Re: ChildHood Friend…Again. Chapter 47: Sloth Battle II

Minutes later, the journey continued with very good spirits for everyone.

"The Mathers Territory is starting to come into view."

"Yes. We're less than 20 minutes away."

Subaru replied to Julius, while maintaining an animated smile at all times.

Currently counting on his faithful Patrasche, Mimi, Julius, Wilhelm, Felix, and Priscilla, they were heading at great speed until they almost reached the forest that surrounded the Mathers Mansion and Arlam Village.

Also counting, of course, on a group of emergency merchant carriages at a considerable distance behind them, following at the same speed towards the same destination.

Taking into account the other attempts in which Subaru had tried to return to the mansion… Currently, this scenario was giving him a lot of confidence, honestly.

"Now we just have to wait for the evacuation to have already started and for everything to be clear for… the remaining cultists."

Although of course, it didn't mean there wasn't any work left to do.

With the Sin Archbishop of Sloth, Petelgeuse Romanée-Conti dead, at least they had, in theory, defeated the strongest enemy they had to face.

Just for that fact, they could consider that they have high chances of victory. But defeats usually appear at the moments you least expect them.

Subaru didn't want to feel too confident, or at least, he wanted to maintain caution and keep his guard up. Unlike the others, he wasn't so used to these expeditions. More than his own instincts and intuitions helped him, at least…

That and the fact that now… he was inside a team that was too comfortable.

"Yes, yes! With that madman gone, we're about to defeat the Cultists for today!" Mimi shouted, childishly raising her right hand, happy with the mission.

With Ricardo, Aldebaran, and Tivey away, they still had very good warriors to count on in combat.

Subaru trusted them more than anything. And considering how little was left of his plan… even if it was a double-edged sword, he felt like he was starting to relax a little inside. Although he didn't mind the sensation.

"Maybe I'm worrying too much. Everything is going well so far… Ahhh, I want to go back to the mansion and greet everyone."

He thought with a smile.

"You look much better with that expression, you know?"

Prisca, sitting with her legs elegantly crossed on a carriage driven by one of her men, looked happily at her friend and his smile. She wore one too.

After she saw her friend almost fall into depression over a mistake he couldn't notice, it was she who, proudly and almost defiantly, managed to cheer him up again. Using, of course, his friends as the main topic.

And it had a good result. The moment the topic shifted to talking about them, Subaru's attitude changed from disappointment to determination almost instantly.

How childish. But not unpleasant to watch. It amused her.

"Yes, well, I think I owe that to you all. I feel like I can see the light at the end of the tunnel."

Subaru replied happily and with a smile, accepting that fact without resistance.

"Huh? We're on a plain, Onii-chan! There are no tunnels here!"

"It's just an expression, Mimi-san. Don't take it so literally. Suffice it to say I'm much better than I was a few days ago."

"...I hope you don't mean you were carrying a lot of worry during the days you visited us, Nya."

Felix raised an eyebrow at his friend's words, which seemed to say that he had been carrying this or a worry for some time.

"Ugh, that's not entirely correct…"

Subaru bit his tongue, knowing he had said something confusing to them. But he tries to avoid the topic.

"Look, I understand myself. Suffice it to say that I thank you all for everything."

"You should also stop thanking. It's starting to get a bit tiring, to be honest, Nya."

"...Really?"

Subaru was speechless. To which Julius proceeded to explain.

"We accept your words, but we are all already aware of your gratitude. There's no need to say it again. Especially considering that most of us owed you a favor."

"A favor I don't remember… But I suppose it was still me."

Subaru had to admit that they were right on that point.

"In that case, I suppose we're even. But it's still hard for me to just accept that and that's it… Would it be okay with you if we just agree that I keep visiting you more often?"

Although the truth was that it hardly meant an effort for him, and he almost considered it a personal desire, Subaru also knew that all of them seemed to enjoy his presence.

So he thought that making regular visits might be seen as a way to repay them for this…

"Hmph. That's something you should already do out of obligation, Plebeian."

Priscilla replied without hesitation. To which Subaru also smiled and laughed back.

"I'll take your words as meaning you'll be waiting for me at your mansion. So sure. I'll be there."

"Nii-san, Nii-san! Don't forget about us!"

"I must share Mimi's enthusiasm. I'm sure my Lady Anastasia-sama will also be satisfied with your visits."

"Geeez. Subaru has become very popular, hasn't he? You better not stop visiting Ferris at Crusch's camp either, now that you've returned!"

And it seems that neither Mimi, nor Julius, nor Felix thought differently.

"Not even I end up believing it myself, Felix, you know? Although I should be by now, it's still hard to accept seeing how I've connected with so many people."

Subaru scratched his head, noticing his popularity.

It wasn't just among his friends. He also knew that, even if it was little, word was starting to spread about the boy who appeared out of nowhere, spoke to the King, and gathered the royal candidates in one place.

He thought he was starting to become more popular than he would have liked in the first place…

Although considering that in relation to his other problems…

"This… It's fine, I suppose."

He thought happily, looking ahead.

While maintaining that optimism, he didn't think there was anything that could bother him.

"…!"

However… it seemed that the world refused to give him a break or leave him alone with that tranquility.

Because seconds after thinking optimistically, Subaru could feel a dangerous presence coming directly towards them.

The presence of dozens of Dark Hands flying through the air.

"Everyone down!"

"Ngh!"

Shouting with force and instinct, he shouted, while at the same time crouching over Patrasche's body as tightly as he could.

The rest did exactly the same, throwing themselves quickly to the ground, dodging the hands in the air by just centimeters, even if they didn't know it.

The speed with which they immediately responded to Subaru's warning was almost instantaneous. It was clearly due to their highly developed combat instincts sensing the danger.

Or it could be because of the trust everyone had in the black-haired boy.

In any case, that saved them.

"Who dares to attack?"

Prisca, being the only one who refused to throw herself to the ground, shouted, while cutting whatever that invisible attack was in the air around her with a single movement of her crimson fan.

"What was that!?"

Wilhelm was the next to recover, while quickly drawing his sword from his torso, ready to attack and defend.

"They're the invisible hands!"

It was only when Subaru's shout resonated that everyone noticed the origin of the danger.

But still, there were still only questions in the air.

"Why!? Petelgeuse should be dead!"

Subaru gritted his teeth with nerves. His enemy was dead. He should be dead! If not, then how is it that-

"Subaru-Dono! Give us the position of his hands!"

It was the shout of the Sword Demon that managed to bring Subaru back to his senses before he got carried away by his thoughts.

Surely everyone had the same doubts as he did, but they had left the moment to think for later to focus on acting in the now.

Subaru, knowing that he had to do the same, focuses on his surroundings, looking at the hands that-

"They disappeared?"

When Subaru looked again at the place where the hands had been just seconds before, there was nothing. It was as if they had never been there in the first place.

Being the only one capable of seeing them, he felt that his only objective at the current moment was to detect any attack that his friends might receive. His only thought was to avoid any casualties or injuries that others might receive…

Perhaps, and for that very reason, he had neglected the possible injuries and dangers directed at himself.

"Ngh!"

A sound of pain comes from the black-haired boy's lips when he feels his arms and spine being squeezed.

"Subaru!"

"Tch!"

The moment everyone saw that the boy from another world had started floating in the air, they intuited that it wasn't an ability he possessed, but rather an attack directed at him.

The next instant, Subaru's body was pulled forcefully and invisibly towards the forest, quickly disappearing behind all the trees.

Everyone naturally wanted to go after him, but they couldn't.

"…You have to be kidding."

Appearing out of nowhere, a new group of cultists seemed to manifest from the ground. In a number far greater than all the previous attacks they had faced, clearly with the intention of immobilizing them.

"We don't have time for this."

"Julius! Wait!"

Perhaps carried away by impulse or instinct, Subaru saw for a second how the team began to fight directly with the large number of cultists while he was being pulled backward.

"Nghh! Let me go! Damn it!"

Subaru could feel his body starting to crash back-first into all the trees along the way. The arm, which only he could see, around his body clearly didn't care to be gentle with him.

Feeling some trees crash and other branches scrape the skin of his arms and legs, he felt how little by little the scratches began to bleed all over his body. But he tried not to pay attention to it.

"Ngh!"

He finally had some time to recover, when his body seemed to be tied firmly to a thick trunk. He could feel his body being crushed against the rough surface behind his jacket.

He closed his eyes, from the sudden pain he felt from such pressure, barely managing to force them open to understand what was happening.

And in front of him…

"Arghhh… My brain! TREMBLES!"

"…You have to be kidding me."

That phrase made his heart freeze for an instant.

He almost seemed to wish he had damaged his eardrum and had misheard in the air. That would be much better than this other possibility.

Slowly, the darkness before his eyes seemed to dissolve as a thin figure emerged from it.

As far as Subaru knew, all Witch Cultists wore the same black hooded tunics, and never took them off their heads… but this was the second exception to the rule he had seen.

That figure did not have the hood on, leaving his face fully visible to his eyes.

"…"

For an instant, Subaru hallucinated that this figure was the double of Petelgeuse's body. But the next instant, he rejected the idea.

The figure resembled the madman, but was different somehow.

After all, the person appearing before Subaru was a young, red-haired woman with conspicuous freckles.

And even so… she had that same aura that said Petelgeuse Romanée-Conti around her.

That, added to the invisible hands coming out of her back…

"Get… those things off me" He writhed against the tree "What are you supposed to be!?"

"…A finger. DESU!"

The girl raised her right hand and brought a finger to her mouth; she bit and crushed it violently with force and without hesitation.

The dull sound, the drops of fresh blood…

It was the blasphemous self-harm of that madman, from start to finish.

Perhaps it was that single strange coincidence that made Subaru understand that he wasn't talking to some impostor.

"I am a finger! One rewarded with HER favor! A diligent disciple carrying out the trial, faithfully obeying the guidance of HER love!"

And her words seemed to confirm his suspicions.

"A copy of Petelgeuse… Really?"

"Being able to recover so early is a great relief! You are problematic, you are dangerous, you are particularly VILE! You can see the Invisible Hands, can't you?"

"Tch!"

Subaru refused to answer. And there was no need to know the answer. This wasn't the first time they had spoken.

From the way she spoke, she seemed to have the same consciousness as the Petelgeuse who was supposed to have died hours ago.

If that was the case, then there was no doubt that this person… was the same and original Petelgeuse.

"You cannot remain SILENT with me! You have been captured by HER favor, when by riiiights you should have been discarded as trash! Thiiiiis cannot be a coincidence! When it's not just one, but two times, it's not a coincidence, but something inevitable! And something inevitable instills DILIGENCE!"

"Shut your mouth… ughhh. You should rest dead, damn it."

"Dead!? Rest? Arghhh! What sloth! Sloth sloth sloth! But no! I have a trial to carry out. I have something that I cannot let pass because of my diligence! Diligence diligence! Argh! My brain trembles!"

The girl grabbed her head tightly while pulling strands of her red hair non-stop. It was a scene too difficult to watch.

She continued for a few seconds before fixing her gaze again on the captured boy in front of her.

"The love that surrounds you is the same as that of an Archbishop, added to the fact that you have the undeniable, horrible, disgusting ability to see my hidden hands…Yes! No doubt. You are the Pride of this generation. DESU!"

"Don't screw with me… I already told you I'm not. I will never ever join your damn cult."

Subaru seemed to want to spit in her face, feeling trapped once again by that damn being.

"What obstinacy! How stubborn! Arghhh! You are definitely diligent!

The Archbishops have an unwritten rule not to attack each other. But if this comes into conflict, they have no choice but to be diligent and settle differences by whatever means necessary, no matter WHAT!"

"So even if we're on the same side, you're capable of killing each other… Ngh… You're disgusting!"

While looking at the figure in front of him, Subaru saw how she maintained a manic smile from ear to ear, which seemed to grow even more when she hid her hand inside her hood.

"You don't have to WORRY. Even if your SLOTH gets in the way of your DUTY, I will take care of making you diligent with my…"

But that smile freezes and disappears almost at the same time out of nowhere.

"Gos-pel…!!"

"Nggghhh!"

Subaru feels the force of the hidden hands increase exponentially, while feeling that his bones were going to break and be crushed against the tree behind him.

While the woman turned around and seemed to writhe in desperation, not obtaining the object that she seemed to love more than anything.

"It's LOST!! IT'S LOST!? so where?! Ahh, but I understand. My Gospel!!

the guide of my love! MY GIFT! HER GIFT. HER GIFT!"

"Ngh… Min… Ya"

"Arghh!"

Subaru, taking advantage of the Archbishop's carelessness and without thinking twice, launches a darkness spell directly at her back.

The intention of killing her on the spot was clearly a very tempting idea. But obviously it couldn't be that easy, right?

"Argh!"

Impacting directly on her back, where the beginning of the invisible arm that tied him to the tree originated, the impact made the girl instinctively take space backward, detecting the danger.

That at least allowed Subaru to take a small breather, desperately seeking oxygen.

However, not a bit of his body allowed itself to feel calm or tranquility yet.

"Ngh… I didn't expect that I would have to fight too."

Biting his lips hard, trying to endure the pain all over his body, Subaru leaned on his right knee, while directing his hands to the most serious wounds on his body, trying to heal the deepest injuries he had sustained when he arrived at that place.

"Tsk…"

"Arghh! You! You! You!!! did you steal my GOSPEL!? THE GOSPEL!?"

The woman, who seemed to have determined that fact by herself, looks at Subaru with pure manic hatred, while seeming ready to destroy him completely.

"...Maybe Prisca was right about the value this book could have for them."

He thought with disgust, while looking with almost pity at the woman in front of him, and concentrated on his body, and mainly, on his gate.

Mana Flow… It should be so easy that calling it a technique or ability would be humiliating. But for him, he had to concentrate to do it correctly.

Concentrating the mana inside him, he directed it towards his legs. He had fought against cultists before and believed he could maintain an even fight against several of them.

But the enemy in front was not a simple cultist, it was a Sin Archbishop. And even though he had the advantage of being able to see his hidden hands, it didn't mean it couldn't be dangerous.

The best he could do in this situation was to play defensively. He didn't think he could flee in such a situation, so fighting against her while gaining time by holding her back was the only option he had.

Fighting in a 1vs1 against a Sin Archbishop who had even less sanity… This could be the next death Subaru could suffer if he wasn't careful.

"Authority of Sloth! Hidden Hands!"

"Ngh!"

Acting with pure hatred and almost agony, the girl, Petelgeuse, shouts into the air while raising her open hands.

At the same time, probably about 30 arms seemed to emerge from her back. Almost totally out of control.

Subaru even thought for just a second about giving up in the face of the strength in front of him. He didn't think he had any chance no matter how hard he tried. His 100% wouldn't be enough again.

If he were completely alone, he thought he would surely give in to such impossibility of winning…

But fortunately or unfortunately for him, there was more than one person he had promised to see again.

So he couldn't simply let himself die at this moment.

"Unthinkable! Horrible! Disgusting! Just DIE!"

Without wanting to hold back any longer, the dozens of arms move with speed and lack of control towards Subaru.

They tore through the air so fast that he could barely see them without losing sight of them, and it's only thanks to the Mana Flow in his legs that he is barely able to match the speed.

And yet, even so, they are capable of scratching them in the air.

"Ngh! Damn it! This is harder than I expected."

Moving backward and jumping using the trees for support, the first few seconds are only Subaru dodging the hidden hands.

His already little pride as a man felt stained by only fleeing without daring to take a single step closer, but in this situation he simply couldn't afford it.

He felt that if he lost his balance or concentration at any moment, a hand would be able to reach him and crush him. And this time, he didn't think Petelgeuse would hesitate to kill him.

"But at the same time, if I do nothing but dodge and move, I'll end up dying!"

Subaru was surviving, according to him, thanks to his own luck and Petelgeuse's 'sloth'.

She was attacking impulsively and without thinking. Clearly without any plan after losing her Gospel.

Subaru felt like he was fighting against a wild animal.

The hidden hands seemed to move at high speed thanks to them, but for the same reason, it seemed that she didn't have absolute control over them.

The hands moved desperately as if she were attacking without thinking, which gave him many free margins and errors that allowed Subaru to dodge, with great effort.

He, although he gave himself some credit, also believed it was more due to luck in the combat conditions than anything else. But he appreciated it. Now he just had to look for…

How was he supposed to kill that thing?

"Minya!"

Finding a slight gap to catch his breath and whisper into the air, he launches another darkness spell towards the woman's head.

They are stopped in the air when she uses another invisible hand to cut the path.

Clearly Subaru's spell and ability were not enough to reach her at this distance.

Getting closer was absolutely impossible without dying in the attempt. Being honest? Subaru was in a precarious situation.

Right now, he had to find the perfect gap to land a single attack, and with that, he believed that was all he needed to win or escape.

Whoever managed to land an attack first would be the winner.

"Minya! Minya!"

Subaru launched an attack every few seconds. He knew he wasn't going to hit any. He only did it to buy time and create a gap.

"SLOTH SLOTH SLOTH SLOTH"

Something that didn't seem to yield results, as it only managed to gain enough time for a good breath of oxygen to recover before dodging and jumping again.

He didn't know if controlling the hidden hands required a great effort on her part. Petelgeuse's expression was so manic that it was impossible to read.

But she didn't move from her spot. Her feet remained firmly on the ground, moving her body only to control her hand attacks.

That is, she had a great advantage in terms of endurance.

It wasn't a question of if Subaru would be defeated. It was a question of when he would be defeated.

"I have to change the game situation before that."

Improvising on the spot, Subaru directs his hand to his pocket. Not the one where he keeps his mana crystals. Not yet.

But the other one, where he keeps the second most powerful object in this fight. And the most important for her.

"THAT IS…!"

"Oh? This book? I found it lying around over there. You should take better care of it."

Showing the black book with a mocking smile in front of the woman, Subaru mocks her and the object. Hoping that her madness will increase with her anger.

"DISGUSTING HORRIBLE REPULSIVE ABERRANT!"

"The plan is working very well! Too well!"

The next instant, it seemed that the hands, which were already uncontrolled to begin with, had multiplied in both strength, speed, and quantity. To the point that Subaru was almost crushed on one occasion.

"Well, at least she's lowered her guard… Please work."

Hiding his fears and emotions behind a mask as he was used to, he opens the book in front of her, and without hesitation, tears out a page in front of her.

"Do you want to get your little book back?"

"Arhj! Wretch-!"

Without showing any respect for her beloved gift, all of Petelgeuse's spirit wanted to destroy Subaru at that moment, attacking madly directly at him.

"Upward!"

Subaru, making a plan that could put his life at risk, throws the book as high as he can. Reaching the height of a tree thanks to his Mana Flow.

"El Minya!"

And he threatens to attack, not Petelgeuse, but the book flying through the sky.

"GOSPEL!"

At the last second before the hands were about to turn Subaru into pieces, he trusted that they would divert to save the book from his attack.

He knew he wasn't dealing with a sane enemy. So he knew that expecting her to think like a normal person wouldn't yield results.

Trusting his analysis… he gritted his teeth… and he was right.

The arms that could easily have killed him in that instant were more concerned about a half-empty book than about eliminating their threat.

"El Minya!"

Confident in probably the first and only opportunity to end this, Subaru launches his spell. Half towards the Gospel, the other half towards Petelgeuse. Forcing her to divide her authority to defend both herself and her object at the same time.

"Ngh!"

The crystals did not achieve their objective. Neither of them.

The book in the air was caught by more than a dozen hands that received the impact. No crystal was able to penetrate their strength.

Petelgeuse's body still had no major wounds. A few hands had made sure to block any attack that could have done her severe damage.

At that moment, Subaru's plan had failed miserably...

"Huh?"

"Never believe your opponent!"

Shouting into the air, solely to keep the Archbishop from moving from her position, Subaru just decides to take the last step in his plan.

"Eh-!?"

Indeed, no attack hit any vital point of the Archbishop in front of him, but they all impacted the large leaning tree that was right behind her.

It only took a few hits, great aim, and infinite luck to finally…

"Argh!"

The tree fell with force forward, falling onto Petelgeuse Romanée-Conti's body.

"…"

He only spent a few seconds watching the scene.

The fallen tree, the woman's body on the ground… and the victor.

"…"

It took a few seconds of silence before Subaru's brain accepted the victory. And only when it did…

"Arhhh!"

He let relief enter his body, losing strength in his legs and falling to his knees.

He closed his eyes for several seconds, recovering his breath and letting tears fall lightly from his eyelids.

"I did it… I did it?"

He seemed to be crying with relief at having come out victorious. Although a part of him was still worried about the appearance of his enemy, almost all the rest was happy to be alive.

Subaru let himself be carried away by that small pleasure of victory for a few seconds. It was only then that he realized that-

"...-Ngh!"

He was being crushed again.

"Ngh! What?"

"My love will not die! WILL NOT DIE. IT IS UNBREAKABLE, UNREACHABLE, UNTOUCHABLE!!"

The woman's body, even with the tree on top of her, her ribs broken, and her body bleeding to the brink of death, was still generating arms that crushed Subaru's body.

There was no way she would survive those wounds. And yet, she spoke as if she were going to win while concentrating on killing Subaru.

"Ngj!"

He could feel his bones starting to sound from the tension and force being generated on him.

"Ngh… Miny-"

He tried to conjure another spell, but a hand covered his mouth and jaw with force… while at the same time turning his neck to the right.

"Nghhh!"

Subaru's body began to cry, but this time from pain, he felt as if his head was turning until it almost reached the point of being impossible to stay alive.

He felt that his eyes were turning white, and that his consciousness was fading… The sensation of death felt so alive and close to him.

And when that point seemed to arrive…

"Arh!"

"Ngj!"

A strong gust of air resonated on the battlefield. So strong that it made the trees shake violently and made everything stop for a second.

"Ahhh! Ahhh! Ahhh!"

Subaru's body fell to the ground again, without any arm attacking him.

He quickly let his arms instinctively go to his neck in pain. For the first few seconds he could do nothing but feel the pain while trying to get his mind working again.

And when he looks up expecting another enemy attack…

"Heh."

He… lets out another tear.

He had been crying a lot lately, but this time, it was a tear of happiness and relief.

"Hmph. You took too long to get here. But I suppose it wasn't bad for you. Barusu."

The Oni goddess declared with a smile as she approached her brother.

"Subaru!"

"Nii-san!"

Minutes later, Subaru, who had one arm over Ram's shoulder to stay standing, had returned and reunited with the rest of the team.

When the team saw Subaru alive, the happiness on each of their faces was clear. Especially the feline demi-human girl who ran back to hug him.

"Ughhh! Don't let your guard down like that!"

And she scolds him for having been so careless, clearly in a mix of relief and frustration.

"Ugh, yes, Mimi. I'm sorry."

Subaru, still somewhat weak from the battle, forces a smile while giving his little sister a small pat, trying to calm her and everyone in general.

"Thiiis… Sorry for worrying you all."

And his first action for that was, of course, to apologize for having been attacked.

"Don't apologize. Are you okay!? What happened to you!? Nya."

Ferris doesn't hesitate to approach Subaru and examine his body for wounds and any damage he might have done.

He could notice multiple scratches all over Subaru's body, his effort to stay standing and hide the pain on his face, and the great irritation and red marks he seemed to have on his arms and around his spine.

What bothered him most was the large red mark he seemed to have on his neck, as if someone had tried to strangle him.

He quickly focuses his magic on that area, which makes Ram stop holding him to leave him in his care, silently thanking him.

"…"

Subaru also looks around him.

He can see some corpses on the ground, and more than one wound or drop of blood on everyone's clothes and skin.

However, he can also notice that they are all present. And no merchant or carriage that was following them from a distance seemed to be destroyed.

So… even though he was frustrated to see those wounds, he was somewhat relieved. But that didn't mean he was happy.

After all, with the attack he just received…

"Subaru-dono… What attacked you?"

…It was a question that he himself didn't know how to answer.

"So, the Petelgeuse we killed was a copy, and the one now is the original?"

Felix thought and said aloud while examining the lifeless body on the ground.

"I doubt it's as simple as just that."

However, Priscilla didn't seem to agree with that possibility. If that were all, it would be truly disappointing to be true.

"She said she was just a Finger. Couldn't it mean she was one of his subordinates?"

"A Finger like all the ones we've faced on the road so far?"

Julius raised an eyebrow at Subaru's words.

"But none of them had or acted with him. Does that mean only some of them are capable of something like that?"

"Or that among his men, there could be more than one single Archbishop of Sloth?"

Wilhelm reflected.

"But the Sin of Sloth is by far the best-known Archbishop of all. If there were more than one, shouldn't that be knowledge we would have had before?" Said Mimi.

"The Witch Cult may be capable of hiding information throughout the kingdom with ease. We know so little about them that we can't be sure of anything…"

"…Getting depressed about this is pointless."

Subaru, seeing that they weren't getting anywhere, decided to close the topic.

The important thing had already been discussed. That was the main thing.

There was a possibility that the remaining fingers could act as the new 'Sloth'.

So they can take this as meaning that the strongest enemy they could face is not dead.

With that in mind… Subaru could lower his head in frustration… or try to calm down and move forward.

"It's easier said than done."

And he had to close his eyes tightly to keep the fear inside his heart from clouding his mind again.

"Changing the subject… If I may ask, who is she?"

Before Subaru could calm himself internally, Wilhelm's voice made him look up, realizing that he was referring to the pink-haired maid.

After all, she hadn't introduced herself formally yet.

"Oh, of course. You hadn't seen her before, right?"

He scratched his head, trying to integrate her into the group but-

"Ehhh. Actually, we had seen her before… Although it was only for a few seconds before she went into the forest."

"Huh?"

Ram, seeing that the topic of conversation turned to her, changes her posture and performs an introduction worthy of a high-caliber maid… Subaru almost wanted to laugh at it.

"I am Ram. Maid of Lord Roswaal… And I suppose, Unfortunately, also Barusu's Nee-sama."

She mentioned, intuiting that it was necessary to make clear her relationship with him.

"Hey! That 'Unfortunately' was unnecessary!"

"No. I think it was very necessary to specify it."

She replied with that mocking smile.

However, everyone could notice the trust that existed between them.

"Ram?…" Mimi closed her eyes as if remembering something. "Ah! You're the Oni that Ana-chan made you sell in her village, aren't you!?"

Ram blinked when someone she didn't know seemed to know about her.

"You know me?"

"Uhhh. During this week I've reunited with too many people, Nee-sama."

Subaru replied. And although he had to admit that he liked the idea of creating a better understanding of the relationship he has with everyone… it was neither the time nor the place.

He would make sure to bring them all together later.

"...Look. We don't have time for this. I'll introduce you to everyone else later. Right now we need to focus on evacuating the village before the Witch Cult-"

"We're ahead of you."

"Huh?"

Subaru blinked when Ram interrupted him.

"So these are all the people you gathered to defend us from the attack… I suppose we appreciate having extra forces in case of emergency. Although I don't think it would have been necessary."

Minutes later, once again, everyone finishes the last small stretch remaining to reach the mansion. Now with the new member included as well.

There was less than 10 minutes left to reach Arlam Village. And seriously, seriously, this time there didn't seem to be any more inconveniences on the road.

So during the remainder of the journey, Ram gave information about the village and the mansion that could be important to them.

"During yesterday afternoon, when we received Barusu's letter, it was Emilia who took the reins in giving the defense orders."

"The Half-demon?" Priscilla reacted to the maid's words with slight contempt. "And why not the lord of the lands? Isn't he the one who should be in charge of taking care of his territory?"

Although she had said it in a somewhat brusque manner, she had a point in knowing Roswaal's lack of participation. Even Subaru was surprised.

"Master Roswaal..." Ram hesitated for a second, before continuing. "Is not present at the mansion at this moment."

"Eh!?"

And her words make absolutely everyone who was listening blink?

"Was Lord Roswaal summoned elsewhere?"

"He wasn't exactly summoned, Mr. Wilhelm" she replied, maintaining a courteous tone. "But it is true that he seems to have business elsewhere."

"The Witch Cult was lucky to attack just when he wasn't present?…"

"I doubt it was just that, Felix" Julius thought about that coincidence. "It's more likely that the Witch Cult knew he wasn't going to be present, and they selected the best moment to attack."

"Are they even capable of discovering things like that?"

"…"

When his friends' words entered Subaru's mind, he immediately thought of the word 'Gospel'.

"…The guide of her love… This thing told her how to lead the attack?"

He instinctively directed his hand to his pocket, where he had recovered the object without anyone noticing.

He could try to read it again… But at this point, he considered that it would be a totally useless object in his hands right now.

So now… he just needed more information.

"Has anything else happened in the mansion, Nee-sama? Anything strange or out of the ordinary?"

"It's true that I detected some strange movements in the forest, but it wasn't anything I thought was worrying."

She explained.

"Throughout the week we've had no issues in the mansion. It wasn't until Barusu's letter arrived that we took immediate action. Trusting that, for once, maybe he's right about something."

"Those insults aren't necessary… Besides, I'm sure you believed me immediately, didn't you?"

"…"

"…Hah."

When Ram stopped responding, Subaru imitated one of her snorts, earning a small hit on the head from her.

"Ngh…! Ouch, that hurts."

"Now you know how it feels!"

Said Mimi, raising an arm, feeling somewhat happy for some reason.

"If you took immediate action, what exactly did you do?" Julius asked.

"Since last night, Emilia-sama, Beatrice-sama, and I have been on alert because of the letter. Emilia-sama asked me to use my clairvoyance to watch the forest. Which I have been doing until now."

"Have you gathered anything of value?"

"The Mabeasts are acting strangely and are unnaturally dispersed, so I couldn't gather much information."

"But I suppose it's thanks to that that you were able to find us on our way to the mansion, isn't it?"

That's what Subaru concluded, knowing the abilities that Ram was capable of.

"I saw a large group fighting among themselves just minutes ago. Naturally, Ram went to see what was happening."

"What, I suppose it was the three camps fighting against the cultists, isn't it?"

"When she arrived where we were, Subaru-dono, she asked for your location. She headed exactly to that place once we told her."

"You were worried about me, Nee-sama?"

"What a good joke. I just had to make sure you were active to clean the entire mansion and give me a good rest."

"Yeah, sure…"

Subaru couldn't help but mock her comment… However… He had to admit that, truth be told, he was moved by her presence…

In fact, he was literally holding back tears and the urge to hug her, even a little.

It wasn't just that it seemed like three weeks had passed since the last time he saw her. Nor that he had suffered through many desperate and stressful situations lately.

But rather, the last trace he had of her… was her white horn cut off under a snowstorm…

The fact that he could finally have a full view of one of his most beloved beings completely alive was…

"…What's with that look?"

Ram raised a suspicious eyebrow when she saw that her Kouhai was staring at her.

"It's nothing, Nee-sama. I'm just… happy to see you."

"…"

She looks away. Perhaps hiding a small smile? Who knows.

"How is the village? Do they know we're coming to evacuate them?"

At Felix's question, Ram slightly turns her head while responding.

"We've already started the evacuation and distributed the information. Emilia-sama was the first to try to get them to evacuate."

"...Did it work?"

Prisca asked with slight boredom… although she already intuited the answer.

"Most of them..." She remained silent for a second in frustration. "Almost everyone refused at first."

And she admitted to that fact.

"Even so, she didn't back down."

She tried to defend her. Perhaps in an attempt to keep her side's pride intact? In any case, it wasn't that she was telling any lies.

"Emilia-sama seems to have gained some determination since the letter arrived. Currently, if she's not in the village with the rest of the villagers, she'll be looking for possible weak spots where the cultists might enter."

"…May I also ask about Beako-sensei?"

"Beatrice-sama decided to stay inside the library while also defending the surroundings of the mansion. So we can be sure that the mansion will be intact."

"And the evacuation of the villagers?"

"We've already decided on the two places to evacuate to. That will make transporting them easier in less time. They will head to the capital and to the Sanctuary. A place under the Mathers Territory."

She responded precisely to each question. Which somewhat calmed the appearance that they had everything under control.

"...That should cover everything. It seems you're doing well."

"It seems that half-demon can at least do something useful."

"Pris?" Subaru looked at her, starting to get a little annoyed. "Enough."

"I'm just telling the truth."

She said without looking away. But she didn't insist further on the topic.

"…Barusu."

"Eh?"

When Ram's voice sounded again, this time in a colder and more serious manner, Subaru was a little surprised when he turned to look at her.

"What's wrong, Nee-sama? Why the tone?"

"Ram has already given all the important information she had. So you should be generous and do the same in return."

"Huh? What are you-"

"How did you get involved with the Witch Cult?"

She interrupts him. In a somewhat more… worried way?

"It's obvious that you didn't just find out by chance. You must have had some kind of contact with them."

Ram's words might have sounded accusatory if you didn't know her well. But the truth is that behind her cold character lay a great layer of fear and nerves.

She knew that the reason for the attack surely had nothing to do with Barusu. No. Surely the Witch Cult decided to attack the mansion solely with the objective of finding Emilia.

The reason this is happening now and not before was surely because Emilia had officially announced herself as a royal candidate throughout the kingdom at the start of the Royal Selection.

So with that information, the cult already knew which place they would have to go for any of their plans…

What really interested her… was knowing how the hell her little brother had found out with so many details about it.

The date of the attack, the time of it, the Sin Archbishop representing it, and even the authority he possessed…

Subaru had already shown her in the past that he is capable of surprising her, but this was not something he could achieve completely alone… without direct contact.

"The Witch Cult kidnapped you? Tortured you? Did someone give you information?… Or how did you even get anything from them?"

Those doubts were simply inside her, and they didn't allow her to fully relax.

"I…"

Subaru wasn't stupid… He knew the emotions that Ram was feeling inside and that she was keeping hidden out of pride.

Perhaps he had underestimated the worry that his letter might have brought to the mansion.

And even if it were up to him, he would say and shout everything he could…

"…It's personal."

"…"

He can feel Priscilla's sharp gaze and the silent looks directed at him by all the friends present.

Ram's gaze was no exception.

"…Are you really only going to tell me that?"

And it hurt him quite a bit not being able to tell the truth. He didn't want anyone to think that he wasn't saying it due to lack of trust or anything like that…

But whatever it was, he had no choice but to remain silent.

"…"

Ram observes him silently for several seconds. As if she wanted to force him to extract the information with just her gaze.

When she sees that it doesn't work, she turns her gaze, slowly observing each of the people present...

Then, as if she had made a decision, she lets out a sigh.

"Fine… As you wish. Ram will get the information out of you at a better time."

"…Ah. She thinks I don't want to say it because there are many people present…"

Subaru realized that. And he didn't know if anyone else had deduced it.

Although he knew that wasn't the case… At least he was glad to know that he still has the intact trust of his older sister.

"Okay."

He just replies with a smile, just minutes before arriving at the entrance of the Village.

"Ah! It's Subaru!"

Upon arriving at the village, just crossing the main entrance of the forest, everyone could notice that there was already a considerable number of villagers outside their homes.

Most of them recognized almost instantly the figures of Ram and Subaru on top of their respective earth dragons.

And of all of them, only the children were brave, or excited enough, to approach them quickly.

"Hey, look! It's Subaru!"

"Subaru! You're back!"

"Ngh!"

And the moment Subaru placed his feet on the ground, he is quickly pushed by the bodies of several children who almost make him fall backward…

Truth be told? He missed this a lot.

"Hey, hey! Calm down, this isn't the time to play. We'll play later, okay?"

Trying not to sound brusque, he smiles and gives some pats to everyone equally, managing to calm them down.

At least they seemed happy with his presence.

"…But I suppose not everyone is so warm."

He said while looking at the rest of the adult villagers present.

He could notice how there were several faces that he remembered were not present in that place… In fact, several were missing.

According to him… There was a little more than half of the villagers in the place. Perhaps some were still inside their homes, of course. That was a possibility, but somewhat hard to believe.

Surely the missing villagers were the ones who had already been evacuated… But if that's the case… it means that more than half are still here.

"Nee-sama. What did you tell the village?"

"As she already said, we started evacuating the village as soon as we could, Barusu… The fact that there are still people who refuse to go, despite it being a request and order from Emilia-sama, is…"

"Because she's a Half-elf, isn't she?"

Julius, although he didn't tell any lies nor did he mean it maliciously, finished what everyone was thinking.

"…They really rejected her attempt to help because of her appearance?"

And Subaru, once again, couldn't help but feel frustrated by the absurd discrimination that Half-elves suffered in this world…

"…Getting angry about it doesn't make sense now."

Trying not to let those emotions surface, he now looks for a way to convince the villagers to evacuate.

He considered himself bad at speaking to large groups. And although he could try, for now he would do it with the Village Chief.

Mrs. Milde.

"Young Subaru…"

The old woman called him in a calm but firm voice. Not hostile... But also not in the mood for jokes.

Subaru knew she was taking this very seriously.

"Is what Lady Emilia says true?? That they're going to attack?"

Subaru clenched his fists a little, trying to give himself strength to speak.

"Yes, Mrs. Milde. It's true."

He didn't lie. Perhaps he knew it was pointless to try.

"The Witch Cultists are coming this way. I don't know exactly how long it will take, but I know we don't have time to waste… Once they're here, the village will be in an attack zone."

A murmur ran through the crowd at his words. Of course, they suspected it… But to know that their home could be attacked just like that…

"The Witch Cult had never touched this ancient village before… If they plan to attack now it's because…-!"

"It's because of that half-elf! Surely they're looking for her!"

"Why did our lord decide to sponsor her?"

The murmurs escalated quickly, until they almost became a heated argument among the villagers.

"Emilia-tan is not to blame. She-!"

"How can you say she has nothing to do with it…!?"

"…"

"Can you really say with certainty that she has no relation to the attack!?"

"…"

He couldn't. Subaru knew he couldn't.

The Witch Cult was looking specifically for Emilia. Not because of anything she did. It was just because she was Emilia. Just because she was a half-elf.

His point still stood. She wasn't to blame... But he didn't think he could convince them of that.

"It's Emilia who has to earn their trust. I can't do that for her."

Even though he would really like to, he simply wasn't the right person for it. No one would be more suitable than Emilia herself.

He didn't believe he could increase Emilia's trust… So now… The only thing he has to achieve is to increase trust in himself, and increase trust in the evacuation.

He, somehow, manages to silence everyone's murmurs while at the same time, addressing the Village Chief again.

"Listen… You know I'm not from here. I've only spent a month with all of you during my stay here, but even so… I consider this place my home."

His voice did not tremble. His eyes only looked at the old woman in front of him, while he tried to minimize his nerves.

"I'm not your family. I'm not your leader. I don't even know if I can consider myself one of you... But I am someone who is incapable of staying still when there are people I love who are in danger."

Mrs. Milde looked at him intently. Then, slowly, she shifted her gaze towards the others behind them.

"And them? Why would they fight for us?"

Subaru smiled. A small but confident smile.

"Because they're good people. And because I asked them to... And because they're my friends."

Julius, who had remained silent until then, dismounted from his earth dragon with elegance. He brought a hand to his chest and gave a slight bow.

"Ma'am, and others present. I am Julius Juukulius, Knight of the Royal Guard. The rest of my companions and I have been informed of this threat, and although I cannot promise you that all the knights of the kingdom will come to your aid, I can assure you that we will not rest until we ensure that each and every one of you is safe."

"What a sickly sweet speech you two are giving." Priscilla, without even bothering to dismount, also decides to speak with her head held high with pride. "The plebeian is right. I don't care if you stay or leave. But if you stay, you will die. And staying to die will always be a pathetic option. So by my order, I order you to move."

Felix also dismounted, adjusting his gloves.

"Even if it doesn't seem like it, Nya, we have a couple of healers in the group. But we can't heal anyone if we have to fight and protect them at the same time. So, please, cooperate~"

Mimi, who appeared next to Subaru, raised a hand childishly while shouting.

"Yes, yes! And if you don't leave, Mimi will get angry! And an angry Mimi is very loud! So if you don't want to hear me scream, please help us too!"

Subaru turned again to Mrs. Milde, and to the other villagers who were now looking with less harsh expressions. Some were still doubtful, but they were willing to keep listening.

"I'm not asking you to trust me blindly. I haven't done anything to deserve that… but just give yourselves the chance to live. Get out of here, even if it's just for a few hours. I'm asking you...

If in the end nothing happens, I'll allow you to reproach me all you want for the lost effort, time, and worry…"

He paused. Swallowed.

"But if you stay and something happens... I won't be able to forgive myself in this lifetime."

He more than anyone knew that he wasn't lying at all.

The silence became denser. No one said anything for a few seconds... Then, Mrs. Milde sighed. She closed her eyes. And when she opened them, there was something different in them.

A smile, somehow, proud of the boy.

"You're good with words. You have experience speaking in public, don't you?"

Subaru made a slight grimace of a smile.

"I don't think so. Not a good experience to share" He scratched his hair.

"Let's go. Gather what you need." The old woman turned and ordered all the villagers. Children and adults alike. "We're going to the capital. And to any safe place they consider we should go. We need to hurry if we want to catch up with the rest."

The silence slowly faded away. When finally and slowly but clearly, everyone began to move.

Subaru exhaled. He hadn't realized he had been holding his breath until he felt his lungs burn.

"…Although there's one thing I disagree with."

When Milde's voice sounded again, he again tensed up instinctively.

"…Of course you're part of us. You're part of the village as our family, Subaru. Don't doubt it."

With those words, the chief left the place while heading with the children to the rest of the carriages to evacuate.

"…"

Subaru kept a smile for several more seconds before finally relaxing.

It was a real smile.

Minutes later… The evacuation was flowing faster than expected.

"Hey, Mr. Knight… Protect Subaru, okay? He promised to play with us again."

Julius smiled when he heard the favor of a child he was helping to get into the carriage with his parents.

His friend was very loved here too, huh?

"I'll make sure he keeps his promise. You'll play with them again soon."

"He better. Subaru is very fun!"

"I'm sure he is."

Giving a slight bow to the child and the adults inside the carriage, Julius respectfully said goodbye to another of the carriages, while giving them his deep blessing of protection against any possible danger.

"With this, that would be the 15th carriage to leave. How many villagers are left in total?"

"About 300 villagers live in this village. Before you arrived, Emilia-sama and I managed to convince 100 of them."

"And now there must be about 50 villagers remaining… For only a little over an hour, that's not a bad speed."

Subaru was happy with the report from Ram and Julius.

The village, at a steady pace and, for their good, faster than he had anticipated, was becoming empty.

Most of the warrior men they had with them also began to leave. Small defense groups were formed for each carriage, to ensure their safety.

So most of the Iron Fangs warriors, Crusch's men, and Prisca's men began to separate, leaving the strongest distributed in the village, who would be the main defense of the supposed attack.

"Only a few villagers remain to evacuate. After that, we'll be totally alone waiting for the cult to attack…"

Would the cult attack even if the village was completely deserted?

Truth be told, Subaru believed so.

After all, that whole 'Trial' that Petelgeuse wanted to carry out didn't directly involve the villagers.

His objective was the silver-haired girl who should be in the vicinity. And right now… no one had seen.

"That half-elf should have shown up by now, don't you think? For her territory to be attacked, it seems she's not doing much."

Although Subaru was about to tell Priscilla that that comment might be a bit unnecessary to say… The truth was that she had a point.

He was worried not knowing anything about Emilia yet.

"I'm sure Beako-sensei will be in her library, protecting it along with the mansion… But I thought I would find Emilia when we arrived at the village."

"...Ram, it's not that I distrust her. But could you use your clairvoyance to locate her?"

At her brother's request, she didn't refuse, while closing her eyes and concentrating on the beasts of the forest.

"…"

Although she falls into a silence that makes him a little nervous.

"…Nee-sama?"

"…There are very few Mabeasts in the forest… most of them can't see anything."

She spoke while still keeping her eyes closed. Clearly she also knew something strange was going on.

"Few Mabeasts?"

Subaru knew that Ram had told him that the Mabeasts were acting unnaturally, but he didn't remember her saying anything about the low number of them.

For a forest that should be teeming with them… the fact that there were few was very unnatural.

"Perhaps Lady Emilia is hunting Mabeasts, to increase security and reduce a possible attack?"

"That could be a possibility... But I thought that by now she should have assumed that we have arrived. She should have returned."

"That's true… Unless-"

"Wait…"

Ram's voice interrupted Julius's words. Which makes everyone turn their focus back to her.

"Did you manage to see something?"

"I connected with a flying one… It's located in the western area of the village. Somewhat far from here… It doesn't seem to be seeing great…-!"

At that moment Ram makes a quick head movement. While bringing her hand quickly to her forehead as if she were enduring a slight mental pain.

"Nee-sama?"

Subaru, naturally, worries about her.

It didn't matter that she was infinitely times stronger than him. That was no reason not to worry about her well-being.

"…It died."

"Huh?"

"I lost the connection with the Mabeast... I didn't see anything, but something crushed it while it was flying, and it died in the air..."

"No... Did you see it?"

An invisible attack… That set off all the alarms inside Subaru.

And the next instant...

"…!"

No one except one person could have noticed it. They couldn't.

But from the western area of the village, a loud explosion was heard, along with a great tremor that shook the ground of the entire area.

Added to about 60 dark hands that seemed to have notably increased their size and reach.

"…!"

Julius and Wilhelm, perhaps the most experienced, were the first to react to where their combat instincts indicated danger.

Because even if they couldn't see, they could feel something.

The cult's attack had begun its final step.

"Ngh!"

"But what…!?"

It only took a few minutes to run across the village to reach the explosion area. Where the tremor originated.

When Subaru managed to reach the area where the most experienced warriors were, it was already late.

The Witch Cult had already begun to mobilize from the entrance, looking for every possible place to move easily.

Wilhelm and Julius continued attacking each one non-stop. None of the Cultists could last more than a few seconds before being easily defeated by them.

"Al Clauzeria!"

Julius's shout resonated, and along with his sword, the power of the spirits also accompanied him, quickly finishing off the cultists within his attack range.

"Hahhh!"

Wilhelm perhaps had no magic or spell ability in his domain, but his sword handling far surpassed any common cultist. The only thing he needed to defend himself was his back and himself.

And yet.

"Why are they…?"

Subaru and everyone else were noticing something very strange in the cult's incursion into the village.

All the Cultists were dying quickly. Very quickly. The only reason they were falling one after another… was that none of them were focusing on defending themselves at all.

They received the attacks for no necessary reason. Of course, they would surely die in the end, but it was as if they didn't care about dying in the first second.

Naturally, that made Subaru suspicious immediately.

"El Fura!"

Ram's voice, who was behind him, resonated with force. The ground beneath the two of them cracked, and in an instant, the same number that Julius and Wilhelm had killed in several minutes combined, went flying with a single attack...

"Did they really need reinforcements?" Mimi thought silently to the side, seeing the Oni's strength.

However, the enemies only disappeared momentarily for a few seconds before double that number emerged from nowhere once again.

"Tsk! They really don't care about their lives at all, huh?"

Ram frowned, but held back at that moment.

Unfortunately for her, they were only in a semi-open field. For anyone, that would be enough to be able to attack with everything.

But for her? If she let herself be carried away by her full power, there was a possibility of ending up hurting all her allies and the village around her.

So she had to fight just enough not to cause major damage.

"…He's not here."

"Huh?"

While he was thinking, Subaru was distracted by Prisca's words, as he turned around and asked with his gaze what she meant.

"All these cultists… None of them are that disgusting Sloth Archbishop, are they?"

"It's... true?"

Perhaps because he was still carried away by surprise, Subaru had only just realized that fact.

The attacker who had killed the Mabeast that Ram was connected to definitely had to be him. Or at least, one of his fingers.

He was supposed to be there. He saw the dark hands from a distance and now that he's arrived, he wasn't there.

There was only an army of cultists who kept marching to their death.

If he wasn't attacking, and if the enemies were only a distraction… then surely the Archbishop was…

"Damn it!We don't have time for this! We have to evacuate the rest of the villagers!"

"Mimi, Wilhelm, Julius… Please don't let any more cultists enter this area!"

Giving orders, as if he were the leader, Subaru asked his three members whom he considered family to take care of covering the possible entry of more cultists.

The rest? They wouldn't stay there. They would return to where the few remaining villagers were.

"Our priority is to get them out of danger. Only with that can we ensure an easy victory."

Subaru considered that possibility. With the forces they had together, if they didn't let their guard down, that was all they needed to win.

So he could only trust in that.

When they returned to the center of the village, where the evacuation zone was, Subaru, Ram, and Prisca could see that the villagers were beginning to panic.

It was natural that after hearing the explosion and the tremor that had shaken the entire village, they would find out that the attack had begun before they had left.

Parents kept the little ones close while none could hide their faces of fear and desperation, as they began to climb onto the carriages frantically.

"Ahhh!"

"Ngh!"

However, before a group managed to get into a carriage, the last group that had to get in, it exploded.

No, it wasn't exploded. It was crushed. It was destroyed out of nowhere.

At least for everyone except Subaru.

"Tsk…"

When he looked at the dark arms, and looked at the place from which all these attacks were coming, his gaze went to the roof of one of the village's wooden houses.

And naturally, on top of it...

"Ah. There you ARE!"

"Ngh…!"

Subaru felt a shiver run through his body when the manic gaze of a man fixed on him.

A woman. Thin, lanky, with a face covered in scars and a smile that didn't belong to any sane human being. He wore the cult's black tunic, but without a hood.

And around him, floating in the air like ghost jellyfish…

Invisible hands.

"Petelgeuse."

"…"

The man's manic gaze focused solely on Subaru. As if he was the only thing he was looking for in this village of humans.

"He who took the Gospel. He who took away her gift. He who DESPISED the Witch's love… YOUUUUUU!"

Seeing him with pure hatred, only him and his victim seeing it coming, 70 dark hands seem to emerge with force from his back, focusing on killing Subaru.

"Nee-sama!"

"El Fura!"

Trusting each other mutually, Subaru points to the air and shouts at the same time, while Ram's devastating attack heading to the sky cuts in half all the arms that were there.

"Arghhh. Instead of fighting on your own, you send your allies to defend. Ahhh, you are sloth! Sloth sloth sloth!"

"Well, not so different from you. A copy that is nothing without its fingers."

Prisca, who had already taken her fan from between her breasts, looked with disgust at the enemy who simply refused to fulfill his duty and just die.

Running and jumping with force, she directs her fan at his neck. She knew that with just a touch, it would be enough to finish him.

But centimeters before that happened, the woman began to fly…

No, she didn't start flying; rather, it would be better to say that he was pulled into the air and backward by his own hands.

"Tch!"

Making a sound of disgust with her tongue, Prisca simply knew that attacking senselessly would be pointless. But that's fine. When he comes down, she would definitely kill him.

But now?

"My brain, TREMBLES!"

Taking advantage of the moment he is out of range, even for a single second, the 70 hands re-emerge as if they had never been cut.

The hands head towards Subaru once more. The Archbishop's desperation and intention to recover the object he had stolen from him was clearly noticeable.

Perhaps it was that same desperation, the lack of the guide that dictated his plan, that the cult's attack seemed more improvised and much more chaotic than it should have been.

Perhaps by taking away the Gospel, he made the cult set aside all their plans and move to a more desperate side to recover it.

Or at least, it was a possibility.

"Girls!"

Making a new signal with his fingers, the invisible hands were cut again thanks to the cutting attacks of the Oni goddess and the Sun Princess.

Subaru was very happy to be able to count on powerful allies to protect him, but even so, it didn't mean he could let his guard down.

He turned his head, looking at all the villagers who had been paralyzed with fear. Even when he wanted them to find a way to flee, he understood that in this situation that was a very unlikely possibility.

The entire battlefield was within Petelgeuse's attack range. They had no way to ensure an exit for them.

So if he wanted to ensure their escape… they would have to kill this enemy a third time.

For a moment, Subaru thought about taking the book out of his pocket to make her lose control again. But he regretted it almost instantly.

At this moment he was not in the forest. He was in the village. If he made the hands go completely out of control, then there would be no way to keep the village and the villagers safe.

"…Ngh!"

A second carriage was crushed and lifted into the air. The force of each hand was enough to destroy dozens of trees on their own, so it didn't surprise anyone and yet, it put them on guard.

"Minya!"

Subaru launched a mana crystal, which were starting to run out, to destroy the carriage that was approaching him and his friends.

Defending was clearly not an option, so he had to go on the offensive.

When the carriage exploded due to his spell, hundreds of pieces remained in the air falling in all directions. Subaru used that moment to attack.

"Priscilla!"

Taking advantage of the small smoke screen he had generated by attacking, Priscilla and Ram understood that it was the right moment to finish him.

Priscilla jumped. Now that she could see the hands perfectly through the screen the Plebeian had generated, she no longer had to attack everything around her to defend herself. In a second, she jumped onto a carriage while cutting arm after arm.

"Even with a thousand cuts. My love will not PERISH!"

Perhaps sensing the danger, the arms that used to be directed at the black-haired boy diverted with the sole objective of limiting Priscilla's movements.

She could cut dozens of them. However, even she had a limit in the air to defend against 70 attacks from different directions.

She ended up being held by the wrists and arms by more than a dozen arms, leaving her totally immobile.

But that was fine, it wasn't a 1vs1 after all.

"Is that all the strength you have? Disappointing for an Archbishop."

"…!"

Even with her body completely immobilized, Prisca bends her wrist where she had her fan. Applying only her inner strength on the fingers that held it, she manages to launch the fan with speed directly towards Petelgeuse's neck.

The speed was clearly not the greatest, and yet, the madman felt that he had to dodge it with all his strength.

"Arghh!"

"Ngh!"

Using his not-so-invisible arms anymore, he crashes Priscilla's body directly downward, creating a small crater and cracks in the ground.

Without letting her rest, he uses those same arms on her to lift himself upward, right above everyone.

The fan passes right next to him, only touching his fingers, cutting them off immediately.

"Arghh! Ahhh! Yes! This is Sloth! Sloth sloth sloth!"

But she doesn't scream in pain. In fact, she seems to scream in madness while she was at the highest point, completely oblivious to the wound. Completely oblivious to the damage she caused. Completely oblivious to-

"Good. There's nothing in the way anymore. Let's finish it, Nee-sama!"

Smiling at the small improvised plan that had worked, Subaru shouts one last time, making his intentions clear.

"El Fura!"

Launching another wind attack, one with even more force, Ram shouted, finally allowing herself to attack in a free direction without any risk of hurting any nearby ally.

After all, the only thing above her was that disgusting madman she had already begun to hate.

"Knhk!"

With no way to move in the air, Petelgeuse had no way to compete in any sense with Ram's technical skill and strength.

"My brain… Trembles."

He was easily beheaded in the air, leaving his head and body to fall to the ground easily as if nothing.

"…"

When Petelgeuse's body fell once more, there was a silence in the place.

The villagers were still panicking, but they were beginning to calm down, feeling that it was all over.

Ram looked at the body she had just killed with extreme coldness. As if it had cost her nothing.

Priscilla, whom anyone would think was badly injured, gets up from the ground gracefully, brushing off the dust.

And Subaru, upon seeing that he had managed to defeat another Sloth without any casualties… closed his eyes and let out a small sigh of relief...

That relief only lasted 3 seconds.

"Ngh!"

The moment he closed his eyes, in the small instant that he relaxed, his body is pulled forcefully backward, hitting and going right through a carriage completely.

"Baru-!"

"Plebe-"

Before either of them could understand what was happening, without the hand detector indicating where the attacks were coming from, both were caught by surprise.

The two fell to the ground, taken by surprise. But neither was seriously attacked.

The arms pushed them backward not to hurt them. But simply to push them as far away from that place as possible.

That attack had no intention of killing either of them. That wasn't its objective… Its objective was to isolate the weakest and most important pawn of them.

"Argh. My brain TREMBLES!"

A new figure appears. This time, an older man completely different from the rest of the fingers.

But that manic smile that already tired Subaru was still the only identical thing about him still.

"Another one?… Really?… Damn it…"

Subaru tried to get up from the place, but he couldn't.

His body was starting to bleed from the impact he had taken. And his mind was so weak that he couldn't move his arms to heal himself.

In short, he had been overconfident and had let his guard down, ending up in this very weak position.

Perhaps the fact that the previous Finger had died so easily was solely so that the next Finger would have a perfect surprise attack that would ensure his victory.

Subaru felt that the man was getting closer to him. Being alone and completely… He didn't think he could be saved again, all because of a single fatal carelessness.

"…Damn it…"

Subaru closed his eyes, believing he knew what was coming. Was he really going to go through this again?

As if the world wanted to answer him, Subaru heard one last shout, before feeling his body suddenly cool down...

But it wasn't a cold of death.

And it wasn't a villain's shout.

"Enough."

When Subaru heard that voice, he immediately opened his eyes, with great effort and pain, but the image in front of him more than compensated.

"Leave my friend alone."

It was the second time Subaru had heard that person say exactly the same words. Was this another Déjà Vu?

Long silver hair. In front of him, a Half-elf who had summoned an ice crystal in a hostile and beautiful manner, while placing herself in front of her friend, looking strongly at the enemy.

"…Emilia-tan."

Once Emilia had planted herself, defending Subaru and the Villagers equally, a tense silence fell.

On Subaru's part, he didn't know if it was relief or happiness at the scene. He was completely captivated.

The villagers looked at her with terror at seeing the witch finally appear, but at the same time also with some hope that she could do something.

And the last one… The first one to break the silence that no one dared to touch, was Petelgeuse himself.

"Ahh, ahhh! What a fortuitous and wonderful day! What a splendid destiny! To think that such a wonderful opportunity would happen! Truly, the living image! That figure! That form…! Yes! You are her! Her her her her!"

"…"

Emilia looked at the man in front of her without lowering her guard for a second. Without taking her eyes off him for an instant.

Because of the letter she had received, and because of the scene she had around her… She knew how dangerous that man was.

When the man in front of her took a step forward, Emilia did not step back, she only raised her threatening palm.

"Stop. I will not allow any more damage."

Even though her voice always sounded angelic, her words carried an undeniable determination for whoever heard them.

"Most of the cultists hiding in the forest were defeated and frozen." She declared as if she herself had ensured it. "You're alone... If you don't resist, we can end this quickly."

She asked almost as a favor. Almost begging him to please give up and make everything easier. Although of course, it was normal that the madman wouldn't stop.

"Her her her Her her her."

Without stopping for a second, the man took another step forward, then another, then another, then another, closing the distance non-stop.

At that moment, Emilia did not stop to be kind.

"Huma!"

Launching 4 stakes directly at him, she hoped to end this battle quickly and without having to cause any unnecessary pain before defeating him.

Petelgeuse did not let himself be. Being the last available Finger, with his 100 Hands, he not only blocked the ice stakes with them, but also used the body of his previous decapitated Finger to ensure his own defense.

"…Wasn't he your ally?"

Emilia frowned when she saw how he was capable of defending himself using the corpses of his own team. How could he be so disgusting?

"They are disciples! Furthermore, my fingers! However, before you, before the vessel, these things have no meaning! It's the same even for ME! My will, my reason for existing! All of it, is in you!"

"…"

Emilia tried to understand with all her might the words the Archbishop wanted to say. She really tried as if she wanted to help him in some way, and in the end, she could only frown in frustration at failing him.

"The truth is that I don't understand it. But seeing you talk like that… For some reason it hurts me a lot.I wish I could have saved you from whatever made you like this."

Feeling emotions she didn't even know she had, Emilia gave a small apology to Petelgeuse. It was the only display of kindness and guilt she would show him.

"However, right now I can't afford to lose for that reason. I have to save those who can still be saved."

Raising her hand once more, a defensive ice wall is generated around Subaru's body and the villagers still there. A protection measure that Emilia was giving them.

"Besides… You've also hurt people I love. Forgive me if I'm upset."

Without stopping for another second, Emilia focused strength on the tips of her feet, and jumped straight at her enemy.

"Subawu!"

"Ngh!"

When the first exchange occurred, Subaru heard another voice that had appeared without him realizing it.

It was Felix, who quickly crouched at his feet to focus his healing magic on him, seeing the enormous wounds he had done to himself again.

They weren't sharp wounds that would cause immediate death. But they were serious and required his attention right now.

Without hesitation, he heals him as quickly and efficiently as he can.

"Ngh…"

Subaru closed his eyes tightly when he tried to move, due to a strong jolt of pain generated throughout his body.

But he wasn't worried about himself.

"Don't move! You need to rest!"

"Priscilla and Nee-sama" He forced himself to speak between groans. "They are...-!"

"We are right here, Plebeian."

"Ah?"

Emerging with minor injuries, Priscilla and Ram walk until they are within Subaru's line of sight, who lay on the ground.

"They're just small scratches, you don't have to worry about trifles."

Ram affirmed… Although she felt great frustration towards herself for having been so careless at the moment they attacked her brother.

She wanted to, and could, finish off that Archbishop if she let herself release all her strength, an idea that was now even more tempting than before, almost giving in regardless of collateral damage.

But… she would resist her desires this time.

Not only for the good of the village and the villagers, but also so that… perhaps everyone could see that the half-elf was much more than just that.

"Hyaa!"

Emilia's shout sounded, as she launched several ice stakes again. Each one directed at the same target, making sure not to damage anything around her.

"For the trial! For the WITCH, my love will not perish HERE!"

The attacks were dodged and blocked with ease. Having a total of 100 invisible hands at her disposal, winning based on ice attacks didn't sound like a very convincing idea.

Emilia knew it. She wasn't so naive or stupid, so knowing that the first thing to ensure was that they weren't invisible in the first place.

"El Huma!"

She concentrated and launched an ice crystal larger than normal. It was fired vertically upward elegantly.

"Hahhh!"

And launching another crystal in the same place with more force, both crystals collide in the air. They break, making tiny crystals and ice dust fall throughout the area.

Using that improvised false mist as a weapon, Emilia was able to see and feel the fluctuations that the invisible hands generated in the air.

Even so, blocking and fighting directly against 100 hands was something that sounded very difficult to do in fair terms.

Focusing on her feet again, she froze the ground. All the ground around her.

The ice began to expand rapidly in a symmetrical manner within a radius of several meters around her, hoping to trap him in the act.

"My love will not DIE."

"…"

But naturally, she also expected him to destroy the ice before it touched him. Although she couldn't deny feeling somewhat disappointed.

But even so, with frozen ground beneath them, Emilia had a high terrain advantage.

"Even with your TRICKS. My DILIGENCE will NOT LOSE!"

Trying to catch her, the hands headed again towards Emilia's body, but with increased speed, and with the frozen mist as support, with her high speed she was able to dodge them all completely.

She ran in circles around Petelgeuse. Without stopping attacking or giving him a moment's rest.

The Archbishop did not stop. Using his 100 arms, attacking everything around, including the villagers, Emilia was distracted for a second by the possibility of having to make sure they weren't…-

"I have you…!"

"…Ngh!"

In that single moment of carelessness, a hand that was running along the ground managed to reach her.

Not enough to grab her, but enough to make her trip over herself, causing her to fall on the cold ground defenseless.

"You will be The Vessel For Her! Her her her her her her."

Petelgeuse, without hesitation, directs each and every one of his hands towards the little girl on the ground, with speed and force, ready to finish her off.

Emilia, on the cold ice, felt panic for only a second at the possibility of failing on her own. At the possibility that she had not been enough.

"Lia! I can-!"

"No!"

And even so, when her Spirit father almost came out of her collar ignoring his daughter's request, she reaffirmed that she didn't need help. She didn't want help.

She had asked him to remain in his crystal at this moment. Not out of necessity, nor convenience, nor even for a plan. She clearly knew that having him by her side would make this much easier.

But she was tired of feeling that she always had to rely on others in some way to be able to fight and face her own problems.

So she would maintain her decision to fight alone. With the sole objective of proving to everyone and herself what she was capable of. Even if that meant taking risks.

"Huma!"

"Argh!"

An ice crystal emerged from the frozen ground that she herself had generated right in front of her. That hard, sharp crystal cut the hands just before they reached her.

...Well, it cut almost all of them.

"Hyaaa!"

"Argk?!"

Leaving a single free arm, a single exposed and intact invisible arm, she does not stop its advance towards her.

Instead, she only rolls over herself, dodging the arm by just a few cm, to finally, grab it herself with both arms.

"Argh!?"

Without hesitating for a second, knowing it would be serious if she let this opportunity pass, she pulls the invisible hand towards herself. And with it, the man's body as well.

Without giving him time to regain his balance, the man ends up moving from his safe zone, ending up stepping on the frozen ground.

And at that moment…

"Huma."

The battle ended.

The ice on the ground concentrates on the Archbishop's feet, freezing him. In an instant, the Archbishop's feet were completely surrounded by ice.

No. It wasn't just his feet.

The ice quickly runs up his body, going up his legs and fixing him firmly from any possible movement.

"Ahhh! This is definitely Diligent! Diligence diligence diligence diligence!"

Perhaps in a disturbing way of showing his pride, Petelgeuse smiles and laughs upon seeing his body frozen and totally immobile and defenseless, while declaring and shouting his thoughts about the attack.

"Thank you very much. And now, please, die."

And without more, without any extra tricks, or anything similar, Emilia quickly approaches the man's body, placing her hand on his torso. Concentrating her magic one last time.

And the Archbishop's body… was completely frozen, until his blood, thoughts, and love remained frozen forever.

"…"

Emilia stood looking at the frozen man's body for a few seconds in silence. Staring at him with complicated emotions…

She didn't understand why, but this battle, even though she had emerged victorious, also felt like she had lost something important.

And she even feels a tear forming in her right eye, which falls and runs down her entire cheek. She takes her time to raise her hand to wipe her face.

In the end… she still didn't know why this battle was difficult for her in more ways than one.

She supposed this would be another doubt added to all the doubts she had had throughout this week.

But returning to reality.

"Ah…"

Emilia can feel the gaze of dozens of people around her. Making her a little nervous.

Without having actively sought it… well, maybe just a little, she could feel the tension along with the admiration and respect of more than one person watching her.

She could still notice that there was slight terror and contempt from some villagers and the most stubborn ones. But this… was not bad at all.

"Emilia-sama."

"Ah, Ram!"

Quickly, she regains her composure when the pink-haired maid addresses her.

She approaches her, with a small smile.

"You have done a good job."

Ram forced herself to show at least a bit of her respect for the way Emilia had managed to handle the entire attack.

From the start of the evacuation, her thoughts on the plan, the defense against the cultists in the forest, and the battle against the Archbishop...

The best? Surely not. Surely she could have done more.

But... She was undoubtedly worthy of those words.

"Ah! You all..."

When Emilia looked behind Ram, she saw several more people accompanying her who had also seen her fighting.

Felix, Priscilla, Julius, Wilhelm, and Mimi.

She knew all these names thanks to the letter she had received the day before. So it wasn't hard to identify each one.

"Emilia-sama… I must say that you fought with utmost elegance."

"Ah! Ehhh. Thank you, Mr. Wilhelm."

She gives a small smile at the Sword Demon's compliment. It was clear that Emilia was not used to receiving compliments from many people beyond those who always did.

"It was incredible! The ice, the mist, everything! It was super incredible!"

"I understand why Subawu spoke so highly of you, Nya."

"…"

Mimi smiled childishly looking at Emilia.

Ferris smiled and laughed a little while addressing her.

And Priscilla… Just stared at her intently with a very, very small minimum smile of respect.

"I… just did what I thought I had to do."

Emilia feels satisfied with herself… When she looks around, the villagers seem less hostile towards her.

Perhaps she finally made some progress in her relationship with them? She hoped so.

Although what she wanted most at this moment... was to hear the words of the black-haired boy.

"F-Felix, how is Subaru?"

She, showing some concern for him, dares to ask. Clearly nervous about the seriousness of what had happened to him. But she is quickly reassured by the Royal Healer.

"He had some very strong wounds when he was attacked by that Archbishop. Subaru has pushed himself a lot in the last few hours" He admitted. "But I think he will be completely recovered with a little rest. He is right…"

When Felix was going to point to the place where he had put his friend to rest to recover… there was no one.

"…Huh?"

And at that moment, somehow… everyone felt that something was going very wrong.

In the forest, moving with frenetic speed and desperation, a black-haired boy who was physically and mentally exhausted ran without looking back for a second.

It didn't matter that he needed to rest. It didn't matter that his body was at its limit. It didn't matter the branches that he didn't bother to dodge and that scratched his skin all over. He didn't dare to look back, and he did everything not to slow down.

Gripping his head tightly, he felt a lot of pain in his brain. He felt like his veins were going to explode at any moment. The blood burned in his head and he thought it was literally going to burst at any moment.

He grabbed locks of his hair and pulled them back forcefully, in a useless gesture to control his own pain.

"Ahhh! Ahh! Ahhh!"

His breathing was heavy, painful... Breathing was almost as painful as not doing it at all. Each gasp of air came accompanied by a heartbreaking scream that came from his soul.

Still, he didn't stop.

He had to flee and escape. Stay alone and far away from everything. No matter how or where. Anywhere but here.

Away from the village. Away from the villagers. Away from his friends. Away from anyone he loved.

The mere act of thinking pushed him to his limit. He felt that this sensation was much worse than dying frozen and disappearing into the air as he had already experienced.

At that moment, at least his body disappeared, he would stop feeling and existing.

At this moment… He felt like he was losing control of his being completely, and that could be worse than everything else.

"Subaru!"

"Ah!"

Even when he ran with all his might, when he tried to flee at full speed, and when he tried to disappear from everything, just seconds after leaving, a group appears behind him.

He felt angry. Very frustrated. But it was natural. After all, discounting only Felix, all of them surpassed him both physically and in experience.

Escaping from them was pointless, but still… Why did it have to be right at this precise moment!?

"Nii-san. Why did you run off?"

Mimi, perhaps being the most childish or the one most guided by her emotions, doesn't bother to hide her confused face upon seeing her brother so... different.

"Why?…" He replied in a whisper. Before shouting. "Why why why why why!?"

The words, which should have been only inside his mind, began to come out of his lips forcefully and uncontrollably. Each word was a direct blow to the non-existent calm in the air.

This made everyone shudder for a reason that was not yet clear.

"Subaru…?"

Emilia looked confused at her friend. With evident concern.

She believed that he was without a doubt the person she most wanted to see and talk to after this whole week they had been apart. A week that felt eternal.

Why was he acting like this? Why wasn't he looking at her? Why was her friend refusing to approach her?

Feeling nervous and somewhat scared, she takes another step forward, wanting to see his face. Whatever it was, she would refuse to let him suffer alone.

But she is quickly stopped when she is pulled back.

"H-hey!" She reacts instinctively to the tug on the collar of her clothes, trying to break free. "What are you…"

"Shut up, Half-demon."

Prisca's words were as cold as snow. Colder than ice.

Even though she didn't particularly like Emilia, that wasn't the reason she was treating and speaking to her that way.

She sharpened her eyes as she looked at her friend's body. Her instinct spoke for her, and together with the violet-haired knight... they reached the same conclusion.

"That is not Subaru."

"…That's right" The boy replied.

"Ngh!"

Affirming their words, 'Subaru' suddenly stops shouting and repeating the same meaningless words.

His hunched posture disappeared. Recovering some calm and peace, while standing in a firm position before turning around.

He had a smile. Eyes wide open. And a tone so calm that it almost made someone believe everything was fine.

"I am the Archbishop belonging to the Witch Cult, Representing the Sin of Sloth. Petelgeuse Romanée-Conti..."

His neck turned, not slowly, but abruptly, almost seeming as if it had broken.

"DESU!"

The smile that appeared on his face, on the face they considered their friend, had become the most horrible thing any of them had ever seen.

Everyone's best friend… had become everyone's worst enemy.

Notes:

So? Even though it took me several weeks to write this chapter. More specifically 3 weeks, at least I'll make up for it by publishing my longest chapter so far, I think. About 15k words. That's... quite a lot.And as you can see… This had MUCH more action than the last chapter. Damn, it even impressed me.Although it also showed me that I don't know how to write combat scenes at all. Watching fights is fun, but writing and reading them has never appealed to me. Anyway, I hope you like it.I wanted to make some things clear in the chapter. But in case it wasn't clear:

- Ram could have finished everything too easily and by herself, but she held back a bit because of the village and to give Emilia a better image.- Emilia was able to fight much better because Petelgeuse, not having his original body, didn't make it difficult for her to fight.- Emilia asked Puck to stay in his crystal, as a way to test herself.- Emilia was fighting with the cultists and several enemies in the forest.

Anyway, that's all.What did you think of the chapter? Too much unnecessary text? Fun from start to finish? Do you prefer calm chapters like the previous one or is this action better?Comment whatever you want. I'll be happy to see your comments.Although I must say that if you know a bit more about the anime… what's left is obviously what's going to happen. So it might be a bit boring or predictable. Oh well.See you in the next chapter. Comment and Byeeee!