[ "Ugh, UGH!" Rem groaned in pain.
She gripped the railing with all her might, biting her teeth with all her strength.
"GUH, IT HURTS! UGH, AHH! UGH!"
It was clear that she was giving birth. ]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
"Woah... I thought it would be easier for an Oni with a better physique to give birth."
Otto muttered, wincing as if he could feel the pain himself.
"Do you really think we're heroes like Reinhard-sama?"
Ram shot him a sideways glance.
Emilia, still wide-eyed, whispered,
"Is giving birth really that painful…?"
Then her eyes snapped open in shock.
"Wait—that's Zarestia-san?!"
—
[ "Zarestia-sama...?" Rem stared blankly at the woman in front of her.
It was Zarestia.
"I'm sorry to bother you at a time like this, Rem," Zarestia said softly.
"I told you before this would be the last time we met… but that wasn't true. This time, it really is the end. This is the real me. And because of that… I can't stay with you anymore. Seeing your efforts makes me want to kill you."
Rem's voice trembled slightly. "You've… regained your true self?"
"…Yes," Zarestia replied. "All thanks to Subaru… and Halibel. And now… I really want to kill."
"...Zarestia-sama, Rem is going to be a mother."
"Yes, I know," Zarestia said.
"Zarestia-sama, Rem loves Subaru-kun."
"Yes, I know that too."
"Zarestia-sama... Rem, I also really like Zarestia-sama.... So, I can't stay with Zarestia-sama... Um, Zarestia-sama, are you here to kill Rem?"
"No. Because... because I love you all, so I won't kill you."
...
Then, a baby's cry echoed through the quiet space.
Halibel turned to Subaru.
"Have you decided on a name?"
Subaru smiled faintly, exhaustion and joy mingling in his voice.
"Yes. Of course. If it's a girl… We'll name her Spica. If it's a boy… Rigel."]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
Wilhelm and the others outside the screen could tell that Zarestia's eyes at this moment contained killing intent.
But it wasn't pure killing intent.
It also contained love.
"Being parents... it's wonderful. Of course, the responsibility doubles."
Anastasia smiled.
"Being with a girl, building a home, passing on the family line... It's a shame Natsuki-san's parents won't get to see it."
Otto sighed about this again.
—
[ ...Then, the video began to flow like a slideshow.
A normal and happy everyday life. Nothing like the Zarestia incident happened again.
Finally, the slideshow stopped here.
This was a park.
Rem was wearing a kimono, looking more mature, and holding a child.
Her girlish innocence had completely faded, replaced by long hair, giving her the aura of a young wife.
Beside Rem was Subaru, also with long hair, looking more mature.
They sat on a bench, watching a child.
"Oh ha ha ha ha."
This child was playing with friends. ]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
"Oh, Natsuki has become quite respectable."
Anastasia commented on Subaru on the screen.
"Subaru-kun... so handsome... Speaking of which, this child's cuteness, is it really Rem and Subaru-kun's child?"
Rem said with a happy expression.
The playing child had short blue hair and a face quite similar to Subaru's, especially the fierce eyes.
It was Rigel.
And the child Rem was holding in her arms seemed to be a little girl who inherited Rem's appearance.
It was Spica.
"So lively and healthy, what a child."
Emilia smiled.
"Isn't this exactly the same?"
Otto looked at Rem on the screen and the Rem beside him.
Not only were their appearance and demeanor identical, but their clothes were also identical.
And Natsuki Rem recalled what happened before she came to this place.
Although her memory was somewhat blurry, her most recent memory was probably like this.
Natsuki Rem had a premonition...
"It's going to end..."
—
[ "The only thing left is to change those murderous-looking fierce eyes, and then it'll be perfect." Subaru said.
"No, you can't. After all, those fierce eyes are part of Rigel. Don't let Rigel's happy playing fool you; no matter how happy he is, strangers who see his face for the first time will think he's unhappily plotting something bad—because that's just Rigel."
"...Huh?"
Subaru seemed to have unconsciously leaned on Rem's shoulder.
"If you're sleepy, lean on Rem's shoulder. After all, Spica is monopolizing my chest right now."
"Darn you, Spica. Even though you're my precious daughter, to conquer my sacred territory, you're a terrible strategist."
"Please wait until night to monopolize Rem's chest."
"We're in a park during the day right now, watch what you say, hey... My wife is super cute."
"Because I'm loved every day, after all." ]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
"This is truly a harmonious marriage."
Anastasia smiled.
"..."
Wilhelm gently closed his eyes, savoring the past.
"This old man has a nephew and a niece, very good, very good."
Garfiel had just been thinking about becoming their martial arts teacher, but of course, it was just a thought, as they weren't even from the same world.
—
[ "But, your future is bright, like your mother's. All that's left is to pray that you don't get tied down by a useless man like me." Subaru said.
"No one can replace my darling. Rem's darling is the best in the world."
The two were silent for a while, then Rem spoke:
"...Subaru-kun."
"...That address, I haven't heard it in a long time. You've always called me 'darling' or 'baby's dad' until now."
"Subaru-kun... Have you ever regretted it?"
"Regretted?"
"Yes. Regretted escaping here, regretted giving up, regretted abandoning everything, regretted choosing Rem... Rem feels like the darling she's connecting with like this will disappear one day."
"Don't worry. I won't leave you, and I won't disappear. I love you, Rem." Subaru said and kissed Rem.
Then, the two continued their sweet nothings.
"However, Rem was truly very happy when she became pregnant with Rigel."
"I was happy too."
"Rem's happiness is definitely different from Subaru-kun's happiness. Because the happiness Rem felt... was the joy of thinking, 'This way, I won't lose Subaru-kun'."
Subaru was silent.
"After Rigel was born, a tangible bond appeared between Rem and Subaru-kun. This way of saying it sounds awful, but having a child means that an absolutely inseparable connection has been established between Rem and Subaru-kun... That's what made Rem happy." ]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
"...I never thought... no, unexpected, yet understandable."
Otto didn't know what to say.
More than the joy of becoming a mother, Rem was more joyful about being able to "tie down" Subaru.
It felt like the child was just a tool.
However, it also seemed to fit the maid sisters' view of love: as long as they have the one they love most, nothing else matters.
—
[ "Subaru-kun."
"Hmm?"
Rem called out to Subaru.
Then, Rem bloomed into a happy smile:
"Rem is now the happiest person in the world."
Finally, the screen dimmed. ]
.....