[ "Huh, Subaru… your ankles, shoulders, and other parts, are they dislocated?" Ferris poked Subaru's side.
"…Ouch, everyone's so impatient."
It was Ferris's voice and the villagers' cheers. Ferris seemed to have said it after seeing the villagers cheering.
As for why it "seemed," it was because after Ferris poked Subaru's side, a residual image of a hand appeared on the screen, and then Subaru quietly left, so Ferris's specific actions couldn't be seen.
"Hoo, hoo… hoo! I must… leave here." ]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
"C-could it be?!"
Emilia and Ferris, outside the screen, said in unison.
Just like the world that was shown, Subaru was… possessed.
"…It's truly a shame."
Ferris frowned.
They were so close to a reunion…
Subaru would surely die because of this… entering another death loop.
Everyone sighed.
—
[ "…Subaru, where are you going?" Yuriusu was calling out to him.
He brushed off the bloodstained hem of his uniform, leaning against a large tree as he watched Subaru.
But Subaru said nothing.
On the screen, the residual image of that hand gradually became visible—the Unseen Hand.
The hand kept scratching the screen; presumably, it was actually scratching Subaru's brain.
"If there's anything on your mind, I hope you'll tell us. We've come this far; we're in this together, through life and death."
But Subaru remained silent.
On the screen, that hand seemed to tear open the picture, and cracks appeared.
And these cracks were desperately trying to repair themselves. ]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
"Is this… Natsuki-san's spirit fighting Petelgeuse…?"
Otto said.
No one replied, but it was likely so.
—
[ "…Subaru?" Yuriusu frowned, looking worried, and took a step closer to Subaru.
Then, the screen was completely torn, the color tone became darker, and it twisted back and forth.
"Subaru…"
"Yuriusu, stay away from me… It's too late!"
The tone of the first half of the sentence was completely different from the second half.
Yuriusu quickly dodged to the side, avoiding the attack.
Yuriusu realized something; his expression filled with regret, staring indignantly at "Subaru." ]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
"…Madman."
Ferris, outside the screen, gritted his teeth, extremely angry about this.
"The screen's color has changed. Is this the world through Petelgeuse's eyes?"
Otto said.
—
[ "Yuriusu! Subaru!" Wilhelm rode Patrasche, with Ferris, who had just called out to them, behind him.
The two jumped down.
"Lord Yuriusu-dono, Subaru-dono, he…" Wilhelm asked.
"Wilhelm-sama—that's not Subaru," Yuriusu said in a deep voice.
Wilhelm, hearing this, gritted his teeth, and sword energy burst forth.
"Subaru" smiled madly and happily, clapped his hands, and unzipped his tracksuit:
"Since everyone is here, allow me to formally introduce myself—I am the Archbishop of Sin, serving 'Sloth' in the Witch Cult…"
At this point, the madman twisted his neck to a right angle to the right, laughing maniacally:
"PetelgeuseRomanee-Conti, indeed!"
Natsuki Subaru… no, Petelgeuse Romanee-Conti said so. ]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
"Don't do such things with Subaru's body!"
"WITCH CULTIST!!"
Beatrice expressed her unwillingness for Petelgeuse to twist his head to such an extent.
And Rem roared in anger.
"That must hurt so much!"
Otto said.
Twisting one's head to such an extent, if Subaru's consciousness temporarily returned, how much pain would that be?
This masochistic madman.
—
[ "It's truly wonderful! What a magnificent body! It's been decades since I've encountered a body with such good affinity. I've chosen the most suitable material to replenish my lost 'fingertips'!"
"How presumptuous… Get out of Subaru-dono's body immediately, you evil heretic!" Wilhelm said with passion.
"What reason do you have, what right do you have to say such a thing? You're the ones who slaughtered my precious 'fingertips,' forcing me to parasitize this body!"
Petelgeuse leaned back, scratching his face.
Subaru's face was dug out by the hand, and blood splattered.
He pointed at Ferris: "Your aptitude is good, but unfortunately, too many annoying spells have been implanted in you. In this way, you can never be tamed into my finger."
Then he pointed at Wilhelm: "Diligent old bones! Your body is also not suitable to be my 'fingertip'! Although your conviction is noble, your physical vessel is unworthy of favor… Ah, what a tragedy."
Finally, he pointed at Yuriusu: "…Most importantly, spirit User, you are the only one I can't deal with. As long as the evil impurities are removed, you should be able to become my good 'fingertip.' What is your answer?"
"Unfortunately, even if the flower buds abandon me, I will never abandon them. However, perhaps a madman like you cannot understand such feelings." ]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
"What is this? Are they picking us out like items?!"
Ferris said furiously.
"Although I probably can't imagine the flower buds abandoning me, but…"
Julius recalled the time when his existence was devoured.
His flower buds were very confused, but it wasn't as if they completely abandoned him.
But no matter what, I still haven't abandoned them.
"Oh my god, this vocabulary, I'm going to faint."
Felt said.
—
[ "Madman! What an accurate recognition! Indeed, I am mad with love! For love, for fearing love, for forgotten love, for benevolent love, for craving love, for benevolent love, for reverent love, for doting love…"
Petelgeuse spoke a string of "loves," none of them repeated.
"Damn lunatic… Subaru! Wake up! How can you let such a madman take over your body…"
Yuriusu showed hostility towards Petelgeuse while calling out.
"It's useless! The control of the body is already under my consciousness! Struggle or resistance is useless, meaningless! Because this body is already my 'fingertip'!"
"No one is talking to you, you bastard! Subaru, remember! Why did you come back here? What you're fighting for, you should have boasted to me about it!"
Yuriusu shouted, summoning six-colored spirits around him and raising his knight's sword. The seven-colored light illuminated the area.
And perhaps because of this, the screen became even more distorted, switching between normal and dark tones, looking like it was struggling against something.
"Wh-what's wrong? Wh-what happened… Wh-what the hell happened, you bastard!" Subaru's consciousness temporarily returned!
Although this loop was unavoidable, at least… he would die with dignity, not by dying with his consciousness completely taken over by the madman. ]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
Emilia and the others outside the screen placed their hands on their chests, silently cheering for Subaru.
—