Re:Zero - The King of Pride

Reinhard and Felt sat side by side in the carriage. Ram sat on the other seat, looking out the window with a bored expression.

The pair seemed to be looking every way except at one another.

"Miss Felt," Reinhard murmured. "Are you… feeling better?"

Felt took a deep breath. "Don't worry about me, Red. I'm tough as iron. That Witch would have had to work a lot harder than that to break me… Thanks for asking, though," She added.

They were silent a moment.

Felt coughed. "Reinhard, were you able to… obscure the spirits' involvement in Subaru's escape?"

Reinhard nodded. "I was guided by you in this matter, Miss Felt. As you predicted, the sages who heard my report assumed without question that it was the Witch who opened the portal, not Miss Beatrice. They did not ask me for confirmation and so I was not required to correct them."

Felt sighed in relief. "Good. I was worried that the sages' council might have tried to seize or even destroy the spirits if they knew that the spirits had helped a Witch escape."

"Luckily, that does not appear to be the case, Miss Felt. I'm sure that the sages consider the spirits to be largely beneath their notice," He said.

Reinhard frowned. "Forgive me, Miss Felt, but… are you certain that the spirits do not share Subaru's bewitchment? They did help the Witch to escape, after all."

"They helped Subaru to escape," Felt corrected. "You can't talk to them for five minutes without realizing that they hate the Witch. But after Rem's…," Felt's voice trailed off in a snarl.

Reinhard's face was grim as he met Felt's eyes and they shared a moment of silent fury at the blue haired maid's betrayal.

Felt shook her head and sighed. "Reinhard, you have to remember that Rem convinced the spirits that we all wanted Subaru dead! I don't blame the spirits for trying to protect him from us under those kind of conditions. I would have done the same thing! Believe me, the spirits' loyalty to Subaru is ironclad. They'll do whatever they have to in order to protect him. The problem is that Subaru believes that he's in love with the Witch and that leaves the spirits in a tight spot…"

Reinhard shook his head. "I confess that I'm… less certain of their loyalties, Miss Felt. I'm worried that the spirits might in some way have been corrupted by their time spent with the Witch. We should devote ourselves to hunting her down and ending her as quickly as possible in order to free our friend from her web of lies."

Felt bit her lip. Beatrice said that killing the Witch would make Subaru try to kill himself… Until we sever the connection, killing the witch is a no-no. Or at least we need to be ready to protect Subaru from doing any kind of self-harm until we can break the spell.

The problem is, I know that this is the wrong time to tell Red about this. He's already suspicious of Beatrice. If I tell him that she's warning us not to kill the Witch, he'll take it as confirmation that the Witch has corrupted her. I need to tell him about this but I'd better wait until he's had time to realize that Beatrice is still Beatrice.

Anyway, even Reinhard isn't going to be able to find Subaru for a good long while. Subaru's too clever. Plus, Subaru is safely over the border into Gusteko and that means Reinhard can't reach him.

"Miss Felt," Reinhard murmured.

Felt started, realizing that she had been lost in her own thoughts. "Yeah, Red?"

Reinhard looked at her intently. "Miss Felt, I hope that you will accept my most sincere apologies for all of this."

Felt blinked. "Apologies? What do you have to apologize for?"

Reinhard hung his head like a little boy fearing that he was about to be scolded. "This fiasco is entirely my fault, Miss Felt," Reinhard sighed. "If I hadn't been such a fool as to fall for Roswaal's transparent trick, Subaru never would have been bewitched and you never would have been so grievously wounded by this foul witch."

Felt shook her head. "None of this was your fault, Reinhard," She said gently, taking his hand. "Roswaal tricked all of us, not just you. Even Subaru was fooled. Nobody is ever going to be careful enough or smart enough to not be conned once in a while. What's important is that when we needed you, you were there. You ran yourself ragged trying to find Subaru and the spirits. You," Felt's voice dropped to a whisper. "You even held me together when I was ready to fall to pieces… Thank you for that."

Reinhard took a deep breath. "Your thanks are completely unnecessary, Miss Felt. It was my great privilege to offer my feeble support to a brave and noble hearted woman such as yourself. I can think of no higher honor than being permitted to be of service to you in a time of need."

Felt looked Reinhard in the eye and swallowed hard. She seemed to be searching for what she wanted to say.

She hesitated and then deliberately coarsened her voice. "Anyway, Red, stop blaming yourself for this mess like a dope. The only person to blame here is the witch and we are going to make her very sorry that she ever thought up this scheme! Then we are going to get our gang back together and put Subaru on the throne!"

Reinhard nodded firmly. "I look forward to that, Miss Felt. Thank you for your wise counsel. You are truly a wonder, resolute and steadfast as the northern star. I'm not sure what I would do without you to keep me true to my course."

Felt's mouth moved but no words emerged. She moistened her lips and seemed to be at a loss for what to say.

"We've arrived," Ram said in a bored tone, making both of them jump. They'd completely forgotten that she was even in the carriage.

Felt glared daggers at Ram but Ram either didn't notice or didn't care.

The sun was setting as Subaru approached the huge gate of the great city of Ganaks. The enormous water wheel was even more impressive close up, grinding steadily as the water kept falling. The water in the pool below the wheel stank of chemicals.

This is a mining town. They probably use that wheel to help crush ore and then dump the contaminants into the pool. Very forward thinking of them. That way they're spreading their poisons all the way down river.

The city walls had to be forty feet high and they completely encircled a city that was miles and miles across. All that could be seen of the city inside was a titanic rock formation rising up from behind the walls like a mountain.

There was only one gate into or out of Ganaks, an enormous gateway like a mountain pass that was guarded by a massive portcullis.

Since there was only one way in or out of the city, the entrance was always swarming with travelers. To facilitate easier travel, the authorities had divided the gate into two sets of three lanes, one for incoming traffic and one for outgoing. In the first lane were people mounted on swift two-legged riding dragons. In the second lane were wagons pulled by four-legged earth dragons. In the last lane were pedestrians and the slow wagons pulled by trudging people.

Subaru moved through the gate quickly. Due to the sheer amount of traffic, the gate guards settled on keeping an eye on the crowd at large and didn't bother to inspect any individuals.

Beyond the gate, the city lay spread out before him. The city seemed to be built in levels. The center of the city was the enormous spire of rock. It had whole posh neighborhoods and many roads spiraling up to the summit. Inside the great walls there was also an enormous open pit the size of a canyon.

That must be the Great Ganaks Mine, Subaru mused.

The pit looked like a strip mine, a vast open wound in the earth punctuated by several deeper pits within it and a few shaft tunnels as well. Homes were built around and even insidethe pit but these were much shabbier than the others that Subaru saw.

There were levels on the lower part of the great spire that looked as if they catered to business and the middle class.

Subaru briefly paused Patrasche after entering the gate, wondering where to go. There was a massive suspension bridge that led from the gate to the nicer neighborhoods on the great spire. There were also two ramps that led down toward the shabby houses and the mine.

"Hey!" A crude voice shouted from behind Subaru. "Stop holding up the line!"

Subaru nudged Patrasche and they trotted quickly across the suspension bridge. On the other end was a posh neighborhood that reminded him of the royal district in the capitol. The homes were palatial and the stores dealt in exotic luxuries.

Hell. I have no idea where to go. Where do you find a store to buy a tent? For that matter, where do you find a communications system?

"Hm. Excuse me, buddy!" Subaru called out to a guard.

"Sir!" The guard snapped to attention.

"I was looking to buy a tent. Any suggestions on where I could find one?"

The guard thought for a moment. "There's a branch of the Hoshin Trading Company two streets that way, sir. They'll likely have whatever you need."

"Thank you!" Subaru replied. "Oh. By the way, would you happen to know where I can find the… communications thing? I need to send a letter to Gusteko immediately."

"The communications system is located in the mayoral palace. It's the largest building around, three blocks over. You can't miss it."

"One more question, have you ever heard of a place called 'Miss Lilian's?'"

"Of course! It's world famous! Straight down this street. Are you new to our city, sir?" The guard asked.

"This is my first visit," Subaru replied.

"A bit of information for you then, sir," The guard pointed down off the spire. "This is 'Hightown,' and as fine a place as you're likely to find in the world. The levels on the spire below this are called 'Midtown.' That's a decent place to find goods and lodgings if your pocket is a bit thin. The neighborhoods that are built off the spire are called 'Lowtown.' You can reach those by going down the ramps. You don't want to go down that far, sir."

"Um. Why not?"

The guard gave him a puzzled look. "Because the demi-humans live down there, sir. You never know what they're scheming."

Subaru didn't answer right away. "Thank you. That was most illuminating," Subaru said in a flat voice.

"At your service, sir! Always!" The guard saluted and returned to his post.

"The sages' council demands answers!" Choi shouted.

Felt stood before the council dressed once again like a young noblewoman. Crusch stood nearby in her uniform.

"I understand that, your Excellency," Felt said politely, albeit through clenched teeth. "However, as of yet, we do not have answers to give you."

"Is that all you have to say?" Choi demanded. "A royal candidate is out wandering the woods with a witch and that's all that you have to say?!"

"Lord Subaru may be a royal candidate but he is also a free man!" Felt shouted back. "He is permitted to associate with whomever he wishes. That is not a crime. Beyond that, all we know for certain is that Lord Subaru was last seen in the company of a demi-human woman. Anything beyond that is pure supposition!"

"This silver haired half-elf was recovered from someplace called 'the witch's tomb' and you expect us to believe that she is not a witch?" Choi said. "This woman was powerful enough to escape the Sword Saint without apparent effort and yet you ask us to conclude that she is not a witch?!"

"I 'ask' this council to rely on evidence and not speculation," Felt snapped back, losing her patience. "All we know for certain is that Subaru was seen with an elven woman."

"Although that is certainly bad enough," Aghart sneered. "A candidate for the throne of the Dragon Kingdom of Lagunica associating with a demi-human woman? What will the people think?!"

"Perhaps they would think that Lord Subaru is open-minded and nonjudgmental," Felt suggested in a hiss.

"Watch yourself, dust rat!" Aghart snapped. "You stand before the sages' council."

"The girl may speak crudely but she raises a valid point," Dore interjected. "What exactly is Lord Subaru Natsuki accused of?"

Choi stared at Dore as if he was an idiot. "Associating with a witch!" Choi shouted.

"A charge for which I have yet to see any evidence," Byrd interjected. "The only fact not in dispute here is that Lord Subaru was last seen in the company of an elven woman. I would take this opportunity to echo Miss Felt and remind this august body that this is not a crime. Even if some among us would wish otherwise," Byrd finished, with a sour look at Aghart.

Choi shook his head. "Byrd, this hearing is not taking place in a law book. This is a matter of grave concern for the ruling council! What if Subaru Natsuki has been bewitched and enchanted?! What if he has become an agent of this witch due to magic?!"

"What evidence is there of enchantment?" Aghart retorted. "If someone willingly travels with a witch, we should conclude that he is traveling with a witch willingly!"

"Oh my," Byrd said with a yawn. "The charges against Subaru Natsuki are certainly piling up now. Could we see evidence supporting one of them? Just for variety's sake?"

"That's enough," McMahon gaveled. The ancient man thought for a moment. "Lady Crusch, do you have anything to add?"

Felt glared at Crusch and ground her teeth. If that bitch slanders Subaru again, I'll punch her right here on the floor of the council chamber and I don't care what the consequences are!

Crusch looked awkward and cleared her throat. "I have just heard back from our investigators. It appears that Vlad an Voivode… grossly misrepresented the situation of the 'attack' at Iruk. There were no casualties in Iruk at all. It appears that the Witch engaged in a battle with Elsa Granhiert the Bowel Hunter-"

Felt gasped. Images raced through her mind of Subaru's broken body at her grandfather's tavern.

"But the witch managed to kill her. Subaru Natsuki and the Witch appear to have disappeared again in the company of an unknown person. They were last seen headed northwest but we have failed to pick up their trail and we are uncertain if they remain in Gusteko or have returned to Lagunica."

The sages glanced at one another.

Felt carefully hid a smile. They're impressed that the Witch killed Elsa and they don't know how to react to it! It's taken the wind out of their sails in attacking Subaru. Thanks, bitch! At least you finally did something helpful!

The sages appeared lost in thought for a long moment although Choi and Aghart looked increasingly annoyed.

Byrd cleared his throat. "I move that this… 'hearing' be dismissed due to lack of evidence so that we can focus our attention on locating Subaru Natsuki."

"Wait," McMahon mused. "Perhaps it would behoove us to perform a brief investigation on the charges of Subaru Natsuki's involvement in witchcraft. This might give us some… deniability with the other nations should new evidence of his malfeasance later come to light."

The other four sages looked at him in surprise.

McMahon stroked his beard. "It would also… remind the public that, even when a new king sits on the throne, this council's authority is still potent and must be respected."

Choi and Aghart nodded while Dore and Byrd appeared dubious.

Crusch looked smug.

"Your Excellencies!" Felt cried out. "I protest! By your own admission, there is no evidence supporting these accusations! This isn't an investigation it's a fishing expedition! You're dragging my lord's good name through the mud!"

"Be calm, Miss Felt," McMahon waved his hand dismissively. "If we find no evidence then the investigation shall simply be dismissed. All in favor?"

McMahon, Aghart, and Choi raised their hands.

Felt scowled up at them. "If I may say so, I get the uncomfortable sense that your excellencies are playing politics rather than administering the law."

"Do not grow overbold, Miss Felt," McMahon ordered. "By three to two there shall be an investigation of these allegations against Subaru Natsuki. We are adjourned."

He gaveled.

Felt stormed out of the meeting with a scowl on her face.

Felt found Garfiel leaning against the wall just outside the council chamber.

"You were listening to the hearing?" She muttered.

"Yup. I got here for the tail end of it anyway."

"Any thoughts?"

Garfiel shrugged. "Well… this sure is fucked up," He grumbled. "But at least it looks like they're just blowing smoke and are going to dismiss the charges in a few days anyway."

"They are going to pay for this," Felt growled.

"Oh yeah? How's that?" Garfiel asked.

"Come on, fleabag," Felt said, storming away. "Where's Red?"

Garfiel hurried to catch up with her. "Reinhard asked me to say goodbye for him. During the meeting, Heikel showed up and ordered Reinhard to go to Mirula and start combing the desert for the Captain. Apparently, Heikel got a solid tip that Subaru and the witch were seen in the Augria Sand Dunes."

Felt shook her head and scowled. "That fucking asshole. The kingdom knows that Subaru is in Gusteko! Subaru isn't hiding somewhere in the middle of the kingdom just so that Reinhard can catch him! And even if he was dumb enough to come back here, there's no way that he made it from Iruk to Mirula in two days! Heikel is just trying to make work for his son."

"Yeah. I think we're going to have to do something about that guy sooner or later," Garfiel grumbled. "Something permanent. Where are we going, anyway?"

Felt growled. "We have a story to tell. We are going to every bar in town."

"Score!" Garfiel cheered.

"Starting with Gramps's," Felt added.

Garfiel's enthusiasm dimmed a bit.

Subaru rode up to a large building with 'The Hoshin Trading Company.'

Subaru slid off Patrasche. "Wait here, OK? I'll be right back."

Patrasche snorted.

Subaru smiled and patted her face affectionately before walking inside.

The building was spacious and elegant but now that Subaru was looking for it, the first thing that jumped out at him was that there wasn't a single demi-human in the place.

"Hello, sir," A man in an elegant looking doublet said. "Can I help you find anything?"

"Yes, actually. I'm looking for a good tent. We're going to be doing a lot of traveling and we'd like to be comfortable."

"Oh, I think I have just what you're looking for," The man led the pair over to a section of the store where the items had an outdoor theme. "This tent is our latest model. Fully waterproof, top quality mystic insulation for withstanding both extreme heat and intense cold, complimentary fire kiln for keeping a fire inside the tent, smoke venting roof, and heavily padded floor. This is the next best thing to being at home. You can also get two sleeping rolls at seventy five percent off by purchasing this tent."

Subaru nodded. "How much?"

"Ten gold pieces."

Damn! That's expensive!

"Sold," Subaru said carelessly. "I also need some bags of preserved food. Some water bottles would be nice too."

Subaru left the store as the sun set. All in all, he'd spent more than twenty gold coins during this shopping trip but Subaru felt like at least they were finally ready for whatever the world could throw at them on this trip.

He struggled to attach the tent to Patrasche's saddlebag.

I know that was a little profligate but I need to remember that I have no idea how this will all turn out. Even if we wind up in Siros safely, our long term goal is still to break the curse on Emilia and reunite with Beatrice and Puck. Once we identify the cure, we have no idea where we might need to go to find it! We might find ourselves going into the tundra of northern Gusteko, the deserts of western Karargi, or the jungles of southern Vollachia. I want to be prepared. The tent should be comfortable and durable and that's important. Our quest might take weeks. Hell, it could take months! We need to be ready to deal with the unexpected. Assuming that we can trust the salesman, and I don't think that Anastasia employs liars, the water bottles are enchanted. They can make potable water from bad water. There's a limit, obviously. It can't work with raw sewage but if we find water that we're slightly iffy about drinking from, we can still refill our supplies and that might be important some day. The food we bought is also high quality and should keep for months without spoiling. Yeah, I spent a lot of gold today but we still have plenty more and I think that we're actually prepared for wherever our journey takes us.

Subaru remounted Patrasche.

"Alright, girl, we just need to mail a letter and then we can head back to Emilia."

Subaru had left Patrasche in a small city park next door to the city hall. Patrasche seemed to appreciate having green grass under her claws rather than hard stone.

The mayoral palace looked more like an administration area than a palace but it was still huge and even after sunset, crowds of people were still coming and going.

Subaru pulled his hood as far over his head as he could then walked up the stairs.

There was a huge lobby inside, stone stairs that climbed up another two levels. There were counters covered by iron bars and a large group of people stood behind the counters, peering through windows in the bars like bank tellers.

Subaru glanced at a city guard standing inside. "Excuse me," He said. "Where can I send a letter via the communications system?"

"Right over there, sir," The guard pointed up the stairs to the second level.

"Thanks," Subaru nodded and marched up the stairs.

Keep your head down, Subaru. There are a lot of guards here. If anyone figures out who you are, you're in for one hell of a fight.

Subaru got to the second level and found a worker that didn't have a line waiting in front of them.

The woman behind the counter was a pretty young blond girl. "Can I help you, sir?" The woman said primly from inside her window.

Subaru pulled Anri's letter out of his pocket. "I need to have this sent to Patriarch Gustov in Siros."

"Of course, sir. And who may I ask is sending it?"

"It's from Anri," Subaru replied. "Err… 'Kairei,'" He amended.

"Excuse me, sir, but you don't look like a 'Kairei.'"

"Take it up with my parents," Subaru deadpanned.

The woman blinked in surprise.

Subaru sighed. "I didn't write the letter. I'm just delivering the letter."

"Oh," The woman said in understanding, taking the letter. "We do the need the name of the purchaser if it's not the same as the author."

"Lucas," Subaru replied.

"Last name?"

"I'm a peasant," Subaru said, fighting not to roll his eyes.

"Ah," The woman said, writing a few things down.

"When will this letter be delivered?" Subaru asked.

"It will transmitted within the hour, sir. I can't say how long it will take for the people in Siros to respond and deliver it however."

Probably not long. I'm guessing that letters to Anri's family get priority. Especially if they're from Anri who everyone considers to be missing and in danger right now.

"Alright," The woman finished. "That will be twenty gold coins," She said, sticking out her hand.

What?! Are you serious?! Is this just an excuse to print money or something?

"Problem, sir?" The woman asked in confusion.

"Not at all," Subaru growled, pulling out twenty gold coins.

"Thank you, sir," She said kindly. "Do you want a receipt?"

"No thanks," Subaru muttered turning away.

"Have a wonderful day, sir!" The girl called after him.

Subaru grumbled something under his breath.

Subaru reentered the park and found a full troop of city guards passing by on patrol. Subaru kept his hood low as he walked back to where he'd left Patrasche.

Even after sunset, the park was crowded. The park was full of roses and romantic couples were everywhere. They were strolling, talking, sniffing the fragrant flowers, or drifting off into shadowy glades for a bit of privacy.

Huh. Too bad I couldn't bring Emilia here. When was the last time I really had an opportunity to take her someplace nice?

Fuck. Have I ever done that?

I'm a pretty shitty boyfriend…

Subaru found Patrasche, sniffing at a rosebush with a happy expression.

Huh. Who would have thought Patrasche was a flower lover.

Or maybe she's just thinking of adding more vegetables to her diet.

Subaru noticed someone else nearby. They were wearing a hood and also sniffing a rose.

Subaru made sure to turn his back to them before speaking to Patrasche.

"Hey there, girl," Subaru said, patting her head. "You ready to get out of this crummy city?"

"Subaru Natsuki?" A voice behind him said in shock.

Subaru spun around before he could think better of it.

The hooded man was wearing a spotless white Royal Guard uniform. He had golden eyes, purple hair, and a refined demeanor but he was staring at Subaru in shock.

"Julius Juukulius," Subaru muttered.

Oh come on!

How the hell did I just bump into this jerkass in a huge city? Do I have some 'Divine Blessing of Bad Luck?'

Or does my Authority just like to watch me suffer…

Actually… that would explain an awful lot…

Alright, well this is bad but it certainly could be worse. Julius sure as hell isn't Reinhard. And frankly, I've wanted to slug Julius ever since that dinner party in the capitol when he spent most of the night fawning all over Emilia.

On the other hand, this is still pretty dangerous. Julius is considered one of the best fighters in the kingdom, plus this park is full of guards, and I'm trapped inside a walled city!

Julius recovered from his moment of shock and gave a slight bow of his head. "I am flattered that you remember me, my lord."

You really shouldn't be. The way you were gushing over Emilia last time we were together burned you into my mind and not in a good way. If Reinhard hadn't talked me out of it, I would have knocked you sprawling!

"It is greatly reassuring to find you in good health, my lord," Julius said.

"Yes, thank you very much for checking up on me," Subaru drawled. "I hope that you won't have any trouble finding your way home. Also, you can skip the 'lord' stuff, Jules. I'm pretty sure that any lordship I ever had is void at this point."

"I wouldn't be privy to those kind of decisions, my lord," Julius responded. "My dear friend Reinhard, as well as Miss Felt, are extremely worried about you traveling in the company of a witch. I was sent to investigate charges of witchcraft levied against her in this area. It was my great good fortune that I ran into you. I truly had no expectation of locating you but by chance and fate I stumbled over you while waiting for Aldebaran to finish making a followup report to the capitol via the communication system."

Could my luck possibly get any worse?!

"So what are your intentions, Jules?" Subaru asked in an overtly bored tone as he looked over the thirty guards in the park. The formerly marching guards had stopped in their tracks and they all stood there looking stunned and frightened at Subaru. "If you're going to ask me for a place to spend the night, I wish you'd brought fewer folks with you. If you were hoping to take me away, you'd need a lot more."

Julius frowned. "I am bidden to return you to the capitol, my lord. And to do justice upon the witch," Julius said firmly.

"Well, I'm deeply sorry about the state of your mission, Jules, because you're going to fail in both of those objectives," Subaru said.

Julius paused. "I've been told that you have been enchanted to believe yourself to be in love with the witch. I will do you the courtesy of accepting your emotions at face value. Therefore, I doubt that this impasse can be settled with words."

"So I assume that means we're about to fight," Subaru grumbled, grabbing the hilt of Anri's rapier.

Subaru quickly touched the reliquaries. Shit! Anri didn't give me the lightning stones! Isn't that just my luck?!

Julius nodded. "Yes, but I would prefer if this remained a duel between gentlemen."

"Meaning what?"

"These city guards are innocent of any aspect of the dispute between us. I'd like your assurance that you will keep them out of the fight."

Subaru blinked. Well. That's a statement I never thought that I'd hear from a noble. I think I could actually learn to like Julius… if he hadn't been slobbering all over Emilia… and if he now wasn't threatening to kill her…

Yeah, this is never going to be a guy that I'll like.

"I have no quarrel with them. As long as they stay out of the fight, they have nothing to fear from me," Subaru said.

"Splendid," Julius said, drawing his elegant longsword.

Subaru drew Anri's rapier.

Subaru held his rapier at the ready. Julius seemed completely relaxed.

"I just have to ask, Jules: How do you think that this fight is going to work?" Subaru asked in a bored tone. "I've killed trolls with my bare hands. You've seen me shrug off magical sword blows without any effort and you are… much more breakable than that. I don't really grasp what you're thinking in picking a fight with me."

Julius seemed completely calm. "I have heard quite a bit about your extraordinary exploits. I am aware that you are a considerable warrior and, at the very least, my equal in combat. To simply engage you in a sword fight would be folly."

"Yeah. That was kind of my point."

Julius gave him a patronizing smile. "Please, have no concerns. I have a better grasp of strategy than that, my lord. I spoke with Reinhard about you extensively before departing on this mission. You may have incredible power in melee combat but you have no ranged abilities. In contrast, I have plenty of options for attacking at distance thanks to my loving spirits," Julius held out his hand and Subaru saw six tiny balls of light, each about the size of a marble, spinning in a circle in his palm.

"All I need do," Julius continued. "Is use my magic to wear you down while remaining at range where you can not retaliate. Victory shall inevitably be mine."

Fuck! I completely forgot about Julius's spirits! How the hell can I compete with that?! He has attack magic and he can use spirits to grant him superhuman strength and agility. And his powers don't have a five second time limit which doesn't even matter because I have no way to close the distance to him! What the fuck can I do?! I don't have any attack magic or any way to attack a spirit at all!

Subaru's eyes widened. Wait a second. The Spirits always seem to react when I-

"I truly regret having to do this, Lord Subaru," Julius said as the spirits that now surrounded his wrist like a spinning bracelet began to whirl faster. "Fell Goa!"

"Pridebreaker!" Subaru roared in reply as he pointed at Julius.

Julius staggered back a step, clutching his head. "What- What did you do?!" He demanded.

The spirits whirling around Julius's wrist broke formation and flew away from him. Julius's face contorted in horror as the six tiny balls of light entered an orbit around Subaru's head. Subaru suddenly heard six new voices in his mind, all proclaiming their undying love for him.

Yes! I knew there was a reason that the lesser spirits always ran away when I used this trick! Julius's spirits may not be the products of witchcraft but they're still products of magic and that means that Pridebreaker can control them! Awesome!

The bad news is that binding spirits to me feels very different than binding mabeasts. When I used Pridebreaker on the mabeasts, it somehow locked them to me even after I stopped using my Authority. These spirits feel different. Like… Like I need to keep channeling Pridebreaker rather than just casting a spell and letting it go. I think that if I stop channeling, the spirits will break free and go back to Julius.

Well, that's not a big deal. Now it's my turn to use some spirit magic! Hey, spirits! Hit Julius with that 'Fell Goa' thing!

The spirits didn't respond, simply floating in a circle around Subaru's head and chanting their adoration for him.

Huh? Why isn't this working? Subaru's eyes widened. Oh fuck! Is it my contract with Beatrice? It prevents me from making contracts with other spirits and maybe that means I can't even use their magic with Pridebreaker? Or maybe Pridebreaker doesn't let me use spirit magic? Or maybe I just don't know how to use it?

Oh great! I took the spirits away from Julius but I can't use them! They're making me a very nice glowing crown and that's the extent of their usefulness!

Oh well. I denied them to Julius. That's something. Now he's just a normal man.

A normal man with decades of experience at sword fighting facing a guy with a couple of children's kendo classes under his belt…

OK but at least I have Indomitable!

…Wait… I… I don't know how I know this but I DON'T have Indomitable right now! I can't use it while I'm channeling Pridebreaker! If I want to use Indomitable then I'd have to let the spirits go!

But that puts me right back where I started because Julius can attack me at range with his spirits and I have no way to respond. Even worse, Pridebreaker's cooldown takes hours! If I let the spirits go to use Indomitable, I can't take them back!

"What have you done?!" Julius demanded, enraged.

Bluffing time! Subaru shrugged. "Well nothing personal, Jules, but since you said that using magic was inbounds for this fight, I thought that I'd show you a little bit of mine. Your world has granted me complete agency over its magic. You attempted to use your spirits against me and now they belong to me."

"You fiend!" Julius roared. All semblance of his normal composure had vanished. His face was pale and tears streamed from his eyes. "How dare you brainwash those innocent spirits into your bondage?!"

Subaru shook his head. "If you don't like what happened, Jules, just remember that you brought these spirits into a one on one fight yourself."

These spirits are actually kind of annoying. Honestly, it's like being surrounded by six preschoolers who are just constantly begging you to play with them. Their thoughts are all… childlike. Their minds are full of first impressions with barely any concept of past or future. It's like having six babies' minds sharing my own. These spirits don't have a fraction of the emotional maturity or intelligence that Puck and Beatrice possess.

Less emotionally mature than Puck… now that's really saying something.

Jules charged forward swinging his sword.

Subaru triggered Reason and Judgment.

Hm. According to what you've read, sword play is mostly about skill and wits. Technique matters more than brute force and muscle. That's encouraging because, short of using Indomitable, it appears to be clear that Julius is far stronger than you. His sword is also heavier and if you're not careful he will simply brush your slender rapier aside.

You need to use leverage to your advantage. Use Reason and Judgment to plan your sword stroke with care. Parry his sword so that his sword tip is almost touching the hilt of your rapier. That gives you all the leverage and his heavier sword should be a disadvantage as its weight will make it harder to push back against your rapier.

Try to hold your own as best you can using Reason and Judgment to measure each stroke and aim your parries with precision. Think carefully before each stroke. Remember, Julius will absolutely capture you and then try to kill Emilia if you lose this fight.

Subaru restarted time.

Julius stepped forward swinging a quick strike, slicing just above Subaru's shoulder.

Subaru triggered Reason and Judgment.

He's aiming for your throat. Does he assume that this won't kill you or is he angry enough to really want you dead now?

Irrelevant.

Strike your rapier right there against the tip of his blade. Block his strike with the part of your blade just above the cross guard and then push his sword back. Make sure that your sword is on top of his when they push against each other. The leverage is all on your side then.

Subaru restarted time and quickly struck Julius's sword at the very tip. Subaru pushed the knight's sword away.

Huh. Actually, holding Julius's sword back is pretty easy as long as I put pressure in the right place. His swing stopped cold. It's not even really a block. I thought the blades would lock and I'd need to push him back but his sword practically bounced off mine.

Julius feels like he's falling back. That's promising. Maybe this won't be as hard as I thought.

Subaru stopped time with Reason and Judgment.

Don't be foolish. Julius isn't retreating, he's attacking. He's clearly surprised by how well you deflected his sword but he's not at a loss. He's trying to bring his sword down under your guard and slash your stomach.

Use the same technique. Block his sword tip with the base of your blade and take the initiative away from him.

Subaru restarted time and caught the next stroke on his blade and knocked the sword away.

Julius yielded a step backwards and retaliated with a strike from the other direction.

Subaru slipped into Reason and Judgment to aim and measure his sword stroke. Then he slid out of the frozen moment, parrying Julius again. This time Subaru tried to lift his rapier off Julius's blade and go for a quick slice to Julius's shoulder. Julius managed to avoid it but he again gave ground.

Julius raised his sword over his shoulder with both hands and held it out almost horizontally, pointing at Subaru. He stood his ground and waited.

What the hell is he doing? He looks horribly off balance and how does he plan to attack me like this?

Subaru triggered Reason and Judgment.

It's a defensive stance. Look at his feet. His weight is almost entirely on his back foot. He's goading you to take a swing at his sword. When you do, he'll use the rotational energy you provided to retaliate against you with a slice at your neck.

The obvious strategy to counter this appears to be: Don't strike his sword. His sword being extended so far in front of his body limits its maneuverability and it's only protecting the upper half of his body. Feint toward the blade then throw a cut at the knee on his other side. He won't be able to move the sword fast enough to defend. He'll have to fall back.

Subaru restarted time and threw a light cut toward Julius's blade. Julius smirked as Subaru appeared to take his bait. Julius's smile faltered and his eyes widened as Subaru's sword missed striking his own blade by millimeters and slashed down toward the knight's exposed legs.

Julius drew back but he swung his sword at the same time, sending an awkward slash toward Subaru's neck.

Subaru froze time.

You're lucky that Julius is off balance. Had he a bit more leverage that blade would have slashed open your throat. Luckily, your rapier can move much faster than his heavy longsword. Strike the tip with your blade and knock it away.

Subaru restarted time and contemptuously slapped Julius's blade away.

Julius snarled at Subaru, his normally calm and composed face twisted with frustration and fury.

Huh. At least he looks as annoyed as I feel!

This dance continued for several minutes with Julius, despite his long years training with a blade, being held at bay by Subaru. Subaru kept slipping into Reason and Judgment, planning each cut with precision. Subaru could tell that his own technique was laughably clumsy but he managed to knock Julius's blade away each time and prevent the knight from slipping under his guard.

This is NOT fun! This doesn't even come close to being a fair fight! I have absolutely no chance of landing a strike against Julius without taking one in return! All I can do is keep pushing his sword back but Julius knows tricks to keep slipping by me so that every parry is an act of desperation! I'm the only one at risk here! I don't dare go on the offense so Julius doesn't have to do anything but Attack, Attack, Attack!

I need to shift this. I need to make Julius get nervous enough to start fighting more defensively or I'll just be dancing here until he gets lucky!

God, I hate fighting without Indomitable!

After the next parry, Subaru raised a fast cut toward Julius's neck.

Julius stepped back again but this time the knight tripped over something and stumbled. Subaru eagerly pursued. Julius recovered instantly and swung his great sword down directly above Subaru's head.

Subaru triggered Reason and Judgment.

Well, isn't this just perfect. You blundered into an obvious feint like a complete novice which, in all fairness, is exactly what you are. It is actually rather impressive you've lasted this long against Julius but that overhead strike can not be blocked. You don't have enough time to parry and divert it. At best he's going to cut into your shoulder badly and likely shatter your collar bone. That alone might be enough to put you into shock although it's not a killing stroke.

Luckily, Julius's frustration has made him sloppy as well. He's badly off balance and overextended. You can get under his guard.

Subaru restarted time and leaped forward.

Julius's eyes widened in surprise as Subaru leaped toward to him. As a result, Julius had completely mis-aimed his stroke. Julius's hand and hilt connected with Subaru's shoulder with stunning force but his heavy sword hit nothing but air. Before Julius could recover, Subaru had the tip of his rapier at his throat.

Julius scowled at Subaru but he dropped his sword and raised his hands in surrender.

"You lose," Subaru said bluntly. "You are no match for me. If you value your life and the lives of these guards you will depart and trouble me no more."

Julius slowly nodded. "I will do as you command," He growled through clenched teeth. "I am unable to best you and… I thank you for your mercy, Subaru Natsuki. Both for me and for these men."

Subaru started to turn away. Then he hesitated. He looked at Julius and saw the tears streaming down his face.

Subaru took a deep breath and then make a quick decision.

"Here," He said to Julius. He canceled Pridebreaker. The six spirits were released from Subaru's control and immediately flew back to Julius.

The knight looked up at Subaru in shocked gratitude that rapidly hardened into suspicious. "Why?"

Subaru shrugged. "I have also been deprived of my spirit partner. We shared a special bond that was one of the most profound of my life. I remember the pain and the heartache of the moment when we were separated. I choose not to impose that pain on another."

Julius gave Subaru a confused frown.

I might regret giving the spirits back to him at some point but I'm pretty sure that if I stole Julius's spirits from him, I'd regret that decision immediately. Someone who's never bonded with a spirit can't imagine the pain of being separated from them.

Besides, there's also the distinct possibility of Beatrice accusing me of two-timing her. Yeah, definitely want to avoid that!

Julius gave a formal bow but he never took his eyes off Subaru. Subaru thought that he might even have seen a glimmer of respect in his hard eyes.

Subaru quickly climbed up onto Patrasche. He scowled down at Julius and the assembled guards. "Listen. I don't care what you guys do," He snapped to all the men, "But don't you dare try to follow me. I won't be so nice the next time around!"

"Halt!" A voice thundered.

Subaru looked up to see a group of more than a hundred guards marching quickly into the park. At their head was an ancient man with a smooth bald head and several ugly scars across his face. His expression was a seething scowl.

Fuck. General Brendig! He's the Governor of Ganaks. Even at cocktail parties he had a take-no-prisoners philosophy! One of the soldiers must have gone for help while I was fighting Julius! What the hell is wrong with me? Why didn't I assume that would happen? Because I thought this was like a video game and the world would hit the pause button while Julius and I were dueling? Fuck me!

"Kill the witch!" He roared. "Loose arrows!"

Subaru nudged Patrasche and the riding dragon took off like lightning.

Hey! When the fuck did I become 'the witch?!' I mean, I am but Brendig can't possibly know that! He's just labeling me that way. What an asshole!

Subaru raced off through Hightown and behind him he heard alarm bells sounding throughout the city.

Willard Pickett and Lord Zyst had rushed to the castle that evening on Grand Duke's Montefort's request. The entire city was in an uproar. Outside the castle, slum dwellers, peasants, and demi-humans had all gathered together in protest, chanting their support for Subaru Natsuki and their contempt for the sages' council. Willard and Zyst's carriages had fought their way through the crowds with difficulty.

They found Montefort casually seated on a stairway not far from the great council chamber, calmly eating nuts out of a bowl with a glass of wine beside him.

"What… is the emergency?" Willard asked, gasping for breath. He leaned on his cane while looking longingly at the stairs where Montefort sat. Sadly, Willard knew too well that if he sat down, he would be unable to get back up unassisted.

"I assume you came through part of it," Montefort replied.

"What are all those people doing out there?" Zyst asked.

"They are an enormous crowd of people from the slums and the surrounding communities here to protest the actions of the sages' council and they are the result of a masterful political move by our opponent versus a series of major fumbles on the part of our allies," Montefort explained.

"What do you mean?"

Montefort sighed. "It all started when Lady Crusch attempted to present her report to the sages' council the other day. I believe I informed you of her intent, did I not?"

The two men nodded.

"Well, I discovered that, following the ostensible Witch of Envy's miraculous escape from the Sword Saint, the sages' council became rather more concerned about Subaru Natsuki's witch than I had expected. Aghart, who possesses a legendary hatred for demi-humans in general and witches in particular, went so far as to wonder if Subaru is working with the witch willingly. Choi also suggested the idea had merit."

The two men just stared at Montefort who continued eating his nuts. Montefort's statement was so bizarre that they both attempted to parse it multiple times looking for some semblance of sense.

"I assume that the other sages laughed at them?" Willard asked.

"Oh no. The other sages were furious. Still, with only those two pushing for an investigation, I assumed that the matter was settled then and there. Unfortunately, Miklotov McMahon choose that moment to add another serious blunder to this mess."

"What did he do?" Zyst asked.

"He decided that, even though these allegations of Subaru willingly cooperating with the witch or indeed, the elf being a witch at all were unsubstantiated, they merited an investigation by the sages' council just to be sure," Montefort continued.

Willard made an incredulous face. "Why would he do that?"

"He probably wanted to reassert the sages' council's independence," Zyst mused. "A strong new king is likely to reduce the privileges and authority of the sages' council and the royal assembly significantly. McMahon probably wanted to find a way to remind Subaru Natsuki that the council could still check him if it so chose."

"Very good," Montefort raised his glass in salute before drinking from it. "That was indeed McMahon's plan. Clumsy but effective. With no evidence, the investigation would drag on for a few days and then be dismissed. Unfortunately, Subaru's dust rat decided to take McMahon's fumble and run with the ball."

"How?" Zyst asked.

"She spread word around the city that the sages' council were investigating Subaru Natsuki on charges of witchcraft even though the sages themselves had made the mistake of admitting on the record that there was no evidence. The slum dwellers reacted in a very predictable way. They are outside protesting their preferred candidate being railroaded without cause by the 'wicked nobles' who conspire against him. I never imagined the kind of support that Subaru Natsuki could command among the lower classes. I was blind to the depths of his appeal."

Willard and Zyst both looked at each other in deepening fear.

Montefort drained his wine glass. "We are in a crisis, gentlemen. I really must apologize for previously recommending a wait and see position. Events have spiraled out of control and we must take action. Immediately."

Willard nodded. "What about the sages' council's investigation?"

Zyst's face screwed up in thought. "McMahon has no stomach for this kind of heat from the public. He must be planning to cancel the investigation first thing in the morning."

"Indeed he is. McMahon doesn't want this kind of strife in the capitol and at the end of the day, he really doesn't care who sits on the throne," Montefort said. He shook his head. "I suppose age catches up to us all. McMahon would never have made this kind of blunder ten years ago."

"Then we need to immediately come up with something better to stick onto Subaru Natsuki than the cry of 'witch,'" Willard grumbled.

"Sadly, that is no longer possible," Montefort said, standing up. He shrugged. "The die has been cast, gentlemen. Will we or nill we, we are all in now."

Zyst and Willard looked at each other in confusion. "Meaning what?" Willard asked.

"Let's say that we do come up with some credible scandal to pin on Subaru Natsuki in a few months. After McMahon dismissed the last investigation with prejudice, do you really believe anyone will think that we are acting in good faith? Another investigation will just play into the narrative that we are the manipulative noble conspiracy that everyone claims us to be."

Zyst frowned. "What are you saying?"

"I am saying that, like it or not, an accusation of associating with witches and practicing witchcraft is our only option now so we had better make sure that this sticks."

"What are you talking about, Montefort?" Willard asked in confusion. "Between the three of us we control a commanding number of members of the royal assembly. We can manage anything we want!"

Montefort gave Willard a patient look. "Willard, our allies will stick their necks out if we demand it but they won't place them on a chopping block for us, no matter what we threaten or how sweetly we ask. Next time we start an investigation into Subaru Natsuki, the ensuing riot will make what's happening outside tonight look like a children's play date. The members of the royal assembly will measure the risks and decide it's far safer having us angry at them than to have every peasant in the kingdom hunting them down, not to mention infuriating the man very likely to sit on the throne, even if it takes a civil war to get him there."

"So what do you suggest?" Zyst asked.

Montefort shrugged. "We play the hand that we are dealt. Come tomorrow morning, Subaru Natsuki must be persona non grata in the eyes of the kingdom and of the law. I hope no one was planning to sleep tonight, we have a great deal to do."

"What about the protesters?" Willard asked.

"I've arranged for them all to be detained on charges of sedition. They will arrested shortly."

The capitol was rolling with fury tonight. Huge crowds from the slums and beyond had shown up at the castle to protest their champion being investigated for witchcraft despite no evidence being provided in support of these charges.

Rom stood near the front of the crowd where Felt and Garfiel had managed to erect a crude stage. Felt and Garfield stood on the platform and they were riling up the crowd.

"The nobles want to go back to 'business as usual,'" Felt shouted to the massive crowd. "Put a new King on the throne and get things back to normal. But normal never worked for us!"

"Yeah!" a few people cheered.

"You know where I come from. I grew up in the slums. I never met my parents. If not for Lord Subaru, I'd be a sneak thief right now. And I'd probably be selling my body for every other meal! But Lord Subaru gave me a chance. He knew that there are people stuck in poverty in this kingdom, not because they deserve it but because there are serious forces making sure that once you wind up in the slums, that's where you stay! He paid me and my Grandfather to go around finding out how people got down here. He wanted real numbers and real stories because that's how you devise a real solution! Subaru Natsuki is committed to emptying the slums and giving us all the lives and respect we deserve!"

The crowd cheered.

"But change never comes free! The nobles are feeling the heat right now! They know that when the selection ends, Subaru Natsuki will be their King. They will do anything to prevent that from happening. They're accusing Lord Subaru of witchcraft! The man who protected Arlem from Gusteko soldiers. The man who hunted down the Whale. The man who killed two Sin Archbishops with his bare hands. And they're calling him a witch?! They even admitted publicly that they have no evidence! None! How stupid do they think we are? There's a reason they're using such transparent lies! They're scared! They know that they've got nothing! They know that if they don't stop him now it's going to be too late. But I have news for them! It's already too late!

"We all know who the rightful King is and we're not going to let them railroad him! It's time for a new era for our kingdom! A Lagunica for everyone, not just for the nobility! A Lagunica where everyone is given the chance to prove themselves. A Lagunica that believes in all of our potential!"

The crowd cheered and applauded.

Rom nodded, looking impressed. Heh. That's my Felt.

Felt stepped back and gestured Garfiel to come forward. The boy looked awkward but he gamely walked to the front of the stage.

"Hey. You all don't know me. My name is Garf. I come from the Sanctuary. I'd be dead right now, and so would all of my friends and neighbors, if Lord Subaru hadn't rescued us. The Witch Cult destroyed my home but we all got out safely and I got to help Subaru Natsuki kill a Sin Archbishop before we made our escape."

The crowd applauded and cheered wildly. Garfiel flushed at this approval. He looked at Felt nervously and she gave him a proud grin.

Garfiel cleared his throat. "You all can probably tell that I'm a demi-human," Garfiel said, flashing his sharp teeth with an ironic smile. "Never thought much about it, to be honest. The Sanctuary was mostly demi-humans. A few humans too, I guess, but so what? What's the big deal? We all bleed the same color right? We all eat the same food! I'm a demi-human. So fucking what?!"

The crowd applauded.

"I never really thought about what it mean to be a demi-human. Not until I left the Sanctuary. And as soon as I came to the capitol I discovered that, guess what, it really does matter! You know what I've heard since I got here? 'Stupid mutt!'"

The crowd roared in protest.

"'Didn't you see the sign? No pets allowed!'"

They all shouted again.

"'Get the fuck off my property or you'll wind up like all the other animals I hunt!"

The crowd roared and cursed.

"Now we got a lot of humans here tonight. Humans who also believe that Lord Subaru is going to make their lives better. And maybe they think that what's going on with demi-humans isn't their problem? Well, buddy, you better think again. Because the nobility? The power brokers in this kingdom? They view us all as trash and it's no better being the trash on top of the heap than being the trash stuck on the bottom!"

The crowd applauded.

"But that's the way they want it! They want us to keep ripping each other apart while they kick back and watch. They throw us a scrap and we fight over it! No more, you hear me?! It's a brand new world! Cause their table is piled high with food and from now on, that's where our share comes from!"

The crowd cheered.

Rom looked around and frowned. He saw the the royal guard moving into position, surrounding the crowd.

He knew what that meant.

He made a sharp beckoning gesture toward Felt. She moved over to Rom with a frown.

Garfiel had finished his impromptu speech and was following Felt over to Rom when a stranger jumped onto the stage. He had wild eyes and a lunatic grin under a blond mod haircut that looked as thought he had cut it with a dull knife. Small, curly ram's horns peaked through his hair

"Rejoice new believers! A new era is come!" The man cheered, holding both hands over his head. In one hand he held a glowing blue crystal, in the other was a glowing red crystal.

The young people in the crowd looked confused while their elders stared at the man in terror and then stampeded away. The young quickly followed them though they had no idea what was going on.

Rom gaped at the man for a moment then grabbed Felt in one enormous hand. He reached out and yanked Garfiel down off the stage.

"Run!" He barked at Garfiel as he turned and fled.

He heard Garfiel racing behind him.

"Gramps!" Felt shouted in protest as Rom carried her tucked under one arm. "What the fuck is going on?!"

"I know those crystals!" Rom shouted as they ran past all the royal guards who didn't react to them. The guards may have planned to arrest the crowd but they clearly recognized that they had much bigger problems right now. "They're used by the the Demi-human Alliance. They explode!"

Rom, Felt, and Garfiel fled the scene as fast as they could.

The alarm bells were ringing in the castle and the royal guard leapt into action. They raced to surround the man with their weapons drawn.

The man's lunatic grin never wavered.

"Surrender now or you will die!" The lead knight commanded in a great voice.

The man just laughed. "My life is meaningless! I am here to protect the new believers! Fear not, people of the world for I come with joyous tidings! The King will return!"

"What are you babbling about?" The knight demanded.

"What was will be, what is will be no more!" The man shouted. He seemed to be announcing this to the heavens rather than speaking to anyone actually present.

Another man leaped up onto the stage, his expression was furious. Several other people climbed up behind him. "Marcos! What are you doing?! This wasn't the plan! You were supposed to wait for the guards to get in range and then blow everyone up! Not scare the civilians away! What the hell were you thinking?! Lady Capella will be furious!"

Marcos kept laughing. "My instructions come from a higher authority, foolish Victor! I do only as my Goddess commands!"

"What?!" Victor asked incredulously.

"She must have him! She must have all of him! All that there is, for her need is very great!" Marcos cried out in religious ecstasy.

Victor scowled at Marcos. "Traitor! Peteleguese's Fingers are just as crazy as their master! Lady Capella should have strung you all on barb-wire when Petelguese rebelled! Kill this fool! Kill- Urk!"

One of the people who stood behind Victor, a cockeyed girl with short blond hair that stuck out in all directions like straw and leopard spots down her neck, had plunged a knife full into Victor's back without batting an eye. "You are a fool. You serve degenerate pretenders to a glorious legacy beyond your understanding," She said, dismissively to Victor as he gasped and fell to the ground in front of her, desperately trying to reach the knife embedded in his back. She turned her gaze toward Marcos. "And you are mad! You bow before a fake! Or hasn't the Gospel enlightened you to that point?"

Another of Victor's companions, a massive man with bull horns turned on the girl. He drew a long cruel dagger and the pair began to fight.

The royal guards looked at one another helplessly, trying to figure out what the hell was going on.

Marcos just kept laughing. "All glory unto the rightful ruler of this world: The Child of the Unconquered Sun! The Empyrean King!"

"Guard!" The commander hissed at a royal guard armed with a crossbow. He gestured toward the cultist and the archer quickly nodded, taking aim.

"Praise the Sun!" Marcos screamed in ecstasy as he brought both crystals high over his head and smashed them violently together.

A great crater appeared in the earth.

That night, Emilia and Anri sat beside the ruined farmhouse in silence.

Anri had tried to tempt Emilia into conversation to distract her but Emilia was fixated on Subaru's absence.

Anri had spent the last hour or two in the woods.

She finally came back, looking tired.

"What were you doing back there?" Emilia asked in an incurious voice.

Anri chuckled. "Setting traps. Just in case we need to get out of here in a hurry. It's something that Vera… worked hard to teach me," Anri sighed, her face growing morose.

Before Emilia could respond, the pair heard alarm bells peeling far off in the distance. They looked up and saw the portcullis of the great gate of Ganaks slam to the ground like rusty iron teeth.

Emilia's heart stopped. "Subaru," She whispered.

"Hey, we don't know that this has anything to do with him," Anri said weakly.

Emilia looked at her incredulously.

Anri flushed and nodded shamefaced. "Just… wishful thinking."

Emilia bit her lip and stood up. "I'm going to go in after him," She said.

"How?" Anri asked incredulously. "There's only one gate and it's a walled city. You'll never get inside!"

"I have an idea," Emilia said slowly. "I'm going to try to rescue Subaru."

"Alright, as long as you have a plan, I'm game," Anri said standing up. "Let's go."

"No," Emilia shook her head. "Just me."

"He's my friend too!" Anri protested.

"That has nothing to do with this, Anri. I'm not even sure if I can get into the city this way. But two of us are going to get caught for sure," Emilia said. "Wait here until sunset tomorrow."

"And then what?!" Anri demanded.

Emilia looked at Anri in misery. "I don't know, Anri," Emilia said in a broken voice. "I don't have Subaru's gift for planning. I wish I did. I wish I could tell you what to do if things go wrong. But if we're not back by sunset then we're probably not coming back at all and you'll need to think about how to help your people without us."

Anri's face paled but she nodded.

"Anri-" Emilia began.

"I'm not saying 'goodbye,'" Anri said firmly. "You two will get out of that damn city just like you've gotten out of every ridiculous trap and ambush since the day I met you. I'll see you here by tomorrow night. Hey, if you're going into town, see if you can bring me some hot food while you're at it. Dinner consisting of nothing but raw vegetables is getting pretty stale."

Emilia smiled at Anri and took off running into the night. I really wish that I had a plan! She thought.

Anri had a look of dread on her face as she watched Emilia leave.

She reached into her bag and rummaged around inside, finally pulling out a small, black book.

She began to frantically flip through the pages.