--The next morning, with morning dew still lingering on the leaves, Subaru stepped on the grass and looked up at the entrance to the ancient ruins, the tomb he had visited the day before.
Since we were pressed for time yesterday, we didn't have time to take our time to look at the exterior, but looking at it like this, we can see that it is surprisingly well maintained.
Although there are overgrown ivy growing around the entrance and exterior walls, the vegetation surrounding the ruins is carefully trimmed, and there are signs that damage to the walls of the tomb itself due to aging has been repaired later.
"I don't really understand their stance on the graveyard."
Subaru spoke these words absentmindedly as he touched the slightly sun-tanned wall.
He thought back to the conversation he had with Garfiel and Lewes last night in the room where Roswaal was under house arrest. They had made Emilia undergo trials, and as a result had asked for their own release by being imprisoned in this "Sanctuary."
"If you think about it that way, witches would be nothing but a nuisance to Garfiel and his friends, yet they take such good care of the tomb..."
"On the contrary, isn't it? This tomb is the reason everyone here is bound to the land. If that's the case, we can't let this tomb be destroyed until someone overcomes this "trial". If they were to be freed by demolishing it, Garfiel would have done it a long time ago."
Subaru was puzzled when Otto, who had been peering around the tomb behind him, added to his reasoning.
Early in the morning, as he had declared, he had been sleeping in the dragon carriage, but I had woken him up in a surprising manner and forced him to join me on the tomb tour.
"Even so, having the opportunity to worship something as rare as the tomb of the Witch of Greed... it's definitely worth coming along. While you're here, do you have anything related to the Witch of Greed? I could use some money."
"If I were to sell it as an item related to witches, wouldn't I end up being relentlessly pursued by the Witch Cult? If I were to be turned into a sea of fire from here, I'd be upset too, so please spare me."
Subaru put a stop to Otto, who was looking around with a shrewd business sense, and turned his attention back to the tomb. Silence had fallen all around, and the only sounds that could be heard were the chirps of insects filtering in through the gaps in the trees and the wind rustling the leaves.
Clear air was floating in the "sanctuary" in the morning, making it a satisfying morning stroll.
"But still, this doesn't mean we can just take a breather and disband, right? If you really just wanted to enjoy a morning stroll, you would have called out Emilia-sama instead of me."
"Surprisingly, Emilia-tan is weak in the mornings. She's cute when she wakes up, all spacey and dangerous… but well, we'll wait until the situation has settled down. I'm sure she was strangely tense after our discussion yesterday, so let's let her sleep a bit more."
"So, while the princess was sleeping, the men came up with this evil plan. Your husband is also evil."
Otto was quick to guess, and narrowed his eyes in ecstasy, but Subaru shrugged. However, his reading was correct. Subaru had actually come to this tomb to do something that would be embarrassing for Emilia or anyone else to see.
"So, what will you do? I'm not that confident in my magical skills, so I could use some wind and water magic to muffle the sound of footsteps or make you disappear with a flash of light for just a moment... Ah, I could make the sound of footsteps go to a completely different place."
"Hey, from what I've heard about the use of that magic, it sounds like it would be useful for thieves sneaking in, or something. Or is that just me?"
"Oh dear, you have a bad ear. I don't steal things. I'm not one to eavesdrop, though."
Subaru narrowed his eyes at Otto, who was baring his white teeth, and let out a sigh.
Subaru then raised his finger in front of the overly enthusiastic Otto, and pointed it towards the tomb,
"I'm going to go into this tomb for a bit now. If it goes as I expect, the lights inside the tomb will come on and my future will be blessed. If not, I'll probably collapse, so you'll have to pull me out somehow."
"Is there anyone who can immediately nod and say, 'Yes, I understand,' after hearing that explanation? What do you mean, collapse? Please stop, it's scary."
Otto pleaded with Subaru, who was casually spilling out important information. Subaru looked at him as if he were a disobedient child,
"Listen, this is the tomb of the 'Witch of Greed'. To be honest, if you just enter, anyone without the witch's permission will have their consciousness taken away instantly. I was taken out all over yesterday as well. That's the kind of danger there is, so don't go in."
"If it didn't work yesterday, then it won't work for Natsuki. Why did you try to go in knowing that she'd collapse? It'll just cause trouble, so let's not do it. And in that case, how am I supposed to rescue Natsuki?"
"If you keep asking questions like that... you'll end up becoming a spoiled person who thinks you can get an answer for everything you ask."
"Please don't try and explain it in such a plausible way, it's too much hassle!"
He clicked his tongue and frowned at the fact that his thoughts had been perfectly read. Otto seemed to have grasped the tricks of getting along with Subaru in just a short time, and Subaru shook his head in ignorance,
"Here, I borrowed a rope from the dragon carriage. I'll tie this around my waist, so if I faint inside, please pull me out gently, quietly, and with love."
"No matter how gently, quietly, and lovingly you do it, you're bound to end up covered in dirt, dust, and scratches."
"The situation is what it is. I'll just lend you one."
"I'm the one lending it to you, right?!"
With a look of disgust on his face at Otto's fussing, Subaru handed him the other end of the rope tied around his waist. Reluctantly accepting it, Otto carefully checked the knot around Subaru's waist, making sure it would hold even if he pulled with all his might.
Although he complains a lot, he is a very honest man.
"For a merchant, he's so gullible and has such a good sense of touch... I wonder if this kid is okay."
"This guy completely forgets that I'm literally holding onto his lifeline."
Otto, clutching the rope tightly, muttered with half-closed eyes to Subaru, who was staring at him with his motherly gaze.
Giving him a wry smile, Subaru stretched slightly on the spot, then turned around forcefully to face the entrance of the tomb.
The tomb was quiet, letting out the dusty smell of air. Just like yesterday, the morning sunlight only reached a few meters from the entrance. The other side of the passage was completely dark, and the feeling that it would collapse the moment one stepped inside remained unchanged.
"Well, it's not like it's actually going to collapse, and if it does fall it will be from the first step, so that's actually a relief."
"Natsuki-san, anytime is fine, but please let me know when you're ready to go."
"Okay then, let's go."
Subaru has no hesitation in making such a decision.
At worst, if he gets in and faints, he'll just be invited back to the witch's tea party. His arm gets torn off, he gets beaten up and healed, and he gets forced to drink bodily fluids - it's not a good experience, but...
"This is far better than the times I've been on the brink of life and death!"
Having declared this, Subaru stepped lightly over the entrance to the tomb.
It's unclear whether I should call it a threshold, but as my foot stepped over the place where the sunlight outside and the shadows from within the tomb overlap, I timidly opened my tightly shut eyes.
Yesterday, the moment I took that first step, I was overcome with a floating sensation, but――
"I can stand on the ground properly. It's not collapsing or anything."
At least there was no slip-up on the first step.
It was a bit of a stretch to call this progress since yesterday, but feeling relieved at the change, he took a deep breath and took the next step. As he took his second step into the tomb, Subaru's body was completely swallowed up by the shadows of the ruins.
From outside, Otto could probably see Subaru no longer, or at least not at all.
"Natsuki, are you there? When you collapse, please give us the same signal that you did when you came in."
"That's a bit difficult. It's embarrassing to admit that I'm going to fall, so when I feel like I'm going to fall, I shout that I don't want to fall."
"Not only is this person confusing, he's also showing off unnecessarily!"
As they exchanged the usual information, they felt relieved to be able to confirm each other's positions by voice. As if spurred on by that sense of security, Subaru took the third step, and then the fourth.
"--oh"
"a..."
In the next moment, the scene before Subaru suddenly opened up.
No, the shadows within the ruins were instantly removed, exposing their interior to the intruders.
On the walls on both sides of the passage, at roughly Subaru's shoulder height, lights were lit at equal intervals, and the faint, flickering light illuminated the ruins' passageway.
The stone passageway, made from the same material as the outer wall, was only wide enough for two Subarus to stand side by side with their arms outstretched. It was so high that if they jumped, they would hit their heads. If some giant bald old man was in it, he would have to bend his back or the friction of his scalp would cause a fire.
"...The light is on. What does this mean, in terms of the conditions?"
"It seems that those who are able to undergo the nighttime "Trial" are welcomed like this... At worst, I was thinking that it might just be a daydream I had, pretending not to understand."
Subaru carefully checked the clear view he had, then looked at the palm he had lifted up. He then touched his forehead, recalling the feeling of fingertips there in his dream,
"I received the souvenirs from the tea party. It seems like they took the money without my permission, but I don't intend to tell anyone about it."
"I can see inside, but I wonder what would happen if I went in with them. Do you think I could rob the grave of the 'Witch of Greed'?"
"An evil wizard I know nearly exploded just from trying to enter here and now he's recovering. I don't know what will happen to you."
"It's a really scary place, isn't it?"
Hearing Otto's shudder behind him, Subaru confirmed that he had achieved his goal. He could have continued on deeper into the cave, but he gave up on the idea since Otto might follow him.
Either way, what Subaru wanted was confirmation of his qualifications to take part in the Trials, and, incidentally, confirmation of the veracity of the words of Echidna, whom he had met in his dream.
In any case, now that he had entered the tomb, he could safely assume that the information, conditions, and compensation that Echidna had given Subaru were all true. The same could be said for the personalities of the witches that Subaru had encountered in his daydream.
"But if that's the case, then 400 years ago there were witches like that going their own way, yapping all over the place. What, that end of the century… I'm glad I was teleported to this era, seriously."
When I think of the times when the Witches of Sin and the Witch of Envy were causing chaos, the moderation of the present age touches my heart. Or so I thought, but then the viciousness of the Archbishops of Sin came to mind, offsetting my feelings.
There's nothing we can do about the fact that witches and those with crowns are both the same.
Subaru: "Anyway, my preparations are now complete. Now we need to wait until nightfall to see what Emilia-tan's 'Trial' will be like. I'll need to maintain a high level of flexibility and respond flexibly."
Making a nice-sounding reckless remark, Subaru turned around and headed back to the entrance of the tomb.
Returning to Otto, who was waiting for his return with an anxious look on his face, Subaru removed the rope that had been binding his waist and tossed it next to the entrance to the tomb.
"It might come in handy for something, or rather, I might suddenly need it tonight, so let's hide it here. Sorry for dragging you along, Otto."
"No, it would have been fine if you were safe... but more importantly, you're empty-handed. What on earth did you go into the tomb to get nothing?"
"I don't know how seriously I should take what you say. Is that just a style of comedy? I'm not religious, but I'm very devout, so I wouldn't do something like grave robbing."
What is incomprehensible about Japan, a non-religious country, is that while there is no particular god they believe in, they pay a certain amount of respect to the eight million gods. You could call it the headquarters of a hodgepodge of all sorts. It could also be said that they are a group of timid people who are overly sensitive about the existence of inconvenient ghosts and curses.
"It's obviously a joke from start to finish. Besides, if it's to this extent, you probably didn't need me anyway, did you? Why did you bother to join in?"
"Well, it was a bit of a gamble whether I'd get in or not, and whether I collapse and cause trouble, or I get blown away and my memory is burned into my mind forever, I thought it would be best for you to be the victim..."
"What kind of choice?! It really feels like it was chosen by a process of elimination!"
"You idiot, when I thought about who I was going to cause trouble for, you were the first to come to mind. Don't make me say it, it's embarrassing."
"As a person, you should be ashamed of yourself for making such a judgment!"
Subaru spoke with such confidence that Otto's high-pitched retort echoed. Their unfortunate exchange echoed throughout the morning forest and the ruins. As always, the only ones listening to it were the insects and animals hiding in the forest aside from each other――
"You're so noisy early in the morning, hey. You're yelling right above the witch who's sleeping soundly. That's the very definition of the saying, 'The witches cry out in the morning.'"
"You're such a nuisance, Yohororoi. Next time I see you, I'll tell you off."
Saying this, Subaru looked away from the entrance to the tomb and turned to face the person who had interrupted their conversation from the forest beside him - Garfiel, tearing his short golden hair and showing his white fangs.
He roughly wiped his forehead, which was covered in sweat.
"Let me tell you, our encounter was pure coincidence. I was running around the outer perimeter of the 『Sanctuary』 every morning when you guys happened to be there. Don't be so cautious."
"It's not like we were being cautious or anything. Besides, it's not like we were saying anything that would be embarrassing if someone asked us about it. Right, Otto? It's not like it'd be an issue if someone asked us about it!"
Subaru shrugged at Garfiel's words, which were hardly a warning, and roughly slapped Otto on the shoulder. Having been punched and asked to do something unreasonable, Otto looked slightly confused and said, "Huh?"
"Eh, yes, that's right, I haven't done anything suspicious that would cause any trouble or anything like that. It's just a rehearsal for grave robbery, or a quick reconnaissance, that's all!"
"That's amazing, Otto. I've never seen a man as good at digging graves in front of a cemetery as you are."
Subaru glanced over at Garfiel, who looked as if he hadn't even realized what he'd just said in his excitement, as he retorted. However, he looked as if he'd completely ignored Otto's confession,
"Well, I'm not going to tell on you or get angry. As long as you don't destroy it or do anything to the disadvantage of the 『Sanctuary』, I won't lay a hand on you."
"Really? I'm grateful for that guarantee. Unfortunately, I don't feel like I have any chance of winning against you."
"That's pathetic even before we even start... that's what I want to say, but I'll stop here. It can't be helped if you see me as your opponent. After all, I'm the strongest!"
Garfiel declared with shining eyes and full of confidence.
In fact, having witnessed his power, I would be foolish to argue against him. As someone who knows the other dimension that is Reinhard, I would like to say something, though.
Swallowing what he wanted to say, Subaru raised his hand lightly and said, "Well then."
"It's about time for Emilia-tan to wake up, so I was thinking of heading back so I could join her in her morning routine. You're in the middle of your run, too, aren't you? Here…"
"Are you going back to the Cathedral? If so, I'll take you there."
Subaru said goodbye and was about to leave, but was interrupted by Garfiel who made an unexpected proposal. Surprised, Subaru tried to say "no," but...
"Just listen to what I'm saying. And actually, you guys shouldn't wander around the 『Sanctuary』 by yourself too much. You never know what's going to happen."
"--? What is that? That's a very strange thing to say. It makes it sound as if there was some danger in here."
"That's why I'm saying that."
Subaru couldn't understand what they were saying and looked at him with wide eyes. Garfiel gritted his teeth and said, "Well, I guess that can't be helped," and in a hushed voice he approached the group.
"It pisses me off when you talk about the shame of your family, but the people who live in this 'Sanctuary' aren't all one-sided."
"What does that mean?"
"The old woman's plan is to take Roswaal and the other humans hostage and make Emilia undergo a 'Trial' in order to break the witch's contract. In truth, the majority of those who are on the old woman's side are following that plan, but...there are some who aren't."
So Garfiel lowered his voice even further, and
"To those who wish to remain in this 'Sanctuary' forever, your presence is a nuisance. There's no telling what you might do to prevent Emilia-sama from undergoing the 'Trial'."
"Is it possible that… they might turn their fangs towards me, Otto, or those around there?"
Subaru: "I think there's also the possibility that they'll hit Lady Emilia herself. Anyway, it's the kind of thing that makes people's breathing get rough in front of this cellar. As long as I'm with you, I won't let those kinds of people cause any trouble."
Although she said it casually, Subaru, who had left Emilia behind, was feeling uneasy.
In fact, I hate myself for being so stupid as to not have considered that possibility.
There are divided opinions among the members of the Sanctuary, including Garfiel, and the people of Arlam Village. If that is the case, then why don't they notice that there are factions within each camp?
There was no way that everyone would wholeheartedly follow the Sanctuary's policies. There were bound to be some who didn't want the situation to change. Subaru understood those feelings very well.
"I have to get back right away...!"
"Ah, I was too threatening. There's no need to be in such a hurry. Those guys wouldn't cause a commotion while it's still light outside, and besides, Emilia-sama is currently in the Cathedral. Why would they do it in a place where other people are roaming around? If they were going to do it, they'd do it to people wandering around in small groups like you, that noisy bro."
"Hmm... I see. For them, twisting the will of the mainstream would put them in a bad position, so they probably wouldn't act rashly."
Subaru's feelings of impatience subsided slightly, and he sighed to control his own palpitations.
Then, suddenly, I noticed something and raised my eyebrows.
"Maybe you thought it was dangerous for Otto and I to be out together, so you came to help?"
"...Huh?"
Subaru tilted his head to ask, and Garfiel replied after a moment. He turned his face away, not showing his expression to Subaru and the others,
"That can't be the case. It was just a coincidence."
"Look, Otto. This is the proper tsundere. When I think of how intensely tsun you were when we first met yesterday, you start to feel like you can love this dere too, right?"
"Hmm, as someone who has actually had someone poke me on the forehead it's hard to accept it honestly, but I can't deny that there is a part of me that is a man who is fooled into thinking "hey, this person isn't so bad after all."
"Wow, this guy is easy."
"I was used as scapegoat!!"
Otto's cries of injustice echo through the morning forest, startling birds flapping their wings.
The noisy Otto and the lovable Garfiel. As he interacted with the two, Subaru felt like he had found, for the first time in this world, a bad-tempered friend he could treat as an equal.
"I guess I'm pretty easy to fool too."
He relaxed his cheeks and laughed lightly.
※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※
As he waited for night to come and stood in front of the tomb's entrance, Subaru felt a distinctly different wind blowing than when he'd arrived that morning.
"At night, it really does feel like a graveyard. It looks creepier than yesterday."
Saying this, gazing at the entrance to the tomb was Emilia, her silver hair swaying in the wind. Busily fiddling with the ends of her braided hair, she glanced at Subaru out of the corner of her eye,
"Do you think it's okay to go in now?"
"It would be easier to understand if they had a sign next to the entrance saying it opens at 7pm, but there isn't any. If it's just something like the Trial starting at night, it'll be dark outside so I think it's well within the allowed range."
"Right. Well then, I guess I'll be off then."
Emilia sighed softly, but seemed unable to make up her mind. Subaru tilted his head and looked behind him, waiting for her to muster up the courage to do so.
Aside from Subaru, there were only four people who had come to watch Emilia take on the Trials. Garfiel and Lewes' Sanctuary team, and Ram, who had come in place of Roswaal. And then there was Otto, who had also shown up here for some reason. If we consider the "Emilia faction," then with Emilia and Subaru included, they could be said to be the largest faction here, but
"On the other hand, if you look at the people remaining in the Sanctuary as a whole, we've quickly become the smallest faction. It's a cruel world, or at least that's just how it is from now on."
"What are you mumbling about? It's really bothering me."
Subaru: "I'm talking about this. Emilia-tan, please prepare yourself mentally for what's to come. To be honest, I wasn't able to find out the details of the 'Trial' so I'm feeling a lot of anxiety…"
"Everyone else who has taken on the Trials up until now didn't understand that either. I can't be the only one to cheat. Under the same conditions, I'll still do my best."
Subaru was so dazzled by Emilia's clenched fists and determination that he put his hands over his eyes. His own cunningness in asking the witch to help him cheat first just stood out.
In contrast to that, Emilia was incredibly upstanding and honorable.
"It's too E.M.K. (Emilia-tan, seriously, chivalrous)"
"Ah, it's been a while since I last heard that from Subaru."
Emilia burst out laughing softly, her expression breaking into a smile at Subaru's usual refrain. Seeing her smile, Subaru nodded, realizing that his own jokes were not to be taken lightly.
"Anyway, we don't know what's going to happen inside, so if you sense any danger, call out immediately. If you call my name, I'll come flying over right away."
"So then you go in and collapse right away, right?"
"You don't hear the word 'flat' these days..."
As Emilia pouted, I scratched my cheek in response, and she continued, "But,"
"Thanks for worrying about me… Puck hasn't shown up at all, and I'm honestly really worried. Right now, I feel like I'm really relying on Subaru."
Subaru: "You can keep putting your weight on her like that. Emilia-tan is as light as a feather, so if I don't touch her constantly I'll worry if she's really there."
"That finger movement is disgusting, I don't like it."
Emilia gave a wry smile as Subaru twisted his fingers around. She stretched slightly on the spot, her tension now at ease,
"I feel like my shoulders have become a little lighter since the first time we met, but Subaru, are you doing this on purpose?"
"If I could be such a first-class therapist, I wouldn't have been a lonely boy who spent his free time mastering origami and making things like gentian cars."
I am proud to say that I have reached the pinnacle of art that can be created with the fingertips. Of course, I had no one to show it off to except my family.
Emilia cutely tilted her head to the side in incomprehension of Subaru's bleak recounting of his past, but since she was adorable, Subaru crossed his arms and nodded, saying it was all fine.
Though she was still not entirely convinced, Emilia turned her face towards the tomb,
"--This time, I'll definitely go. Pray that I can return safely."
"I'll wish so hard that the Buddha's ears bleed."
With that, Emilia sent him off, disappearing into the tomb. Suddenly, a light came on at the entrance, and it was the same as when Subaru had stepped in that morning.
Emilia's footsteps made a sound as she entered the tomb. It seemed the Trial would take place further inside the passage. When she had entered that morning, she couldn't see the end of the passage even if she squinted her eyes, but...
"Don't look so sad, my boy."
As Subaru looked with anxiety in his eyes, Lewes, who looked like a young girl but was actually a grown adult, called out to him from beside him. She smiled a somewhat mature smile that didn't suit her adorable appearance, and then,
"There's no need to worry. It may be called a pompous name like a 'Trial', but it's not something that will put your life at risk."
"Do you know the contents of the Trial?"
"I've taken the test myself. If you're half-Japanese, it's only natural that you're deemed qualified. In the end I wasn't able to complete the traverse... but look, I'm still doing fine."
Ryuzu bounces lightly on the spot to show that she is alive and well. Her heartwarming gestures seem to be an attempt to dispel Subaru's anxiety, and Subaru is happy to see her kindness.
"So, I was cursed with a tendency to rapidly turn into an old woman on the inside while still looking like a loli. I could still love Emilia-tan, but I wonder if I like the real Emilia-tan."
"That's a response that makes me seem foolish for taking you so seriously. Don't you know that you should respect your elders, just like Gar-bou, Su-bou?"
"That's not true. In fact, I feel a little better now. Sorry for making you feel that way."
Subaru bowed his head, and Ryuzu shook her head in disappointment, saying, "Why didn't that come to mind first?", and put on a show of wiping away her tears with her long sleeves, which covered her wrists.
Looking at the others who were watching, Garfiel had his arms folded and a troubled expression on his face, gazing silently at the state of the tomb. To his surprise, Otto and Ram were engaged in a conversation, and it seemed that they were on friendly terms to a certain extent.
For Subaru, who felt he had little experience of having a friendly conversation with Ram, the scene was a worrying one.
He would need to deal with this somehow later. Specifically, he would learn from Otto how to speak in a way that wouldn't get Ram in trouble, Subaru vowed to himself, before his consciousness returned to the grave once more.
Before I knew it, I found myself with my hands folded in front of my stomach, rubbing my thumbs together as if in prayer.
It was painful just to wait. Rather than waiting like this for the results, it might have been easier to just take on the "Trial" myself.
The thought, which could be interpreted as arrogant, occurred in the back of Subaru's mind, and the change came almost at the same time.
"----!"
Witnessing the change, everyone present gasped.
The reason why we blinked reflexively was because the light source was gone and the world was plunged into darkness, and our bodies were performing a reflex action to get used to the darkness.
"The lights in the tomb have gone out!?"
"The lights should stay on as long as the Trial is ongoing..."
"So, something irregular has happened?"
He looked at Lewes, who should have known the situation, but her young, intelligent eyes were filled with confusion, and her attitude indicated that this situation was not as she had expected.
Garfiel also uncrossed his arms and came running over, and with Ram frowning and Otto in a panic, it didn't look like he could offer any accurate advice.
Then,
"Su-bo!? You don't have the qualifications so you shouldn't have been allowed in..."
Subaru: "I've properly taken the course and obtained the qualifications. ——I'll go inside and keep an eye on her. Whatever happens to Emilia-tan, I'll drag her back here!"
We can't just sit back and wait.
The moment Subaru bravely stepped through the entrance to the tomb, the passageway was once again lit up by light, just as it had been when Emilia had entered.
Feeling Lewes and Garfiel gasp behind him, Subaru leapt into the tomb before any words could stop him.
The corridor is still filled with dusty air, and every time I breathe, my lungs feel like they're getting worse.
Subaru kicked powerfully into the floor, the sound of his footsteps echoing loudly, and headed to the back of the passage - to the back of the tomb.
「Damn, I messed up. I should have just gone in with Emilia instead of acting like I was some kind of trump card…」
Subaru runs, regret spilling from his mouth.
Then suddenly, he noticed a light spreading at the back of the corridor and realized he had reached a small room.
Subaru skidded to a halt and looked around the small room. Although it was called a room, it was a dreary space cut into a square. There was nothing there, just a door at the back that was bordered by a pale blue light.
--And then, he saw a silver-haired girl collapsed on the floor in front of the door,
"--Emilia!!"
Subaru cried out, running over to the fallen body.
I quickly picked up that delicate body and somehow managed to get out of here.
"First, face your own past."
The next moment, I was shaken to my senses by the sensation of someone whispering in my ear.
I didn't have time to wonder what that voice was.
His knees buckled, and without even a chance to defend himself, Subaru's body toppled over like a doll. Rolling with momentum across the floor, his body sprawled out ended up right next to Emilia.
And then, next to the unconscious Emilia, Subaru was also dragged into unconsciousness.
※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※
Whenever Subaru woke up from sleep, he always felt short of breath, as if he was emerging from the water. It was a sensation similar to that of surfacing from the ocean of sleep, seeking the air of reality to breathe.
"Good morning, son!!"
"HAMURABIHOTEN!!"
Such a poetic awakening in the morning comes devastatingly with a tremendous shock.
Subaru felt the weight pressing down on him, squeezing the air out of his body, then with all his might he pushed it away, coughing loudly.
"Hey, hey, what's going on? What's going on? A loving diving press to wake you up in the morning, just like always. Carelessness is the enemy when the fire is burning!"
"Gah, gah, what high expectations are you having of someone you're sleeping with... I mean, what on earth?"
Subaru looked up with tearful eyes, wondering what had happened. Seeing Subaru leaning half-way out of bed, the person standing in front of him turned his head,
"Once again, what's wrong? You look like you've just seen a naked middle-aged man first thing in the morning!"
Saying this, he struck a pose, and the half-naked middle-aged father, Natsuki Kenichi, burst out laughing and congratulated his son on waking up early in the morning.