[ The battle against Petelgeuse began once more.
"Regarding everything we just discussed, please allow me to refuse it all." Subaru mounted Patrasche.
"Why? Why on earth? Why do you refuse love? What is your reason for rejecting the Witch's favor, for rejecting her grace? I completely, fundamentally, absolutely, thoroughly! Cannot! Understand!"
"Sorry, but I'm sick of hearing that kind of talk. To hell with the Witch and all that! You're the one who's crazy; right now, I'm the one in the right. Die right here, Petelgeuse!"
"Such violence, such verbal abuse! I will tear off your limbs and offer your soul to the Witch, and with that, you shall atone!"
The Unseen Hands surged forth, attacking Subaru.
Subaru, however, snapped the reins, dodging the Unseen Hands.
Seeing this, Petelgeuse's eyes went wide with a look of utter disbelief:
"Just now! What was that movement? You! Can you see the favor bestowed upon me? That is impossible, that is not reality! Why are you able to see my Authority?"
"Why don't you guess? Go ask the Witch who left this lingering scent on me. Oh, wait, unlike me, you don't have a permit to freely meet with the Witch, do you?"
"…What does that mean… To spout such disrespectful words suggesting intimacy with the Witch, with Satella!"
"It's a relationship where she grips my heart tightly, quite literally." ]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
"I told you, they are 'Hands Everyone Can See'."
Outside the screen, Felt said.
"Seriously, every time they meet, he does a self-introduction, and if someone dodges his Authority, he says it's impossible. He's like an NPC repeating the same lines. But that Witch… he's right, as long as he's close with Lil'Bro, it's fine."
Al started with a retort, then slightly trembled as he mentioned the Witch.
"If the black shadow that appears after Subaru shouts that taboo phrase is indeed the Witch of Envy, then saying he can 'freely meet' her isn't technically wrong."
Yuriusu said.
"Ah, right, right. So what exactly is the relationship between the Witch of Envy and the Little Bro?"
Felt was completely confused.
No one answered, as the others didn't know either.
—
[ "The Witch Factors that were entrusted to my 'Fingers' haven't returned… Why? What did you do to my 'Fingers'?"
While furious, Petelgeuse summoned more Unseen Hands, shocked to find the numbers were incorrect.
"Isn't the answer obvious? You're Sloth, aren't you! Moving to phase three of the operation, let's go!"
Subaru taunted, then turned and ran.
"Actually, running away? You think you can escape? Do not think, you will succeed!"
Petelgeuse once again used that method of throwing himself to chase after Subaru. ]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
"Ugh, that throwing motion is disgusting no matter how many times I see it."
Outside the screen, Otto said.
"Didn't they say that 'Sloth' guy was the most strategic of the Sin Archbishops? Even my great self can tell this is a trap; this 'Sloth' isn't all that much!"
Garfiel said.
The enemy just said they were moving to the third phase of the battle and then ran; isn't it obvious to my great self… isn't it obvious to any idiot that it's a trap?
"Although I'm not entirely sure if Petelgeuse can see it. But even if he did, his so-called love for the Witch wouldn't allow him to let Subaru go."
Yuriusu said.
—
[ "Fine, fine, fine, come out! You who mocks the noble Witch, ridicules the noble Witch, tramples upon her trials and favor—I will tear you, immoral one, into pieces of meat and offer you to the Witch's side!"
"Patrasche, do your best! Sorry for always relying on you… You're the best, Patrasche!"
"Useless! Meaningless! You cannot escape! I will crush the struggles of that diligent ground dragon as well; tremble before my diligence!" ]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
"So many Witch Cultists are pouring out?!"
Rem frowned, the word "bad" surfacing in her heart.
"Patrasche is going to get hit!"
Otto cried out in alarm.
—
[ On the screen, the emerging Witch Cultists were in hot pursuit, wielding short cross-shaped daggers poised to stab Patrasche. ]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
"It's okay, it's okay! Because, you see, Mimi is coming!"
Mimi said energetically.
—
[ "Wah!"
"Hah!"
Riding on ligers, Mimi and Tivey turned their roars into shockwaves, shattering the Witch Cultists attacking Subaru and Patrasche.
"Whoa! That was super dangerous, Big Brother! You almost died just now!"
"Mr. Natsuki was slightly off from the rendezvous point; that was truly dangerous. It's all thanks to Big Sister's intuition. By the way, is that person in the sky the Sin Archbishop?"
Tivey spoke to Subaru while looking up at Petelgeuse in the sky.
"What is that? So cool! A round old guy is flying! So cool!"
Mimi looked very excited.
"This is the first time I've seen such a disgusting way of flying." ]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
"Ah, I've already gotten used to seeing the Unseen Hands. Imagine it from a bystander's perspective; this 'flying method' really is disgusting."
Outside the screen, Otto said.
—
[ "Regardless, that guy's target should be me. Let's stick to the original plan; I'll leave my back to you guys!" Subaru said.
"Understood. Let's do this, Big Sister!"
"Roger! Ah! Big Brother, Big Brother! If we win this time, that would be super cool!"
"…Oh! Leave it to me!"
Then—
"Wah!"
"Hah!"
Another roaring blast separated the Witch Cultists, and then the ambushing Iron Fang mercenaries charged out.
Now, only Subaru and Petelgeuse remained.
"Come over here, Lord Bishop! If you get too engrossed watching the kitties and lose track of me, you'll really lose face!"
Subaru said while running on Patrasche.
"…You, you, just what, just why do you mock me so? My 'Fingers' annihilated, the symbol of favor seen, the cultists ambushed and separated… This is impossible! In the Gospel! There is not a single mention of this in the guidepost of my fate! Then, just who are you? Despite receiving favor, you despise the Witch! This is impossible, impossible! This is a nightm—"
"I've already repeated this four times—when it comes to having nightmares, I've had way more than you, so many that I could die." ]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
"Hahahaha! Seeing all of that guy's schemes getting crushed feels so damn good!"
Garfiel laughed wildly.
"I have to admit, Ram and Garf have reached a consensus here. You did a good job, Barusu."
Ram also smiled slightly.
This is… Rem's hero.
And beside Ram, Rem was staring intently at Subaru on the screen without blinking.
—
[ "As I thought, as I thought as I thought as I thoughtttttt! You are 'Pride'…"
Petelgeuse seemed only able to come to this conclusion; after all, he couldn't understand who else but "Pride" could achieve this.
But Subaru—
"My name is Natsuki Subaru… The Knight of the silver-haired Half-Elf, Emilia! I don't know anything about this Pride you're talking about, but the only title I want is this one. Aside from that, I don't need anything else!" ]
.....