Arc 10 Chapter 35: White Sheep

Chapter 35: White Sheep

With a dull thud, Subaru's head struck the floor. Seeing how his head fell, without even the slightest attempt to soften the impact, Felix understood instinctively.

—This was bad.

'————'

In the healing wards and on the battlefields he had visited in the course of his duties, Felix had seen more wounds and blood than he could ever have wished to remember. That was why he knew. Someone who had suffered a truly grievous injury could no longer perform even the simplest actions to protect themselves. They could do nothing but collapse, unable even to shield their head from the ground.

Just as Subaru had done.

'————!'

Blood slowly seeped from the wound in Subaru's right side, gathering and spreading across the floor of the landing. Whenever Felix saw blood, the same thought came to him.

—It looked as though life itself were flowing away.

'Say, isn't it terribly strange? Red and white are such a beautiful combination, and I always find myself falling in love with the sight of them together… But never mind that! You! Why did you do something like that? Could it possibly be… jealousy? Which would mean—love!?'

It was almost impossible to believe Bellaris was looking upon the same scene. Yet after admiring the contrast between Subaru's blood and the pale floor, she extended both hands toward the girl standing nearby.

—White Sheep.

The girl who had stabbed Subaru from behind wore an expression of chilling indifference. Wiping her bloodstained fingers with a handkerchief, she quietly returned Bellaris's gaze.

'————!'

'That's right. Love. In the end, that's what motivates every one of us, isn't it?'

'You admit it!? Then I was right after all! Natsuki is completely infatuated with Felix, and you couldn't endure it any longer, so you stabbed him! Oh, what a tragedy! You, driven mad by jealousy, and Felix, weeping and screaming as he's forced to confront the truth of love… Which one of you am I supposed to support!?'

The difference in temperature between White Sheep's reply and Bellaris's reaction was staggering. Felix, who had no desire to side with either woman, found himself infuriated by the absurdity of Bellaris's words. To claim that Felix was weeping and screaming—there had to be some limit to how thoroughly a person could distort what stood before her. He was doing nothing of the sort.

He was merely—

'—Subaru! No! Don't die! Bring him here… Let me get to him!'

—Merely calling out, as one who possessed even a fragment of a healer's calling, to a person who was dying.

'How tragic.'

Felix twisted his body and strained against his restraints, desperately struggling to reach Subaru. But the arms fastening him to the wall refused to yield, and his suspended body did not move an inch. Meanwhile, Bellaris crossed the landing, her footsteps ringing against the floor. She stopped precisely halfway between Felix and White Sheep, then extended a hand toward each of them.

'On one side, someone pursued so desperately that he overcame even the Long Way Around, willing to endure anything to reach the person he loved. On the other, someone who could only cling to that desperate back, following as closely as she could. And now that terribly sinful Natsuki will leave both of you behind when he departs this world… That's it!'

'—And what exactly do you mean by that?'

'The greater the obstacle, the more fiercely love burns, doesn't it? Age and gender are both firewood to feed its flames. But then, what is the greatest obstacle of all? It is… se-pa-ra-tion-by-death!'

'————'

'Death! Death is the greatest obstacle love can ever face! Because once somebody dies, it's over! You can never touch the person you've lost again. Nothing could possibly separate two people more completely than death, could it? Which means, if you look at it the other way around, death is the medicine that raises the love between two people to its absolute peak! Death is an aphrodisiac!'

She was insane.

Bellaris, speaking with that enraptured smile and those blissful eyes, was utterly deranged. How much White Sheep agreed with her grotesque philosophy of love was impossible to say. But the girl neither laughed at Bellaris's ravings nor spoke against them.

Instead—

'—Mama, thank you for everything. I love you more than anyone in the world.'

It was a declaration without context, abrupt and seemingly devoid of sense. To Felix, at least, it sounded so disconnected from the conversation that he wondered whether White Sheep, like Subaru before she stabbed him, had fallen victim to the mental instability brought about by Bellaris's poison.

However—

'————'

Bellaris reacted very differently. In an instant, every trace of color drained from her face. She went deathly pale. Seeing that reaction, something changed in White Sheep's cold expression. A smile. She wore a contemptuous smile entirely unsuited to her gentle features.

'—I am one of the Beloved Children. Mama sent me to infiltrate Six Tongues.'

'—Ah.'

'My mission was to uncover the full extent of Six Tongues and expose everything about our enemies. But at this rate, it looked as though the Beloved Children might end up fighting one another, so I decided to reveal myself. —Consider this a gift. He was a surprisingly formidable opponent, you know. Under ordinary circumstances.'

Saying this, White Sheep casually nudged Subaru's body with the toe of her shoe. He lay facedown in an expanding pool of blood. Bellaris, who had stood utterly rigid at the revelation, slowly released a long, deep breath at White Sheep's indifferent treatment of him. It was no longer the sigh of a woman lost in some feverish dream. It was an exhalation of profound relief.

'Ahh, ahh, I see! So you're one of the Beloved Children too… You're not Mama herself, are you? Oh, thank goodness! You know how Mama sometimes does that sort of thing, don't you? She says she wants us to understand each other honestly, without any secrets. Once, every single person I met throughout an entire day turned out to be Mama! I remembered that, and I thought my heart was going to freeze solid. …You really aren't Mama, are you?'

'Yes. I'm myself. But I understand how you feel. She's done things to me, too, that left me unable to swallow a single bite of food, more times than I care to remember.'

'You too!? Then we're the same… Is that why you confided in me? Does that mean we're destined for each other? You don't want to lose me? Because I don't want to lose you either!'

At the feet of the two Beloved Children, who were now conversing with almost cheerful familiarity, the blood of the unfortunate boy abandoned by love continued to flow. Little by little, yet inexorably, his life diminished. With every passing second, the possibility of recovering the life spilling from his body grew more remote.

'And yet, what are you two standing around chatting for…? And me, too…!'

Felix hated them.

He was furious.

The frustration was unbearable.

The Beloved Children had created this hourglass of blood, and now he could do nothing but watch its contents drain away.

He hated them for that.

He hated himself for being powerless to prevent it.

And if he was being completely truthful, a considerable portion of his anger was directed at Subaru as well.

Subaru, who had blundered into this place and obligingly allowed a traitor to stab him.

For the past two months, it had always been like this. For two entire months, Felix had been unable to stop feeling angry with Subaru.

—Why had Subaru left Emilia's side?

Why had he once again abandoned the person beside whom he ought to have remained, all to extend a helping hand to Crusch in her hour of peril? Now he was separated from his mistress and his companions alike, lying in a pool of his own blood. It defeated the entire purpose.

Natsuki Subaru's actions—his very existence—were a manifestation of Felix Argyle's sins. If Felix was so weak that others could take away what mattered to him, if he could do nothing but ask those around him to compensate for the cruelty of his fate, then making Subaru bear that burden was entirely Felix's sin.

—And what made it worse was that Felix's sins were never paid for by Felix himself.

Someone else always had to pay.

'Don't screw with me…'

Once, Felix's very birth had torn the Argyle family apart.

—The beastlike ears that appeared because of the reemergence of demi-human blood from a distant ancestor had led his father to suspect his mother of infidelity. Once, Felix's arrogance had caused him to overlook his chance to repay his teacher.

—That benefactor, to whom he owed so much, had affirmed the worth of Felix's abilities. But his teacher's judgment had been called into question, and someone driven beyond reason had taken his life.

Once, Felix's negligence had left him unable to save the dearest friend he had ever known.

—Though people had celebrated him as the Blue, his actual abilities had fallen short of that exalted reputation, and he had failed to save the person his lord loved.

Once, Felix's attempts at atonement had failed to reach the mistress he treasured more dearly than his own life.

Twice.

—And now, even as he remained painfully inadequate, that same inadequacy threatened to bring about a third betrayal of his mistress.

'Like hell I'll accept that… There's no way in hell…!'

He twisted his body. His arms would not come free. He gathered strength in his shoulders. His arms would not tear away. He kicked the wall with everything he possessed. His arms remained imprisoned. Not a single thing happened as he wished.

It was just like Felix's life.

'—!'

Anger without any clear target raged inside the chest he found so hateful for its frailty. His magic could maintain his body in perfect condition. It could do nothing to maintain his heart. For that matter, had his heart ever been in perfect condition?

He was always emotionally unstable, always shrieking and making a spectacle of himself with a spirit so pitifully fragile. And because he was like that, just as he had always been, there was not a single person he could—

'—Ah.'

He would be punished again.

Again, someone else's life would be ruined because of him.

—Cursing the fate that seemed woven through every part of Felix's existence, he clenched his teeth.

And that was when it happened.

'————'

His eyes met Subaru's.

Subaru lay sprawled facedown in the pool of blood, his face turned sideways. His limbs had fallen loosely across the floor. His dark eyes were unfocused, and his faint breaths came with bubbles of blood upon his lips. It was unmistakably the face of a person standing at death's threshold.

Felix had seen such faces countless times. Yet there was one difference. Only one thing distinguished Subaru from all those other souls he had watched death claim. Those approaching their final moments died with grief, terror, or regret lingering in their eyes.

But Subaru was different.

Within those weakened, unfocused black eyes dwelled something else.

Hope.

—And the instant Felix understood what that hope was directed toward, everything became clear.

He understood the terrifyingly foolish reliance upon another person that the weak, fragile, powerless Natsuki Subaru had staked everything upon.

'Don't screw with me…!'

The words that now escaped Felix were unlike the aimless anger that had consumed him until a moment earlier.

This time, his fury had found its proper target.

It was directed straight at the person who deserved it, a thick and seething distillation of the curse-like resentment that dwelled within Felix. Even now, in circumstances as desperate as these, Natsuki Subaru still believed in Felix Argyle.

—This was an outrageously foolish performance, staged upon nothing more than that single, impossible hope.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 　　△▼△▼△▼△

—This takes us back to before Subaru and White Sheep descended into the underground chamber.

'I'll make my own choice too. —So that when I face that person again, I can hold my head high.'

Upon hearing White Sheep's decision, Subaru resolved that their path would lead underground.

They had agreed to avoid the sort of excessively cautious approach that amounted to keeping one's foot pressed firmly upon the brakes, but that did not mean Subaru intended to plunge headlong into recklessness.

Relying upon Cor Leonis to locate Ferris, and entrusting White Sheep with correcting his movements according to the actual layout of the passages, the two advanced toward their destination without giving in to impatience, yet moving as swiftly as circumstances allowed.

However, merely reaching their destination would accomplish nothing if they arrived without any means of dealing with what awaited them.

'First of all, doesn't something about this strike you as strange? Why is the enemy keeping Ferris alive?'

As they proceeded, Subaru concentrated upon maintaining his Authority while devoting part of his attention to increasing the number of cards he could play.

More often than not, a useful card lay buried among those that appeared worthless. And even when one made no deliberate effort to collect them, such cards accumulated in great numbers throughout the seemingly insignificant moments of everyday life. That applied not only to the time they had spent within this castle. There were also the two months during which they had struggled forward, searching blindly for a path through the darkness.

'If we assume they're following Capella's policy and trying to avoid killing people whenever possible… Well, considering what happened to my poor, unfortunate life, I'm throwing that explanation straight out. So that leaves two possibilities.'

The first was that Ferris's healing abilities had far exceeded the enemy's expectations. Perhaps they had believed they had already dealt him a fatal blow, only for his body to recover enough that he remained alive, grievously injured and abandoned somewhere underground.

And the second possibility—

'—The enemy has some reason for wanting Ferris alive.'

'Perhaps they want information from him, or intend to use him as a hostage…?'

'Those are the most obvious explanations. But considering my rather miserable collection of personal experiences, there's one especially unpleasant possibility I can't get out of my head. —Capella might want to adopt Ferris into her little family too.'

When Subaru had learned that the Beloved Children were gathered for the exceptional talents they possessed, he had immediately thought that Ferris would be an ideal candidate.

Of course, attempting to analyze Capella's twisted conception of love was a fundamentally reckless undertaking. This was therefore nothing more than a deduction drawn from their present circumstances.

'…That might actually be possible. No, perhaps it's the explanation that makes the most sense.'

'If you think it's plausible too, White Sheep, that's encouraging. Frankly, I was just thinking what an absolutely disgusting idea it was… But then I realized I've also taken someone who was originally my enemy and made her part of my family. Kind of a disturbing revelation about myself.'

'Eh? Eh!? Ehhh!?'

White Sheep was astonished by Subaru's sudden self-reflection, but he omitted the finer details, since explaining them would only distract from the matter at hand. Naturally, he was referring to Meili. He did, however, wish to insist that his philosophy of raising children was fundamentally different from Capella's.

—There were other things he wanted to discuss with Meili concerning this situation, but those conversations would have to wait.

'Anyway, if this possibility turns out to be right, then, strange as it sounds, we might not have to worry about Ferris being killed. But even then, I still think we should meet up with him.'

'…Could you tell me why?'

'Two reasons. First, same as before, having Ferris around would improve everybody's chances of survival by a ridiculous margin. Second, there's the problem of the enemy's abilities. I want to do something about Lost, because that's the one causing us the biggest trouble.'

White Sheep drew a small, sharp breath. Subaru nodded to her and continued forward, following the wall with one hand. At present, they had identified three abilities belonging to the Beloved Children who had appeared in Kugelschreiber Castle: Silence, Overflow, and Lost. Of those three, Subaru considered the last the most difficult enemy to overcome. Naturally, the terrifying effectiveness of Silence as an assassination tool and the insidious danger posed by Overflow hardly needed explaining.

'If Crusch is managing to fight right now, that means she has some way to counter Silence. And I've got an idea for handling Overflow myself. But Lost is different. As long as that one's active, we'll never be able to reunite with our allies, no matter how much time passes.'

The only reason Subaru could presently attempt to reach Ferris was that two conditions had been satisfied. Cor Leonis allowed him to locate Ferris, and Ferris himself was not moving. The truly frightening aspect of Lost was that the moment one's intended destination began moving, the difficulty of reaching it increased enormously.

'That's why we absolutely have to get Lost deactivated. And to do that, Ferris's—'

'W-wait a moment! You've completely lost me! Are you saying you can actually do something about the ability that makes everyone's emotions go haywire!?'

'Yeah. I think I can. I can't guarantee it'll work a hundred percent, and it pisses me off that it feels like I'm borrowing a trick from that worthless bastard Regulus, but we've already confirmed that an Authority can overpower Lost.'

White Sheep fell silent. Subaru could sense her staring at him intently, and he opened his eyes. During their discussion, they had drawn close to the place where Ferris was being held. Now was the time to explain what he had in mind. After all, White Sheep's cooperation was indispensable to the plan Subaru had devised.

'—White Sheep, there's a strategy I'd like you to hear. Whether we can pull it off depends entirely on you, so I want to know what you think.'

'A strategy? And it depends on me…?'

'As you already know, if there's an enemy waiting up ahead, the chances of the two of us defeating them in a straightforward fight are pretty terrible. So I want us to play dirty and catch them off guard.'

'Catch them off guard…'

White Sheep came to a halt beside Subaru and prompted him to continue.

'Please tell me. What do you want me to do?'

'Here's the idea. You're actually a spy Capella planted inside Six Tongues. You caught me trying to organize a counterattack behind everyone's backs, and now you're bringing me along as a prisoner so you can rejoin the Beloved Children. How does that sound?'

'—! That's…'

'You said it yourself, didn't you? Most of the Beloved Children barely know one another. But you really were one of them in the past, which means you've got things in common with them that you can use to make conversation. And if you arrive carrying me as a little present, don't you think we'd stand a better chance than if we just tried fighting our way through?'

The suggestion was apparently so unexpected that White Sheep covered her mouth with both hands, her eyes opening wide. Of course, the plan was nowhere near as simple as Subaru made it sound. The enemy was unlikely to believe her story merely because she told it convincingly. However, during the past two months of fighting the Beloved Children, Subaru had repeatedly witnessed how little information their enemies shared with one another. Each seemed to struggle to satisfy Capella while operating within the narrow confines of the duties and authority assigned to them.

Subaru suspected there might be weaknesses to exploit in Capella's autocratic rule, in the failure of her followers to cooperate properly because their treatment was intended to discipline them, and in the false loyalty she maintained by binding them through fear. There was, however, one significant complication. For this scheme to work, White Sheep herself would have to find the courage to confront that fear once again.

'I think… we might actually have a chance. In fact, for reasons you probably don't know about, Gray Star, this could work even better than you're expecting.'

'Seriously? I'm curious about those reasons I don't know, but if they're going to help us, I'll take every advantage we can get.'

'But we might fail at the very beginning. Even if I bring you to them, I don't know whether they'll believe me…'

'—Then what if we create a situation where they have no choice but to believe you?'

Subaru had anticipated that objection, and he agreed with it. Even if White Sheep bound his hands behind his back and marched him into the enemy's presence, they might well recognize it as a desperate deception. That was why he had prepared a second element to the plan. Unfortunately, it was an element that would place a considerable burden upon White Sheep.

Because—

'…White Sheep, are you carrying any weapons?'

'Weapons…? I have an extendable staff for staff fighting, and, well, I also have a short knife. Would you like to use one?'

'Yeah. Actually, I want you to use one. …For maximum impact, I guess the knife would be better…'

White Sheep showed him the two weapons she had concealed upon her person: a collapsible staff approximately the length of a police baton, and a short blade resembling a survival knife. Subaru decided that the latter would better suit his purpose.

Then, seeing the bewilderment on White Sheep's face as she regarded his grim expression, he told her what he intended.

'—When we encounter one of the Beloved Children, I want you to stab me with that knife. If you go that far, it'll make your story a hell of a lot more convincing, won't it?'

　　　　　　　　　　　　　 　　　△▼△▼△▼△

'If what we're lacking is credibility, then we give them more credibility. I considered having you beat me half to death, leaving me battered and barely conscious, but that wouldn't fool Todd. By that, I mean someone who's extremely cautious and suspicious of everything.'

'————'

'If we underestimate the enemy and settle for half measures, we'll never get the result we're after. If we're going to gamble, we put everything on a single throw. No holding back.'

'W-wait…'

'I'll give the performance of a lifetime, too. I'll make it look absolutely convincing when you take me down. But there's no question that you'll be carrying the heavier burden, White Sheep, so whether we can do this depends on—'

'—Please, wait!'

The desperate cry brought Subaru's rapid-fire explanation of his plan to an abrupt halt. White Sheep had raised her voice. She lowered the hand that had covered her mouth and pressed it against her chest, feeling her heartbeat beneath her palm. Her eyes, glistening with tears, turned toward Subaru.

—Clearly, he had asked too much of her.

He had known from the beginning that White Sheep possessed a gentle heart and disliked conflict. Even if it was only part of a strategy, asking someone like her to stab him was far too cruel.

'…Those aren't your true feelings, Subaru.'

'…White Sheep?'

'Wanting to put yourself in danger just to improve the chances that I'll succeed… That isn't what you really want. …I'm the one who made you say those things.'

Clutching the fabric over her chest, White Sheep drew her slender shoulders inward, her voice trembling. But Subaru could not understand what she meant. She claimed that she had made him say those things, yet he had no recollection of anything of the sort. The plan had unquestionably been his own idea. Hoping to calm the girl as she seemed to shrink into herself, he reached toward her shoulder.

'I don't really understand what you're saying. Maybe the shock has left you confused, and—'

'—Don't touch me!'

'—!'

His outstretched hand was sharply knocked away, and Subaru caught his breath. For an instant, White Sheep's own face stiffened at the force of her reaction. But she quickly pressed her lips together.

'Please don't touch me. If you do, Subaru, you'll only become even more…'

'Even more? Even more, what? White Sheep, I don't understand. We don't have time to stand around like this. Please, just tell me clearly!'

'You'll become even more willing to do whatever I say! That's what my power does!'

Subaru had raised his voice. White Sheep answered with a cry louder still, holding both hands out before him. She showed him her left and right hands, with their slender, delicate fingers, making certain he could see them clearly.

'My power is called Beguilement… Anyone I touch with these hands develops affection for me. And once someone feels affection for me, they find themselves unable to refuse my requests…'

'Your… requests…'

'Can you really think of no occasions when that happened? Times when I held your hand while we were talking, and somehow what I was saying began to seem right to you, so you ended up agreeing with me?'

At those words, Subaru lowered his eyes and thought back over the two months since he had met White Sheep. Certainly, there might have been several such occasions. Whenever he had struggled with a decision or found himself uncertain, there had been times when White Sheep touched him and he went along with whatever she suggested. More than once.

'But that…'

'—I don't like this power. I hate it. Because it makes me feel as though I'm trampling over everyone around me and using them for my own benefit.'

'————'

'That's why I normally tried to keep my distance from you and Beatrice. I was always careful not to touch either of you by accident…'

Her earnest efforts were surely genuine. As much as circumstances permitted, she had avoided physical contact with others. And on those rare occasions when she had nevertheless taken Subaru's hand—

'Russell's orders, huh? So it wasn't just that you used to be one of the Beloved Children. He valued that power of yours too. Now that you mention it, that makes a whole lot of sense.'

No wonder Russell had counted White Sheep among the principal assets in Six Tongues' struggle, even though her personality was so obviously ill-suited to such work. Put another way, she could spring a honey trap with an astonishingly high chance of success without needing to employ seduction at all.

'So you're saying this plan is also something I came up with because you beguiled me?'

'—. Yes.'

White Sheep nodded solemnly. She had the appearance of a sinner who had finally confessed her wrongdoing and now stood tormented by remorse. And indeed, that was undoubtedly how she felt. She believed she had exploited an inborn power to draw affection from others and manipulate them into producing outcomes convenient for herself. The awareness of having committed such a profound moral wrong had been tormenting her.

Now, when Subaru proposed a plan that would require him to suffer an injury for her sake, the guilt she had carried within her had finally erupted. Perhaps the influence of Overflow, which prevented people from restraining their emotions, had also played some part. If that was the case, then Subaru was probably under the influence of Overflow as well.

—Because otherwise, there was no way he would ever have said something like this to White Sheep.

'White Sheep.'

'I'm sorry, but please reconsider. That plan is… it's far too reckless. You can't go through with something where I come away unharmed while you might die…'

'—There's a girl I'm completely in love with, so I'm not going to die for you, White Sheep.'

'—. ————. ————————Eh?'

At Subaru's declaration, White Sheep stared at him in blank astonishment, the expression of a penitent sinner vanishing from her face. Her eyes widened. Subaru felt a little sorry for leaving her speechless, but they were short on time. He seized the opportunity to continue. There was a misunderstanding he needed to correct.

'Don't get me wrong. You're an incredibly pretty girl yourself, White Sheep, but that other girl is my brightest star… She shines differently from everyone else, you know? So no, you haven't beguiled me.'

'————'

'And there's another misunderstanding… Actually, this one's my fault for not explaining things properly. Remember how I said that whether this plan works depends on you? Well, the person I'm counting on to make this plan succeed isn't actually you.'

'Th-then… who are you counting on?'

Subaru sincerely regretted having caused White Sheep so much needless distress. He had treated her unfairly.

—After all, the very premises upon which they were judging the risks were different. White Sheep believed this was a plan in which Subaru might die.

Subaru saw it differently. It was a plan in which Subaru might experience pain so terrible that he would wish he were dead. But he was not going to die.

Because—

'—Ferris. He's the one I'm counting on.'

'Ah…'

'He told me once that if someone was right in front of him, he wouldn't let them die even if they wanted to. That's why this plan will only work if we carry it out right in front of him.'

And if it happened before Ferris's eyes, Subaru knew the healer would uphold that promise out of sheer pride. After all, for Beatrice's sake, Ferris had rewritten the very principles of his healing magic in a mere two months, developing techniques capable of saving even a spirit should anything happen to her. Subaru respected the gentle strength that made such an achievement possible. He intended to place the same kind of faith in Ferris that he placed in Reinhard or Julius, entrusting his fate to another person's abilities.

—That was the very heart of the operation he had christened the Natsuki Subaru Staged Murder Incident.

'And another thing. I just said you haven't beguiled me, but I do think we've become friends. That's not just because of your power. It's because you talked to me when things were rough, because you were always the first to make tea for everyone during our breaks, and because I'm a pretty easy guy to win over.'

'Subaru…'

'I don't think you cheated or tricked me into liking you. We're companions, aren't we? Let's help each other out. Besides, this is a much better plan than the one Ferris is going to hear about when I suddenly get stabbed right in front of him, don't you think?'

With those words, Subaru deliberately extended his right hand, inviting White Sheep to shake it. She looked down at his offered hand and drew a sharp breath.

'…I can't believe in other people's kindness. Even the things you've just said, Subaru… I can't help wondering whether my power is what made you say them. That's why, even with that person, I…'

'————'

'But… but today, I'm going to try believing. I'm going to believe in you, because you've told me that you can trust someone other than me more than you trust me.'

Hesitantly, her hand reached forward and touched Subaru's. Then her fingers closed firmly around his. That handshake was proof of a courageous step taken by a girl who had long feared that merely touching another person might manipulate their heart. And the purpose to which she would now put that hard-won courage was to stab Subaru.

'Quite a conclusion we've managed to arrive at, huh? But do you think you can do it, White Sheep?'

'Melty.'

'Eh?'

'—Melty Pristis. That's my name.'

As Subaru's eyes widened in surprise, White Sheep—

No, Melty Pristis— Softened her lips into a smile.

It was the expression of a girl who carried fear within her heart, yet had nevertheless resolved to resist it with every fragment of courage she could muster. Having surprised Subaru with both that smile and the revelation of her name, she tightened her grip upon his hand.

'This is the first time I've ever made a friend, and it'll be the first time I've ever stabbed one, too!'

It was a remarkably valiant declaration of friendship.

And with that, the Natsuki Subaru Staged Murder Incident was set in motion—

△▼△▼△▼△

'—Gah… ah… ngh…'

And so, having allowed himself to be stabbed in earnest as part of their deception, Subaru now lay at death's door. By specifying his right flank as the place where Melty should stab him, he had managed, barely, to reduce the risk of bleeding to death. But the difference was negligible.

There was no strength left in his body, and he could scarcely move. Sprawled in an expanding pool of blood, he felt as though he might drown in his own blood before anything else killed him.

But he could not die.

If he died now, he would commit a betrayal against White Sheep—no, against Melty, who had trusted him enough to carry out this plan. A betrayal so grave that not even his death could atone for it.

'So… don't… die… damn it…'

With every fragment of his strength and will, Subaru struggled to hold on to the life that was threatening to slip from his body. His breathing was shallow and ragged. Not only the flank where the knife had pierced him, but his entire body writhed with pain. Even so, he forced himself to fulfill his other responsibility. He had already served as the offering brought before the enemy, stabbed and left bleeding upon the floor. Now he had to suppress the damage caused by Overflow.

'Cor… Leo… nis…'

Alongside that hoarse murmur, Subaru once again pushed the Authority of Greed—Cor Leonis—to its limits. Strictly speaking, he did not need to pronounce the name to activate it. But right now, he needed anything that might keep his mind working. If his concentration slipped for even an instant, he felt certain his consciousness would disappear, and death would follow.

At present, even the suffering caused by overtaxing his Authority was a welcome change in sensation. Through that change, Subaru perceived the scattered presences of his companions throughout Kugelschreiber Castle. Each individual light was another reason for him to remain alive. Yet locating his companions was not the true purpose for which he had activated Cor Leonis.

—He was restoring the authority of the Little King.

And when that was accomplished, the emotional Overflow of two people descended upon Subaru at once.

'Ugh… ngh… aaah… this is… too much…!'

An overwhelming tidal wave of emotion struck him. A violent storm of feeling, powerful enough to rupture the embankments of his mind. The resulting Overflow forced complaints from Subaru's dying lips, adding tears and mucus to the pool of blood beneath his face. A filthy little three-minute cooking show, if ever there was one. The sensations assailing him were so ferocious, so overwhelming, that he felt their effects more strongly here than anywhere else in the castle. Which made it abundantly clear that the source of Overflow was this terrifying, shipping-obsessed woman.

Yes.

Abundantly clear.

'—I've made my choice. I have, too. For the sake of fulfilling my own wish.'

Melty's performance after stabbing Subaru in the side had been nothing short of extraordinary. She was undoubtedly a leading candidate for an Academy Award for Best Actress. A girl with the courage to escape the Beloved Children truly was made of different stuff. And, just as Subaru had hoped, she was now approaching the shipping-obsessed monster who controlled this chamber.

'My name is Melty. May I ask yours?'

'My name? I'm Bellaris. They call me Ring Finger. But oh, this is terrible! Now that we've introduced ourselves, it means our story together has already begun… Oh, I might be in love. I think I might already love you, Melty!'

'Please don't say something as lonely as might. We're family, aren't we?'

Melty delivered the words with a faintly sulky air and raised her hand to rest it gently against Bellaris's cheek.

'Ah…'

Bellaris's cheeks immediately flushed, and her eyes grew moist with emotion. If Melty's ability worked as she had described, then this was the moment when her newly unrestrained use of Beguilement could demonstrate its full potential.

—The very advantage she had mentioned when she told Subaru that their plan might work even better than he expected.

'Bellaris, did Mama order you to come here?'

'No, Dandon told me about it. Oh, but strictly speaking, Dandon said we should wait. Reborn ignored him, though… I'm sure Reborn just wants to get Dandon's attention!'

'Bellaris, how did you find out about this place?'

'Apparently, the Executor sent a report. I don't know the details of how he discovered it, but that mystery makes him all the more wonderful, doesn't it? Just whose face is reflected in those eyes of his… Could it be mine?'

'Bellaris, who else came here with you?'

'Reborn and Tornel! Actually, Reborn intended to bring only Tornel, but how could I possibly overlook the two of them sneaking off on a romantic rendezvous? So I insisted on coming along. My Ring Finger is compatible with absolutely anyone, after all… Ah, please don't think I'm promiscuous! I just want to spread as much love as possible, and watch everyone share their love with one another…!'

Bellaris herself took Melty's hand, clinging to it as she made her impassioned appeal. And from her mouth poured an unending stream of information concerning the circumstances of the Beloved Children who had entered the castle. Certainly, Bellaris had probably been careless to begin with. But what had loosened her tongue to such an extraordinary degree was the full force of Beguilement, employed against someone who had already accepted Melty as an ally.

—Subaru suspected that anyone dating Melty would have absolutely no chance of concealing an affair. She would discover it immediately. A confession would be practically inevitable.

It was unmistakable proof that Melty Pristis had indeed once been numbered among the Beloved Children.

'————'

For a fleeting instant, Melty's gaze met Subaru's as he lay collapsed upon the floor. He could barely nod, offer a thumbs-up, or even acknowledge her with his eyes. Nevertheless, he had witnessed the effectiveness of her ability. And it meant that his efforts to shoulder the burden of Overflow had not been in vain.

All that remained was—

'Bellaris, actually, there's another one of the Beloved Children here with me. But we got lost in the castle, and now we're having trouble reuniting.'

'What!? You mean there are two people who want to see each other, but can't? Oh, how tragic… Although I personally think love grows stronger the longer two people keep missing each other…'

'—But that would cause trouble for Mama.'

'————'

No matter how dramatically effective those words proved to be, Subaru doubted he would ever be capable of welcoming the fear that appeared upon Bellaris's face at that moment. Her expression became one of unmistakable terror.

'Tornel! Undo the Long Way Around for them! Those poor people who can't see each other!'

Unable to conceal the trembling in her voice, Bellaris shouted loudly enough for her words to reverberate throughout the underground chamber.

—And in response, a single sharp click sounded.

Blue light spread through the room. It passed over Subaru, Melty, and Bellaris, swept across Felix where he remained pinned against the wall, then extended farther outward. Presumably, it continued across the entire castle. As the radiance faded and its lingering traces receded, Subaru understood instinctively what had happened.

'There! The Long Way Around has been lifted! Now everyone should be able to meet the people they're longing to see. But if possible, I'd love for you to have your reunion right in front of me. It would be so wonderfully passionate!'

As though confirming Subaru's intuition, Bellaris declared the effect undone while rubbing her cheek affectionately against Melty's hand. And with that, the Natsuki Subaru Staged Murder Incident had accomplished one of its objectives. If the Long Way Around had been lifted, then everyone who had become separated could now safely… find… one… anoth… er…

'—DON'T YOU DARE DIE, YOU IDIOT!! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING!? DON'T SCREW WITH ME!!'

—In that instant, something seized Subaru's dying consciousness by the scruff of its neck and dragged it violently back into reality.

'—Ah…'

'Idiot! You were just about to die, weren't you!? I can't believe it! I can't believe it, I can't believe it, I can't believe it! Why would you do something so stupid!? Why…!'

He could hear a tearful voice.

A voice crying out, demanding to know why, lamenting what had happened.

He could not leave that person weeping.

That was why he had been clinging to the very edge of life.

'————'

—But before he could respond, movement caught the corner of his vision.

Countless cuts suddenly raced across the ceiling. And through the white canopy that had been sliced apart, a shadow plunged down into the underground chamber.

—Without a sound.