DAY ARE CONSUMMATED WITHOUT MY PRESENCE IN THEM."

"...Ah,"

"Feel free to supplement them however you wish. Indeed. You did your very best to keep your promise. It would make me glad if that fact could be engraved in your heart, and you could proceed to be as you presently are."

With her body frozen up to her breastbone, Emilia's face recoils, her gaze unfocused and puttering. Her eyes spin and drool trails from her mouth as Emilia's mind is ransacked.

"I shall await our next meeting, young one."

The blizzard rages through the forest. Pandora holds her long, dishevelled hair down as she starts walking. Having remained on his knees in a stupor, Juice is halfway buried in the snow. Pandora whispers something to him.

He stands up, expression powerless.

The two of them, Pandora and Juice, walk side by side as they leave the snowy forest.

Emilia can only watch them go.

The memory had ended...and Emilia decided to accept it.

The first Trial...was now complete.

Roswaal was sitting on his bed, expecting good news from Ram who had arrived. He put on a mischievous smile as he watched her bow to him.

"Weeeeeell? How has Subaru-kun fared?"

"Come now, don't be like that. Just let me know hoooooow badly Garfiel hurt him-"

"-Garf has left the Sanctuary."

An eerie silence befell the room, as Roswaal's eyes widened. The look on his face was one that one would say...was frightening. Even Ram, could not not help but tremble at the hideous expression on Roswaal's face. Then a fake smile crept on his face as he faced Ram.

"What do you mean he left?"

"...It is as I said Roswaal-sama. He along with Barusu and his merchant aide have left to the mansion."

"And Emilia-sama?"

"...She is undertaking the Trials as we speak-"

"-WHY?!"

Roswaal jumped out of bed and tossed his bed at the wall, making Ram back away from him. He breathed ragged breaths as he stared out the window and retrieved his book from the floor. He clutched it tightly with one hand and with the other he covered his mouth.

"How...howhowhowhowhowhowHOW?! How is this happening?! How could this have happened?!"

"...!"

"...Wait…"

Roswaal lifted his face as he formed a whimsical grin...one filled with sheer and utter madness clearly visible.

"There is still time..! I can still fulfill the writings!...I can still have it all work out."

Roswaal chuckled as he hugged his book tightly.

Ram continued watching her master, as clenched her fists, letting out a whisper not even Roswaal could hear.

"...The time has come has it?"

Petra was walking through the halls when a shadow crept from the corner and dashed after her. She was quickly caught by Frederica, who was able to escape the slice. When the two looked over they saw Elsa looking over at them.

"Ahhhh...such skill it will be nice to have you as a dance partner."

Frederica ordered Petra to run for it. She did as told and made a run for it.

"Frederica-nee sama!"

Terror ran through her mind as she ran down the stairs and the hallways, her breath becoming more and more desperate, she could hear the loud clashing upstairs.

"Someone...anyone..!"

One person came to her mind...the person who rescued her during the incident at the forest.

He is amazing and courageous, overpowering his shaking legs as he faces opponents he cannot possibly defeat.

When Petra and the other villages were in real danger, and she almost died, he was their saviour...and his name is the one she calls.

Even though she knows that he isn't here.

"Subaru, Subaru... help me, Subaru!"

"Alright, will do, Petra."

"—wha"

Standing before the weeping girl was the one person her tearful wishes called out for. He kneeled down to see her eye to eye.

"Are you... Subaru? You're here?"

"It's me, and I'm here. Sorry for being late. Everything's okay now."

Petra reaches out to him. She pats at his cheeks, and when she leans forward too far and falls, he catches her.

It's no hallucination and no dream, Subaru was there. He is there for her. She would love to bask in the relief it brings her. But this is not the time for that.

"Subaru... Big Sis Frederica's fighting with a lady upstairs."

"Frederica is?"

"She's dark, with a big knife... and really scary."

"A dark terrifying lady with a huge knife... yeah, I know her."

Subaru smirked as he looked up the ceiling hearing the loud crashing sound that suddenly shook the room.

"No worries Petra. I brought some crazy strong reinforcements."

"Sorry fer this... but you ain't invited."

Metal clashes against metal alongside a voice which sounds pleasantly displeased. It's a contradiction, but true.

They sound excited, but also sound disgusted by their opponent. Which is really to be expected.

"You..."

"Yer gonna be sittin' there downside up for fuckin' ever, eh!? —Get th'hell off!"

Her blades blocked and attack ineffectual, up slams a ferocious kick into the woman's chest.

Both his arms are equipped with silver, gleaming shields. One one-handed shield for each arm, both covering his fists.

Man: "Accordin' t'tha' Boss, they say THE BEST DEFENSE IS A GOOD OFFENSE."

The man's—no—the boy's eyes shoot open in shock as he gazes Frederica top to bottom.

"Wh—yer serious!? That's my sis!? Ain't my sis meant't be smaller, skinner, with a softer lookin' face!? This ain't my sis, 's more like my bro.. agahh!?"

"Do not be impolite."

Frederica jabs her knee into the rude, staring boy's side. The boy tumbles to the ground before sluggishly getting back up. Looking at his dizzied face, Frederica notices it. The scar on his forehead.

"Is that you, Garf?"

"Nevermind that, 'm I really safe t'be callin' yer Frederica... can't frickin' believe it... gahk!" "Do not neglect to appropriately refer to me as your elder sister."

Halfway through standing up again, an elbow to the back sends Garfiel back into agony.

The two wanted to continue reminiscing, but a certain woman wouldn't give them a chance. She attempted to attack Frederica, but Garfiel blocked it with one of his shields.

"GO ON AND GET!"

"Garf! This woman is shrouded in mystery. Take care not to slacken your guard..."

"I'M sayin' I got that. But anyway. Sist... sis, d'you know a girl called Rem?"

"...? Yes, she is in this mansion. I, erm, heard that she is Ram's younger sister."

"Sis, if she's somewhere on this floor, find an openin'n bring her out. My amazin' hands're gonna be full dealin' with her."

"W-what are you saying?!"

Garfiel glanced back ever so quickly and smiled.

"Please Sis."

"...!"

Garfiel charged forward and he resumed his battle with Elsa.

Frederica prayed for Garfiel's safety as she ran down the halls. She bit her lips as she heard the clashes behind her.

"Please be safe Garf."

A window suddenly broke as a new figure appeared.

"What?"

"...Sorry. But the contract says none of you are leaving here alive."

Deathstroke then brandished his missile launcher in one hand and an assault rifile in another. He glared at the maid as he began marching over to her. Frederica prepared to fight-

"Huh-"

"What the-"

A sudden titanium rope shot through the broken window and it's claw grabbed onto Deathstroke.

"FUCK!"

It then lifted him high into the air and Frederica looked out the window.

To see the Batwing spinning around and around with Deathsrtoke caught in the rope. The claw then let go and sent Deathstroke flying away.

"MOTHERFUCKERRRRRR!"

As he flew away he fired his missile launcher which missed the Batwing and hit inside the mansion. Causing a massive explosion inside the building. The drapes of the hallways, the oil barrels in the kitchen and several jars of chemicals erupted from it.

The mansion was now on fire.

Deathstroke continued flying away as he was now several miles away from the mansion. Frederica coughed a bit as smoke began enveloping the halls. A sudden Ma-Beast then rushed behind her and tried to attack her...only to be tackled to the ground by something.

Frederica blinked several times as she looked at the now dead Raptor-like Ma-Beast and the figure who saved her. Her face lit up in a smile.

"Batman-sama!"

"Hello, Frederica. Looks like I made it in time."

Batman soon was facing her and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes...I'm alright."

Frederica blushed a bit but soon shook her head as she looked at him.

"Batman-sama! The mansion is-"

"-I know. Subaru informed me. Don't worry I'm going to help get you all out of here."

Just then, a bat-like Ma-Beast was behind Batman and Frederica leaped over and sliced it away. As she landed a bear-like Ma-BEast crashed through the wall next to her and aimed to slice her away.

Batman ran over and grabbed her, but was sliced in the rib area.

"Agh!"

"BATMAN-SAMA!"

Batman lopped an explosive Batarang at the Ma-Beast, it pierced through his eye and exploded, killing him. Batman clutched his wound as Frederica checked on it as well.

"How terrible. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I should have-"

"-Frederica, it's fine. I'm just glad you're alright."

Frederica blushed again, but she quickly stood up and faced Batman again.

"Batman-sama, I have to get to Rem-sama."

"Alright, lead the way I'll help you."

Batman then pressed his Comm Link and got in touch with Otto and Subaru.

"Subaru. Otto. I'm here in the mansion!"

"What?! And the Sizeable Hare?!"

"...They turned around. Roswaal is making it snow, already we got a good few hours before they make it back most likely. I'm going with Frederica to get Rem."

"Okay then. Let's finish this and head back to the Sanctuary!"

"Roger that."

Subaru carried Petra as Otto caught up with them.

"Natsuki-san!"

"Otto….You ready? As far as I can see, right now everything is in jeopardy."

"Poor choice of words there...but yes. As ready as I'll ever be."

Subaru looked forward and gritted his teeth.

"Hang on Beatrice!"

The final day of disaster is upon them, as Subaru and his teammates, dare to defy fate.