When Subaru was led by Rem into the reception room, the three people there were Crusch, Ferris, and Wilhelm, who had entered the mansion before Subaru.
Glancing at Subaru who had rushed into the room out of breath and swaying, Crusch narrowed her eyes in the face of his dignified appearance,
"Looking at your behavior, it seems you've already heard the story."
Crusch spoke with a shrewd expression that gave no hint of emotion, as if to say that she had saved herself the trouble of an unnecessary introduction.
Unable to deny that he had been taken by surprise, Subaru shook his head slightly,
"We haven't had any detailed information yet. Even Rem only has a vague idea."
Turning his head, Subaru turned his gaze to Rem, who was standing right beside him. Rem responded by pulling her chin in, and even though she had a blank look on her face, she showed a hint of tension,
"What Rem felt was purely through Nee-sama's senses. --Unlike Nee-sama, she couldn't see it specifically. It would be a different story if she had clairvoyance, though."
Frowning in frustration, Rem bit her lip, lamenting her own lack of strength.
However, seeing this, Crusch exclaimed in admiration, "I see," as if understanding.
"I have heard stories about the twin waiters under Margrave Roswaal's care. I see, even though the distance between the royal capital and the territory is as great as it is, it is possible to exchange information to a certain extent."
"As I said, it was vague. It was the best I could do with my lack of talent."
Rem bowed her head and showed humility in response to Crusch's praise. Subaru took a step forward, waving his hand and saying, "Wait, wait," as he watched their exchange.
"That part doesn't really matter right now. I want to hear about the important parts. From what you said earlier, I'm sure you know a bit more about the details, right?"
"The information here is also a little unreliable in terms of accuracy. It's information that's slipped through the cracks between various people, you know?"
Ferris gave Subaru his usual mischievous look as he saw how excited he was. Subaru returned the glare with a glare, and Ferris put his finger to his lips and tilted his head affectionately, saying, "It's just..."
"Maybe that vague feeling, when combined with Rem-chan's sixth sense from earlier, will start to come together in a nice way?"
"Don't put off the conclusion."
Ferris continued to tease him, so Subaru put his hands on the reception desk and thrust his face towards him in a threatening manner.
However, in response to Subaru's request, it wasn't Ferris who clapped his hands to distract him,
"I understand your impatience, Natsuki Subaru."
Calling Subaru by his full name, and looking his way with her green hair swaying, was Crusch.
Bathed in the sharpness of that gaze, Subaru suddenly fell into the illusion of being doused in water, and he instinctively held his breath and pulled away.
The difference in height between the tall Crusch and Subaru was only about five centimeters, but there was no doubt that Subaru was taller. Despite this, Subaru felt a sense of oppression, as if he was being looked down upon by her, even though they were supposed to be standing side by side.
The difference in their capacities is likely what causes the difference in their feelings. Subaru is made to face the difference in their status as living beings in an unnecessary moment, while Crusch acts as if she has no knowledge of his inner thoughts,
"What if we told you there was no reason for us to disclose the information to you?"
"What...?"
"Isn't that a response you would expect? You are currently a guest of our household. That position does not guarantee you anything more. There is no way that a mere guest would be involved in the progress of the royal selection process, including that of our household."
Subaru was crushed head-on by that all-too-sensible argument, and curled his lip, unable to say a word.
At the same time, I felt anger at my own shortsightedness and shallow naivety.
He had only just realized the other day that this was the enemy's home, a place where they would bare their fangs at him, whether he liked it or not.
Naturally, Crusch and Ferris were sure to respond with a similar attitude.
There's no way that the selfish logic of just showing up and asking for information will work.
"Lady Crusch, Lord Ferris――enough with the jokes."
Subaru was thinking about how to extract information from the flames of hostility inside his mind, but Wilhelm, who had remained silent up until that point, put a stop to his thoughts.
He cast a reproachful look at his master and his attendant,
"In normal times, we might have the luxury of doing so, but we both understand that the situation is urgent right now. Useless arguments will only lead to problems later on."
"But maybe later."
"Mr. Ferris."
"Okay, I'll be quiet. Hmm, it's scary."
Ferris pouted his lips and sat bouncing on the sofa, covering his eyes and ears as he remained silent. Wilhelm sighed at his childish attitude, while Crusch chuckled.
Subaru, unable to keep up with their attitude, blinked,
"I apologize for my rudeness, Natsuki Subaru."
"Huh?"
"That was just me testing you a little, sir. It doesn't mean anything special. However, I want you to keep in mind that this is a place where you have no choice but to be aware of that."
Subaru responded in a relaxed voice, and Crusch expressed her gratitude, but did not fail to warn him. Her words made Subaru realize once again where he stood, and he regained consciousness with a start.
In short, whether Subaru wanted it or not, he was now in a position where he could no longer be content with the circumstances he had been given.
Although she was still a little unsettled to call it a re-focus, Crusch, seeing Subaru shift his focus, tucked her chin in as if to say she had gotten her way,
"Some troublesome movements have been observed in and around Margrave Roswaal's territory. It seems that the territory has been placed on alert by Margrave's orders..."
"Troublesome movement? On alert?"
Subaru raised an eyebrow and voiced a question at the sudden outburst of that ominous word.
In response to that question, Crusch nodded and folded her arms,
"From the start, this situation was expected. When the Margrave nominated Emilia as a candidate for king—in other words, when he declared his support for the Half-Elf—"
"What is it, Str――are you thinking that there will be an explosion of dissatisfaction among the citizens?"
"Of course, that's true. With the Jealous Witch's notoriety spreading, being a half-elf means fighting prejudice."
When I voiced a concern that had suddenly occurred to me, it was simply confirmed.
Once again, Subaru could not allow Emilia's origins to be a shackle to her. How much would the world hold her back, even though it was through no fault of her own?
Moreover, she couldn't help but hate those faceless people known as her "subjects" who spoke only of her based on prejudice and didn't even know her personality.
"It's a path he himself has taken with full resolve. It would be unreasonable for you to be angry."
"Of course not. It's not like she's prepared for people to say bad things about her or that she's used to it. In the first place, there's no reason why she should have people say bad things about her."
Subaru retorted to Crusch's words with a grim expression, and brought the conversation back to its original point with, "Anyway,"
"So that's the reason why a quarrel is breaking out on Roswaal's territory? If things go wrong, it won't be just a small fuss, it could turn into a major fire?"
"That's an interesting way of putting it, but it's spot on. Leaving aside the specifics, the gist of it is correct. Doesn't that also explain the way your squire feels?"
With the question asked, all eyes in the room focused on Rem.
With a poker face that gave no hint of her expression, Rem locked eyes with the person closest to her - Subaru - and nodded, as if responding to the intent of his gaze.
"The feelings I sensed from Nee-sama were a certain amount of impatience and a lot of anger.... It wasn't something she was trying to convey, I think she just couldn't hold it in and it leaked out."
"Does this synesthesia really happen that often?"
"No. To a certain extent, we are conscious of and control our emotions. But even so, if the emotions are too strong, they can sometimes get over our emotions and be transmitted to each other."
As the story progresses, Rem's words lose power.
To summarize what she said, the waves of emotion that Ram had transmitted to Rem this time were irregular. If Ram had used her synesthesia to seek help from Rem, it would have been natural for them to arrive in a more easily understood form, and intermittently.
Despite this, the synesthesia only leaked once and has not continued since.
"I guess they're trying to keep me from getting involved..."
Muttering to himself, Subaru felt as if his own imagination was burning him.
If Ram's intentions were as we had imagined, it wasn't difficult to imagine who had given him such orders, or whose intentions it might have been.
Subaru is currently undergoing treatment at the Karsten household. Rem is accompanying him. Communicating to Rem is synonymous with communicating to Subaru.
--Is that how much she doesn't want Subaru to be involved in her path?
"But you're in trouble, right...?"
The news had even reached Crusch, who was based in the royal capital.
And Ram, who should be several levels superior to Rem in terms of self-control, was in a situation where she was unable to contain her emotions and let them spill out.
There are still few people she can rely on, and her enemies are unreasonably numerous. In such a situation, how many people can be her honest ally?
Yes, that's right.
that's why--,
"I have to go and help you."
Subaru raised his head and muttered this, drawing attention from everyone.
Crusch had one eye closed, Ferris's mischievous gaze narrowed slightly, Wilhelm's face remained as wrinkled as ever, with no trace of emotion, and Rem,
"N-no, Subaru-kun...!"
Pulling at her sleeve, Rem forced her large eyes open, her lips trembling slightly.
The expressions in his eyes were impatience, confusion, and a desperate plea.
"We must obey Lady Emilia's and Lord Roswaal's orders. Subaru-kun should concentrate on his treatment at Lady Crusch's mansion. Rem and I both agree. Healing Subaru-kun's injured body is his top priority right now…"
"What if something irreparable happens while we're at it? If that happens, we won't have eyes, noses, or ears to turn to. It's a matter of which one to choose."
Pushing aside Rem's clingy attitude, Subaru stepped forward and looked at Crusch. Seeing the amber eyes that silently stared back at him, he straightened up and,
"It's as you heard, Crusch-san. Rem and I will be returning to Roswaal's mansion… to Lady Emilia. We can put off your treatment until this is resolved…"
"---If you leave here, then you will become my enemy."
Subaru was about to talk about what would happen next, but Crusch interrupted him, telling him this in a completely cold manner.
The words were so sharp that Subaru had the illusion of actually being slashed. And then, as the meaning began to spread, like pain coming from a cut,
"Wh-what do you mean..."
"Let me correct your thinking, sir. The only reason I'm treating you as a guest and allowing you to receive Ferris' treatment is because of a contract."
"contract...?"
When Subaru asked her again, Crusch nodded and said, "Yes," and raised one finger on the end of her crossed arms,
"The contract that was made between Emilia and me… via Ferris, is that I will treat the lord in return for something. It was concluded with our mutual consent, and I have welcomed him as a guest. However, there is a reason why I must abide by this contract."
"――――"
"The reason I abide by my contract with Emilia is because it was made before the Royal Election. Since then, our relationship has been that of political enemies. Therefore, I would never show any mercy to those in Emilia's camp. But a contract is a contract."
Crusch repeatedly used the word "contract" to emphasize the point.
As he listened, the word sounded like the two letters 『Promise』 to Subaru, and he felt an uncomfortable sense of connection to the last conversation he had with Emilia.
Subaru broke his "promise," while Crusch prioritizes fulfilling the "contract."
She sharpened her gaze even more as she watched Subaru, who was trying not to show how rude he was.
"If you leave this family, then that contract will be considered terminated halfway. There will be no ill will between us, and from now on Emilia and I will be complete enemies. And naturally, as you are acting on Emilia's side, you will also become my enemy."
Subaru: "So if you're going to leave, that means your treatment will be terminated… That's a pretty sneaky thing to do. Basically, you don't want us to go because you don't want us to help Emilia when she's in trouble, right?"
"I hope you don't get the wrong idea."
And that was when Subaru tried to deceive his own thoughts with a provocative remark.
Ferris, who had been silently watching the situation unfold up until then, suddenly cut in, his gaze slightly grim, his bright chestnut-colored cat ears raised.
"What Crusch-sama is doing to Subaru-kun right now isn't malicious, it's compassion. It's not like Subaru-kun and the others are going back to rescue Emilia-sama and that's a loss for us at all, you know? And yet, we're still holding them back."
"Ferris, stop."
"No, I'll tell you. It's a bit of a big misunderstanding, so I need to correct that."
Shaking his head at the Lord who tried to stop him with a few brief words, Ferris looked at Subaru again.
Then he slowly chewed,
Subaru: "Even if you go, it's not like the situation will change. There's no point in going. The promise of treatment that Emilia-sama paid for will also be in vain. If you're going to do something like that, it would be better for you to stay quiet and wait for the situation to develop, while letting your body heal."
--A sound was heard.
Subaru heard a sudden popping sound inside his head, and when he realized it was the opening of the bag that had been holding back his tantrum, he nearly bit his lip in unimaginable humiliation.
"I've decided."
Subaru spoke quietly, not letting any of his emotions show.
Subaru's passion still burned within his heart, but instead of letting its heat erupt outward, it seared his insides and led him to a single conclusion.
"I'm going back to the mansion... to Emilia. It was only for a short time, but I'm grateful for her help."
"Subaru-kun!"
As Subaru spoke clearly of his intention to break away from the group, Rem cried out in an appealing voice, but Subaru silenced her with his palm and looked down at the Crusch camp in front of him.
Crusch had her eyes closed as she listened to Subaru's words, but it was unclear what was going on inside her mind. However, Ferris, who was next to her and letting out a long, deep sigh, had a plainly sour expression on his face.
He shook his head and looked at Subaru without trying to hide his exasperation,
"I think accepting advice humbly is also a measure of a person's character, don't you think?"
"Your advice helped me make a decision. Thank you."
Ferris shrugged in response to Subaru's clearly sarcastic reply and seemed to have given up on saying anything more. The one who took over the conversation instead was,
"Natsuki Subaru"
Calling his name, it was Crusch who looked up at Subaru with wide-open eyes.
Fixed into that dignified gaze, Subaru steeled himself, determined not to succumb to that glare. No matter what they said, he had no intention of going back on the words he had once spoken. Even if he was slandered as powerless and foolish, what good was that?
Howeverーー,
"Sorry, but all of our family's dragon carriages for long-distance travel are out. The only ones I can lend out are slow ones for transportation, and ones designed for medium-distance travel where you switch earth dragons."
While Subaru was in a frenzy inside, Crusch spoke on a completely different topic― no, in a way, she spoke words that seemed to affirm Subaru's decision.
For a moment, Subaru's eyes widened, not understanding what he had been told. Crusch looked at him with a slightly suspicious look, then turned to Ferris, who was standing next to him,
"Ferris, did I say something strange?"
"Feri-chan is always dizzy at how Crusch-sama can change her mood… but this time, you see, even Subaru-kun didn't expect her to even talk about lending him her dragon carriage, did you?"
Ferris writhed and put his hand to his cheek as he answered, and Crusch replied, "Ah," as if understanding, and tilted her chin in. Then, she looked at Subaru again,
"I respect your decision, sir. Whatever your judgment, going through with your own decision carries great responsibility. And if you are going to take responsibility anyway, then you should do what you want to do. So that you will not be ashamed of your own soul. --Isn't that right?"
"...Ah, that's right. That's right. Your soul is making a racket, saying it doesn't want to be shameless. That child is in trouble, so don't go and relax and recuperate."
In response to Crusch's affirmation of Subaru's intentions, Subaru embraced the change in his own heart. With unexpected reinforcements in hand, Subaru's decision would never waver.
This must have been conveyed to Rem, for just once, as if blaming herself, she closed her eyes and chose silence, and when she opened them again, she had regained her usual expressionless face.
"On behalf of the Lord, I would like to express my gratitude for your kindness up to this day."
"I don't mind. It's to our advantage too. I'd like to discuss transportation to the territory."
"I may be so bold as to ask for your help. Right now, I want to return to my territory as quickly as possible and help my lord."
Rem bowed her head and accepted the kindness Crusch was offering her.
Judging from the conversation earlier, they were probably talking about the dragon carriage they used for travel, so Subaru raised his hand and instinctively interjected.
"I just wanted to ask, how far is it from the royal capital to Roswaal's mansion?"
If Subaru remembered correctly, the journey from the mansion to the royal capital took roughly seven or eight hours. That was to be expected, since they set out early in the morning and arrived sometime after noon.
That being said, the travel time should be half a day at most,
"Considering the need to transfer to a dragon carriage... it should take two or three days."
"Three days?! But it only took less than half a day to get here!?"
It had been said that they didn't have dragon carriages for long distance travel, but even if that was the reason, the difference in time it would take was too great. If they kept traveling day and night, it was hard to imagine that there would be such a big difference.
However, Subaru's natural question was denied by Rem shaking her head. Her beautiful features were slightly furrowed, making a difficult expression,
"The Leafous Highway that we used when we came here is no longer usable. We're now in the worst period of the year when 'fog' is occurring… so we have to take a detour."
"What's with the fog? If we just cut through it..."
"The white whale is what creates the fog, right? If you encounter one, you'll be killed. That's common sense, and it goes without saying."
Ferris interjects, dismissing the idea as if it were a matter of course.
Subaru grimaces at the unfamiliar word "White Whale" once again, but the discussion continues smoothly, leaving Subaru behind as he is unable to understand.
As a result, Crusch and Rem's negotiations were settled with the agreement to borrow a dragon carriage from the Karsten family, and then change carriages at the villages along the way to return home.
Subaru frustratingly thought he could just keep driving without stopping, but as long as it was a living thing pulling the car, there was no escaping the reality that it would get tired.
It's not like a car that can keep running if you fill it with fuel. In these ways, I was made painfully aware of the difference in convenience between my old world and this one.
Either way, things were starting to move.
There was no time left to hesitate and waste time.
※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※
--Once the policy was decided, things moved quickly.
To begin with, Subaru and Rem had brought very little luggage to the Karsten household. When they left the mansion, having entered with barely anything but the clothes on their backs, the amount of luggage they had was enough for Subaru to carry with both hands.
When the two quickly packed their luggage and headed outside the mansion, the dragon carriage had already arrived at the gate that separated the inside from the outside among the iron fences.
When Wilhelm, who was sitting on the driver's seat, noticed the two approaching, he nimbly jumped off the platform while still holding the reins, and landed on the same level as them.
"This is the fastest earth dragon among the dragon carriages remaining in our family. However, it is still significantly lower in rank than the earth dragons used by the Margrave, but I hope you will forgive me."
"I'm grateful that you've even let me borrow it. I'll definitely return it... but is that going to be difficult after this?"
Subaru lowered his voice, took the reins offered to him, and looked at Wilhelm.
Already, the only person seeing the two off was the old man, standing at the gate - Crusch and Ferris had said their goodbyes the moment they left the mansion's entrance hall, and there was a clear hint of a breakup.
At the very least, there was no doubt that his attitude made him hesitate to return the borrowed earth dragon after the matter had been settled.
Subaru's words revealed such anxiety, and Wilhelm lowered his deeply wrinkled face, prefaced with, "That's true,"
"Given my position, I have no choice but to follow Crusch-sama's judgment. After we leave the mansion, the relationship between my master and Subaru-dono's master will be as stated earlier. —The dragon carriage is the least I can do as a parting gift, including the fact that my treatment and my sword training will be cut short."
"That's something... I don't think you said a word about it when you left the mansion."
The words that the master and servant greeted the two as they left the mansion were a very typical greeting.
"I wish you the best of luck. Do your best to make a choice that will not shame your pride and soul."
"You're pushing Crusch-sama's kindness away from you, so you'd better hurry up and make up with Emilia-sama, or else I'll be in trouble, seriously. Just hurry up and go."
Perhaps it's the last words that make the biggest impression.
However, there was no sign of the consideration that Wilhelm had mentioned.
"I also serve Crusch-sama. I can understand my master's thoughts to some extent."
"By the way, how long have you been working here?"
"It's been about half a year, I guess..."
"Your work history is shorter than I thought, isn't it!? Are you communicating properly between master and servant!?"
If he had taken Wilhelm's words seriously and borrowed the dragon carriage, and that had intensified the conflict between Crusch and Emilia, it would no longer be a laughing matter. It would be the beginning of the "Borrowing War." It would be very sad to see his name engraved in the history textbooks.
And while Subaru and Wilhelm were talking, Rem had rushed over to the dragon carriage and was busy checking both the carriage and the earth dragon itself.
He grabbed the reins from Subaru and jumped onto the driver's seat, then promptly got off and ran around busily, checking on the condition of the earth dragon pulling the carriage.
From what he could see, the earth dragon in the rented carriage was about one size smaller than the one that had departed from Roswaal Manor. The carriage itself was also small, so horsepower shouldn't be an issue, but the difference in speed was still a cause for concern.
"--If you understand, then listen to what I'm saying. That's right, be a good boy, be a good boy."
"Rem, how are you feeling?"
The earth dragon bowed its head as instructed by Rem. She reached out to the lizard's nose and gently stroked the tough reptile's skin as she turned to look at Subaru.
"He was a bit of a temperamental child, but I've taught him who is superior now, so there's no problem. I think he'll follow Rem's instructions."
"I, I see... so there was a strict hierarchy. Surprisingly, they're quite athletic."
While Subaru was talking with Wilhelm, Rem was also apparently having a "discussion" with the earth dragon. Not having the courage to delve into the details, the details are unknown, but it did begin to sprout up something like sympathy for the earth dragon, who would soon be used and exploited.
However, there was no room for mercy to slow down the march.
"If we avoid the fog and go around the plains, we will have to pass two villages before we reach the Margrave's territory. Among them, we should be able to arrange for a transfer dragon carriage in a village called Hanumas, which is close to the territory."
"By the way, did you get to this village called Hanumas?"
"It will take about fourteen or fifteen hours. If you are prepared to crash the dragon carriage you transferred to, then I think you can reach the territory in about half a day."
Either way, it's sure to be a frustrating journey that will take more than a day and a half.
Subaru scratched his head and, though he gritted his teeth in frustration, bowed to Wilhelm,
"I'm so sorry about everything. By the way, you took the time to give me training, but it was only half-hearted…"
"I think I've conveyed the most important thing to you. If you wish to improve your sword skills even further, all you can do is keep swinging your sword. Good luck."
Subaru and Wilhelm shook the offered hand firmly.
Subaru then followed Rem's example and climbed into the carriage of the dragon carriage. Looking at the mansion from the carriage, he could see two distant figures standing on the terrace, overlooking the gate across the garden.
Judging from the silhouettes, I think they are Crusch and Ferris.
Thinking that they probably wouldn't see, Subaru waved to the two of them, then called out to Wilhelm one last time,
"Well, I'm off then. Let's be friends again if we meet again."
"If you like being greeted with a wooden sword, feel free to do so."
Wilhelm smiled like a gentleman, then bowed politely and saw me off.
The earth dragon neighed, and the dragon carriage bit into the ground as it slowly gained initial speed and began to move. Little by little, the mansion and its inhabitants began to move away.
Subaru continued to bow obediently until the white-haired figure was out of sight, and as he watched the figure recede into the distance, he resolved to himself, "Next time I'll definitely land at least one hit."
Going down the slope, passing through the entrance to the noble district, crossing the barracks, going straight down the main street of the lower district, passing through the main gate that connects the royal capital to the outside world, I arrived at my destination.
Perhaps it was the earth dragon's divine protection, but feeling a very slight vibration beneath his bottom, Subaru was unable to contain his excitement and let his eyes wander to the scene outside the small window.
Since he had lost consciousness when he arrived at the Royal Capital, this was his first time seeing the surrounding area. However, even though it was the area around the Royal Capital, once it reached the highway, the scenery wasn't all that different from when he'd just left Roswaal Mansion.
At best, the well-maintained highway was wide and the streets of the royal capital could be seen far behind. But after just a dozen minutes of marching, it had completely disappeared from sight.
As soon as the view was dominated by the green plains and blue sky, Subaru found himself at a loss as to what to do and had to lean his back against the wall inside the car.
On the way there, there were passengers in the dragon carriage so it wasn't too boring, but this time, the only passenger was Rem, who was sitting in the driver's seat. There was no way Subaru could distract her as she was concentrating on controlling the earth dragon, so all he could do was remain lost in thought.
For a dragon carriage used by a member of the Duke's household, the seat on the back of the carriage Subaru was sitting in did not feel very comfortable. The small one was probably not meant for someone of high status like Crusch, but rather the sort of thing used by those who act as her hands and feet.
Considering the constant comings and goings of her mansion, it made sense why the long-distance dragon carriages and the like were gone.
Participating in the royal selection only created connections with those around you.
As a duke, one would have a considerable number of acquaintances, and if one aimed for the throne, one would need to seek an even wider and larger circle of friends.
Emilia would have to step into such political issues from now on. And before that ordeal, an unnecessary trial awaited her.
"So I have to get going quickly."
Of course, Subaru doesn't think highly of himself to the point that he thinks he can handle political issues or issues like gaining influential supporters.
Even in his former world, he had never had the slightest interest in fields like politics and economics. Even when the Japanese Prime Minister was about to change, Subaru was the type who thought, "With so many minds changing, it doesn't matter who's in charge..." and didn't have any further interest.
Therefore, Subaru had no concrete vision for rushing to Emilia's side.
However, a slight sense of unease that even Subaru himself was not aware of was causing him to avert his eyes from those problems that he should have been thinking about.
"You can't do it without me... Then you'll understand."
An unfounded conviction――No, it was only a wish.
Emilia was in a difficult situation. If only he could rush to her scene, everything would somehow turn out fine, he thought, a faint hope that seemed to be blown away like that.
You want to, you have to, prove your worth.
If Emilia was facing difficulties, then Subaru could do it.
No, it had to be that way. In order for Subaru to discover his own worth, and to make it known, she was in a difficult situation――
"That's right... It wouldn't work without me. Absolutely."
Muttering to himself, Subaru became lost in thought.
The image that comes to mind is of a silver-haired girl he should love. Her smile is covered in an unknown darkness, and is filled with malice that seeks to crush her noble spirit.
Imagining that scene, Subaru bit his lip and closed his eyes.
Subaru sits alone in the bed, silently waiting for the time to pass. Alone in a place where he senses no other presence apart from Rem in the driver's seat.
Subaru bowed his head and closed his eyes.
The corners of his mouth had slightly twisted, and in the end, not even he noticed.