Chapter 5 - The Outcome of the Detour

——When it came to traveling by making use of Reinhard, the mental preparation Subaru had done proved useless in two different ways.

'You might feel a little off, but you should get used to it right away.'

And after that preface, what Reinhard did was hoist up the Dragon Cart with Subaru and the others—Patrasche and all—in a light heft, then dashed through the sky with ferocious speed—no, he hurtled.

'Ababababababa…!'

The scenery outside the window streamed by at high speed, and yet inside the Dragon Cart there was almost no sense of shaking—a combo that felt like some kind of visual bug. Subaru clung to Beatrice and trembled mightily. He could, in principle, understand what was going on. In short, it was the same phenomenon as an earth dragon’s 『Divine Protection of Wind Evasion』. The only problem was that the one manifesting it was a human—Reinhard—and he was running at a speed so absurd that it made asking about common sense feel foolish.

'I’ve had this done to me once before. Big Bro Subaru and the others should savor it too.'

'B-but even so, is this really something you can get used to?'

Meili sat meekly, propping her chin on her own knees atop the seat. To Petra’s question—asked as she fearfully clutched the cloak of the seasoned Meili who was playing it cool—Meili gave a smug little laugh, 'Heh.'

'So even Petra-chan has things she’s scared of? That’s a surprise.'

'It’s not so much that it’s scary; it’s that when someone does something outside what you can even imagine, you can’t help but be shocked—that’s what I’m saying. He’s way more outlandish than I’d heard, this 『Sword Saint』.'

'…Even I haven’t heard that the successive holders of the title 『Sword Saint』 were this far outside the bounds of common sense. It must be that Reinhard is a special case.'

Seeing Petra turn the latter half of her conversation with Meili toward him, Old Man Rom patted his own head with a pap-pap and answered thus. With his huge body stuffed awkwardly into a Dragon Cart seat, Old Man Rom didn’t seem used to this Reinhard Run either; for the sake of his peace of mind, one hand was braced against the wall. Apparently, that doesn’t mean Felt’s camp habitually adopts this method of travel on a daily basis. Which, in its own way, seems like an incredible advantage, though.

'If we relied on a method like this outside of emergencies, people would say we were overworking the 『Sword Saint』 unfairly and our reputation would suffer. What’s more, it would also trouble the kingdom if the authority of the 『Sword Saint』 were to be diminished… in the worst case, not only going abroad but even this method of travel itself could end up banned.'

'Ah, that joke of a Reinhard Act…'

To Old Man Rom, who curled his lips, Subaru brought up that sort of absurd piece of international law peculiar to this world. As the name suggests, the Reinhard Act applies solely to the 『Sword Saint』 Reinhard van Astrea, and it was concluded with the aim of preventing him from leaving the Kingdom of Lugunica. It sounds like a joke, but once you grasp just how beyond all standards he is, it’s hard to call it overkill. That said——

'Sure, Reinhard’s power is ridiculous—pretty much straight-up ridiculous—but I’d like them to see that he’s not the kind of guy who’d go causing trouble in other countries.'

'Oh? Even though he’s with another faction, you rate Reinhard that highly?'

'Because we’re friends, and it’d be pitiful if only he had to stay home when we all go on an overseas trip. Like a trip to Vollachia… no, there’s nothing fun in Vollachia. Unless Mr. Flop and Ms. Medium used their clout to build at least an amusement park.'

Somehow, slip past Abel’s eye—or talk him around—and get the empire to fritter away its finances on entertainment, and I’d love for them to put together a full-scale amusement park.

'Garfiel, what are you looking at?'

'Nah, I was thinkin’ if yer ol’ pal me could do somethin’ like this, I could make things easier for the bosses. But it’s like, 『Whether you’re cut out for it or not is up to Zibnevra』, y’know? Don’t look like I can pull off the same trick.'

While Subaru was sketching out plans for the Land of Vollachia, Garfiel—addressed by Beatrice—clicked his fangs together and lamented as such. Indeed, in terms of brute strength, Garfiel might be able to do the same thing as Reinhard, but without the 『Divine Protection of Wind Evasion』 at work, the level of comfort would be hellish. Besides, treating your junior like a draft horse would prick at your conscience, even in an emergency.

'Ah, so that’s why the Reinhard Run never gets put to practical use. This really weighs on you.'

『I’m glad you understand. I also feel hesitant to do things like this except in emergencies.』

'He just joined the conversation like it was the most natural thing in the world…'

Reinhard casually sent his voice as if it were the most natural thing; that was the effect of the 'Blessing of Empathy', something Subaru had once experienced firsthand in Priestella. Apparently, this time he had been projecting his voice to people other than Subaru as well, and Petra and the others, whose heads suddenly rang with Reinhard's voice, wore expressions that couldn't hide their surprise. Meanwhile, Meili seemed to have resistance to this 'Blessing of Empathy' too, and her smug face continued. Anyway—,

"First off, I've calmed down about being shocked at Reinhard's way of running, but I still haven't processed the other shock. Is it true? —I mean, the appearance of that girl Filole."

"—Yeah, it's the unvarnished truth."

Though he couldn't see it, Subaru could tell Reinhard nodded as he affirmed it, and he swallowed the shock at what he'd been told again as a heavy breath.

It was an astonishing new development said to have occurred in the Royal Capital while Subaru and the others were at the Pleiades Watchtower—the approach of the 'Divine Dragon Church' and the appearance of a person called Filole, who made the insignia shine. That a group which had quietly killed its presence until now would show up at this point bearing a fact the Royal Selection couldn't ignore was, naturally, profoundly unsettling even for Subaru as the knight of Emilia, a Royal Selection candidate. However—,

"—Crusch being saved is the best news of all."

The upheaval that ran through the Royal Selection—that too was not to be overlooked, but among the topics brought to them, what carried the greatest meaning for Subaru was Crusch's recovery. In Priestella, she had fallen into the clutches of the Sin Archbishop of 'Lust' and been saddled with a curse that caused unending suffering in her body. Though he trod the same battlefield as she did, the sense of guilt at being unable to protect Crusch had remained long and deep within Subaru like a thorn.

"If I could really rip that thing off of Crusch's body, I would've been fine with my whole body turning pitch black."

Crusch had been bathed in the blood of 'Lust' and suffered damage too ghastly to look at. Subaru, too, received the same baptism of blood as she did, but the harm to him was vastly different from Crusch's. Of course, the effects showed up here and there on his body, but unlike Crusch, who continued to suffer, his amounted to no more than having some disgusting, botched tattoos on his hands and feet. Even those on his hands were lost completely when his arm was blown off, and the marks on his legs were only the kind that would make him jump when he remembered them in the toilet or bath. For some reason, Subaru's body had been able to take on Crusch's injuries in exchange for pain. Saving Crusch that way had been one of the options, but—,

"Crusch wouldn't give me a firm nod."

After the conclusion at Priestella, when Subaru was to head to the Pleiades Watchtower, she refused his offer to take the curse onto himself, saying she wouldn't place that burden on him, and he had been worried about her condition ever since. That she has healed is, without a doubt, good news for Subaru. Even so—,

"It's hard to bear that the ones who can't simply rejoice in that recovery are none other than the people involved."

Just as Old Man Rom's weighty words said, Crusch's recovery—having been accomplished by an organization called the 'Divine Dragon Church'—means a bitter blow for them. Subaru understands that much. Because he understands, he couldn't say anything lightly. Even if it left them at a major disadvantage in the Royal Selection, he couldn't blithely say that being alive is what matters most.

"But the fact that this person Filole has appeared, and on top of that made the insignia that proves priestess qualification shine—that's not good, is it?"

"Yeah. Even though one Royal Selection candidate dropped out and a slot opened up, that slot just gets filled and we're back to square one."

"...Meili, if you don't choose your words properly, I'll get mad too. We even went all the way to the tower over that."

"And then the guy in the helmet went and ruined it, anyway. ...Come on, don't be mad. Okaaay, it was my fault."

As if remembering her impish role, Meili, who had been making such jabs about various things, offered a flippant apology to Petra, whose gaze had grown severe. After letting out a small sigh at Meili's attitude, Petra continued, "Anyway,"

"Leaving aside Meili's foul mouth... when I say it's not good, I don't mean the matter of the slot. Because that Filole person has blond hair and red eyes, right?"

"That's what we've heard. Which means..."

"—Which means that's a characteristic of members of the Royal Family of Lugunica, right? And if I remember correctly, the name of the Princess who was abducted fifteen years ago was also, I believe—"

"—Filole."

With a finger to her lips, Petra thus searched through her own knowledge. When a pause arose before the crucial final word of Petra's statement, another person picked it up—Old Man Rom. Old Man Rom drew all the gazes inside the carriage onto himself, but let his own gaze drop between his knees,

「Fifteen years ago, the daughter of the king’s younger brother who vanished from the Royal Castle was named Filole. Exactly the same name as that nun from the ‘Divine Dragon Church’ who supposedly forced her way into the castle this time.」

「And they say that nun even made her insignia shine in front of a large crowd at the castle. If that story’s true, it makes sense that we’d be talking about a crisis that shakes the Royal Selection.」

After they finished sharing the facts that had sent a shock through the Lugunica Royal Castle, along with the surrounding circumstances, a solemn air spread inside the Dragon Cart. But there, with the resolve to deliberately not read the room, Subaru broke the silence with, “Hey.”

「I’m not entirely buying that.」

『—Not buying it, meaning?』

「I’m gradually getting used to talking with the voice I hear in my head, but what everyone’s worried about is this, right? That this Filole from the ‘Divine Dragon Church’ might be a member of the Royal Family of Lugunica who disappeared fifteen years ago. The insignia glowing would be proof of royalty, that kind of thing.」

「Yeah, that’s right. What about that doesn’t add up for you?」

「Well, I mean, Felt was under the same conditions, wasn’t she?」

Unfortunately, even tracing back the memories of that accursed day the Royal Selection began, Subaru hadn’t gotten to hear Felt’s policy speech. He’d made a colossal blunder and gotten himself kicked out of the throne room before that. But even though he hadn’t been there for it, he’d been properly filled in afterward on what happened there after his departure and what Felt said. At that point as well, the existence of a royal from fifteen years ago should already have surfaced as an issue.

「In other words, the situation is the same as with Felt. Personally, I think the twist where a princess secretly spirited out of the castle actually lived among the common folk is a thrilling development, so I prefer the flow where Felt is royalty.」

「Hmm, I see. —But if things are as you imagine, and Felt is a princess of the Kingdom of Lugunica, then the Royal Selection would be decided in Felt’s favor. Are you fine with that?」

「Huh?」

At Old Man Rom’s remark, delivered with one eye closed, Subaru’s eyes went wide. He even wondered if it was a mean-spirited joke, but no correction came. What’s more, the others besides Subaru seemed to agree with Old Man Rom’s view. To his surprise, finding himself in the minority—no, a party of one—left Subaru flustered.

「Wait, wait, wait—why?」

「Why? Ain’t it obvious. The whole reason we’re havin’ a Royal Selection in the first place is ’cause the royal family up and vanished, yeah? But if that ain’t how it is, then it’s only proper the surviving royal takes the throne, ain’t it?」

「H-hereditary, then?」

『I’d prefer you choose your wording more carefully, but yes, that’s what it means.』

Chided like that by the two martial types, Garfiel and Reinhard, Subaru became aware of the gap between his own outlook and that of people from this other world, and he let out an “ah.” For Natsuki Subaru, born and raised in Japan, it was natural that the head of state would be chosen not by blood but by other factors. The very situation of a Royal Selection also echoed election systems familiar to Subaru, which played a part. But to people of this world, it’s only natural that the next king after the reigning king is the prince, and when the prince becomes king, his child becomes the next prince. Therefore, if it were confirmed that Felt is of the royal line, the natural course would be for Felt to ascend to the next throne, and the Royal Selection would lose its function altogether—

「So that means if it had been confirmed Felt was royalty, we’d have been in serious trouble!」

「It was because things stopped at the stage of suspicion that the Royal Selection could proceed, I’d say. With that, are you really managing to serve properly as that young lady’s knight?」

「Cut it out! I was just a little out of touch with common sense! We’ve got Beako, Petra, and Garfiel—smart, young folks who are growing up just fine!」

「I’ll correct you: the Pretty-Charmy Betty is the most adult one here.」

Cradled and set on his lap, Beatrice thrust out her chest. Watching Subaru and the others ruffle her hair, Old Man Rom patted his own head in exasperation. I see—he had certainly made a bit of a spectacle of himself due to a slight mismatch in assumptions. Even so, Subaru’s turn for questions wasn’t over.

「I stumbled a bit, but my question still isn’t settled. I get that if someone is confirmed as royalty, there’s no point in holding the Royal Selection—but in the end, the doubt over whether this Filole-chan—uh, Ms. Filole—is the real thing is the same as with Felt, right? In that case…」

『—We must determine which is the genuine member of the royal family.』

「————」

It might have been phrased to keep emotion out as much as possible. Precisely because of that, Reinhard’s unvoiced words seemed to carry a blade-like sharpness. Subaru drew in a breath and let the meaning of those words seep into his mind. —To judge which of Felt and Filole was the real one.

「Unfounded suspicions have propped up the Royal Selection until today. But if there are now two candidates who might be the vanished royals, we cannot simply leave it be. We must also fear the possibility that someone with ill intent has slipped into the Royal Selection.」

「By ill intent... Even if one of them is royal, that doesn't mean the other is suddenly confirmed evil. Maybe they just happen to have blond hair and red eyes...」

「It's because that 'just happen to' doesn't occur that it's considered a trait exclusive to the royals, I suppose.」

「But the insignia lit up for both of them, didn't it!?」

Old Man Rom and Beatrice both offered logical explanations, and Subaru got emotional. He could only argue back with emotion. To begin with, he couldn’t even explain to himself why he was getting so worked up. If meeting Reinhard and Old Man Rom right after he was summoned was part of why he liked them, then the same went for Felt. He didn’t want Felt’s way of life and efforts to be denied just because she might not be of the royal blood. Moreover, he hated the idea of turning Filole—whom he hadn’t even met yet—into a villain and one-sidedly accusing that person of plotting something. More than anything—,

「If you were that desperate to have the royal line continue, when Felt showed up, you should’ve put the Royal Selection on hold and confirmed whether she was royal with DNA testing or whatever. You started the Royal Selection without doing that, and Emilia, and everyone, how much they...」

「Subaru...」

Biting his lip hard and stifling his voice, Subaru made the Beatrice on his lap worry. Feeling the gentle squeeze of her hand, Subaru shut his eyes and took a deep, heavy breath. Even so, his heart, hammered by surging passion, wouldn’t calm down easily.

Emilia, Felt, Crusch, Anastasia, Priscilla—the thing they had staked their convictions and even their lives on was the Royal Selection. He couldn’t accept having the premise twisted just because an unexpected meddling had come in.

「If it’s come to this...」

「If it’s come to this, what are you going to do?」

「Like a demonstration together with Reinhard to appeal for continuing the Royal Selection...」

『――I see』

「Don’t you ‘I see’ me! Don’t go saying something so terrifying! And you, don’t go riling up the ‘Sword Saint’ for no reason—what’ll you do if he actually goes and does it for real!?」

「Then I’ll be in on it too!」

「Garfiel, it’s getting complicated right now, so please be quiet for a bit, okay? Yeah?」

At Subaru’s bitter words, cornered as he was, Old Man Rom and Petra pushed back hard. A scolding of both the boisterous and the calm variety ensued, and, glared at by Petra, Garfiel wilted with a little “grr...” But it wasn’t as if it was all just a joke—no, he was actually quite serious. With at least that much resolve, he had to show his mettle as the knight of a Royal Selection candidate.

「Once we get to the Royal Capital, there’s so much to do...! I feel like I’ve been going nonstop without a break for about half a year now...」

「If it’s only that much, that’s just the beginning, I suppose. As for Betty, I feel like I’ve been moving nonstop for about eleven and a half years already.」

「Don’t say scary stuff like that—it’ll make my brain a total jumble...」

To Subaru’s wisecrack, Beatrice piled on an even stronger wisecrack. Quailing at her words, Subaru sighed over the size and number of the troubles awaiting them in the Royal Capital.

He was worried about Emilia witnessing such a situation firsthand, and he wanted to visit Crusch, who was said to have recovered. He also had to at least take a look at this Filole’s face, and he needed to directly question the traumatized bigwigs about what would happen with the Royal Selection. He wanted to dig into the Al Orb hanging from his neck, too, and the many factors that had led to that outrageous act. But for the moment, what he had to deal with was—,

『――Subaru, we’re arriving』

「Seriously? You’re amazing. Sorry for asking you to make a detour.」

He switched gears just as Reinhard’s report came in. From the scenery whipping by at high speed, he could have guessed it, but the travel speed was truly extraordinary. If it were only about speed, Cecilus might move faster; unfortunately, however, he probably doesn’t have the arm strength to hoist and carry a Dragon Cart, so the Cecilus style wouldn’t work. If it were just carrying one person on his back, he might be able to do something similar—but while he was thinking that, the view outside the window suddenly snapped back to reality. The rushing panorama stopped, and the Dragon Cart was gently lowered to the ground. In other words, they had arrived at their destination. To prove it—,

「――What on earth is the meaning of this!?」

「――――」

At the sound of that first voice, Subaru sprang to his feet and, still holding the startled Beatrice who squeaked, "Eek!", burst out of the Dragon Cart. There stood Reinhard, who had been running while shouldering the Dragon Cart without so much as breaking a sweat, and Patrasche, who had apparently been tense the whole time being carried by him. And before the familiar gates of the Roswaal Mansion, standing there with eyes wide at the Dragon Cart’s ridiculous entrance, a blue-haired—,

"Ugh!"

"Subaru!? W-w-w-what’s wrong!?"

Beatrice, who had been brought outside along with him, went wide-eyed at Subaru, who had instinctively clutched his chest and dropped to his knees on the spot. While he let the flustered Beatrice pat at his head and shoulders in a panic, Subaru’s chest ached at the stirring sight. Because, the one standing in front of the Roswaal Mansion to welcome them was—,

"I’ve learned just how precious that familiar look of yours is..."

"...And you’re always like this, no matter when or where we meet, aren’t you."

Saying that, wearing a maid outfit—yes, in her maid outfit—Rem let out a sigh, her expression a mix of exasperation and relief, rich with feeling.

△▼△▼△▼△

Taking advantage of the speed of Reinhard’s running, Subaru had begged to swing by the Roswaal Mansion on their way to the Royal Capital. The purpose, needless to say, was to have Rem present when they reclaimed 'Memory' from the Sin Archbishop of 'Gluttony', Roy Alphard—one of the reasons they were heading to the Royal Capital.

"I don’t think talks with 'Gluttony' will go nice and smooth, but Al somehow managed to drag it out of him. If he could do it, there’s no reason we can’t. Plus, I’ve already missed Ram and Rem’s reunion. If, at this point, I were to skip even the part where Rem’s 'Memory' comes back, I’d never recover...!"

To Subaru’s fierce plea that was enough to draw blood-tears, Reinhard—though he must have wanted to get back under Felt’s command even a second sooner—agreed without so much as a grimace. There’s nothing to call him but a truly good friend. Subaru would take on anything if it were a request from Reinhard, but if he were asked to shoulder a Dragon Cart and make a detour of hundreds of kilometers, whether he could so readily nod along would be doubtful.

But Reinhard actually went and did just that. And what he agreed to take on wasn’t only that—

"—Sorry to make you stick with me this far."

"No, I don’t mind. And though I have no awareness of it, I’ve also suffered damage from the Authority of the Sin Archbishop of 'Gluttony'. Apparently, at the very least, I was made to forget one friend."

"Yeah. ...Come to think of it, he apparently took being forgotten in stride and said it was a good chance to challenge Reinhard. Like, since you don’t know his hand, he figures he can win right now."

"That is... to be honest, I’m looking forward to it."

Casting a sidelong glance at Reinhard, who arched his brow lightly and then smiled with genuine delight, Subaru apologized to Julius in his heart, thinking he might have said something unnecessary and lit a fire. Perhaps he’d just snuffed out whatever chance of victory there might have been. But if it’s Julius, he might actually think it’s unfair for only himself to know his own hand and actively lay his cards on the table. So he’ll hold off on apologizing anywhere outside his heart.

—That’s how oppressively heavy the air was, to the point that he drifted into such pointless thoughts.

"...As expected, it really lives up to being called a Prison Tower."

A strangely cold bead of sweat trickled down Subaru’s brow as he muttered. He wasn’t in a rush, and he hadn’t been running. Even so, the cold sweat that welled up and slid down was his entire body’s rejection response to this place.

Built on the uppermost level of Royal Capital Lugunica, near the Royal Castle, the stone spire served as a prison that housed some of the kingdom’s most notorious felons. Naturally, so that you couldn’t easily come face to face with any of the captives, the iron doors of every cell were shut tight. It wasn’t the kind of lockup you often see in comics, with prisoners beyond iron bars, and as he stepped inside, Subaru felt relief and anticlimax in a seventy–thirty split.

"The folks on Gladiator Island—sure, some of them were criminals in every sense, but they were more of the breezy kind of rogues..."

It might be odd to chalk it up to a national temperament, but the crimes committed by Hiain, Weitz, Idra and the others who had been his comrades on Gladiator Island Ginunhive were basically of the rampaging sort without any malice. At times there were merciless cases like Hiain’s, being thrown in after falling into slavery, but even the kinds of things that would be deemed so-called serious crimes were mostly just the difference between small rampages and big rampages. By contrast, the atmosphere of the Prison Tower that confined Lugunica’s felons had, to Subaru’s skin-sense from knowing that island, a blood-reek utterly unlike that place.

"So is it true a lot of Witch Cult people are being held here?"

"That's right. Considering they mostly operate in Lugunica, that line of thinking is correct. In fact, 'Wrath' is also imprisoned in the underground here."

"The underground... so you've kept it far away from 'Gluttony.'"

"Just to be extra cautious. Their capture situations are different, but you can't carelessly let anyone near 'Wrath.' Not even the other inmates."

The Sin Archbishop of 'Wrath,' Sirius Romanée-Conti, has an Authority that's like a psychological contamination that spreads by being swept up in her words and mood—an airborne infection of the mind. Considering that level of influence, even if her movements were completely restrained, you couldn't possibly claim the danger was removed. In fact, it almost seems like some of the nasty aura drifting through this Prison Tower comes from that Sin Archbishop of 'Wrath.'

"I have a visceral aversion, but we might have to talk to her sooner or later."

"When that time comes, let me know. I'll sit in, same as this time."

"That's reassuring. I'm seriously counting on you."

How reassuring, the way Reinhard thumped his own chest and took it on. However, Sirius's Authority was something where Reinhard's strength could even backfire. Handle with care. In any case, the reason Subaru and the others had come to the Prison Tower today wasn't her. Sorry, but for a while longer, Sirius could savor the cold air of the underground. Instead—

"—This way."

As he said that and indicated a door, it was the guard of the Prison Tower who had been leading them. Nodding to the man whose face was equal parts taut tension and professionalism, Subaru looked to the door. Just looking at it made your spirits sink—a door that exuded cold, oppressive weight. Beyond that door, the Sin Archbishop of 'Gluttony' was imprisoned.

"That said, since he's in about the same state as the Al Orb, it's doubtful whether he's even conscious."

Looking back on his own experience, when he was sealed inside that black sphere, it felt like being soaked in lukewarm water you couldn't move in—an indescribable sensation. In an environment where he could barely even keep his consciousness clear, Beatrice worked her heart out and unraveled the mechanics of the forbidden art for Subaru's sake; he'd like to present her with the Eary-Subaru Award, but there are so many nominees he'd have his hands full, so he'd like to deliberate long and hard.

"Subaru? Why are you kneading Betty's cheeks?"

"Well, I can't hand out the Eary-Subaru Award right away, so I'm showing affection instead..."

"You can do whatever you want once our business is done. For now, focus on what's in front of us."

Perhaps she'd seen that the clinginess came from his unease; as Beatrice soberly admonished him, Subaru puckered his lips and exhaled, "Yeah." Beatrice at the front gate, Reinhard at the rear—this was the best formation Subaru had put together for visiting 'Gluttony' in the Prison Tower. He'd really have preferred to have Rem, the party most concerned, present, but either way, he didn't think the first round of talks would go well. He was assuming that persuading, or perhaps coercing, 'Gluttony' would take persistent tries.

"Anyway, that guy's been solidified with yin magic, so Beako's indispensable to undo it."

"Leave it to me. And if he starts acting up the instant we undo it, 'Sword Saint,' I'll have you beat him down."

"Yeah, understood. I won't let him lay a finger on you or on Subaru. Rest easy."

"That really is a load off. In that case..."

Counting on the strength of his almost-too-reliable reinforcements, Subaru nodded to the guard to have the door unlocked. As the guard slowly pushed it open, Subaru clenched his fist.

—In the dimly lit tower, at the back of a cell that felt especially dark, Roy Alphard was being held, solidified by yin magic into a monolith-like shape. They would wake Roy, and make him spit out Rem's 'Memory,' and the 'Name' and 'Memory' of every victim. Exchanging words with the Sin Archbishops would be a battle that shaved away at one's sanity, but if there was a definite reward beyond it, Subaru would, resolutely—

"—Huh?"

Bracing himself for that, Subaru had been about to hold his breath—then involuntarily let it out. As his eyes adjusted to the gloom, the scene in the cell that came into view was not what he had expected. Roy Alphard, embedded in a black, slab-like monolith and turned into something like a specimen—that was what should have been waiting. However, what was there was something completely unforeseen.

"————"

Subaru froze, unable to make sense of it, but the one who gently eased him aside and stepped into the cell in his place was Reinhard. Right at his side, Beatrice leaned her whole body against Subaru—no, she was supporting him. Because the strength had gone out of Subaru's legs, and he was about to collapse.

With Subaru on the verge of collapse and Beatrice supporting him behind, Reinhard pushed into the back of the solitary cell. Seeing what lay scattered across the cold prison floor, he shook his head. Then he turned and said.

"—I'm afraid he's dead."

At Reinhard's feet lay the wretched remains of the Sin Archbishop of Gluttony—"Spoiled Feast" Roy Alphard—scattered across the floor, a horrific sight.