The images on the screen of light continued to unfold.
After the flooding disaster in the Water Gate City ended, Natsuki Subaru and Shaula returned to the Sage's Tower, then read Garfiel's, Otto's, and Anna's Books of the Dead.
Now, the personalities of those three women had appeared in Natsuki Subaru's mind as well.
Today, as always, Natsuki Subaru searched for people he knew.
Beside him, Emilia said happily, "Thanks to Natsuki Subaru's hard work, everyone's finally here."
Ram continued to lash Natsuki Subaru with her sharp tongue. "Barusu, even if there are more people in your head now, don't mistake being slow for a virtue."
Hearing Ram's words, Betty encouraged Natsuki Subaru. "As my partner, don't let Ram get you down so easily."
Petra said gently to Natsuki Subaru, "I'll be kind to you, Lord Subaru."
"It's been so long since things were this lively here." Roswaal watched everyone fooling around.
Meanwhile, Frederica attended to them at the side with a perfectly serious expression.
Julius and Meili spoke to Natsuki Subaru next.
"Please don't forget us amid these warm, everyday moments, either."
Anna brought the discussion back on track and asked Natsuki Subaru a question.
"Natsuki, you haven't forgotten, have you? If we give you our full cooperation, then when Natsuki Subaru returns to his former self..."
"Yes, I remember."
Natsuki Subaru spoke firmly.
"If I can find 'Natsuki Subaru' and return to when everything can still be set right, the me at that time..."
Natsuki Subaru stopped, took a deep breath, and continued.
"I'll finally have a chance to atone for everyone I killed."
"Even now, that goal remains unfulfilled, close to completion, just one more time away from completion. If I follow the traces, surely, surely, everything can start over."
"The hero 'Natsuki Subaru' has the power to reverse fate."
Those were all conclusions Natsuki Subaru had reached.
That way, the lives of Emilia, Beatrice, Ram, Julius, Meili, Petra, Frederica, Roswaal, Old Man Rom, Garfiel, Otto, Anastasia, Ricardo, Mimi, and the others could all be restored.
If it was "Natsuki Subaru," then it was possible.
Because "Natsuki Subaru" was-
"My knight."
"Betty's partner."
"A man whose only virtue is good timing."
"I consider him a good friend, myself."
"Well, I suppose I can give him a little credit."
"It's because of Subaru that I wanted-wanted to try hard!"
"Lord Subaru saved me so many times. Thank you."
"Subaru, you are precisely the one I have awaited for so many years-"
"Well, now. I never thought this boy would take things this far."
"Boss! Just say the word if anything comes up. I'll do anything that can be settled with violence."
"As long as Lord Subaru returns to his old self as always, everything can be set right."
The voices of different personalities rang in Natsuki Subaru's ears. These companions surrounded him, pouring their expectations onto him.
Natsuki Subaru listened with some embarrassment and nodded as though he were hearing someone else being praised.
"Ah... that's right. It's true. I can't do it. There's no possibility at all."
"Could Subaru do it?"
"Of course. No, he absolutely could. Because that's the kind of person he is, isn't it?"
Natsuki Subaru clenched his fists and looked at everyone.
His friends immediately burst into cheers.
Amid the clamor of voices, Emilia slowly approached.
She pointed a finger toward a spot a little removed from their companions.
Shaula.
"Shaula looks lonely. That's no good, Subaru. I feel so sorry for her."
"She's..."
"Don't pretend you don't know her. We'll work hard alongside you, too. You're working the hardest, Subaru, and Shaula comes next, right? So you have to treasure her properly. That's a promise."
A promise. The word Emilia spoke to Natsuki Subaru held a very important meaning between the two of them.
No, in truth, only "Natsuki Subaru" could read the weight that word carried.
Subaru, who was not "Natsuki Subaru," could not understand it.
Yet even without understanding "Natsuki Subaru," the trust of Emilia, who had exchanged promises with "Natsuki Subaru," made him understand with painful clarity.
"All right... it's a promise."
"Yes, that'll do."
Emilia smiled at Natsuki Subaru and waved vigorously.
"Well then, take care out there, Subaru."
By the time Natsuki Subaru realized it, the figures of his many companions had vanished from the vision of his gradually blurring left eye.
His surroundings were silent. There was no one there.
Apart from Natsuki Subaru, everything was still, without a single sound.
Never mind anyone who had once exchanged promises with him-there was not even anyone who should have exchanged promises with him.
"Shaula, come here."
Abandoning that parched train of thought, Natsuki Subaru called to Shaula, who was walking in the distance.
Hearing her master call her, Shaula beamed.
She dashed to Natsuki Subaru's side and asked gently.
"What is it, Master! Um, you seemed to be having a lot of fun talking to yourself just now. Is happy time over?"
Natsuki Subaru spoke helplessly.
"Don't just say whatever comes into your head. Don't bluntly lecture someone mentally unstable about right and wrong. That does more than just hurt."
"How awful of me." Shaula tapped her own head and stuck out her tongue as she apologized for her slip of the tongue.
Natsuki Subaru looked at the cute girl before him.
Was that an apology? Sometimes it felt like she wasn't apologizing at all. But there was no need to look too deeply into it. Regardless, Shaula, who had followed him ever since the Sage's Tower, had contributed more than anyone.
Though he had borrowed many companions' wisdom, knowledge, and ideas when deciding their course of action and drawing up plans.
All of those required the ability to carry them out-in other words, fighting strength.
Shaula's presence was indispensable to making those things possible, yet Natsuki Subaru had hardly ever repaid her.
Like a well he could draw water from whenever he pleased.
Even if he was not "Natsuki Subaru," as long as it was him, he could do anything.
Natsuki Subaru stared at the person before him, lost in thought for a moment.
Shaula watched her master staring at her.
"Master?"
Then Shaula looked puzzled and tilted her head at the silent Natsuki Subaru.
Looking at Shaula before him, Natsuki Subaru momentarily forgot to continue speaking.
After he had stared at her for a while, Shaula first blinked, then tilted her head. Her long black hair slid forward over her shoulder with the movement, falling beside her pale collarbone. As though she had discovered something interesting, her eyes gradually lit up.
"Master?"
She leaned a little closer and gently waved a hand before Natsuki Subaru's eyes.
"Master, you've been staring at Shaula. Have you finally realized how super cute Shaula is?"
As she spoke, she raised a finger and tapped her cheek, smiling smugly.
"Shaula's known that for ages, of course, but having Master look at her so seriously still makes her shy."
Though she said she was shy, her face was full of anticipation.
As Natsuki Subaru watched her suddenly lean closer, his breathing faltered for a moment.
Shaula really was cute.
Her eyes curved when she smiled, and she would unconsciously lean forward as she spoke. Whenever he spoke, she would immediately come running; whenever he frowned, she would first put her hands behind her back and adopt an expression that said, "Shaula hasn't done anything bad."
She was always like that.
Whether he brushed her off, ordered her around, or treated her coldly, she would still end up hovering around him.
Natsuki Subaru suddenly realized that Shaula had been at his side ever since the Sage's Tower.
She fought for him, killed for him, and turned those plans into reality for him.
Yet it seemed he had never seriously asked her.
What did she want?