"You okay? Think you can manage it?"
"Big sis, watch your hands! That's dangerous, dangerous!"
"Isn't that the silver-haired half-elf from the rumors? Dump it over her head!"
"Don't chatter at me from the side! And don't go instigating clear malice! The Scripture even says this: 'Touch not the Dragon's scales with impure thoughts. The defiled shall be struck by silver rain, and until the dregs of their hearts are scraped away, they shall not be permitted to pass through the golden gate.'"
"…What does that mean?"
"It means not only doing bad things—just thinking about it is enough that you should reflect, or I'll get mad! Now then, I have guests to attend to! Go play outside!"
With a clear-carrying voice, she said that and gently herded the well-meaning children out. In response, the children squealed and tumbled noisily out of the building.
Two boys and one girl—the one with the sharpest tongue was the girl—and since all of them wore nearly black, indigo-dyed habits, they were probably connected to the church.
At any rate, Subaru straightforwardly took it as a good sign that they were brimming with energy.
"Sorry my kids were such a racket. I do tell them every day, but it doesn't really seem to take—or maybe they just think they can get away with it… phew."
Seeing the children's backs off and giving a loose shrug was the blonde, red-eyed nun—Filore. She'd been tangled up with the kids endlessly while preparing to receive guests; in truth, from the look of it, it was about half being liked and half being taken lightly.
Be that as it may, before offering consolation, Subaru and the others' attention was drawn to her precarious steps as she came toward them with a tea set on a silver tray.
Rattle-rattle-rattle-rattle—everything on the tray was flashing danger signs.
Waiting at the table in the parlor they'd been shown into, Subaru and the others swallowed hard at the spectacle of its transit.
"…Um, shall I give you a hand?"
"Wait—please don't touch! At the moment, by some quirk, a delicate balance has been established on this tray, and one misstep will make it all go kaput. Easy… easy…"
"Y-you're doing suuuuch a good job…!"
Slipping between Rem, who had offered to help, and Emilia, who was cheering her on in all seriousness, Filore gingerly managed to bring the tray in for a landing on the table without flipping it.
As Subaru and the others couldn't help but clap with an "Ooooh," she made a gesture of wiping her brow,
"Ahem, sorry to keep you waiting. And I apologize for making your hearts race right off the bat. Normally I'd leave welcoming guests like this to someone else, but at the moment it's just me."
"No, it's fine. Thank you for coming to meet us. If anything, it feels like we showed up when you're short-handed."
"No, I don't mind. The church's doors ought always to be open. The Scripture also says this: 'To fear and revere the power of the Dragon is the mark of love. Love without awe is arrogance; awe without love is servility; true love dwells in the dignity of standing tall before the Dragon.'"
"Um, and that means?"
"In other words, keep yourself standing tall and presentable so you'll be fine no matter when someone important sees you."
Raising a forefinger, Filore answered Emilia's question that way.
She was probably quoting a line from the Divine Dragon Church's Scripture, but she had a knack for breaking it down and making it easy to grasp. That willingness to interpret the stiff phrasing in a way that goes down easy was something even Subaru, whose understanding of the faith was shallow, appreciated.
"That said, you, with spit flying as you lectured the kids—was that 'standing tall'?"
"Ugh."
"And after that, the way your face went bright red when you spotted Betty and the others was something to see, wasn't it?"
"Oof."
At the back-to-back barbs from Subaru and Beatrice, Filore clutched her chest and groaned in succession. Finding her quick reactions rather delightful, Subaru suddenly felt Rem at his side and Emilia at Beatrice's, and each of their ears was pinched,
"That was an unnecessary remark."
"Come on, don't be mean."
"Ow, ow, ow!"
Made to pay the price for their mischief, Subaru and Beatrice took damage as well. In the end, just carrying tea had already produced three casualties.
Anyway, enough idle chatter—
"Once again, thank you for taking the trouble to come. I'm Filore… a nun of the Divine Dragon Church who has caused quite a stir at the Royal Castle."
——
With a hand to her chest, Filore introduced herself like that, and Subaru and the others said nothing. Seeing this, Filore's expression clouded over before their eyes,
"S-say something, please. Otherwise I'll start getting anxious."
"No, I just thought—you do realize you're the one causing the commotion."
「Of course there is. …Yes, there is. At the castle, when everyone looks at you like that—as if they’re seeing something beyond words—anyone would think, ‘Oh? Did I mess up?’」
「Well, we weren’t there, but that feeling of being so out of place you can’t stand it—honestly, I know it all too well.」
「Really!? That hellish feeling!?」
「Ah, is that maybe about the time Subaru just insisted in front of everyone that he was my knight, and I got embarrassed and said he wasn’t?」
「Ugh, pretty much that!」
Filore pounced in, and Emilia clasped her hands before her chest; their guileless exclamations from both sides made Subaru’s old wound ache fresh again.
Or rather, from Emilia’s perspective, her denial back then seems to have been chalked up to “because I was embarrassed.” He hadn’t exactly conducted an interview about how she’d felt at the time, but cute reason or not, the damage Subaru took was brutal.
「…Just hearing that makes me squirm with secondhand embarrassment, but is it true?」
「Unfortunately, at that time, Betty hadn’t formed a contract with Subaru yet, so I don’t know the details. But given the Subaru of those days, it wouldn’t be surprising if he’d messed up.」
「Somehow, having Rem and Beako bring up all sorts about that day now makes me feel really beat down! For the record, Rem before her ‘memories’ disappeared knew the circumstances and was actually pretty sympathetic to me, okay?」
「Is that really so? Could it be that the former me was simply too exasperated to comment?」
「Don’t— you’re making me think that might be the case!」
In truth, whatever Subaru’s feelings were then, there’s no denying he kept making the wrong choices in method, approach, wording, and presentation—across the board. But he’s already reflected on that, so, having brought it up himself and all, he’d really like to be forgiven by now.
Yet as Subaru was getting pummeled by his own past deeds—
「—I know that feeling.」
With a firm grab, the two hands reaching across the table wrapped tightly around Subaru’s right hand. Looking, he saw Filore leaning in from straight ahead, nodding to him.
Her red eyes gleaming brilliantly, she said to a wide-eyed Subaru,
「The cold gazes of those around you, watching the out-of-place person who suddenly appeared」
「—!」
「Getting carried away and starting to talk, and now my tongue can’t backtrack」
「Yeah, yeah. That’s it!」
「The silence that feels like an eternity after you’ve said your piece, until someone finally says something!」
「A few seconds drag on endlessly…!」
「It hit me big time. …That I might have messed up」
「Filore…!」
The tremors she’d felt all seemed like his own—no, they were, in truth. Realizing that, Subaru squeezed Filore’s hands back.
With their hands clasped together atop the table, Subaru and Filore nodded to each other.
Yes—both Subaru and Filore were comrades who’d gotten carried away and messed up at the castle—
「But isn’t there quite a difference between Filore-san, who produced results on the spot, and you, who put off your chance to make it up?」
「Q-quit it… we were having a nice moment here…」
「That’s right, that’s right. The Scripture even says this: 『Do not sharpen the claws that rend your neighbor while under the same wing. Brothers who quarrel beneath the same sky are those who cast aside the Dragon’s mercy and go astray.』」
「Uh, what’s that supposed to mean?」
「It means people who suffered the same embarrassment should get along instead of arguing.」
「I feel that! Maybe I should join the 『Divine Dragon Church』!」
「That’s a delicate matter, so don’t treat it carelessly!」
Having been empathized with so warmly, Subaru nearly converted on the spot, but Beatrice’s loving slap stopped him. If affection for what a faith venerates is the prime mover, then indeed Subaru is already a believer of the Church of Beatrice, and concurrently of the Church of Emilia and the Church of Rem as well.
「Wait, by that logic I’m in way too many religions. I’ve been putting on the Japanese-style ‘nonreligious’ act till now, but from a god’s point of view, does that make me a cheater…?」
「—. Well, I suppose so?」
「Such a brutally simple cold look!」
The moment he muttered that, he was skewered by Rem’s pale blue eyes. With Emilia and Beatrice beside her also wearing wry smiles, Subaru decided not to dig any deeper into the topic.
Having made that tactical retreat, Subaru and the others turned their eyes back to Filore. Frankly, she was already incredibly easy to warm to even at this point, but there was something they needed to tell her.
That was—
「I heard you helped Crusch-san. It might seem odd for me to be the one to say this, but… thank you. Really, thank you.」
「――――」
Saying that, Subaru bowed so deeply he nearly smacked his forehead against the table. At Subaru’s words of thanks, Filore widened her eyes and looked at Emilia and the others.
Even with a preface like “this may sound strange,” it didn’t seem to dispel the reason for her surprise. But to such a Filore, Emilia also bowed her head and said,
"Let me thank you as well. All of us wanted to do something for Crusch-san. And you’re the one who actually did something."
"We were actually just looking for a way to deal with it. Well done."
"I only heard about it secondhand, but I think it’s most commendable."
Just like that, not only Emilia but Beatrice and Rem followed with words of thanks, leaving Filore opening and closing her mouth for a while. Once she finally managed to absorb the shock, she slowly shook her head.
Then, before Subaru and the others, she bore herself with composure, a serene, benevolent smile on her face,
"—It’s quite all right. I merely did what had to be done. If someone was saved by that, then that is precisely my true purpose."
That reply was exactly what befit the image Subaru held of a compassionate nun. If only her nostrils hadn’t been twitching with delight, it would have been flawless.
Of course, out of gratitude and a warrior’s mercy, Subaru didn’t say as much out loud.
△▼△▼△▼△
"—I was picked up after being left in front of the church as a baby. That was a little over fifteen years ago."
Once the initial exchange that began with greetings had run its course, Filore began to talk about her position, the circumstances surrounding her, and the personal history related to them.
At that opening statement about being abandoned, Subaru and the others couldn’t help but look at one another. It was, after all, a topic unavoidable to the ‘Filore = Missing Princess’ theory.
"Abandoned… then you don’t remember your parents?"
"No, I don’t know their faces or names. But everyone at the church is my family. So I’ve never really felt lonely… well, there were times when some thoughtless people teased me and I went grr, but basically no. There was always someone there for me."
"I see. But, uh, didn’t you ever think it was weird yourself? I mean, blond hair, red eyes, and the name Filore—that’s pretty much a jackpot, or, like, a critical hit…"
"This is the ‘Divine Dragon Church,’ you know? It’s only natural for the church to keep its distance from the royal family and the Royal Castle, so that kind of information never reached me. —No, thinking back now, I suppose it was deliberately kept from me. Curse them…"
Her fist, placed atop the table, trembled as Filore lamented her circumstances.
From that rather shocking first meeting and the brief exchange so far, it could be inferred that Filore is quite impulsive—someone easily swayed by her emotions.
Her direct petition to the Royal Castle, born of the strong sympathy she shared with Subaru, seemed to be an outburst of those emotions.
"I’d originally thought the Witch Cult’s recent outrages had gone far beyond the pale. Then the incident in Priestella happened. …I’d reached the limit of my patience."
"So you shook off everyone trying to stop you and barged into the castle alone, shouting?"
"Could you soften the phrasing a little… yes, how about this: I stormed in with dignity and grace and raised my voice."
"Right, you stormed in with dignity and grace and shouted."
"…I feel like that still doesn’t convey my gallant earnestness as much as I’d hoped."
That said, since he was just following instructions, Subaru couldn’t very well take responsibility for how effective it was.
In any case, they understood that Filore had acted out of a sense of duty and strong indignation. But what interested Subaru and the others was the underlying reason that made such action possible.
It was—
"—The Sacrament. That’s what you called it, right, Filore?"
At the word Emilia brought up, the air in the sitting room grew slightly taut.
The Sacrament—whatever it was that Filore was said to have used to heal Crusch’s body, and the possibility, which she went so far as to march into the Royal Castle to prove, of overturning an Authority.
And for some reason, it was a means of saving the victims of the Witch Cult that the ‘Divine Dragon Church’ had kept secret and refused to bring to light.
——
Wetting his lips with his tongue, Subaru tried to rein in the faint tension.
As the name suggests, the Sacrament must be a very important secret of the ‘Divine Dragon Church.’ Depending on the case, simply knowing of its existence could be enough for the church to regard you as an enemy.
If they tried to dig into it, even Filore would grow tight-lipped—
"Sacrament? Yes, that's right. It's an esoteric art passed down only within the Church since ancient times, and the number of people who can use it is extremely limited. In the Church, such people are called "Saintess," and since I have that qualification, I'm able to use the power."
"You just dropped that so casually—is that okay!?"
"Okay or not, even if the Church tried to hide it, it's already been talked about openly at the castle. Trying to conceal it now is pointless... The Scripture even says this: "Defile not the earth cleansed by the Dragon with the poison of selfish desire. To fill a spring once run dry requires a thousand years of prayer and the tears of the guilty.""
"Uh, and that means?"
"In short, if you try to profit only yourself, it's a nightmare to set things right when something happens. And I decided that now is exactly one of those times."
Thus, going against the intentions of the Divine Dragon Church, which wished to keep the existence of the Sacrament secret, Filore chose to follow the doctrine she believes in and wield that power openly.
Naturally, the Divine Dragon Church, having had her do such a thing on her own, was thrown into a great panic, and the Royal Castle—now owing her a big favor—must have been thrown into confusion as well.
But whatever the outcome of the turmoil, it's certain that goodwill was the spark.
"Right about now, they're discussing at the Royal Castle how to handle me... The Church's high-ranking people and members of my longtime family are taking part as well, though."
"It's about Filore, and Filore isn't joining that discussion?"
"Even if I wanted to, they kicked me out! Even though it's about me, they said having me there would just complicate things... There's at least a small chance it wouldn't, don't you think? Isn't that awful!?"
"It's sad that they're estimating the chances of it not going that way so low, I suppose."
"Don't rub it in, Beako."
Filore, cheeks flushed, protests that she's being treated unfairly, but given her impulsive straightforwardness, one has to admit the people involved made a reasonable call.
Filore claims to be fifteen years old, but despite her mature appearance, inside she's very much fifteen—perhaps even more childish. No doubt that's partly because she was kept apart from the world and raised like a sheltered girl.
Honestly, Subaru can't guess what the Divine Dragon Church was aiming for in raising her that way.
"So the people involved are at the castle? And that's why you, Filore-san, were left at the Church by yourself?"
"That's right. Well, those kids from earlier are here with me, so I'm not lonely, but I've been told not to go out on my own. I want to spread the power of the Sacrament as soon as possible—even a second sooner...!"
"That's a motivation I've never heard from a Saintess."
It shows how much she wants to save people, but talk about a Saintess who doesn't exactly feel saintly.
That said, remembering what Garfiel had said at the Nobles' Hall, and thinking of the victims waiting for their turn in Priestella, there's nothing to do but agree with Filore's feelings.
If anything, from Subaru's point of view, he feels like giving Filore a push.
"I really get how you feel. I could ask Reinhard to give you a lift—have him zip you straight to Priestella in one go..."
"Guh...! A tempting proposal...! But I've been told to wait quietly."
"It's not like you promised, right? And even if it were a promise, if someone ends up being saved, then bending it a little..."
"Subaru? Are you trying not only to break it yourself but to make someone else break their promise, too? That's really, really not okay, you know...?"
"A habitual promise-breaker has finally gone as far as he can go."
"Guu...!"
Scolded with a "We get how you feel, but..." tone, Subaru can only let out a feeble "guu." Filore, who makes a similar noise, likewise bows before the matter of promises.
For now, all they can do is pray that the talks at the castle wrap up as quickly—and as positively—as possible.
"By the way—Filore-san, you said you were a nun of the Divine Dragon Church, but..."
"Rem?"
"Even with that position, you're willing to let Emilia-san in so readily."
At Rem, who had suddenly switched topics like that, Subaru—who had been offering a prayer toward the direction of the castle—knit his brows in puzzlement.
However, it was clear from Emilia, her brows lowering, and from Filore, who lowered the hands she had joined in the same prayer as Subaru, that the topic was not at all off the mark.
What Rem was pointing to—the relationship between the Divine Dragon Church and Emilia—the real issue was—
"The Divine Dragon Church reveres the power and grace of the Divine Dragon Volcanica and its covenant. And in the Kingdom of Lugunica, the Divine Dragon's greatest feat was sealing away the Witch of Envy, wasn't it?"
"Hey, don't tell me that means..."
「The more devout a follower of the 『Divine Dragon Church』 is, the more they might have complicated feelings about Emilia-san... That’s the sort of story this is.」
Without even turning to face Subaru, who had leapt to his feet, Rem refused to meet his eyes. Lips pressed tight, she knew her remark was a harsh one that could shatter the somewhat congenial mood of the discussion so far.
Even so, Rem said it—choosing not to let an unnatural situation slide as-is.
In fact, until Rem pointed it out, Subaru himself hadn't noticed how off it was.
Partly, the 『Divine Dragon Church』 had always felt distant to him; but more than that, to Subaru, Emilia being an ultra-beautiful girl is a fresh amazement every day, and from their first meeting to now she has never once been an object of fear or dread.
But that must not be forgotten—because by her origins and her outward features, Emilia is constantly being confronted with her resemblance to the most feared 『Witch』 in this world.
「――――」
And that resemblance to the 『Witch of Envy』 is, from the standpoint of the 『Divine Dragon Church』—which venerates the 『Divine Dragon』, one of the 『Three Great Heroes』 who halted that Witch's rampage four hundred years ago—something they can neither ignore nor blithely accept.
All the more so because Filore bears the Sacrament, a secret of the church, and occupies a role akin to a 『Saintess』. Whatever impression she, raised under the teachings of the 『Divine Dragon Church』, might form of Emilia would be anything but strange.
「Am I an idiot? No—yeah, I'm an idiot.」
This is something Subaru should have realized himself, without Rem having to point it out.
Even while serving as Emilia’s Knight of the First Rank, he lacked both the caution and the knowledge regarding places where she might be unfairly hurt. And if that left Emilia looking troubled, was he really going to make it add up by cursing himself and saying it was his fault?
He’d regretted his lack of knowledge—that was part of why they’d hurried to the royal capital—yet—
「Rem, you went and studied up without me noticing. I'm suuuper surprised.」
But while Subaru was lamenting, what Emilia herself said was neither a scolding for her ineffectual Knight of the First Rank nor surprise at having had Rem’s words open her eyes.
She simply smiled and thanked Rem for choosing to bring that topic up.
「…I wouldn’t call it studying; it wasn’t anything that grand. It’s just that I, too, am someone who was given a place to belong, so I heard stories about it from my sister, that’s all.」
「But that makes me happy. Even though it means you’re worried about me… it’s weird, isn’t it?」
「—No, I do understand. Being worried over can make you feel pathetic, but it also makes you feel cherished.」
「Hehe, really? Then Rem, you were taking good care of me too.」
「…I think the one who did that first was Emilia-san.」
Saying that to Emilia, who was looking straight at her, Rem lowered her gaze. But to Subaru’s eyes, that manner of hers was clearly her own way of hiding her embarrassment.
Emilia’s straightforward, pure gaze peels back all the overthinking on this side. Subaru understood how Rem felt, and he’d been reminded of that time and again himself.
「—Beako, cheek!」
「Good grief, I suppose!」
Right after that exchange, Subaru called out to Beatrice like that. At once, as if she’d been waiting for it, Beatrice slapped his cheek with her small palm—smack!—a tingle ran from that adorable hand, and Subaru’s shoulders trembled.
「Kya!? What was that all of a sudden?」
Startled by the sudden move, Emilia gently touched Subaru’s cheek. As the coolness of her pale fingertips soothed the tingling, Subaru shrugged and said, 「Nah,」 and—
「Just getting a little pep slapped into me. A mental reset via Beako... we could call it Beatrism. Or Beatherapy. Which do you like better?」
「Sorry, I have no idea what you’re talking about.」
Emilia answered Subaru’s nonsense in her usual tone.
From that reaction alone, he could tell she wasn’t frightened by the circumstances he’d worried about, nor did she seem unsettled by his inadequacy.
「Of course, I can’t just keep leaning on that forever. And it’s pretty bad if I’m slower on the uptake about our camp’s worrisome issues than Rem, who’s lost her memories.」
「Please reflect on that seriously.」
「You’re saying that because you think I can handle it—okay, leave it to me.」
「—Well, that’s fine then.」
Buoyed by Rem’s cheer, Subaru’s faltering drive recovered. Then, resetting himself, he squared up and faced Filore.
She is a nun of the 『Divine Dragon Church』—a 『Saintess』. Which is precisely why—
"I think it matters that someone like that be freed from prejudice. So how about it, Filore? Why not, just this once, form a friendly relationship with Emilia?"
"A friendly relationship? Hey, Subaru, does that mean...?"
"Yeah, in other words— you two become friends!"
Clenching his fist, Subaru declared it with conviction. Taking that in, Emilia's violet eyes sparkled as she pressed her hands together before her chest.
It goes without saying, but Emilia is starved for friends. She even slammed a straightforward proposal at that Felt and actually managed to become friends with her.
And not just Emilia, that little friendship monster—
"—Me, become friends? Seriously!?"
With a loud clatter as her hands hit the table, Filore bit hard at the bait.
Her large red eyes quivering, she looked back and forth between Subaru and Emilia,
"No, I'm sorry, that must be a mistake. I probably misheard. Not 'friends' but, for example... yes, 'friend-less'—as in, I don't have any friends."
"This is bad—this Saintess is way too much of a loner."
"B-but, I kind of get the feeling. When Subaru first tried to be nice to me, I had no idea what he was thinking and I was suuuper anxious."
"Sorry for making you anxious! My feelings haven't changed since the start, and they've only grown with time... Ow! Rem, did you just step on my foot!?"
"No. I dropped an iron ball."
"You brought the Morning Star!?"
Rem, all flustered, hid the Morning Star she'd dropped on the top of Subaru's foot behind her back. He was terrified his instep had nearly been shattered, but there was something heartwarming about Rem in her maid outfit carrying around the spiked iron ball she'd diligently polished while Subaru was staying at the mansion.
"Hey, Filore."
Leaving Subaru and the others to their antics, Emilia walked up to Filore, who was trying to escape from reality.
When Emilia touched the hand Filore had placed on the table, Filore jolted and looked at her in surprise.
"It's super lazy of me to just ride on something Subaru brought up, but how about it, Filore?"
"W-w-what do you mean? I'm not sure I understand... If you don't say it clearly, I might misunderstand. Actually, haven't I already at this point? Is this a dream...?"
"No, it's not a dream. And I'll say it clearly so there's no misunderstanding. If you'd like, be friends with me—no, with us!"
"—Yes, absolutely, with pleasure!!"
In an instant, her weakness and meekness vanished; Filore's face lit up as she squeezed Emilia's hand back, and the two began nurturing a new friendship at zero distance.
Overwhelmed by how fast things had developed, Subaru nevertheless felt the wind clearly shift in a good direction and nodded deeply.
"I'm glad things moved forward without getting tangled. That momentum, though... it reminds me of when Beako actually listened to my persuasion."
"With Betty it was way more romantic and dramatic! I wasn't that ravenous, was I!"
"Ow ow, cute cute."
Beatrice, fuming as if her indignation had nowhere to go, started tap-tapping on the foot opposite the one Rem had nearly crushed; both the lightness of it and her sulky act were adorable.
Glancing over, he saw Rem also pat her chest in relief at Emilia and Filore establishing their relationship.
It had been a sensitive point that had to be addressed, and it was a relationship that could have fallen apart because of her involvement. One can imagine how Rem must have felt.
"You on board too, Rem? Friends."
"I don't think it's something to treat so casually. Besides, I have Katya."
"Isn't it fine to have as many friends as you want? Me, I pretty much consider everyone I met on Gladiator Island a friend."
"I have Katya."
It was quite a stubborn answer. Well, how one categorizes friends is up to the person, so it would be boorish to nitpick.
At the very least, an amicable relationship was formed between Emilia and Filore. This could be called a historic achievement both for Emilia's camp and for the Divine Dragon Church.
"I became friends with Felt, and I promised to become friends with Anastasia, so maybe I'm actually good at making friends."
Emilia, for her part, had gained confidence from making multiple friends in a short time. At this rate, she might start calling out to passersby in the streets one after another and keep increasing her circle.
That wouldn't be so bad either, but I can't help feeling it would spark bad rumors in a different way, so for now we need to put a stop to Emilia's craving for friends.
'Hey, wait, Emilia... I'll be calling you Emilia, okay? We just became friends, didn't we? And yet you're already bringing up the names of friends other than me—don't you think that's a little cruel? It's not that I mind, okay? I don't mind, but could you maybe look at me, the friend you just made, a little more...'
Filore, for her part, may simply have gone too long without any friends. Whether she's placing excessive expectations on friendship or what, her words have a bit of a yandere vibe.
It's probably because she's focusing all her friend-longing on a single person; if we don't increase her number of friends and disperse that desire, it could get dangerous. If we can't strong-arm Rem into it, then Subaru, or maybe Beatrice, will have to be the one to take it on.
'But, in practice, was that all right with you, Filore-wise? Of course, the only thing my Emilia-tan has in common with the 'Witch of Envy' is her outward features.'
'—? Do you have some complaint about my Emilia?'
'Crap, no wonder this Saintess can't make friends!'
Pulling on the arm she was holding, Filore spun and nestled into Emilia's chest; seeing that attitude, Subaru pressed a hand to his forehead, thinking this might be a more troublesome friendship than he'd thought.
At Subaru and the others' back-and-forth, Emilia, who had ended up holding Filore from behind, gave a wry smile,
'Come on now, calm down. Sorry about my friend.'
'What is this? What kind of flex am I getting hit with right now? Emilia-tan, what am I to you?!'
'Huh? Subaru is my knight, right?'
'Thought so! Whew, that was close. My ego is satisfied.'
A rift that might have formed between the silver-haired half-elf and the Divine Dragon Church hadn't, but instead a crack had been about to open between Emilia's Knight of the First Rank and her friend—this was the brink where it seemed it might grow into something larger.
'—Filore, did you chase Lucian and the others out? As proof they'd properly reflected, they were supposed to be kept under watch, weren't they?'
Suddenly, the door to the lounge swung open, and a young man appeared there.
In a broad-brimmed black hat and deep-purple garb, a fine-featured handsome man—upon spotting Filore and, besides her, Subaru and the others in the room, he rounded his yellow eyes and went, 'Oh?'
'So we had guests. Good grief, those guys didn't even tell me, and they've abandoned their watch. I'll have to give them a proper scolding later.'
'Oh, welcome back, Tiga. Hey, look—this is Emilia, my friend. Isn't that nice? My friend... hehe, friend, hehe.'
The young man lowered the brim of his hat, hiding his eyes. Filore introduced him to Emilia, who was still hugging her, and her joy quietly spilled over.
She's a beautiful girl, so it's just barely within acceptable bounds, but that's the face of someone on the verge of a friendship addiction.
At Filore's words, the young man called Tiga raised an eyebrow—'Emilia?'—and compared the Emilia in question with Subaru and the others,
'I see. I'm happy you made a friend too. But I can't have you looking all smug at me over it. For example... hey, want to be friends?'
'Huh, me?'
'Yeah. I'm Tiga Rauleon. And you are...?'
'Natsuki Subaru. Looking forward to it, My Friend.'
'—Ah, likewise, My Friend.'
Offered a hand by the easygoing Tiga, Subaru clasped it back without hesitation. He handled the tossed bit of foreign phrasing with no trouble, even tossing a wink without missing a beat. And as he did, he mouthed 'My Friend, My Friend' a few times, trying to get it to stick right away.
Meanwhile, the one who couldn't hide her shock at Subaru and Tiga building a friendship at lightning speed was Filore, who had long suffered from a shortage of friends.
She stared, eyes wide, pointing back and forth between Subaru and Tiga,
'A-aren't you scared? Like, what if you get rejected, or...'
'Hey, what kind of upbringing did you have? You're the type who doesn't scare easy about anything, but being timid only about making friends—that balance is all wrong.'
'I've got no excuse for that. See, she was kept strictly sheltered, so she's starving for contact with the outside. We might be in this for the long haul, so ease her into it, will you? She won't bite.'
'That disclaimer is unnecessary! I wouldn't bite! What do you take me for!? Emilia's friend! And practically a Saintess!'
'Is it really okay that the Saintess part gets treated lighter...?'
Rem's mutter was only natural; the impression of Filore had been tossed all over the place in a very short time.
That said, the fact that Tiga, who seems to be affiliated with the church, has come back must mean that some sort of conclusion was reached in the talks at the castle that Filore mentioned earlier.
"That's about the size of it. That said, we still have a lot we need to discuss among ourselves. Sorry, but I'm going to have to ask you to leave for today."
"Seriously, My Friend? Keeping secrets between us is pretty cold, don't you think?"
"Is 'being able to bare everything' the condition for being friends? Personally, I think friends are the ones who can be considerate at the right moments and make the effort to maintain the relationship. How about it?"
"Damn, I got neatly argued down. Beako, say something in sour grapes."
"Unlike you, there's no petty secrets between Betty and Subaru."
"That really was just sour grapes, huh."
He hadn't seriously reconsidered the definition of "friend," but Tiga's phrasing had a certain persuasiveness, so pressing the point would have been a losing battle.
And so, taking Beatrice's show of sour grapes that humored Subaru's intentions, it seemed they had no choice but to wrap things up by withdrawing quietly.
"Well, we did get something out of it. I couldn't tell until we met, but at least I learned Filore has no intention of throwing the royal selection into chaos."
"Right, Filore's a good girl."
"You hear that, Tiga? That's my friend."
"Yeah, yeah. Thanks for getting along with our Filore."
It had seemed like she might be hard to peel off if she kept clinging, saying she couldn't bear to part, but Filore obediently released Emilia, and they succeeded in safely getting her back.
Then, as Emilia returned to Subaru and the others, Tiga stepped up beside Filore, took off his hat, and gave a dashing bow,
"While I'm at it with the thanks, it'd be a shame if all I did was shoo off Filore's friend and my My Friend. Let me pass along one piece of good news to you, too."
"Good news for us? What is it?"
"—They say Duke Karsten, who'd been sleeping, has woken up."
"—Crusch-san has?"
Subaru naturally leaned forward as he asked back, and Tiga gave a playful nod. He had reacted exactly as the other intended, and felt he'd been had.
But he didn't mind being played. The fact that Crusch had woken up was unquestionably good news.
"Emilia-tan, after this..."
"Yes, of course. Let's go pay her a visit. I want to talk with Crusch-san, too."
"Then I'll go with Emilia and the others—"
"Filore, you're staying here. Wait for me and for Sakura and the others to get back."
Filore, who had cheerfully tried to line up with them, had her shoulder grabbed by Tiga. She glared resentfully at the hand he'd placed on her shoulder,
"Isn't that strange? This concerns Duke Karsten, doesn't it? I have a duty to see the Sacrament's result through. Yes, a duty. How about that?"
"If that's the case, then it wouldn't add up unless you also fulfilled your responsibilities as the bearer of the Sacrament. Of course, we'll check on Duke Karsten's condition—later, as members of the church."
"E-Emilia..."
"Mm, it's okay, Filore. I'll pay her a visit for your share too."
"She's not getting it!? And we're friends!?"
She had overestimated friendship.
In any case, he felt bad for Filore, but Subaru's desire to confirm Crusch's safety was quite strong—so much so that he wanted to set out right away.
"Let's talk another time. I'm glad we could talk today. So, we'll leave it at that."
"That's so offhand! I, I don't approve— mmph!"
"Leave this to me, you guys go on ahead!"
Holding down the still-reluctant Filore and playing the bad guy for them, Tiga said something incredibly reassuring as he saw them off.
And so, though they left with some reluctance, Subaru and the others made their exit from the church.
"Ah—you're going home already?"
"How was big sis? How was she?"
"It all came to nothing, right? Geez, you're hopeless without us."
And as they left the church, the children who had been playing with Filore also saw them off. Harsh as their assessments were, they were on point.
Anyway—
"—Wait for me, Crusch-san. There's a mountain of things I want to talk about."
Unable to hold back his impatience, Subaru's pace only quickened.
△▼△▼△▼△
—And so, after seeing off the Emilia camp that had come, Tiga released Filore, whom he'd been restraining.
Freed, Filore braced themself on the table, their eyes lingering, with obvious reluctance, on the traces left by Emilia and the others who had gone, then glared at Tiga.
"What’s with that look? Got something you want to say to me?"
"Hatred..."
"Don’t just blurt out a nasty word like that! It couldn’t be helped. It’s a fact that we have things we need to discuss, and that Duke Karsten has woken up."
"Hmph. Mr. Ultra-sociable Tiga Rauleon wouldn’t understand."
Turning away in a sulky huff, Filore then lifted the cup of tea they’d left untouched on the table and brought it to their lips.
With the torrent of developments and the flow of the conversation, there really hadn’t been a moment to drink tea.
Tiga narrowed his yellow eyes as he watched Filore’s profile, and—
"Even so, of all people, Emilia, huh."
"...What is it? Don’t tell me you’re going to start in on the silver-haired half-elf too."
"That too. But it’s not just that. — Filore, your insignia?"
Prompted by Tiga, Filore looked a little taken aback, then drew the insignia from inside their clothes. When they opened the hand that had been gripping it, the crimson dragon orb shone with a blinding light.
Watching that—no, the light itself, and Filore who was making it shine—he muttered.
Which means—
"We’re going to be busy from here on out. After all, we’re a year and a half behind."
"Big sis, watch your hands! That's dangerous, dangerous!"
"Isn't that the silver-haired half-elf from the rumors? Dump it over her head!"
"Don't chatter at me from the side! And don't go instigating clear malice! The Scripture even says this: 'Touch not the Dragon's scales with impure thoughts. The defiled shall be struck by silver rain, and until the dregs of their hearts are scraped away, they shall not be permitted to pass through the golden gate.'"
"…What does that mean?"
"It means not only doing bad things—just thinking about it is enough that you should reflect, or I'll get mad! Now then, I have guests to attend to! Go play outside!"
With a clear-carrying voice, she said that and gently herded the well-meaning children out. In response, the children squealed and tumbled noisily out of the building.
Two boys and one girl—the one with the sharpest tongue was the girl—and since all of them wore nearly black, indigo-dyed habits, they were probably connected to the church.
At any rate, Subaru straightforwardly took it as a good sign that they were brimming with energy.
"Sorry my kids were such a racket. I do tell them every day, but it doesn't really seem to take—or maybe they just think they can get away with it… phew."
Seeing the children's backs off and giving a loose shrug was the blonde, red-eyed nun—Filore. She'd been tangled up with the kids endlessly while preparing to receive guests; in truth, from the look of it, it was about half being liked and half being taken lightly.
Be that as it may, before offering consolation, Subaru and the others' attention was drawn to her precarious steps as she came toward them with a tea set on a silver tray.
Rattle-rattle-rattle-rattle—everything on the tray was flashing danger signs.
Waiting at the table in the parlor they'd been shown into, Subaru and the others swallowed hard at the spectacle of its transit.
"…Um, shall I give you a hand?"
"Wait—please don't touch! At the moment, by some quirk, a delicate balance has been established on this tray, and one misstep will make it all go kaput. Easy… easy…"
"Y-you're doing suuuuch a good job…!"
Slipping between Rem, who had offered to help, and Emilia, who was cheering her on in all seriousness, Filore gingerly managed to bring the tray in for a landing on the table without flipping it.
As Subaru and the others couldn't help but clap with an "Ooooh," she made a gesture of wiping her brow,
"Ahem, sorry to keep you waiting. And I apologize for making your hearts race right off the bat. Normally I'd leave welcoming guests like this to someone else, but at the moment it's just me."
"No, it's fine. Thank you for coming to meet us. If anything, it feels like we showed up when you're short-handed."
"No, I don't mind. The church's doors ought always to be open. The Scripture also says this: 'To fear and revere the power of the Dragon is the mark of love. Love without awe is arrogance; awe without love is servility; true love dwells in the dignity of standing tall before the Dragon.'"
"Um, and that means?"
"In other words, keep yourself standing tall and presentable so you'll be fine no matter when someone important sees you."
Raising a forefinger, Filore answered Emilia's question that way.
She was probably quoting a line from the Divine Dragon Church's Scripture, but she had a knack for breaking it down and making it easy to grasp. That willingness to interpret the stiff phrasing in a way that goes down easy was something even Subaru, whose understanding of the faith was shallow, appreciated.
"That said, you, with spit flying as you lectured the kids—was that 'standing tall'?"
"Ugh."
"And after that, the way your face went bright red when you spotted Betty and the others was something to see, wasn't it?"
"Oof."
At the back-to-back barbs from Subaru and Beatrice, Filore clutched her chest and groaned in succession. Finding her quick reactions rather delightful, Subaru suddenly felt Rem at his side and Emilia at Beatrice's, and each of their ears was pinched,
"That was an unnecessary remark."
"Come on, don't be mean."
"Ow, ow, ow!"
Made to pay the price for their mischief, Subaru and Beatrice took damage as well. In the end, just carrying tea had already produced three casualties.
Anyway, enough idle chatter—
"Once again, thank you for taking the trouble to come. I'm Filore… a nun of the Divine Dragon Church who has caused quite a stir at the Royal Castle."
——
With a hand to her chest, Filore introduced herself like that, and Subaru and the others said nothing. Seeing this, Filore's expression clouded over before their eyes,
"S-say something, please. Otherwise I'll start getting anxious."
"No, I just thought—you do realize you're the one causing the commotion."
「Of course there is. …Yes, there is. At the castle, when everyone looks at you like that—as if they’re seeing something beyond words—anyone would think, ‘Oh? Did I mess up?’」
「Well, we weren’t there, but that feeling of being so out of place you can’t stand it—honestly, I know it all too well.」
「Really!? That hellish feeling!?」
「Ah, is that maybe about the time Subaru just insisted in front of everyone that he was my knight, and I got embarrassed and said he wasn’t?」
「Ugh, pretty much that!」
Filore pounced in, and Emilia clasped her hands before her chest; their guileless exclamations from both sides made Subaru’s old wound ache fresh again.
Or rather, from Emilia’s perspective, her denial back then seems to have been chalked up to “because I was embarrassed.” He hadn’t exactly conducted an interview about how she’d felt at the time, but cute reason or not, the damage Subaru took was brutal.
「…Just hearing that makes me squirm with secondhand embarrassment, but is it true?」
「Unfortunately, at that time, Betty hadn’t formed a contract with Subaru yet, so I don’t know the details. But given the Subaru of those days, it wouldn’t be surprising if he’d messed up.」
「Somehow, having Rem and Beako bring up all sorts about that day now makes me feel really beat down! For the record, Rem before her ‘memories’ disappeared knew the circumstances and was actually pretty sympathetic to me, okay?」
「Is that really so? Could it be that the former me was simply too exasperated to comment?」
「Don’t— you’re making me think that might be the case!」
In truth, whatever Subaru’s feelings were then, there’s no denying he kept making the wrong choices in method, approach, wording, and presentation—across the board. But he’s already reflected on that, so, having brought it up himself and all, he’d really like to be forgiven by now.
Yet as Subaru was getting pummeled by his own past deeds—
「—I know that feeling.」
With a firm grab, the two hands reaching across the table wrapped tightly around Subaru’s right hand. Looking, he saw Filore leaning in from straight ahead, nodding to him.
Her red eyes gleaming brilliantly, she said to a wide-eyed Subaru,
「The cold gazes of those around you, watching the out-of-place person who suddenly appeared」
「—!」
「Getting carried away and starting to talk, and now my tongue can’t backtrack」
「Yeah, yeah. That’s it!」
「The silence that feels like an eternity after you’ve said your piece, until someone finally says something!」
「A few seconds drag on endlessly…!」
「It hit me big time. …That I might have messed up」
「Filore…!」
The tremors she’d felt all seemed like his own—no, they were, in truth. Realizing that, Subaru squeezed Filore’s hands back.
With their hands clasped together atop the table, Subaru and Filore nodded to each other.
Yes—both Subaru and Filore were comrades who’d gotten carried away and messed up at the castle—
「But isn’t there quite a difference between Filore-san, who produced results on the spot, and you, who put off your chance to make it up?」
「Q-quit it… we were having a nice moment here…」
「That’s right, that’s right. The Scripture even says this: 『Do not sharpen the claws that rend your neighbor while under the same wing. Brothers who quarrel beneath the same sky are those who cast aside the Dragon’s mercy and go astray.』」
「Uh, what’s that supposed to mean?」
「It means people who suffered the same embarrassment should get along instead of arguing.」
「I feel that! Maybe I should join the 『Divine Dragon Church』!」
「That’s a delicate matter, so don’t treat it carelessly!」
Having been empathized with so warmly, Subaru nearly converted on the spot, but Beatrice’s loving slap stopped him. If affection for what a faith venerates is the prime mover, then indeed Subaru is already a believer of the Church of Beatrice, and concurrently of the Church of Emilia and the Church of Rem as well.
「Wait, by that logic I’m in way too many religions. I’ve been putting on the Japanese-style ‘nonreligious’ act till now, but from a god’s point of view, does that make me a cheater…?」
「—. Well, I suppose so?」
「Such a brutally simple cold look!」
The moment he muttered that, he was skewered by Rem’s pale blue eyes. With Emilia and Beatrice beside her also wearing wry smiles, Subaru decided not to dig any deeper into the topic.
Having made that tactical retreat, Subaru and the others turned their eyes back to Filore. Frankly, she was already incredibly easy to warm to even at this point, but there was something they needed to tell her.
That was—
「I heard you helped Crusch-san. It might seem odd for me to be the one to say this, but… thank you. Really, thank you.」
「――――」
Saying that, Subaru bowed so deeply he nearly smacked his forehead against the table. At Subaru’s words of thanks, Filore widened her eyes and looked at Emilia and the others.
Even with a preface like “this may sound strange,” it didn’t seem to dispel the reason for her surprise. But to such a Filore, Emilia also bowed her head and said,
"Let me thank you as well. All of us wanted to do something for Crusch-san. And you’re the one who actually did something."
"We were actually just looking for a way to deal with it. Well done."
"I only heard about it secondhand, but I think it’s most commendable."
Just like that, not only Emilia but Beatrice and Rem followed with words of thanks, leaving Filore opening and closing her mouth for a while. Once she finally managed to absorb the shock, she slowly shook her head.
Then, before Subaru and the others, she bore herself with composure, a serene, benevolent smile on her face,
"—It’s quite all right. I merely did what had to be done. If someone was saved by that, then that is precisely my true purpose."
That reply was exactly what befit the image Subaru held of a compassionate nun. If only her nostrils hadn’t been twitching with delight, it would have been flawless.
Of course, out of gratitude and a warrior’s mercy, Subaru didn’t say as much out loud.
△▼△▼△▼△
"—I was picked up after being left in front of the church as a baby. That was a little over fifteen years ago."
Once the initial exchange that began with greetings had run its course, Filore began to talk about her position, the circumstances surrounding her, and the personal history related to them.
At that opening statement about being abandoned, Subaru and the others couldn’t help but look at one another. It was, after all, a topic unavoidable to the ‘Filore = Missing Princess’ theory.
"Abandoned… then you don’t remember your parents?"
"No, I don’t know their faces or names. But everyone at the church is my family. So I’ve never really felt lonely… well, there were times when some thoughtless people teased me and I went grr, but basically no. There was always someone there for me."
"I see. But, uh, didn’t you ever think it was weird yourself? I mean, blond hair, red eyes, and the name Filore—that’s pretty much a jackpot, or, like, a critical hit…"
"This is the ‘Divine Dragon Church,’ you know? It’s only natural for the church to keep its distance from the royal family and the Royal Castle, so that kind of information never reached me. —No, thinking back now, I suppose it was deliberately kept from me. Curse them…"
Her fist, placed atop the table, trembled as Filore lamented her circumstances.
From that rather shocking first meeting and the brief exchange so far, it could be inferred that Filore is quite impulsive—someone easily swayed by her emotions.
Her direct petition to the Royal Castle, born of the strong sympathy she shared with Subaru, seemed to be an outburst of those emotions.
"I’d originally thought the Witch Cult’s recent outrages had gone far beyond the pale. Then the incident in Priestella happened. …I’d reached the limit of my patience."
"So you shook off everyone trying to stop you and barged into the castle alone, shouting?"
"Could you soften the phrasing a little… yes, how about this: I stormed in with dignity and grace and raised my voice."
"Right, you stormed in with dignity and grace and shouted."
"…I feel like that still doesn’t convey my gallant earnestness as much as I’d hoped."
That said, since he was just following instructions, Subaru couldn’t very well take responsibility for how effective it was.
In any case, they understood that Filore had acted out of a sense of duty and strong indignation. But what interested Subaru and the others was the underlying reason that made such action possible.
It was—
"—The Sacrament. That’s what you called it, right, Filore?"
At the word Emilia brought up, the air in the sitting room grew slightly taut.
The Sacrament—whatever it was that Filore was said to have used to heal Crusch’s body, and the possibility, which she went so far as to march into the Royal Castle to prove, of overturning an Authority.
And for some reason, it was a means of saving the victims of the Witch Cult that the ‘Divine Dragon Church’ had kept secret and refused to bring to light.
——
Wetting his lips with his tongue, Subaru tried to rein in the faint tension.
As the name suggests, the Sacrament must be a very important secret of the ‘Divine Dragon Church.’ Depending on the case, simply knowing of its existence could be enough for the church to regard you as an enemy.
If they tried to dig into it, even Filore would grow tight-lipped—
"Sacrament? Yes, that's right. It's an esoteric art passed down only within the Church since ancient times, and the number of people who can use it is extremely limited. In the Church, such people are called "Saintess," and since I have that qualification, I'm able to use the power."
"You just dropped that so casually—is that okay!?"
"Okay or not, even if the Church tried to hide it, it's already been talked about openly at the castle. Trying to conceal it now is pointless... The Scripture even says this: "Defile not the earth cleansed by the Dragon with the poison of selfish desire. To fill a spring once run dry requires a thousand years of prayer and the tears of the guilty.""
"Uh, and that means?"
"In short, if you try to profit only yourself, it's a nightmare to set things right when something happens. And I decided that now is exactly one of those times."
Thus, going against the intentions of the Divine Dragon Church, which wished to keep the existence of the Sacrament secret, Filore chose to follow the doctrine she believes in and wield that power openly.
Naturally, the Divine Dragon Church, having had her do such a thing on her own, was thrown into a great panic, and the Royal Castle—now owing her a big favor—must have been thrown into confusion as well.
But whatever the outcome of the turmoil, it's certain that goodwill was the spark.
"Right about now, they're discussing at the Royal Castle how to handle me... The Church's high-ranking people and members of my longtime family are taking part as well, though."
"It's about Filore, and Filore isn't joining that discussion?"
"Even if I wanted to, they kicked me out! Even though it's about me, they said having me there would just complicate things... There's at least a small chance it wouldn't, don't you think? Isn't that awful!?"
"It's sad that they're estimating the chances of it not going that way so low, I suppose."
"Don't rub it in, Beako."
Filore, cheeks flushed, protests that she's being treated unfairly, but given her impulsive straightforwardness, one has to admit the people involved made a reasonable call.
Filore claims to be fifteen years old, but despite her mature appearance, inside she's very much fifteen—perhaps even more childish. No doubt that's partly because she was kept apart from the world and raised like a sheltered girl.
Honestly, Subaru can't guess what the Divine Dragon Church was aiming for in raising her that way.
"So the people involved are at the castle? And that's why you, Filore-san, were left at the Church by yourself?"
"That's right. Well, those kids from earlier are here with me, so I'm not lonely, but I've been told not to go out on my own. I want to spread the power of the Sacrament as soon as possible—even a second sooner...!"
"That's a motivation I've never heard from a Saintess."
It shows how much she wants to save people, but talk about a Saintess who doesn't exactly feel saintly.
That said, remembering what Garfiel had said at the Nobles' Hall, and thinking of the victims waiting for their turn in Priestella, there's nothing to do but agree with Filore's feelings.
If anything, from Subaru's point of view, he feels like giving Filore a push.
"I really get how you feel. I could ask Reinhard to give you a lift—have him zip you straight to Priestella in one go..."
"Guh...! A tempting proposal...! But I've been told to wait quietly."
"It's not like you promised, right? And even if it were a promise, if someone ends up being saved, then bending it a little..."
"Subaru? Are you trying not only to break it yourself but to make someone else break their promise, too? That's really, really not okay, you know...?"
"A habitual promise-breaker has finally gone as far as he can go."
"Guu...!"
Scolded with a "We get how you feel, but..." tone, Subaru can only let out a feeble "guu." Filore, who makes a similar noise, likewise bows before the matter of promises.
For now, all they can do is pray that the talks at the castle wrap up as quickly—and as positively—as possible.
"By the way—Filore-san, you said you were a nun of the Divine Dragon Church, but..."
"Rem?"
"Even with that position, you're willing to let Emilia-san in so readily."
At Rem, who had suddenly switched topics like that, Subaru—who had been offering a prayer toward the direction of the castle—knit his brows in puzzlement.
However, it was clear from Emilia, her brows lowering, and from Filore, who lowered the hands she had joined in the same prayer as Subaru, that the topic was not at all off the mark.
What Rem was pointing to—the relationship between the Divine Dragon Church and Emilia—the real issue was—
"The Divine Dragon Church reveres the power and grace of the Divine Dragon Volcanica and its covenant. And in the Kingdom of Lugunica, the Divine Dragon's greatest feat was sealing away the Witch of Envy, wasn't it?"
"Hey, don't tell me that means..."
「The more devout a follower of the 『Divine Dragon Church』 is, the more they might have complicated feelings about Emilia-san... That’s the sort of story this is.」
Without even turning to face Subaru, who had leapt to his feet, Rem refused to meet his eyes. Lips pressed tight, she knew her remark was a harsh one that could shatter the somewhat congenial mood of the discussion so far.
Even so, Rem said it—choosing not to let an unnatural situation slide as-is.
In fact, until Rem pointed it out, Subaru himself hadn't noticed how off it was.
Partly, the 『Divine Dragon Church』 had always felt distant to him; but more than that, to Subaru, Emilia being an ultra-beautiful girl is a fresh amazement every day, and from their first meeting to now she has never once been an object of fear or dread.
But that must not be forgotten—because by her origins and her outward features, Emilia is constantly being confronted with her resemblance to the most feared 『Witch』 in this world.
「――――」
And that resemblance to the 『Witch of Envy』 is, from the standpoint of the 『Divine Dragon Church』—which venerates the 『Divine Dragon』, one of the 『Three Great Heroes』 who halted that Witch's rampage four hundred years ago—something they can neither ignore nor blithely accept.
All the more so because Filore bears the Sacrament, a secret of the church, and occupies a role akin to a 『Saintess』. Whatever impression she, raised under the teachings of the 『Divine Dragon Church』, might form of Emilia would be anything but strange.
「Am I an idiot? No—yeah, I'm an idiot.」
This is something Subaru should have realized himself, without Rem having to point it out.
Even while serving as Emilia’s Knight of the First Rank, he lacked both the caution and the knowledge regarding places where she might be unfairly hurt. And if that left Emilia looking troubled, was he really going to make it add up by cursing himself and saying it was his fault?
He’d regretted his lack of knowledge—that was part of why they’d hurried to the royal capital—yet—
「Rem, you went and studied up without me noticing. I'm suuuper surprised.」
But while Subaru was lamenting, what Emilia herself said was neither a scolding for her ineffectual Knight of the First Rank nor surprise at having had Rem’s words open her eyes.
She simply smiled and thanked Rem for choosing to bring that topic up.
「…I wouldn’t call it studying; it wasn’t anything that grand. It’s just that I, too, am someone who was given a place to belong, so I heard stories about it from my sister, that’s all.」
「But that makes me happy. Even though it means you’re worried about me… it’s weird, isn’t it?」
「—No, I do understand. Being worried over can make you feel pathetic, but it also makes you feel cherished.」
「Hehe, really? Then Rem, you were taking good care of me too.」
「…I think the one who did that first was Emilia-san.」
Saying that to Emilia, who was looking straight at her, Rem lowered her gaze. But to Subaru’s eyes, that manner of hers was clearly her own way of hiding her embarrassment.
Emilia’s straightforward, pure gaze peels back all the overthinking on this side. Subaru understood how Rem felt, and he’d been reminded of that time and again himself.
「—Beako, cheek!」
「Good grief, I suppose!」
Right after that exchange, Subaru called out to Beatrice like that. At once, as if she’d been waiting for it, Beatrice slapped his cheek with her small palm—smack!—a tingle ran from that adorable hand, and Subaru’s shoulders trembled.
「Kya!? What was that all of a sudden?」
Startled by the sudden move, Emilia gently touched Subaru’s cheek. As the coolness of her pale fingertips soothed the tingling, Subaru shrugged and said, 「Nah,」 and—
「Just getting a little pep slapped into me. A mental reset via Beako... we could call it Beatrism. Or Beatherapy. Which do you like better?」
「Sorry, I have no idea what you’re talking about.」
Emilia answered Subaru’s nonsense in her usual tone.
From that reaction alone, he could tell she wasn’t frightened by the circumstances he’d worried about, nor did she seem unsettled by his inadequacy.
「Of course, I can’t just keep leaning on that forever. And it’s pretty bad if I’m slower on the uptake about our camp’s worrisome issues than Rem, who’s lost her memories.」
「Please reflect on that seriously.」
「You’re saying that because you think I can handle it—okay, leave it to me.」
「—Well, that’s fine then.」
Buoyed by Rem’s cheer, Subaru’s faltering drive recovered. Then, resetting himself, he squared up and faced Filore.
She is a nun of the 『Divine Dragon Church』—a 『Saintess』. Which is precisely why—
"I think it matters that someone like that be freed from prejudice. So how about it, Filore? Why not, just this once, form a friendly relationship with Emilia?"
"A friendly relationship? Hey, Subaru, does that mean...?"
"Yeah, in other words— you two become friends!"
Clenching his fist, Subaru declared it with conviction. Taking that in, Emilia's violet eyes sparkled as she pressed her hands together before her chest.
It goes without saying, but Emilia is starved for friends. She even slammed a straightforward proposal at that Felt and actually managed to become friends with her.
And not just Emilia, that little friendship monster—
"—Me, become friends? Seriously!?"
With a loud clatter as her hands hit the table, Filore bit hard at the bait.
Her large red eyes quivering, she looked back and forth between Subaru and Emilia,
"No, I'm sorry, that must be a mistake. I probably misheard. Not 'friends' but, for example... yes, 'friend-less'—as in, I don't have any friends."
"This is bad—this Saintess is way too much of a loner."
"B-but, I kind of get the feeling. When Subaru first tried to be nice to me, I had no idea what he was thinking and I was suuuper anxious."
"Sorry for making you anxious! My feelings haven't changed since the start, and they've only grown with time... Ow! Rem, did you just step on my foot!?"
"No. I dropped an iron ball."
"You brought the Morning Star!?"
Rem, all flustered, hid the Morning Star she'd dropped on the top of Subaru's foot behind her back. He was terrified his instep had nearly been shattered, but there was something heartwarming about Rem in her maid outfit carrying around the spiked iron ball she'd diligently polished while Subaru was staying at the mansion.
"Hey, Filore."
Leaving Subaru and the others to their antics, Emilia walked up to Filore, who was trying to escape from reality.
When Emilia touched the hand Filore had placed on the table, Filore jolted and looked at her in surprise.
"It's super lazy of me to just ride on something Subaru brought up, but how about it, Filore?"
"W-w-what do you mean? I'm not sure I understand... If you don't say it clearly, I might misunderstand. Actually, haven't I already at this point? Is this a dream...?"
"No, it's not a dream. And I'll say it clearly so there's no misunderstanding. If you'd like, be friends with me—no, with us!"
"—Yes, absolutely, with pleasure!!"
In an instant, her weakness and meekness vanished; Filore's face lit up as she squeezed Emilia's hand back, and the two began nurturing a new friendship at zero distance.
Overwhelmed by how fast things had developed, Subaru nevertheless felt the wind clearly shift in a good direction and nodded deeply.
"I'm glad things moved forward without getting tangled. That momentum, though... it reminds me of when Beako actually listened to my persuasion."
"With Betty it was way more romantic and dramatic! I wasn't that ravenous, was I!"
"Ow ow, cute cute."
Beatrice, fuming as if her indignation had nowhere to go, started tap-tapping on the foot opposite the one Rem had nearly crushed; both the lightness of it and her sulky act were adorable.
Glancing over, he saw Rem also pat her chest in relief at Emilia and Filore establishing their relationship.
It had been a sensitive point that had to be addressed, and it was a relationship that could have fallen apart because of her involvement. One can imagine how Rem must have felt.
"You on board too, Rem? Friends."
"I don't think it's something to treat so casually. Besides, I have Katya."
"Isn't it fine to have as many friends as you want? Me, I pretty much consider everyone I met on Gladiator Island a friend."
"I have Katya."
It was quite a stubborn answer. Well, how one categorizes friends is up to the person, so it would be boorish to nitpick.
At the very least, an amicable relationship was formed between Emilia and Filore. This could be called a historic achievement both for Emilia's camp and for the Divine Dragon Church.
"I became friends with Felt, and I promised to become friends with Anastasia, so maybe I'm actually good at making friends."
Emilia, for her part, had gained confidence from making multiple friends in a short time. At this rate, she might start calling out to passersby in the streets one after another and keep increasing her circle.
That wouldn't be so bad either, but I can't help feeling it would spark bad rumors in a different way, so for now we need to put a stop to Emilia's craving for friends.
'Hey, wait, Emilia... I'll be calling you Emilia, okay? We just became friends, didn't we? And yet you're already bringing up the names of friends other than me—don't you think that's a little cruel? It's not that I mind, okay? I don't mind, but could you maybe look at me, the friend you just made, a little more...'
Filore, for her part, may simply have gone too long without any friends. Whether she's placing excessive expectations on friendship or what, her words have a bit of a yandere vibe.
It's probably because she's focusing all her friend-longing on a single person; if we don't increase her number of friends and disperse that desire, it could get dangerous. If we can't strong-arm Rem into it, then Subaru, or maybe Beatrice, will have to be the one to take it on.
'But, in practice, was that all right with you, Filore-wise? Of course, the only thing my Emilia-tan has in common with the 'Witch of Envy' is her outward features.'
'—? Do you have some complaint about my Emilia?'
'Crap, no wonder this Saintess can't make friends!'
Pulling on the arm she was holding, Filore spun and nestled into Emilia's chest; seeing that attitude, Subaru pressed a hand to his forehead, thinking this might be a more troublesome friendship than he'd thought.
At Subaru and the others' back-and-forth, Emilia, who had ended up holding Filore from behind, gave a wry smile,
'Come on now, calm down. Sorry about my friend.'
'What is this? What kind of flex am I getting hit with right now? Emilia-tan, what am I to you?!'
'Huh? Subaru is my knight, right?'
'Thought so! Whew, that was close. My ego is satisfied.'
A rift that might have formed between the silver-haired half-elf and the Divine Dragon Church hadn't, but instead a crack had been about to open between Emilia's Knight of the First Rank and her friend—this was the brink where it seemed it might grow into something larger.
'—Filore, did you chase Lucian and the others out? As proof they'd properly reflected, they were supposed to be kept under watch, weren't they?'
Suddenly, the door to the lounge swung open, and a young man appeared there.
In a broad-brimmed black hat and deep-purple garb, a fine-featured handsome man—upon spotting Filore and, besides her, Subaru and the others in the room, he rounded his yellow eyes and went, 'Oh?'
'So we had guests. Good grief, those guys didn't even tell me, and they've abandoned their watch. I'll have to give them a proper scolding later.'
'Oh, welcome back, Tiga. Hey, look—this is Emilia, my friend. Isn't that nice? My friend... hehe, friend, hehe.'
The young man lowered the brim of his hat, hiding his eyes. Filore introduced him to Emilia, who was still hugging her, and her joy quietly spilled over.
She's a beautiful girl, so it's just barely within acceptable bounds, but that's the face of someone on the verge of a friendship addiction.
At Filore's words, the young man called Tiga raised an eyebrow—'Emilia?'—and compared the Emilia in question with Subaru and the others,
'I see. I'm happy you made a friend too. But I can't have you looking all smug at me over it. For example... hey, want to be friends?'
'Huh, me?'
'Yeah. I'm Tiga Rauleon. And you are...?'
'Natsuki Subaru. Looking forward to it, My Friend.'
'—Ah, likewise, My Friend.'
Offered a hand by the easygoing Tiga, Subaru clasped it back without hesitation. He handled the tossed bit of foreign phrasing with no trouble, even tossing a wink without missing a beat. And as he did, he mouthed 'My Friend, My Friend' a few times, trying to get it to stick right away.
Meanwhile, the one who couldn't hide her shock at Subaru and Tiga building a friendship at lightning speed was Filore, who had long suffered from a shortage of friends.
She stared, eyes wide, pointing back and forth between Subaru and Tiga,
'A-aren't you scared? Like, what if you get rejected, or...'
'Hey, what kind of upbringing did you have? You're the type who doesn't scare easy about anything, but being timid only about making friends—that balance is all wrong.'
'I've got no excuse for that. See, she was kept strictly sheltered, so she's starving for contact with the outside. We might be in this for the long haul, so ease her into it, will you? She won't bite.'
'That disclaimer is unnecessary! I wouldn't bite! What do you take me for!? Emilia's friend! And practically a Saintess!'
'Is it really okay that the Saintess part gets treated lighter...?'
Rem's mutter was only natural; the impression of Filore had been tossed all over the place in a very short time.
That said, the fact that Tiga, who seems to be affiliated with the church, has come back must mean that some sort of conclusion was reached in the talks at the castle that Filore mentioned earlier.
"That's about the size of it. That said, we still have a lot we need to discuss among ourselves. Sorry, but I'm going to have to ask you to leave for today."
"Seriously, My Friend? Keeping secrets between us is pretty cold, don't you think?"
"Is 'being able to bare everything' the condition for being friends? Personally, I think friends are the ones who can be considerate at the right moments and make the effort to maintain the relationship. How about it?"
"Damn, I got neatly argued down. Beako, say something in sour grapes."
"Unlike you, there's no petty secrets between Betty and Subaru."
"That really was just sour grapes, huh."
He hadn't seriously reconsidered the definition of "friend," but Tiga's phrasing had a certain persuasiveness, so pressing the point would have been a losing battle.
And so, taking Beatrice's show of sour grapes that humored Subaru's intentions, it seemed they had no choice but to wrap things up by withdrawing quietly.
"Well, we did get something out of it. I couldn't tell until we met, but at least I learned Filore has no intention of throwing the royal selection into chaos."
"Right, Filore's a good girl."
"You hear that, Tiga? That's my friend."
"Yeah, yeah. Thanks for getting along with our Filore."
It had seemed like she might be hard to peel off if she kept clinging, saying she couldn't bear to part, but Filore obediently released Emilia, and they succeeded in safely getting her back.
Then, as Emilia returned to Subaru and the others, Tiga stepped up beside Filore, took off his hat, and gave a dashing bow,
"While I'm at it with the thanks, it'd be a shame if all I did was shoo off Filore's friend and my My Friend. Let me pass along one piece of good news to you, too."
"Good news for us? What is it?"
"—They say Duke Karsten, who'd been sleeping, has woken up."
"—Crusch-san has?"
Subaru naturally leaned forward as he asked back, and Tiga gave a playful nod. He had reacted exactly as the other intended, and felt he'd been had.
But he didn't mind being played. The fact that Crusch had woken up was unquestionably good news.
"Emilia-tan, after this..."
"Yes, of course. Let's go pay her a visit. I want to talk with Crusch-san, too."
"Then I'll go with Emilia and the others—"
"Filore, you're staying here. Wait for me and for Sakura and the others to get back."
Filore, who had cheerfully tried to line up with them, had her shoulder grabbed by Tiga. She glared resentfully at the hand he'd placed on her shoulder,
"Isn't that strange? This concerns Duke Karsten, doesn't it? I have a duty to see the Sacrament's result through. Yes, a duty. How about that?"
"If that's the case, then it wouldn't add up unless you also fulfilled your responsibilities as the bearer of the Sacrament. Of course, we'll check on Duke Karsten's condition—later, as members of the church."
"E-Emilia..."
"Mm, it's okay, Filore. I'll pay her a visit for your share too."
"She's not getting it!? And we're friends!?"
She had overestimated friendship.
In any case, he felt bad for Filore, but Subaru's desire to confirm Crusch's safety was quite strong—so much so that he wanted to set out right away.
"Let's talk another time. I'm glad we could talk today. So, we'll leave it at that."
"That's so offhand! I, I don't approve— mmph!"
"Leave this to me, you guys go on ahead!"
Holding down the still-reluctant Filore and playing the bad guy for them, Tiga said something incredibly reassuring as he saw them off.
And so, though they left with some reluctance, Subaru and the others made their exit from the church.
"Ah—you're going home already?"
"How was big sis? How was she?"
"It all came to nothing, right? Geez, you're hopeless without us."
And as they left the church, the children who had been playing with Filore also saw them off. Harsh as their assessments were, they were on point.
Anyway—
"—Wait for me, Crusch-san. There's a mountain of things I want to talk about."
Unable to hold back his impatience, Subaru's pace only quickened.
△▼△▼△▼△
—And so, after seeing off the Emilia camp that had come, Tiga released Filore, whom he'd been restraining.
Freed, Filore braced themself on the table, their eyes lingering, with obvious reluctance, on the traces left by Emilia and the others who had gone, then glared at Tiga.
"What’s with that look? Got something you want to say to me?"
"Hatred..."
"Don’t just blurt out a nasty word like that! It couldn’t be helped. It’s a fact that we have things we need to discuss, and that Duke Karsten has woken up."
"Hmph. Mr. Ultra-sociable Tiga Rauleon wouldn’t understand."
Turning away in a sulky huff, Filore then lifted the cup of tea they’d left untouched on the table and brought it to their lips.
With the torrent of developments and the flow of the conversation, there really hadn’t been a moment to drink tea.
Tiga narrowed his yellow eyes as he watched Filore’s profile, and—
"Even so, of all people, Emilia, huh."
"...What is it? Don’t tell me you’re going to start in on the silver-haired half-elf too."
"That too. But it’s not just that. — Filore, your insignia?"
Prompted by Tiga, Filore looked a little taken aback, then drew the insignia from inside their clothes. When they opened the hand that had been gripping it, the crimson dragon orb shone with a blinding light.
Watching that—no, the light itself, and Filore who was making it shine—he muttered.
Which means—
"We’re going to be busy from here on out. After all, we’re a year and a half behind."
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