"What… exactly happened…"
Emilia and Natsuki Subaru returned to the mansion. For Subaru, though, it was a "return once again."
"Emilia!"
The girl, surprised, turned at Subaru's sudden shout. She noticed the fear on his face.
"…Subaru?"
"Don't panic. There might still be remnants of the Witch Cult inside. If we just rush in…" Subaru recalled the pain of being pierced through the heart, growing anxious. "We need to proceed carefully!"
"Understood!"
Subaru's reasoning sounded sensible to Emilia. Together, they ran into the main hall. Subaru's gaze instinctively drifted westward. He clearly remembered being attacked at the stairway corner at the end of the west corridor…
"I'll go east, you go west! Call me immediately if you find anyone!"
Emilia's line matched her previous words. This time, however, Subaru immediately countered. "No! It's too dangerous. We must move together!" He added quickly, "Emilia… I think I just saw a figure in the west corridor. Let's go check."
With Emilia's elven guidance, he figured the Witch Cult shouldn't be a problem. The two ran toward the corridor corner. Subaru gripped a chair, planning to strike the assailant if needed.
As they neared the corner, Subaru's focus sharpened. With Emilia nearby for support, he leaped and shouted:
"Bastard!"
His target was nothing but air—no one was there.
"Huh? Wh-where…?"
"Did you see things, Subaru?" Emilia asked hesitantly. Subaru lowered the chair, scratching his head, utterly confused. "No… I was definitely attacked here…"
"Now's not the time for jokes! Let's go upstairs and search!"
"Right…"
Somewhat bewildered, Subaru followed Emilia upstairs, opening nearly every room, but found no one. He also tried to find Beatrice, to no avail.
Where had everyone gone?
Eventually, the two returned to the first-floor hall, exchanging looks that conveyed mutual helplessness.
Especially Emilia—she just now heard from Priscilla's knight, Al, that Lillian had arrived earlier, meaning he had once again deceived her. He had tricked her into staying in the capital, so she didn't witness the events at the mansion.
But according to Al, Lillian hadn't come to cause trouble. He wasn't the "mastermind" Subaru suspected; rather, he fought against the Witch Cultists… why? If he was helping, they had no prior relationship. If not helping, could he be allied with the Witch Cult somehow?
Meanwhile, Subaru was pondering why the assailant who attacked him had disappeared. Usually, after each death and revival, events unfolded almost identically—but this time was different. Where had that person gone? Were they still in the mansion? Damn it… if he hadn't been pinned down, he could have seen their face…
Each lost in their own thoughts, they suddenly heard footsteps outside. Looking up, they saw Beatrice and… Ram carrying Rem!
"You… you guys?!"
Both dashed forward. Emilia, seeing Rem in Ram's arms, instinctively covered her mouth, eyes welling up.
"Rem… Rem's legs…"
"…were cut off." Ram's voice was hoarse.
"W-what?! How could that happen to Rem, she's so strong—" Subaru's words faltered as Ram's gaze froze him in place.
Cold and fierce.
Without another word, Ram carried Rem upstairs. Beatrice stayed behind; she was the only one who could explain the situation clearly.
"Drill-loli, you really were attacked by the Witch Cult?!"
"…It's not Betty's fault. They were attacked."
"What do you mean?!"
"Did you manage to fend them off?" Emilia remained calm, assuming responsibility as the mansion's head in Roswaal's absence. "And did you see Lillian?… No, Beatrice, you don't know him, right?"
"I know him," Beatrice suddenly said. "I saw him."
"So… he—"
"He's dead. Reduced to ashes."
Emilia and Subaru froze in shock.
Beatrice's expression seemed unusual, like she was suppressing something, yet at the same time indifferent as usual.
"But the situation is temporarily settled. Betty is leaving now."
"Hey! You drill-loli, wait—!"
BAM!
Subaru, trying to stop her, was sent flying by an invisible fist, landing roughly on the floor. Emilia watched Beatrice ascend the stairs and vanish around the corner, momentarily lost and unsure what to do.
Lillian… dead? Subaru had intended to scold him for deceiving Emilia… so why like this? What about the Witch Cultists who attacked? The village below? Al had said Lillian had repelled them… was that true? And Rem…
No! She had to see for herself.
Emilia immediately set off without hesitation, Subaru naturally following. He worried for the villagers too. But a few steps out, he remembered something and said, "Wait for me!" He ran to the second floor, to Rem's room.
Inside, Ram had laid Rem on the bed and covered her legs with a thin blanket. Hearing movement at the door, she didn't turn around: "Go out."
"I… I just wanted to warn you. There might still be hidden Witch Cultists inside! Be careful!"
"Is that so?" Ram turned, Subaru noticing her eyes glowing faintly red. "Let them come!"
"You…"
Ram ignored him. Subaru didn't know what to say. Though he'd been at the mansion for about a month, his relationship with Ram was distant; she only ever softened in front of Roswaal. Rem, however, was easier to approach, so seeing her injured disturbed him. Nothing could be done—thanks to the one who killed him, he realized the save point had updated… after returning. This meant that even if he died and rewound, he couldn't have prevented this tragedy in advance.
---
Gurgle gurgle…
A hungry growl rumbled from his stomach, saliva dripping to the ground. In the forest, wolves surrounded the area, eyes locked on dozens of freshly dead human bodies.
But the beasts dared not approach. Their instincts warned them to beware the figure in the center, holding a short knife. In their eyes, he was the more dangerous predator.
"You… you dare kill all my fingers…"
Sloth panted, hate filling his gaze at Lillian. Bloodied from head to toe, in under a minute he had slaughtered all Witch Cultists, leaving their bodies nothing but mangled flesh.
"No need for idle words. You will become one of them too."
Lillian held a short knife in one hand, a severed arm in the other, blood still dripping from the wound.
"Arrogant fool, die! Die! Die! Die! Die!!"
Sloth waved frantically. Lillian hurled the severed arm, blood spraying everywhere, revealing the previously invisible hands.
In the next instant, Lillian vanished from his spot, dodged the arm, and swiftly slit the neck of his enemy.
"Pfft!!"
As the head flew up, Lillian's eyes caught the last glimpse of madness on it.
It was a desperate, all-or-nothing gaze.
A powerful consciousness suddenly struck Lillian's mind.