[ "You didn't come back for half the day; I was so worried. I was terrified you'd accidentally get lost in the forest and meet with disaster." Otto said to Subaru at the Cathedral.
"How is that even possible… You couldn't have been waiting for me to come back this whole time, right?"
"Now that is truly impossible. I was balancing the accounts for the merchants staying here. I didn't expect it to take so late, and just as I was getting ready to sleep, you returned."
Isn't he actually just waiting for Subaru to come back? How untruthful.
After Otto finished speaking, he closed the book in his hand and put the glowing magic stone back into his leather pouch. ]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
"Looking at Brother Otto's expression, he's lying, right? He was actually waiting for the Boss to come back. Truly untruthful, Brother Otto."
Garfiel laughed.
"This is what you call a tsundere, green-hat bro."
Felt laughed along.
"Please stop making fun of me."
—
[ "Natsuki-san, I imagine things must be very difficult for you. If anything has happened, you can talk to me, you know."
"This guy's sleep-talking is so weird. It's disgusting."
"Is that any way to talk to someone who is worried about you?"
"Just go to sleep quietly. If your commentary causes the villagers to riot, I won't be able to take it." ]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
"Man, they're both checking in and caring, but their attitudes are so different."
Felt couldn't help but complain.
One side was gentle, while the other side was sarcastic.
"…I think Subaru is doing it on purpose."
Yuriusu spoke up.
"Huh? On purpose?"
"Simply put, he doesn't want to burden his friend with his troubles, and he doesn't want him to worry."
Yuriusu answered Felt.
—
[ "Um, I'm not joking around…"
"I know, I know, I know—that's why I can't tell you."
It seemed Yuriusu was right.
…
Next, the screen began to transition. Subaru was seen waking up early in the morning, pulling out a pen and a piece of paper. Was he writing a letter?
Subaru wielded his pen and wrote. Looking closely, the content of the letter read:
"Emilia, I have some matters to take care of, so I'm heading back to the Roswaal Manor first. Keep this a secret from Ram, Roswaal, and the villagers. So don't worry, I'll be back as soon as I finish my business."
After writing it, he slipped it under the door of Emilia's bedroom. ]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
"A letter? This letter is… Eh? What is Subaru doing going to Patrasche?"
Emilia found it strange.
—
[ "But in the end, it still comes down to your sprinting skills." Subaru came to Patrasche's side and stroked her.
"I have to ask you to work right after waking up—we have to make another trip to the manor." ]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
"To the manor?! Subaru, by himself?!"
Emilia said in shock.
"Subaru is going back to the manor alone? Knowing full well the Bowel Hunter is there."
Yuriusu initially showed a somewhat disbelieving expression, but then he seemed to realize something, and his disbelief turned into a face full of worry.
—
[ "If I knew the details, I could ask Echidna for help. The current material for negotiation isn't enough. Beatrice isn't part of the Witch Cult… only that much is certain. Once I deal with Beatrice and find a way to save Rem and Petra, the manor will be cleared." Subaru organized the current situation.
"Because that is my value, the value that belongs only to me."
Then, he let out a bitter laugh, sounding self-deprecating:
"Even though this is a world predicated on restarting, doing this makes no sense…"
Finally, he said to Patrasche: "Let's go, Patrasche. Sorry to keep you waiting."
With that, Subaru mounted Patrasche. ]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
"A world predicated on restarting… Subaru is going to…"
Yuriusu frowned.
It's just as I thought.
What else could this sentence mean? Subaru was going to throw away this life of his to search for a way to break the deadlock.
Even though his strength was insufficient, he was going to the manor alone. But so what? He hadn't planned on coming back alive anyway.
"After learning that there's no limit on the number of deaths, Little bro has finally…"
Felt stopped mid-sentence.
"Before this, Subaru was already vaguely like this, but perhaps because he wasn't sure if there was a limit on deaths, he was still restraining himself. Now, he has completely let go."
Yuriusu said.
"…Please do not throw away your life so cheaply, Subaru-kun… Otherwise, Rem… Rem…"
"Subaru…"
Emilia lowered her eyes, her eyelids slightly moist.
"I don't want a beautiful world achieved on the premise of your various sacrifices, Subaru."
"Has Subaru fallen after all…"
Ferris clenched his teeth.
In Ferris's eyes, this was a form of fall. Relying too much on Return by Death, he had completely disregarded his own life.
"No, then what other choice does the Boss have?! Isn't it because that guy Roswaal set up such a difficult situation?! Without dying over and over, what other way is there?!"
Garfiel shouted, indicating that this was also a helpless move.
"Who told Subaru to be so greedy, insisting on saving both? In fact, if he only saved one side, it would be much simpler, you know~"
Roswaal said.
"Is it to achieve a perfect future on the premise of sacrificing oneself, or to achieve a future where someone will be sacrificed on the premise of treasuring oneself… is it?"
Yuriusu said.
"Even if it is a future with tragedy, the sacrifice along the way is the choice of the victims themselves, and has nothing to do with Subaru-kun."
"But with this kind of ability, when he clearly can turn things back, why shouldn't he save them?"
Garfiel somewhat disagreed with Rem.
They were now divided into three factions. One faction, like Emilia, Rem, and Beatrice, preferred Subaru to treasure himself.
Another faction, like Garfiel and others, felt that if he had the ability, he should save everyone. And there was a middle faction, like Yuriusu.
An unresolved moral dilemma. Discussing it further would go on endlessly.
At least they all agreed on one thing: since they couldn't conclude, they might as well keep watching.
—
[ "What a shame, 'the Berbe to be suspected is different from the very sap,' you know." Garfiel's voice came from overhead.
It appeared he had come to obstruct Subaru.
Subaru also hastily pulled the reins, bringing the beast to a sudden halt.
Patrasche stared warily at Garfiel, who had descended from the sky.
"Ha! Quite energetic so early in the morning. This is one gutsy earth dragon."
"After all, except for having poor taste in men, Patrasche is a perfect Perfect Lady."
"Then you'd better dote on her well—unfortunate for you, unlike the earth dragon, you're just a pure bastard." Garfiel approached Subaru step by step. ]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
"What is with this attitude again…?"
Emilia was bewildered.
"It seems at this time, this great self had already been told by the old lady that the Boss was covered in the Witch's miasma. What I was probably thinking next was that if he stayed quiet, I'd leave him alone, but I didn't expect him to suddenly flee, so I had to stop him. By the way, speculating on my own thoughts feels so weird!"
Garfiel said.
—
[ "It seems there is a misunderstanding between us. I think we should clear it up." Subaru raised his hands while atop Patrasche. ]
.....