"—Hey, bro, snap out of it. Do you want a ringa?"

The moment his consciousness awakened, there was a red, ripe fruit in front of Subaru's eyes.
Seeing the fruit that resembled an apple, a random thought crossed his mind: this is often called the fruit of wisdom.
A forbidden fruit that, if eaten, would lead to expulsion from paradise.
If he were to bite into it, would it rescue him from this incomprehensible situation?

"Hey, bro?"

A middle-aged man frowned and called out to Subaru, who showed no reaction.
Seeing this from the hazy edge of his consciousness, Subaru then suddenly raised his face with a jump. He glanced around.

It was early afternoon on a street, in front of an open-air stall.
In the setup of what appeared to be a vegetable store, various colorful vegetables and fruits were lined up everywhere. Each of them looked familiar yet had slight differences.
The street was bustling with a suffocating crowd, and there were people with hair colors that would be impossible in his original world and literally impossible races moving about as if it were natural.

All of that was filled with a quiet bustle, and Subaru scratched his head.
His moving left arm touched his abdomen, confirming the normal fleshly sensation with no signs of internal organs spilling out or traces of his eye sockets being slashed.

"Man, I don't get any of this..."

Muttering that, Subaru was overwhelmed by nausea and dizziness, and he collapsed to his knees.

※※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※

"Here's some water. Can you drink it?"

Receiving the proffered ceramic cup, Subaru took small sips of the water that was poured into it.
The water was ice-cold, spreading from his tongue to his dry mouth, providing some relief to his otherwise gloomy mood.

"Ah, this is good. Thanks. —You’re a real good person, pops."

"Cut it out. If you suddenly collapsed in front of my store, it would be no joke, making it seem like you ate my goods and passed out. Rest in the shade until you feel better."

Without a hint of embarrassment, the shop owner with a scarred face said so and went back into the store.

Subaru watched his back while sitting on the ground, and leaning against the wall of the shop at the edge of the street, he let out a deep breath.

It was the familiar greengrocer owner who had helped Subaru when he was about to collapse from dizziness.

Despite his rugged appearance, he quickly assessed Subaru's condition as heatstroke and swiftly prepared a wet towel and drinking water, carrying him to a shaded resting place.

One should never judge by appearances. A burly, bald old man could be a gentle soul, just as a seductive lady could be a thrill-seeking murderer.

"My stomach and eyes… should've been done for…"

Muttering, he touched his eyelids to once again confirm that he could clearly sense the light.

There were no wounds on his stomach, and his supposedly shattered left shoulder was fine too. He had been healed again, and for some reason, left in front of the greengrocer’s shop.

"Still… that… was overwhelming."

He moved his hand away from his eyelids and brought his hand in front of his face.

Despite not touching anything, his fingertips slightly trembled. This trembling spread from his fingertips to his arms and eventually turned into a shivering that enveloped his entire body.

Just recalling it made his teeth chatter, and he placed his head between his raised knees, trembling in fear that encroached on him, leaving behind even the surrounding clamor.

It was terrifying, unfathomable, utterly unreasonable, the embodiment of despair.

Never before had he been subjected to such murderous intent, experienced such painful violence, or remembered his body being so thoroughly destroyed.

Having had his and his acquaintance's lives snatched away, Subaru's heart was shattered by that fear to the point where he could do nothing but cower.

Confronting that abnormal existence was something he rejected even considering.

"Stop thinking about it, stop thinking about it, it's ridiculous. There's no way to handle it, no way to deal with it. You'll die, facing that. There's nothing but death, facing that. To have survived is a stroke of luck, isn't it?"

Seeming to seek approval from anyone and everyone, Subaru desperately begs for forgiveness.
In his mind, the gruesomely murdered Rom, and Felt's final moments, butchered to pieces, keep replaying.
What follows is the slashing, crushing, tearing, and the pain and terror of being deprived of light.

Feeling the nausea and overwhelming negative emotions welling up inside him, Subaru quickly pours the water he was holding over his head.
Though it wasn’t much, it was enough to drench his entire head with cold water.
He wipes the water dripping from his bangs with his hand and slaps his face repeatedly to switch his feelings.

"Switch it up, yeah, just like that. It’s simple. Forget about that place. There must be tons of things I need to do and think about instead. For example, figuring out how to live in this other world. If I keep worrying, more trouble will crop up, and then I’ll…”

— Be saved, want to repay that kindness, and put myself through hell to do it.

"That’s why, I said it's not like that!”

No matter how hard he tries not to think about it, the silver-haired girl continues to shine in Subaru's memory.
Originally, most of what happened to Subaru in this world began with her. Because of that, he can’t talk about this world without her in mind.
But, when he thinks back to her, it ultimately brings him back to those painful and despairing memories.

His thoughts continue to spiral negatively.
His shaking doesn't stop, and his gloomy thoughts just go in circles without finding any bright prospects.
Right now, Subaru can’t even grasp the thread to figure out how to move forward, how not to remain stuck in place.

"Brother, how are you feeling now? A little better?"

From the store front, Scarface, who’s looked after him, asks with a concerned look.
Despite his rough exterior, his natural kindness seeps through in his considerate words. Feeling he can't keep relying on such kindness, Subaru decides to leave.

“Yeah, I think I’ve calmed down a little somehow. Sorry for causing you trouble.”

With considerable effort to not appear undignified, he rose to his feet and returned the empty ceramic bowl to the shopkeeper. The shopkeeper, upon receiving it, looked as if he had something to say but didn’t press further.

"I will certainly repay you someday."

"No need for that. When you have money, just come buy some of our ringas."

The shopkeeper lightly tapped Subaru’s shoulder, who had a solemn expression, then raised his hand and went back into the shop. Feeling a sense of goodwill towards the shopkeeper’s casual demeanor, Subaru took a deep breath and stepped out onto the street. Despite Subaru sulking with his knees drawn up, the flow of people continued uninterrupted and the bustling main street lined with stalls was as lively as ever.

"……To the stolen goods warehouse."

He vaguely thought that he should go there.
Though he considered it, his feet did not head in that direction. Going there meant facing that fear.
If by any chance he encountered ‘Elsa’ again, Subaru would certainly be discarding his precariously saved life down the drain.
Summoned to another world, achieving nothing, only to wither away.

"Heh, but running away like this would be the same, huh?"

A self-mocking smile appeared on his face as Subaru put his hands in his pockets and began to walk.
In the opposite direction of the stolen goods warehouse. That was Subaru’s conclusion.
Giving up on everything, sinking into the sea of resignation, ignoring the kindness he received, pretending not to see.
He had always lived that way even before coming here. He inherently preferred avoiding trouble. Engaging in debts and credits with people was something he found bothersome.
So then, why now—?

"Huh…?"

As he lifted his face and took a step to flee, a voice of confusion slipped from Subaru's mouth.
In his widened field of vision, the crowd moved past him as if avoiding his still figure. There were tall people with reptilian skin, beastmen about the height of Subaru’s waist, a young dancer with pink hair, and a swordsman carrying six swords—

—And a girl in a white robe with silver hair that swayed as she walked.

The girl glanced at the halting Subaru, shifting her position so as not to touch his body, and walked past him.

Her long, silver hair, tied in a single ponytail, swayed, and a scent like that of flowers mixed with the wind tickled his nostrils. Her amethyst eyes, seemingly imbued with strong will, were no longer looking at Subaru, but rather held a sharpness as if staring straight ahead at the path she needed to follow.

Without losing her dignified stance, and without a shadow on her trembling beauty, the presence Subaru had been seeking continued to pass by him.

"Wh—"

Unable to voice his thoughts immediately, his words got stuck in his throat as he tried to follow her receding back.

The girl walked effortlessly, weaving through the crowd. As he chased the fleeing silver hair with a sense of confusion, bewilderment, and turmoil, Subaru called out in a voice that seemed close to tears.

"Wait, wait... please, wait..."

For a moment, when she looked back at him, her eyes were cold, as if she were looking at a stranger.

To her, he was just someone she happened to pass by a few hours ago. He might even have been someone to despise, who had put himself in danger by ignoring even the minimum warnings given to him.

Even if she saw him in that light, Subaru continued to chase after her back.

He didn't know how she felt about him. If that was the case, at least he wanted her to tell him how she felt.

Instead of being hurt by just imagining her feelings, he preferred to be hurt by the reality, even if it was painful.

"Wait. ――Satella!"

What words did he want to exchange by stopping her?

The moment he found a clear answer within himself, Subaru shouted her name as if he had just remembered it.

His shout cut through the chatter of the street, reaching the back that was about to fade away.

The girl with the silver hair stopped in her tracks.

Wading through the crowd to approach the stopped girl, he touched her slender shoulder.

"Please, don't ignore me. It was really my fault that you disappeared. But, I was confused too. I even went to the stolen goods warehouse to look for you afterward, and I still couldn't find you..."

Satella, touched on the shoulder, showed surprise on her face.
When she turned and looked back, the words that came out were only excuses. Rapid self-justification, as if fearing to be hurt.
Perhaps it was because of the piercing gaze with which she looked at Subaru.

However, despite the gaze directed at him, Subaru, in addition to his anxiety, also felt a sense of relief.
At a glance, there were no noticeable external injuries on Satella's body. Like Subaru, after that incident in the stolen goods warehouse, she must have also received treatment from someone. Or perhaps she healed herself, but most importantly,

"I'm sorry, it's all about myself... but I'm glad you are safe."

More than anything, he was glad that the two of them could meet again like this.
Realizing that, the next thing that worried him was her companion—Puck's well-being. Especially for Subaru, there were far too many things he needed to apologize to Puck for.
He had failed to honor a promise between men. That was a mistake deserving of reprimand.

"You..."

As the fast-talking Subaru closed his mouth, Satella's lips began to tremble in exchange.
It had only been a few hours, yet it felt as if he hadn't heard her silvery bell-like voice in a long time.
She was right in front of him, and even though he was touching her like this, it felt as though he had finally been able to grasp hold of her. However,

"What are you trying to do—?"

Accepting Subaru's relief, what she directed at him was an expression of anger with raised corners of her eyes.
Her white cheeks slightly flushed, Satella twisted her small body and brushed off Subaru's hand from her shoulder. She took a step back to create some distance between them, and her eyes, looking up at him, shone with strong hostility.

Receiving an unexpectedly harsh response, Subaru was taken aback and fell silent.
But upon reflection, it was an obvious reaction. From her perspective, it must have seemed audacious.
No matter what abuse she hurled at him, he would accept it willingly.

That was Subaru's determination---

"I don't know who you are, but calling someone by the name of the 'Witch of Envy', what is the meaning of this!?"

---which was shattered to pieces by the unexpected outburst from the realm of imagination.

Being hit with unexpected words of anger, Subaru felt as if time had stopped.

The noise from the crowd disappeared. All he could hear were the loud thumps of his own heartbeat and the breathing of the silver-haired girl who glared at him.

The illusion that every other sound had vanished—no, it wasn't an illusion.

"What...?"

Muttering, Subaru turned his head awkwardly and finally noticed.

In this bustling street filled with stallholders and passersby, everyone was now watching the two of them intently.

Visible tension floated in the air, and everyone seemed forbidden from even fidgeting, remaining silent.

It was as if the conversation between Subaru and Satella dominated the entire place.

"What are you planning? Stop staying silent."

However, Satella would not allow Subaru's confusion and hesitation.

She condemned him with a harsh tone, yet Subaru couldn't defend himself against the accusations he didn't even understand.

The crux of the issue between Subaru and her was a complete mismatch.

"I'll ask you one more time. —Why did you call me by the name 'Witch of Envy'?"

"But, it's because... I was told to call you that..."

"I don't know who told you that, but it's a terrible joke. It's bad enough to play along. —The forbidden symbol, the 'Witch of Envy.' To choose such a name that even mentioning it is considered taboo."

With her blatant disgust, Satella—the silver-haired girl—threw Subaru into a sea of confusion.

The crowd surrounding them all nodded in agreement with her. This, in turn, proved the correctness of her words, further plunging Subaru into bewilderment.

He didn't understand what she was saying.

Subaru had simply called her by her name, that's all.

Despite that, she condemned him for it, and the people around confirmed her rebuke as right.

He didn't even understand what was wrong, yet he was being scolded for some unknown mistake. He had no way to reflect or correct his attitude.

"—If you don't need anything else, I'm leaving. I'm not free either."

She declared decisively to the dejected Subaru and started to walk away briskly with her silver hair fluttering. Subaru tried to call out to her retreating figure, but his throat froze when he instinctively almost called out her name.

Calling her by name would be repeating the same mistake. But if not, how should he address her?

That hesitation dulled Subaru's judgment.
As a result, he ended up watching helplessly as the events unfolded before his eyes.

"――――!"

A small gasp came from a position a head taller than Subaru—a top a stall's canopy in the open market.
A leap. A small body descended lightly, pulled by gravity, and accelerated with the wind upon landing.
The swift figure wore dirty clothes and had golden hair fluttering. As it moved through the crowd with godlike agility, a swiftly extended arm slipped into a robe embroidered with a hawk.

The contact lasted just a moment, but for the wind, that brief encounter of two seconds was enough.
With the robe fluttering, the girl twisted and leapt away like a gust of wind.

"No way――!"

A silver-haired girl gasped in astonishment and reached inside her own robe.
Finding her objective missing, her wide-open eyes tracked the rapidly retreating wind.
Seeing the dragon-shaped insignia in the wind's hand and the retreating figure, Subaru exclaimed swiftly.

"Felt!?"

The wind fluctuated momentarily as if confused by the call. However, its speed didn't slow and it quickly dove from the main street into a narrow alley.
It was an extraordinary quick move. And, in the brief moment he saw the wind's form, Subaru realized that figure was likely—

"We were outplayed. This diversion... you're in on it too!?"

Unable to cope with the rapidly changing situation, Subaru stood stiffly as the girl growled in frustration.
She almost faced him with an outstretched palm but, reconsidering, she quickly ran toward the alley where the wind had disappeared.

"Hey, wait! It's a misunderstanding! I...!"

To clear up this mistaken notion, Subaru too started running after the two shadows into the alley.
As he ran, questions about the inexplicable situation swirled in Subaru's mind.
There was too much information to process in his overwhelmed head. On top of that, he was already confused, having faced near-death situations twice today.

"Someone, please, show me some kindness! What’s the point of being summoned to another world!?"

He shouted profanities at the absurdity of it all and ran down the dim alleyway, wavering.

He had no confidence in his stamina. However, when it came to short-distance speed, he was not inferior to the other two. He would catch up to their backs immediately and clear up this doubt.

That was his intention while running, but then...

"Damn it... it's a wall!"

Right before Subaru's eyes, a dead-end alleyway awaited. There was no sign of the two he had been chasing. If his memory was correct, Felt was agile enough to easily climb walls. Satella, too, if she used magic, could cross one or two walls without a problem.

"I could climb it too, but... I don't think I can catch up."

More importantly, if they widened the distance, Subaru wouldn't be able to keep running indefinitely. While he could train his basic muscle strength indoors, aerobic exercise was impossible inside. A lack of stamina was a serious weakness for Subaru, and here too, it hindered his decision-making.

"If this doesn't work, then the stolen goods warehouse? If both Satella and Felt are alive... Rom-ji too."

He judged that he should hurry to meet up with Rom-ji by anticipating their moves. First and foremost, he needed to get out of the dead-end alley and head towards the slums. With that, Subaru turned around.

"...No way, you've got to be kidding me."

Turning around, he noticed the presence of figures blocking the entrance to the alley. Three people, their attire filthy, with rough and menacing expressions that seemed to display their violent nature. Already an annoying obstacle standing in Subaru's way.

A third encounter with the trio of thugs who made the back alleys their hunting ground occurred on this day.