Contract
"Wow, it's all in tatters, but Mimi doesn't mind at all."
"This damage must have been caused by the Unseen Hand, right, General?"
"Both its destructive power and range are quite troublesome."
The beastman girl shouted excitedly, the knights carefully inspected the traces left in the mansion, Mimi lay on top of Garfiel's head, and the black-haired boy stood there as well.
On the ninth day, just before dawn, five guests arrived at the Roswaal mansion, one-third of which had collapsed.
"Let's move quickly. Please try to open all the closed doors in the mansion—except the second floor of this building."
The group, having been briefed on the way, nodded in response. Thanks to their help, Subaru was soon able to enter the Forbidden Library.
The moment he stepped in, he saw Beatrice and the [Tome of Wisdom] lying on the table.
"Yo, I came to get you, just like I promised."
Even though he used as cheerful a tone as possible, Beatrice still looked as if she were about to cry.
"I-If... you're that person... then..."
Subaru was momentarily flustered by her tears, but then Beatrice began speaking in a broken, trembling voice.
She seemed hesitant at first, but then, in a voice filled with sobs and hope, she asked him:
"Would you be willing... to become Betty's that person?"
Subaru had spent a long time with Beatrice, and combined with the information he had gained from Echidna, he immediately understood her feelings.
If he agreed here and now, Beatrice's power and the knowledge within the Forbidden Library would all become his.
It was the kind of result that would have made the old Subaru—when he had just arrived at the Roswaal mansion—ecstatic.
But the current Subaru didn't feel any joy at all.
Because he knew: if he agreed, the contract that had bound Beatrice for 400 years under her mother's will would be broken, only to have himself become her new binding chain.
—I really want to reject that kind of life for you.
That was the thought that arose in Subaru's heart, the same thought he'd had when he first learned what that person truly meant to Beatrice.
That initial thought. Just like when he had shared the intel with Julius and the others on the way here, Julius, who understood Beatrice's existence, also gave him some advice—or rather, a warning.
Even among spirit users, few could contract with six spirits of different attributes like Julius. Though it irritated Subaru, he had to admit that Julius might be more knowledgeable when it came to spirits.
—Do I really have the right to change Beatrice's way of life? Do I have the right to deny her 400 years of existence?
Subaru thought about it deeply.
He had come to understand what a contract meant to a spirit.
Remembering how much Beatrice valued that contract, he had to admit that someone like him—who had only spent seven days with her—couldn't possibly be that person.
Rather, even if he spent months with her, unless some special condition was met, he probably couldn't change her mindset.
"You might think living freely would make Lady Beatrice happy," Julius had said, "but for someone who devoted herself to the contract for 400 years, would that really be happiness? Even if you remove the binding, her life will still revolve around you. She'll mourn your death, and may even follow after you.
The most important part of a contract is equality. You should think about what Lady Beatrice needs. Right now, you're trying to force what you think is best onto her, just like Lord Puck once did."
Julius's words awakened Subaru.
If he simply cut the chain with a single declaration, considering how Beatrice felt about him, he would certainly surpass that person in her heart.
And knowing himself, there was no way he could intentionally distance himself from her.
That path wouldn't lead to a good outcome.
As Beatrice continued to wait for his reply, Subaru took a deep breath.
"It's not about whether I'm willing to be—it's that I am the one you've been waiting for."
Beatrice sensed that there wasn't a single falsehood in Subaru's words.
This wasn't just a feeling—it was a special ability that spirits possessed.
Of course, that made sense.
Subaru already knew that that person was someone Beatrice would choose herself.
And now, it was obvious she intended to choose him. So, saying he was that person wasn't wrong at all.
Beatrice reflexively reached for the Tome of Wisdom, but in the end, she didn't extend her hand.
Because even if the person in front of her was a fake, she had already made the resolve to choose him as her that person.
In fact, the way he put it eased some of her guilt.
"I really tried my best to fulfill the contract, you know. For 400 years, I preserved all this knowledge... all for the sake of waiting for you..."
Beatrice said in a tearful, halting voice.
She knew she shouldn't be complaining at a time like this, but she couldn't suppress the grievances in her heart any longer.
Or maybe, this was the first moment she allowed herself to let those feelings pour out.
Subaru embraced the crying spirit tightly, and before she could push him away, the boy spoke with heartfelt sincerity:
"Yeah, you did great. Thanks to the knowledge you protected, I'm able to stand here once again. Thank you, Beatrice."
He had survived by relying on the knowledge she preserved. That alone was enough. Her 400 years of effort existed for this very moment.
—Ah, what a warm embrace.
"You've worked so hard all this time. Thanks to you, I can be here again."
That sense of happiness filled the lonely heart of Beatrice, who cried and laughed in Subaru's arms.
"So, what do you want Betty to do now?"
The spirit, finally calmed down, asked.
"Well, actually, anything you want. After 400 years of work, you could just take it easy and play around."
"You don't want Betty's power?"
"To be honest, the situation right now is far from optimistic.
If you're willing to take on the next job immediately, I'd be more than grateful. But... is that really okay? Don't you need a break?"
"What are you talking about? Betty has never felt better than now.
Don't get the wrong idea. You're a human without a spirit contract but with absurdly high spirit compatibility.
If you don't make a contract with me, you might end up possessed by Geuse, you know? I don't want my that person dying right away. So Subaru, let's form a contract."
Beatrice turned her head away and held out her hand—but kept stealing glances at Subaru.
—A 100% tsundere loli!
Fighting back the urge to ruin the moment with a dumb comment, Subaru took her hand.
"Then... I'm counting on you."
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