8.5.3

Watching the outcome of the battle, Subaru was rooted to the spot, unable to make a sound.

"—"

Overwhelming was insufficient to express it. From start to finish, Emilia had soundly engaged the enemy, splendidly succeeding in striking down the final Sloth.

"You see? It's just like I said, meow?"

In place of the dumbstruck Subaru, Ferris, standing beside him, expressed admiration for Emilia's battle. His basic healing magic had closed up the land dragon's wounds; now he reached a hand out to heal Subaru's.

The touch of his slender fingers made Subaru aware of the pain of his own wounds once more. He had countless bumps and scrapes all over his body; in particular, the right side of his body really hurt. He'd taken a hard hit when he and Patlash had been bowled over in the forest.

"Ah, Subawu…doesn't this really hurt? Your ankle, your shoulder…"

"Where's your bedside manner?! Put my mind on the parts that don't hurt or something!!"

"Ahh, this might be pretty bad. You might die from it, meow…"

When Subaru made a grandiose show of pain, Ferris teasingly poked his ribs. When his teasing hand withdrew, Subaru sighed as he looked toward Emilia once more.

It was unclear what Emilia felt concerning the madman's death. But there was a trickle on her pale cheek; Subaru saw a shining tear rolling down it.

It must have pained her spirit to take another person's life. If so, that was Subaru Natsuki's sin—it was his powerlessness that had drawn Emilia and the Cult together.

"…"

However, Emilia looked surprised at the rolling tear on her face, quickly wiping it off. Perhaps the spirit on her shoulder had said something to her, for Emilia knit her brows with a conflicted look.

She didn't even know why she'd shed a tear. That was how it looked to Subaru.

"…?"

As Subaru watched Emilia, he suddenly noticed deep emotions strangely stirring in his chest. The multiple thoughts toward her somehow seemed like separate, foreign emotions.

For some mysterious reason, he had a deep urge to scratch his brain. It was almost as if—

"My, my, they're all so hasty."

Ferris, hearing battle cries in the distance from all over the village, gave a slightly pained smile as he spoke. Now that Emilia had struck down the final Sloth, the battle was nearing its conclusion. The Witch Cultists being fought in every corner of the village had largely been slain, and cries of victory filled the sky.

The Iron Fangs were particularly boisterous, but it was not only in the beast people that victory bubbled to the surface. The knights who had fought and survived raised their swords, letting up shouts of their own.

To Ferris, a healer, the real battle had now begun, for the number of casualties, and the number of casualties who could be returned to health, rested upon his skill.

Of course, pouring cold water on his comrades when they boiled with victory was the one thing he could not do, but—

"Ferris."

"Yes, yes, Ferri at your servi—er, Old Man Wil?!"

When addressed, Ferris turned around with a lighthearted greeting, but was taken aback at who the speaker was. Behind him was Wilhelm, breathing raggedly as he dragged his half-bloodied body around. The heavy burns and countless lacerations on him truly justified the word half-alive.

"Wait a—! You can't walk around with those wounds! If I don't lay you down and heal you right now—"

"I can wait. More importantly, there is something crucial I must say."

"You might die, you know?! Don't tell me it's more important than your l—"

"Even so, I must speak it now. Where is Sir Subaru?"

In contrast to his level of injury, Wilhelm's voice was filled with vigor and drive. He would have fallen on the spot, save for sheer will.

Both surprised and exasperated at the fact, Ferris immediately looked back and said, "Subawu? He's right h—"

He ought to have been rooted to the spot, hemming and hawing over what to say to Emilia.

And yet—

"—Subawu?"

When Ferris looked back, Subaru Natsuki was nowhere his eyes could see.