Why did she kill her hero?
How could she have mercilessly murdered the man who gave her life meaning?
More importantly,
Why had he, Natsuki Subaru, forgiven her?
Her head ached, her chest stung, and her eyes would not open. Sobbing on her knees, she was unable to keep her head up. She was unable to look him in the eyes, to talk to him, or to be with him.
She did not think she deserved it.
His love, his warmth, his smile, everything that made Natsuki Subaru so great, she was undeserving of all of it.
Why had he done it?
---
She wondered.
"Ugh…"
Darkness filled her surroundings. The girl in the darkness, almost identical to the previous one, grunted. Acknowledging the situation, she looked around, but no matter where her gaze shifted, nothing could be seen.
The darkness did not even allow her to see her own palms. No wind flowed, yet a chilling sensation filled her body. Her maid uniform was warm, but not enough for the current situation. The cold affected her entire body, from the covered parts to those exposed to the air, leading her to conclude that it was not ordinary cold.
The only thing left to do was this.
"Rem! Are you here!?"
She had to search for her lost sister. If they had both disappeared under the same conditions, then Rem should be in this place as well.
"Reeem!! Can you hear me!?"
She kept calling out to her sister, again and again.
"How far does this stretch on for?"
No matter how much she walked, her surroundings did not change. She could not tell how much time had passed. Minutes, hours, days? The darkness was beginning to drive her insane.
YOU HAVE SINNED
---
"It appears like my theory was correct," Roswaal stated.
In the video, Subaru kept running away from the killer. He was afraid, but at the same time, he was resolved to face whoever it was.
No matter who it was, even if it was Elsa coming for revenge, he would fight and win. Then he would finally go on that date with Emilia.
The mace struck Subaru once again, but this time he was prepared, or so he thought. The force smashed him into a wall. Somehow, he managed to get back on his feet and faced the forest from which the attack had come.
"Now show yourself, damn it!" he screamed.
The killer stepped forward, slowly leaving the forest's shadow and revealing her identity, one Subaru would never have guessed.
"You've gotta be kidding me…"
Cold sweat ran down his forehead. The strength with which he gripped his knife weakened significantly... He could not hurt her... He would not... After all, she was—
"Rem?"
Emilia's breath halted. This could not be happening. Her servant. Why was she killing Subaru?
"Rem-san… why?"
Otto and Garfiel were just as shocked as Emilia. They did not know Rem as well as she did, but they knew how much she cherished Subaru. Both stared at the screen in disbelief.
Beatrice gulped. Her partner. Why had he not told her this? He was everything to her, yet she was starting to feel as though he did not trust her.
Petra cried helplessly. She had not looked at the screen for some time. Still, Subaru's cries for help were too much to bear. Now, her beloved maid partner had been revealed as Subaru's killer.
In the back, Roswaal was not surprised. From the moment he saw the mace, there had been no doubt in his mind.
"I can grant you a painless death," Rem said.
That was not the Rem they knew. Rem could be cold at times. No one denied that, but her eyes now were unrecognizable.
They were the eyes of an empty person.
As Rem approached him, Subaru had no choice. He shoved her away and ran. But as he did...
"Hiyyah!" Emilia let out a terrified scream.
Subaru fell to the ground. Something had struck his ankle, tearing it apart completely. It did not appear that Rem was the one who had delivered that final blow.
Roswaal scratched the back of his head and murmured, "So this is when you come in, Ram."
Rem, who had shown Subaru no mercy until then, suddenly began healing his leg.
"Why is she healing Natsuki-kun now?" Otto asked, confused. He covered his eyes, yet still peeked through his fingers.
"Oh, my dear Internal Affairs Minister, you would rather not know the answer to that," Roswaal replied. The answer to Otto's question would be revealed by the video.
"If you die so easily, I cannot extract any information from you."
"You're kidding, right?" Emilia understood immediately. "Is Rem going to torture Subaru?"
Roswaal crossed his arms. "It appears so."
The questioning began.
"Are you part of the faction that opposes Emilia-sama?"
"My heart belongs to Emilia-tan forever!" Subaru screamed as pain wracked his body.
"Boss…" Garfiel watched helplessly. Seeing the man who had defeated him being tortured so brutally, he did not know how to react.
Petra could only cling tighter to Frederica. The beast maid had tried various times to calm her nerves, but it was useless. Nothing could relax the little girl anymore.
Emilia could not take it anymore. She covered her ears and shut her eyes. For her sake, Subaru was being tortured. Even in a situation like this, he refused to hide his love for her. He took pride in it, but that pride only caused him pain.
Staying with her would only make him die again and again.
Tears fell from Emilia's amethyst eyes.
Every death was caused by her. If only she were the one to die, Subaru would not suffer anymore.
If she died, Subaru's love would vanish, and with it his endless deaths.
If I die...
Beatrice grabbed her hand.
Emilia was very precious to Subaru. She would not allow her to do what was on her mind.
She knew exactly what Emilia was thinking.
"Don't you dare go there," Beatrice pleaded.