Subaru looked at Echidna, a faint trace of mockery tugging at his lips while his eyes carried both curiosity and exhaustion. She stood there in the female version of his school uniform; the hem of her skirt swayed lightly with an almost deliberate grace, and the stark black-and-white contrast stirred a strange sense of alienation in Subaru's chest. For a fleeting moment, the hallways of his old high school flickered in his thoughts—the laughter of classmates, the echo of shoes on polished floors—but this place was a far cry from that familiar world. The scent of earth and magic in the air shattered the illusion as quickly as it had come.
"You're not exactly the right age to be a student," he said with a faint smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "But I'll admit… it suits you. At least I can say that much." His tone carried a playful sarcasm, though his gaze betrayed something heavier beneath, as if he were clinging to that mockery to anchor himself.
Echidna raised her elegant fingers to her lips and smirked, her expression tinged with amusement that bordered on cruel. "Pff… Thank you? Hearing a compliment from you makes the effort I put into this trial feel almost worthwhile." Her voice dipped at the end, her eyes narrowing in scrutiny. "Though… there was an infection I couldn't quite detect. Something intangible. But… I'll overlook it for now."
Subaru's brow furrowed sharply. "Huh? Infection? What kind of cryptic nonsense are you—"
She cut him off with a careless wave of her hand, her expression unreadable. "Ah, nothing worth worrying about. In any case, congratulations on passing the first trial. I witnessed every moment—you struggled, you broke, and yet you endured. So yes, I can confidently say you cleared it."
Subaru turned his head toward Flugel, who had been leaning casually against the wall in silence, eyes half-lidded as if the entire ordeal bored him. "Oi, I thought you said she couldn't see us?"
Flugel tilted his head, answering without hesitation. "She isn't truly present. She's watching through magic. If she were to step in directly, I would've felt it instantly. As it stands… there's no danger."
Subaru exhaled heavily, dragging a hand down his face. "Figures. This whole place is your creation anyway… I guess it makes sense she can peek into everything. But interfering with my family—my actual family—that's crossing a line." His voice cracked faintly, the weight of what he had endured pressing against him. His parents' smiles, the sound of his sister's laughter, the warmth he thought he had lost forever—all of it clung to him, hauntingly vivid.
Echidna gave a nonchalant shrug, as if his words were nothing but passing air. "That's the purpose of the trial. To break you open, to see what leaks out. Still… about your family—" her voice softened, though the hunger in her eyes betrayed her—"I truly am sorry. But now… I am convinced. You really do come from another world. Won't you tell me everything about it? Its rules, its wonders, its flaws? If you share it all with me, I'll remove the barrier immediately. Isn't that what you want most?"
Subaru stepped forward, raising his hand, and with a flick of his finger pressed lightly against her forehead, pushing her back just enough to make his refusal clear. "Since I cleared the first trial… when do I move on to the next?"
Echidna's cheeks puffed ever so slightly in irritation at his dismissal. "Whenever you wish… That's the condition." A pause followed, silence hanging thick between them, until she finally added with exaggerated offense, "Hey! Don't ignore my question like that. You'll make this poor maiden cry."
Subaru closed his eyes and drew in a long, steadying breath. "Listen carefully, Echidna. Removing the barrier isn't my responsibility. Even if I wanted to, I could walk out right now—my blood is pure human, nothing binds me here. The one who has to break it is Emilia. That's her trial, her struggle, her burden. Not mine. That's why I don't care about the barrier itself." His words rang with finality, but beneath that sharp edge lay an unshakable faith in Emilia's resolve.
Echidna's eyes darkened as her smile grew sharper, crueler. "Oh? Hahaha… So that fragile girl will be the one to shatter what countless souls could not. How amusing." Her lips twisted into a mocking grin, laced with doubt.
Subaru's voice cut through her amusement like a blade. "Don't underestimate her, Echidna."
She turned her back to him, looking out through the vast window as the light from the dreamlike world outside cast strange shadows across her face. "I suppose I understand your hostility. I forced you to relive the warmth of your family only to tear it from you again. It must have made you feel small, pitiful. So what will you do now? Strike me? Vent your anger with a punch? How unfortunate for you… you can't. I am, after all, a woman."
Subaru's grin sharpened, crooked and dangerous. "Ah, don't worry, Echidna… I believe in equality." His voice lowered, the sarcasm giving way to something genuine. "But truth be told… I should be thanking you for letting me see them again. Even if it was a cruel illusion, it reminded me why I keep moving forward."
Echidna spun around sharply, her composure faltering for the briefest moment. The determination blazing in Subaru's eyes clashed violently with the mocking curve of his lips. "People like you… you terrify me. To thank the very person who conjured such a nightmare for you—such gratitude borders on madness."
Subaru let out a quiet laugh, almost a chuckle, and turned toward the exit. His footsteps echoed softly across the floor as he made his way to the heavy wooden door. "Well then… maybe I'll be the first man in history to frighten a witch. I'll take that as a compliment." His hand gripped the doorknob firmly, the metal cold beneath his fingers, and he cast one last glance over his shoulder—his gaze steady, resolute, and unyielding.
A flicker of memory stirred within Echidna's mind. Those words… someone else had spoken them long ago: the Great Sage Flugel. She furrowed her brows, rifling through everything she knew about Subaru, searching desperately for a thread of connection, but found nothing. That made her even more unsettled, her lips curling into a sly smile that failed to mask the tension in her eyes.
"I'll be waiting eagerly for your return, Natsuki Subaru~ Will you be the key that leads me to him, or will you prove nothing more than a rusted chain, weighing me down as I seek him?"
From the dim corner of the room, Flugel's silent figure regarded Echidna with hollow eyes, expression unreadable yet heavy with meaning. His voice, when it finally broke the silence, carried a cryptic weight.
"One woman wears the skin of a wolf but beneath it is nothing more than a fragile lamb.
The other wears the guise of a lamb, yet within her lies the cunning of a predator who knows no mercy." The words lingered in the air like frost clinging to glass. With a weary sigh, he turned his attention away from Echidna and stepped closer to Subaru, as though drawn to him by some invisible tether.
Suddenly, the classroom setting fractured like broken glass. The desks and walls wavered and dissolved into a formless blur. Echidna's silhouette was dragged back into the Castle of Dreams, her form vanishing, though the echo of her mocking voice continued to reverberate in Subaru's mind long after she was gone.
When Subaru next opened his eyes, reality slammed into him with the bite of winter. The first thing he saw was a ceiling of rough-hewn stone, rimed with frost. The cold that pressed down on him was merciless, sinking into bone and marrow. A violent shiver wracked his body, each muscle clenching as though he were being pierced by countless fine, sharpened blades. Every breath seared his lungs, the air so bitterly frigid that it felt like he was inhaling shards of ice.
"Wait… cold?" Subaru whispered through trembling lips. His own voice appeared in the air as a faint, pale cloud of vapor that dissolved into the frozen stillness. He stared at it for a long second, the strange sight anchoring him in the unfamiliar reality of the tomb.
With effort, he forced his body upright. The walls around him were cracked and brittle, every fracture filled with jagged icicles that branched outward like veins carrying frozen blood. The chamber itself groaned softly under the oppressive weight of ice. Each time Subaru drew breath, a sharp pain lanced through his chest, leaving him gasping. His fingers trembled violently, already numb, the sensation of touch slipping from him as though his body were surrendering to the cold piece by piece.
Then he saw her. In the corner of the chamber, frozen in a sculpture of crystalline frost, stood Emilia. Her silver hair shimmered like glass, strands sealed within a casing of ice. Her delicate form was preserved in stillness, suspended in time as though the world itself had turned its back on her. The aura radiating from her frozen body was suffocating, the very heart of the unnatural chill that consumed the tomb.
Subaru's chest constricted with fear and grief. His vision blurred as his breath came faster, shorter, panicked. He staggered a step forward, reaching instinctively toward her before a voice—sharp, commanding—lashed through the air.
Flugel's words rang out like a warning bell. "The trial has not ended. Do not touch her body, Subaru. Yours concluded far quicker than expected, but hers… hers is not yet finished. Patience is the only path open to you."
Subaru froze where he stood. His fists tightened until his knuckles ached, teeth grinding together as white mist poured from his clenched jaw with every exhale. "Quicker than expected, huh… doesn't feel that way to me." His gaze remained fixed on Emilia, trapped in her icy prison, so close yet so impossibly unreachable. "If hers is going to take longer, then I'll endure. But I can't just stand here, staring until the cold eats me alive. I need to breathe… I need to move. I'll step outside for now."
He turned away with heavy reluctance, forcing his feet to carry him toward the tomb's entrance. Every step was slow, deliberate, weighed down by dread. The suffocating air of the chamber pressed at his back until, finally, he crossed the threshold. The moment he emerged, light engulfed him. The sun at its peak burned high above, midday warmth crashing over him like a wave of salvation. He squinted, momentarily blinded, then drank in the heat, each ray of sunlight chasing away the icy grip on his body. And yet, his mind did not rest. He calculated, reasoned—the time he had spent in the trial could not have exceeded four hours at most.
As Subaru descended the rough stone steps leading from the tomb, a familiar voice called out to him, bright and clear.
"Subaru-kun!" The sound washed over him like a balm, releasing a tension he hadn't realized he was carrying. At the base of the stairs stood Rem, her soft smile carrying the same quiet strength it always had. Her hands were folded neatly in front of her, but her eyes brimmed with relief at the sight of him. "Thank you for your hard work, Subaru-kun. The trial… how did it go?"
A tired laugh escaped him before he could stop it. Despite the heaviness in his limbs, Subaru found himself smiling faintly. He straightened, pushing back the exhaustion that dragged at his frame. "The 'Past' trial didn't stand a chance against me, Rem. I crushed it. The first test is over and done."
Her eyes lit up like stars, shimmering with pride and joy. She clapped her hands together, the sound crisp in the midday air. "That's truly wonderful! You've done so well, Subaru-kun! I'm so proud of you." But then her expression softened, a shadow of concern settling across her face. "But… Emilia-sama. I haven't seen her. Is she…?"
Subaru glanced over his shoulder. The looming stone tomb cast a long shadow, heavy and ominous, as though it carried all the weight of the world within it. He swallowed hard. "Her trial is still going. It's… going to take longer than mine. For now, all we can do is wait." His words were steady, but inside his heart twisted, heavy with dread at what those words truly meant.
Rem's gaze grew distant for a long moment, as though her thoughts had slipped into a place Subaru could not reach. Her brows drew together, and a shadow of unease flickered across her eyes. She pressed her teeth gently into her lower lip before speaking with quiet urgency:
"Subaru-kun… maybe Emilia-sama doesn't need to take these trials anymore. You already cleared the first one, didn't you? The strain on her… it's unbearable. These trials are slowly breaking her."
Her words lingered in the air like a heavy mist. Subaru didn't answer at first. Silence wrapped itself around him, thick and suffocating. Inside his chest, conflict raged—one side agreeing wholeheartedly with Rem, aching at the sight of Emilia's suffering, while the other side resisted, knowing some burdens were inescapable. His hands clenched, nails biting into his palms. With his eyes closed, he inhaled deeply, trying to bury the storm within. When he finally spoke, his voice carried a mixture of grief and determination.
"Rem… the barrier isn't something I can remove. That's Emilia's burden alone. She's a royal candidate—this is her duty, her trial, one she must endure to the end. If we rob her of this… if we carry it for her, we don't just take her struggle. We steal her destiny. We steal her hope."
His tone softened, a gentleness aimed at Rem, though the light in his eyes glinted with steel. "My road is different. That's why… if you'll allow it, I'll move forward from here. Emilia is my responsibility. But I have one request—watch over Hikari. Protect her in my stead. There's no one else I could entrust with her safety, Rem."
Her lips trembled faintly. She stared deeply into Subaru's eyes, seeing the weight he carried and the immovable resolve that bound him. Her silence stretched before she finally lowered her head. A quiet answer slipped from her mouth like a sigh. "If that's your wish, Subaru-kun… then so be it."
The wind whispered through the graveyard, stirring the still air as the two of them turned in opposite directions. Their footsteps echoed against the stone ground, each beat like a reminder of the choice they had made. Subaru's chest felt unbearably heavy, as though an unseen chain was dragging at his ribs, yet every step only hardened his will. Because he understood—every decision from this point forward would shape not just his own future, but also the lives of all he cherished.
Out of the drifting shadows, Flugel began to take form. His body emerged slowly, blending into the world with a surreal grace until he stood before Subaru. His voice carried a strange resonance, echoing faintly like it had traveled through time. "Yes… you are alone now. So tell me, Subaru—what do you intend to do next?"
Subaru lowered himself onto the stone steps, folding his arms around his knees, his gaze lost in the emptiness stretching ahead. A faint, weary smile tugged at his lips, but it couldn't hide the confusion swimming in his eyes. "Honestly? I don't know… maybe nothing. Do you have a suggestion, Flugel?"
Flugel exhaled slowly, pursing his lips as though disappointed in the answer. "Then perhaps you should try assimilating Excalibur into yourself."
The suggestion struck Subaru like a spark, forcing the exhaustion from his expression and replacing it with a wary intensity. He shook his head firmly. "That sword doesn't belong to me. It's obvious we're not compatible. I can't even wield yang magic, and if I tried, the overload would tear me apart. It wouldn't just hurt—it would kill me."
Flugel's eyes narrowed, his tone carrying a sharp edge of impatience. "You're overlooking Yue. The child's existence serves as a second mana gate. With her, you're more than capable of handling yang magic. Your compatibility isn't lacking—it's far greater than you believe."
Subaru hesitated, the words rooting themselves into his thoughts. After a long pause, he rose to his feet. With a steady hand, he reached into his inventory and drew out the second cursed sword—Excalibur. The blade shimmered faintly, each flicker of light along its edge like the echoes of a song forgotten by time. Subaru stared at it, suspicion written across his face. "But why… why is this blade called 'cursed'? Look at it—by all appearances it's holy, pure. Doesn't it feel wrong to brand something like this with a curse?"
Flugel's smile stretched, sly and knowing, as he stepped closer. His gaze sharpened, as though peering through Subaru rather than at him. "Curses don't arise solely from darkness, Subaru. You're clinging to too narrow a definition. Curses come in countless forms—light, shadow, and everything between. Excalibur is one such example. Don't forget: curses aren't bound to magic alone. Their roots are as varied as the very laws of the world, just as Hikari's Authority draws from a different source."
The weight of Flugel's words pressed down on Subaru. He exhaled slowly, centering himself, and fixed his eyes on the blade in his grip. A hush descended over the world. He waited, hoping for even the faintest sign—yet nothing came. The sword remained utterly still, its surface devoid of light, its presence silent.
"I told you…" Subaru murmured, disappointment creeping into his tone. "I'm not compatible. Something's missing."
But Flugel's eyes glinted with a strange light, his voice carrying both temptation and challenge. "Then perhaps you should attempt it with the Authority of Pride. See what happens when you stop doubting yourself."
Before Subaru could reply, the stillness shattered. A metallic chime rang through the air, sharp and mechanical, reverberating through the silence.
[Ding!!]
[Authority of Pride: Fractured Limit – limited activation]
Faint runes flickered across Subaru's skin, glowing like cracks of light seeping through stone. They crawled along his body in a slow, uneven rhythm, each pulse draining his energy yet forcing something deeper to stir within. His veins felt as if molten fire was crawling beneath them, each thread of light a reminder of his fragile mortality straining against something incomprehensible. With effort, the fragile activation finally took hold. At that precise moment, Excalibur's surface began to radiate, its dormant power awakening, pressing outward as though trying to define Subaru—measuring, weighing, and judging him. The sheer weight of its gaze made his chest tighten, as if a divine tribunal had been summoned solely for him.
Subaru's breath caught. It's looking straight through me… like it wants to strip me bare, peel away everything until there's nothing left but truth. If I don't measure up… will it erase me? His eyes widened. "So it really needs an effector to wake up…? Fine, then. Take this!" With a defiant snarl, Subaru forced his own mana against the sword's compressed energy, trying to suppress it and bend it to his will. The strain rattled his bones, and the glow of the runes across his skin flared brighter, as though mocking his desperation.
The sacred blade resisted furiously, lashing back at him like a storm testing his resolve. His arms trembled under the invisible pressure, his breath growing short, yet he refused to yield. If I falter now, if I take even one step back… then all of this, everything I've risked, means nothing. I've crawled through blood and despair already—I can't lose to a sword, no matter how divine it is.
Off to the side, Flugel yawned lazily, a sly grin curling on his lips. His nonchalance only deepened the insult of Subaru's struggle. "Oi, why don't you use Duskveil?"
A spark of realization flashed across Subaru's face, relief and dread colliding all at once. "Ah… of course! That makes sense!"
With a surge of mana, his other hand summoned forth a long katana, black and crimson in color. Its surface rippled like living flesh, and the countless eyes embedded along Duskveil's body blinked open in unsettling unison, swiveling to life. Each lidless gaze fixated on Excalibur, radiating a hunger that seeped into the chamber's air. The cursed blade shuddered as it sensed Excalibur beside it, and the very air vibrated with hostility, like two predators locked on each other's throats.
[Cursed sword "Duskveil" has detected the sacred sword "Excalibur"]
["Duskveil" has awakened!!]
[Special Effect: Adaptation - Active]
Duskveil's frame trembled violently before lengthening slightly, its inner mana channels fusing directly with Subaru's own circuits. The connection made him shiver as alien whispers flooded the back of his mind. Its edge grew sharper, its presence heavier, as though the weapon's soul had fully awakened at last—and with it, a tide of malice that pressed against his own consciousness. Stay under control… it's not you, it's the blade. Don't let it drown you.
Subaru narrowed his eyes, a crooked grin forming across his lips, even as sweat trickled down his temple. "Looks like the two of you… don't get along very well."
No sooner had the words left him than Excalibur responded. Its surface blazed with radiant light once more, as if provoked by Duskveil's existence. Yet this time, instead of rejecting Subaru's mana, it allowed the energy to flow into it—tentatively, cautiously, as though testing whether his will was worth trusting. A fragile but undeniable connection formed between master and blade.
[Ding!!]
['Sacred' Sword "Excalibur" has acknowledged you as its wielder!!]
For a heartbeat, silence consumed the chamber, broken only by Subaru's ragged breathing. He raised Excalibur high, the shimmering surface humming faintly. He watched as subtle ripples coursed through the metal, each vibration syncing with the beat of his heart. For the briefest instant, he swore he felt the sword breathe in time with him—an eerie sensation that vanished as quickly as it came. His throat tightened, and a whisper escaped his lips: "I don't feel anything special… just a little lighter. Strange… shouldn't a sacred sword of this caliber reveal more than that? Shouldn't I feel the weight of legends instead of this… emptiness?"
Turning sharply toward Flugel, Subaru's eyes burned with a mix of impatience and frustration. His voice cracked with an edge of desperation. "Alright then, great sage. What's the catch with this weapon? Did you give me false hope, or are you hiding something important?"
Flugel only shrugged, his grin as irritatingly smug as ever, his golden eyes half-lidded in amusement. "Why would I spoil the fun? Discovery is part of the journey. If I hand you all the answers, your path will lose its meaning."
Subaru's jaw tightened, anger boiling over. His pulse hammered in his ears, fury and fear twisting together. He shot to his feet, his voice echoing through the chamber like a thunderclap. "Oi! Don't just vanish after spouting cryptic nonsense! Stop acting cool and disappearing all the damn time! Do you enjoy watching me stumble around blind?!"
But no answer came. Only silence. The quiet pressed in on him, bouncing against the frozen stone walls. The air felt heavier, colder, and the absence of Flugel's voice only amplified the loneliness clawing at Subaru's chest. Beneath his anger, the sting of helplessness burned even sharper. Damn it… why does it always come down to me fumbling in the dark? Why do I always have to claw answers out with bloodied hands?
He exhaled shakily, shoulders slumping, and with a flick of thought dismissed both blades. The cursed and sacred auras unraveled into sparks of mana before fading away, leaving the chamber even more suffocatingly empty. "Whatever… I need to check on Mili. Please… let it not be too late."
Turning away, Subaru began climbing the worn stone steps. Each step echoed harshly, the sound like the beat of a funeral drum in the still, icy air. His legs ached, but he pushed forward, teeth clenched against the shiver crawling up his spine. The tomb itself seemed to grow colder with every pace, shadows creeping tighter around him, gnawing at the edges of his resolve. His breath came in shallow bursts, the darkness above him swallowing the sound whole.
At the entrance, he froze. The walls were nearly swallowed by ice, jagged crystals spreading like veins through the ancient stone. The sight made his stomach twist, as if the structure itself were being claimed by something relentless and merciless. The cold wasn't just physical—it pressed into his spirit, burrowing deep into his bones, whispering despair into his thoughts. His teeth clenched, and a puff of white mist escaped his lips. "Damn it… this cold isn't just on the walls. It's cutting straight into my soul. It's like it wants me to give in before I even step outside." Quickening his pace, he reached for the heavy door.
The iron handle seared with frost, biting into his skin like fire. Pain shot up his arm, but Subaru gritted his teeth and gathered mana, channeling fire into his palm. Crimson flames licked around his hand, hissing as they devoured the ice. The clash of heat and frost filled the chamber with a screeching wail, the metal itself crying out in protest. The handle cracked, splinters of ice shattering across the floor, until at last the heavy door began to shift.
The metal shrieked, dragging against stone with a drawn-out groan, as though the tomb itself protested his departure. With one final push, Subaru forced it open, and a rush of air colder than death swept past him, whipping his cloak against his body. Beyond the threshold, a pale, merciless light gleamed. He swallowed hard, his heart pounding, and whispered under his breath—part prayer, part defiance: "Whatever waits out there… I won't back down."
Beyond the door, Emilia had awakened. Her back was turned, silver hair cascading down like threads of moonlight, each strand swaying faintly in the chill breeze that filled the chamber. Around her, pillars of ice rose like spears driven into the heavens—silent, unnerving, glimmering with a light that seemed almost alive. And yet none of them pierced her; they only circled, like guardians bound to her will, as if the entire frozen sanctuary was shaped by her emotions. Slowly, she turned her head, and her voice, fragile as a crack spreading across glass, rippled through the still air: "Subaru?"
Subaru's heart clenched violently, his throat tightening dry. He had seen this expression before—too familiar, too chilling, as if fate insisted on replaying the same nightmare. Those amethyst eyes were no longer the same; they had deepened, shadowed by something smoldering in their depths. His breath trembled as he whispered back, "Emilia… that look… again? hell no"
Suddenly, her lips curved into a radiant smile, one so genuine that it nearly shattered his doubt. She rose gracefully, steps light against the frozen floor, and rushed toward him with startling warmth. "Yes, Subaru! It's me. Your Emilia. Where did you go? You left me all alone… my heart was breaking. I worried so much about you." She wrapped her arms tightly around him, burying her face into his chest, clinging as though he might vanish again. "Don't scare me like that, Subaru. Stay with me. Always. Never leave my side."
Subaru's breath caught. He closed his eyes, returning the embrace, though unease gnawed relentlessly at the edges of his heart. The warmth in his arms was real—comforting, alive—but behind it lurked something sharp, something dangerous, like the blade hidden within a smile. He whispered with all the sincerity he could muster, "I'll never leave you, Mili. Never…"
But then, like a thunderclap splitting a serene sky, Emilia's smile froze into something cold and merciless. She shoved him back with sudden force, her eyes flaring with betrayal and rage. "Never? Then why did you go to Kararagi without me? With Anastasia… with Rem… even with Elsa of all people! Why not me?! Why didn't you take me?!"
The weight of her words struck him like blows. Subaru's knees nearly buckled, his voice breaking as he stumbled backward, palms raised in desperation. "Emilia… please, calm down. You're a royal candidate. You couldn't leave the country—you know that! I… I only wanted to protect you."
The chamber's temperature plunged further. Frost crept across the walls, jagged and cruel, while the ice pillars stretched higher, their edges sharpening into blades. From the stone floor, a white mist slithered upward in ghostly coils, wrapping the space in suffocating cold. Emilia's voice tore through it all, rising into a shriek that echoed like shattering crystal. "I DON'T CARE ABOUT THAT! THE ONLY ONE I WANT IS YOU! JUST STAY WITH ME, SUBARU! BE MINE, AND MINE ALONE!"
Subaru lowered his head, his eyes hidden in shadow. Fear, guilt, and sorrow tangled in his chest, choking him with every breath. His words slipped out in a near inaudible whisper, trembling: "This is bad… this will only end badly. If it keeps going like this…"
Then, without warning, Emilia faltered. The storm in her gaze flickered and dissolved, replaced by a fleeting innocence. Confusion painted her face, soft and vulnerable, like a child waking from a nightmare with no memory of the terror. "Huh? I… what was I doing? Ah, Subaru, you're here. I'm sorry… did I upset you?" She smiled gently, hesitantly, and moved close once more, hugging him as though nothing had happened, as though her outburst was nothing but a fleeting dream.
At that moment, a voice descended from above, playful and amused, its tones echoing like a mocking melody. Flugel's laugh spread through the chamber, resonating in every shard of ice. "This yandere streak is a bit troublesome, isn't it? What do you say—should I erase her memory? Or perhaps we should let it play out a little longer? Could be entertaining."
Subaru shook his head violently, jaw clenched tight, refusing to give the words any weight. His thoughts spun in circles, but deep down, the only truth hammering against his heart was his desperate wish to shield Emilia—from herself, from her suffering, from the consequences of his own mistakes.
Emilia pressed her face into Subaru's chest, her voice trembling with jealousy and fragile longing. "Subaru… do you like Rem? Or… maybe you're drawn to short-haired girls? Tell me… should I be jealous of them?"
The question cracked his patience. Subaru's teeth clicked in frustration, and his words came sharper, firmer, edged with urgency. "Mili… this isn't the time for that! You need to pull yourself together! We're inside the Witch's Tomb—did you forget? You have to overcome the trials! That's why we're here!"
For a moment, Emilia's eyes widened, startled by his tone, her breath hitching. Then, unexpectedly, she laughed—a bright, almost carefree sound that didn't belong in this frozen hall. "Huh? But I already finished the first trial, Subaru! While you were worrying over me, I succeeded. Isn't that wonderful?"
The chamber fell silent for a heartbeat, the words lingering in the air, leaving Subaru torn between relief and the creeping dread that nothing was as it seemed.
Subaru turned his wary eyes toward Flugel, searching for any hint of reassurance. The figure of the ancient sage met his gaze, and after a long, quiet pause, inclined his head in silence. The motion was reluctant, as if even acknowledging the truth cost him something, but it was enough. It was confirmation. This was real. For a fleeting moment, a ripple of relief stirred inside Subaru's chest, loosening the knot that had been strangling his lungs. Yet, almost as quickly, that fragile comfort dissolved, replaced by a deeper unease that coiled around his heart like invisible chains, tugging tighter with every beat.
Before Subaru could linger on the dread, Emilia stepped closer. The pale silver of her hair shimmered faintly in the dim glow that clung to the tomb, strands catching the light like threads of moonlight woven into shadow. Her violet eyes glimmered, brimming with childlike brightness—an innocent sparkle that felt almost unnatural in the cold, oppressive air of that place. "Subaru…" Her voice was soft, uncertain but carrying a sudden burst of determination. "I want a reward. Because I succeeded. Because I kept my promise to you. And now… you have to make a promise to me."
The words hung between them, fragile and earnest, and Subaru's chest tightened as he looked at her. He drew in a long, measured breath, his shoulders sagging beneath the weight of exhaustion that pressed into every muscle. His lips curved into a gentle smile, the kind that carried not just affection but a quiet resignation, a mixture of love and fatigue. "Alright, Mili. You've earned it. You did well. Congratulations on passing the trial. As for your reward… I promise, we'll see to it. You have my word." He paused, brushing his thumb gently against the back of her hand where she gripped him. "But for now… let's leave this place, okay? This grave… it's suffocating you."
Emilia clung even tighter to his arm, pressing herself closer, her slender fingers latching onto him with a firmness that betrayed desperation. It was as if she feared he might vanish into the shadows if she let go even for a breath. She didn't release him, not for an instant. The warmth of her touch should have comforted him, yet for Subaru it only amplified the gnawing unease inside. His heart trembled with the soundless echo of warning bells, tolling somewhere far beyond reach. Every instinct screamed that something was off—terribly off—yet the truth of it danced just outside his grasp.
He pressed his lips together, drawing in another deep breath to cage the unease within. Step by step, he began to guide her toward the exit. Their pace was slow, weighted, as though every step was sinking into the stone beneath them. Each footfall reverberated with a hollow echo that filled the tomb, sounding like the closing of unseen doors one after another. The silence that lingered behind them stretched on endlessly, heavy and unrelenting, wrapping itself around their shoulders. It felt as though the tomb itself resisted their departure, as if the cold air whispered a plea—or a warning—that they should never leave.
Subaru glanced sideways at Emilia, her radiant eyes fixed solely on him, shining with trust and something almost childlike in its intensity. Her weight against his arm was both grounding and suffocating, an anchor that kept him steady while also pulling him deeper into the dread. He tightened his grip around her hand, forcing a thin smile to keep her reassured, even as his chest felt as though it might collapse under the tension. The silence pressed closer, like a presence breathing against the back of his neck. And still, Subaru pushed forward, guiding her step after step, carrying not only her hope but also the growing weight of fear that shadowed them with every heartbeat.
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Alright, my dear readers—your author is here!
I want to start by apologizing for not posting a chapter in the past few days. Life has been unexpectedly hectic, with so many things demanding my attention, and it's very likely that updates may continue to be irregular for some time. I promise I'm doing my best to write whenever I can, but I hope you can understand if the schedule isn't as consistent as before. Every word I write, though, is for you, and I never want you to feel forgotten.
I cannot express enough how much I appreciate all of you who have supported me along the way. Every comment, every message, every little bit of encouragement has genuinely kept me going. There have been moments when I've felt completely overwhelmed, even crushed, but reading your words and knowing you're following this journey with me warms my heart like nothing else. It reminds me why I started writing in the first place and gives me the motivation to keep pushing forward, even when things get tough.
I also want to acknowledge that writing a story is not just a solitary effort; it's a shared experience between the author and the readers. Your feedback, your theories, your excitement, and even your constructive criticisms all help shape the story into something better. I read every single comment, and I promise that I take each one seriously. I try to apply your suggestions whenever I can because your thoughts and opinions matter more than you might realize. This story wouldn't be the same without the energy and passion you bring to it.
So, thank you again, from the bottom of my heart, to all of you who have been with me on this journey. Your support means more than words can convey, and I hope you feel that when you read my work. Even if updates come slower than usual, know that I'm always working on it, always thinking about you, and always striving to make each chapter something that will excite and inspire.
That's all for now—I simply wanted to share what's on my mind and express my gratitude. I love my readers, truly, and I hope that love comes through in every word I write. Please continue to share your thoughts, ideas, and feelings in the comments; they are valued beyond measure. I'm serious about reading every one and using them to make the story richer and more engaging.
Anyway, hang in there, stay tuned, and thank you for being part of this journey with me. I can't wait to continue sharing the story with all of you!
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