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{3rd Pov}
Subaru finished explaining everything he knew to Priscilla and to the other Subaru—Zero—going over every memory and incident in detail, recounting the truth as he had experienced it in this world.
They even compared events, cross-checking each moment of suffering and confusion.
After discussing thoroughly, both Subaru and Priscilla were forced to accept the reality that Zero's claims were not lies.
The proof was undeniable.
The memories aligned.
Zero was telling the truth.
However, acceptance didn't make anything easier.
"I still don't get it," Subaru finally spoke, his voice trembling from a mix of confusion, exhaustion, and boiling rage.
"Why did you do all of this? Why the manipulation? Why the chaos? Why the damn massacre!?" His fists clenched so tightly his nails dug into his palms, and his glare carried enough hatred to kill someone on the spot if looks alone were capable of that.
Zero simply looked back at him, not dodging the emotion, not retreating.
Then he answered with two simple words:
"To save you."
Subaru's expression twisted even more, disbelief overwhelming his face before turning fully into fury.
"Rubbish!" he snapped, his voice cracking under the weight of everything he had endured.
"If you really wanted to help me, you wouldn't have turned this world into a playground for your schemes! You attacked Priestella! You manipulated everyone—everyone into thinking I was the villain!" Subaru jabbed his finger toward Zero's face aggressively.
"Because of what you did… because of this entire sick performance… Otto, Garfiel, Beatrice—my friends—died! So don't try to feed me that absolute crap about helping me!"
Zero let out a long, tired sigh, as if he had prepared himself for this exact reaction long before the confrontation even began.
He didn't flinch, didn't get angry—he simply stood there, silently taking Subaru's rage head-on.
Priscilla, meanwhile, was still trying to fully process every shocking detail she had just witnessed.
The truths about Natsuki Subaru's identity were far beyond anything she had ever imagined—his origins from another world entirely, his cursed ability to Return by Death, the unbearable torment he faced through countless loops, and his twisted, unbreakable connection with the Witch of Envy.
It wasn't just some tragic backstory; it was a life of constant suffering, pain so relentless that even she had trouble comprehending how he was still standing.
She had even seen that moment from a previous timeline—the moment when Subaru desperately begged her for help.
If Priscilla hadn't watched his memories and understood the truth behind those pleas, she would have reacted the exact same way her past self did: with disgust, scorn, and mockery.
She would have dismissed him as an insect groveling at her feet.
But now?
Now her perspective had been violently shaken.
Instead of disdain, she felt a heavy disgust aimed not at Subaru, but at the cruel fate that shackled him.
The idea that one man—this foolish, reckless, infuriating man—kept throwing himself into death again and again for people who didn't appreciate him, who either ignored his sacrifices or outright hated him… it made her stomach twist in a way she was not familiar with.
She used to label Subaru's actions as idiotic, suicidal, completely lacking dignity.
But after seeing firsthand the countless acts of self-sacrifice—him choosing to die rather than abandon the people he cared about—something inside her unexpectedly stirred.
She wasn't just surprised.
She was impressed.
This wasn't weakness.
This was stubborn, almost insane determination.
It was pure willpower that refused to break, no matter how dark the circumstances became.
Priscilla had always believed herself to be someone chosen by the heavens, someone inherently superior to anyone else in this world.
And yet, after witnessing Subaru's journey, she had to grudgingly admit a truth she never thought she would acknowledge: even her "divineself" would likely crumble into madness if forced to endure everything Subaru had lived through.
She hated that realization.
But she couldn't deny it.
Subaru was still alive.
Still fighting.
And that alone forced her to reconsider just what kind of man he truly was.
And now, what did she feel after everything she had seen and learned?
Possessiveness.
A deep, burning, territorial instinct she had never associated with anyone but herself.
To Priscilla, Subaru's incredible potential was completely wasted on someone like Emilia.
In her mind, he would thrive far better under her own rule, under someone who would actually make proper use of his insane resolve and unmatched loyalty.
She could elevate him, weaponize him, turn him into the greatest asset the world had ever seen.
It irritated her that he was allowing himself to be dragged down by weak ideals and people who did not deserve him.
But even as she tried to frame her thoughts that way, another part of her had to acknowledge what she just witnessed: Subaru had summoned and commanded the Witch of Envy, the very incarnation of indestructible obsession and destruction.
No one in history—neither the Three Great Heroes nor even the Witch herself—had ever achieved that.
Yet Subaru did.
With just a single sentence.
With a promise of love.
That was terrifying, and it was impressive.
He might just be a boy she could easily kill in a single instant if she desired.
But defeating him?
Breaking his will?
Overpowering his spirit?
No.
Priscilla would never admit it aloud, but she knew the truth.
She could strike him down as many times as she wanted, yet he would still rise again and again, refusing to lose.
That made him someone she could never truly conquer.
Then her attention shifted toward Zero.
He was Subaru too—just a version of him who evolved differently.
She and Subaru had seen Zero's life and his choices through the fragment of memories that Zero willingly shared.
And Priscilla noticed something important, something that infuriated her with its simplicity:
The only major difference between the Subaru standing here and the Zero who became absurdly powerful… was self-worth.
Zero loved himself.
Zero valued himself above others.
Zero refused to sacrifice his life for ungrateful idiots.
Zero prioritized the affection he received instead of throwing himself at death constantly.
Even when he put himself to death, he didn't die because of others, but because he knew he could grew strong and would not need to die again, never need to be humiliated ever.
And because of that difference—because he refused to let himself be treated like expendable garbage—he grew into someone so strong that he casually smacked the Witch of Envy unconscious.
A feat Priscilla could never dream of pulling off.
And all Subaru needed to reach that same level… was to recognize his own worth.
To accept he was not a tool, not a martyr, but someone who deserved to live.
That tiny detail being responsible for such a massive change made her heartbeat quicken and her cheeks flush red.
She found her breathing growing deeper and heavier as she turned her gaze toward Subaru again.
She now stared at him with a different perspective—as if he were a priceless hidden treasure that everyone had been blind to but her.
She also processed the rest of what was discussed earlier, and without hesitation she spoke up firmly, "Natsuki Subaru… you should listen to what Zero has to say. Every word he has told you is the truth."
Subaru's head snapped toward her, disbelief plastered across his face.
His opinion of Priscilla had risen considerably after she chose to stand by him in front of everyone, including Emilia.
For a moment, he had thought she understood him—or at least respected him.
But then he remembered the real reason behind that support, and everything fell apart inside him again.
He gritted his teeth and spat harshly, "So you too, huh? You're just impressed because you like that twisted, alternate, villainous version of me?! Is that why you're siding with him now?!"
Priscilla visibly frowned at his accusation.
If this had been before she learned the truth about Subaru's suffering and power, she would have punished him instantly for daring to speak to her so insolently.
She would have slapped him, kicked him, maybe even incinerated him with the Yang Sword without a second thought.
But now, knowing how much he had endured—how much he had died—she forced herself to hold back her wrath and remain patient.
"Foolish boy," she said sharply, "Can't you comprehend what is happening here? He put on this whole façade of villainy—he orchestrated this chaos—because he wanted to force you to value yourself. To make you see your own worth. Everything he did was for you."
Her words hit Subaru harder than he expected.
His eyes slid toward Zero, searching for contradiction or some kind of smug denial.
But Zero simply nodded, quietly affirming Priscilla's explanation.
Subaru's frustration exploded, his voice loud and trembling, "Damn bastard! You call this helping?! What kind of logic is that?! Couldn't you have done it another way?! A normal way?! A way where you don't destroy everything and kill people?! How the hell does this make any sense?!"
He shouted, both furious and desperate for answers, unable to process why someone would help him by dragging him into even more misery.
"Another way?" Zero repeated with clear disbelief.
"Really? You think there was some clean and peaceful alternative?" He stepped closer and pointed at Subaru as if calling him out in front of a mirror.
"Natsuki Subaru, let's state the obvious first—you are traumatized beyond repair and have completely lost any proper sense of self-worth."
Zero's voice grew sharper, almost accusatory.
"You cling to people who barely understand you. You trust individuals who don't truly value you. You call them friends, and then you throw yourself into death after death so they can have happier lives. But listen carefully: those people do not deserve that level of sacrifice. Not yet, not in the way you do it."
"Shut up!" Subaru snapped defensively.
"Before you came here—everything was going well! I was making progress, people were relying on me, and—"
"No," Zero cut him off immediately, raising his voice to overpower Subaru's excuses.
"Nothing was going well. You just refused to acknowledge the truth. And you're terrified to admit it. You are ashamed of what happened in the Capital a year ago—the events that scarred you and made you think you had no right to ask for help. But hear this clearly: none of that was your fault to begin with."
Without warning, Zero forced one of Subaru's buried memories to surface—one that Subaru desperately wanted erased from his mind forever.
Subaru's body stiffened in pain at the reminder.
Zero continued speaking, now colder but brutally honest.
"Let me explain something you have never fully understood. In other timelines—yes, I have lived through multiple—when you weren't present at the White Whale battle… Crusch Karsten lost. Not just barely—she was crushed completely. And when you weren't there during the Priestella assault, the Sin Archbishops succeeded. They took over the entire city and rampaged freely without resistance."
The words struck both Subaru and Priscilla with heavy force.
Subaru's eyes widened in shock, and Priscilla's expression trembled with disbelief, her pride shaken.
Because if Zero was telling the truth—and the memory transfer proved he was—then in another timeline even she had fallen under the might of the Witch Cult's Sin Archbishops.
She, Priscilla Barielle, who believed herself superior to everyone, had been defeated simply because Subaru wasn't there.
When Priscilla actually stopped to reconsider the full scope of the battle they had fought against the Sin Archbishops under Zero's command, her expression gradually darkened.
She hated the realization, but she had to accept it with a bitter tightening of her jaw—she would indeed have lost.
There was no false bravado left to cling to.
She had already understood something painfully clear: the Sin Archbishops would have launched their assault regardless of Zero's interference.
His presence hadn't created the threat; instead, he had intentionally minimized the destruction.
In fact, because he appeared, no significant civilian casualties occurred.
And even during the intense confrontation where everyone present pushed themselves to their absolute limits, the Sin Archbishops never once went all out.
Under Subaru's forced Psychic Manipulation, their full power remained mostly restricted.
Despite that tactical advantage—they still lost.
The defeat was humiliating on every conceivable level.
So, if she removed Zero from the equation—if the people of Priestella had fought with no prior knowledge of the enemy's bizarre abilities, no strategies, no second chances—there was only one possible conclusion.
They would be crushed mercilessly.
There would be no victory waiting for them in that alternate result.
The city would drown in chaos, death, and despair.
Zero stepped forward and continued, his voice dripping with cold contempt as he spoke directly to Subaru:
"They need you. A boy who is physically weak and completely outmatched by the standards of this world. Someone who possesses a broken gate, who never received any formal combat training, and who was, by all accounts, just an ordinary civilian back where he came from. You lived a peaceful life with no expectations on your shoulders. And now, here you are—forced to carve the path to victory. You are the one who must uncover enemy weaknesses, the one expected to endure endless agony so others can triumph."
Zero's lips curled as his tone sharpened further.
"And them?" he scoffed. "These so-called elites? They have trained aggressively since childhood. They command potent magic and wield supernatural physical strength. They hold wealth, influence, noble bloodlines, and political authority. Yet despite all that, they depend on a single boy whose only real ability is a curse—Return by Death. A power demanding your life as its price."
He narrowed his eyes at Subaru—like a teacher forcing a student to confront the most unpleasant truth.
"And after everything you sacrifice—every brutal death, every moment of agony—most of them will greedily swallow the credit. You, drowning in your own self-loathing, will desperately convince yourself that you barely contributed anything. All while you continue to crawl at their feet, begging for scraps of affection and validation."
The words landed like physical blows.
Subaru trembled—shock, denial, and self-hatred battling inside him.
Priscilla trembled too—her pride severely wounded by the notion that she, a woman who proclaimed her absolute superiority, would still fail without Subaru's repeated suffering.
Both were shaken, forced to confront a truth neither wanted to acknowledge.
"And tell me, Subaru?" Zero continued, his tone sharp enough to cut through the air like a blade.
"Did I not expose the true faces of your so-called friends? The people you trusted blindly?"
Subaru froze.
His entire body stiffened as if chains had wrapped around him.
Because deep down, as much as he wanted to deny it, Zero wasn't lying.
From the very beginning, Zero had pointed out every betrayal and every disgusting instance of hypocrisy hiding behind the smiles and friendly gestures.
He had ripped away the false masks Subaru's friends wore—showing their selfishness, their irresponsible dependence on him, their complete lack of understanding toward the pain he endured.
"You love Emilia," Zero pressed on, returning to the root of Subaru's suffering—the core reason he threw himself into the flames again and again without hesitation.
"But up until now, she has been nothing more than a pawn to others—someone you cling to desperately. A mentally underdeveloped girl who fails to understand the depth of your despair or the consequences of her own choices. She—along with your obsessive devotion—has been a major source of your torment."
Zero pointed directly at Subaru's chest.
"You want to act righteous? Then listen properly. If you cared about yourself even a little more—if you possessed the slightest fragment of self-respect or personal pride—your fate would have taken a completely different path a long time ago."
He paused just long enough for Subaru to feel the weight of every word.
"In my world's version of events," Zero began again, drawing both Subaru and Priscilla's full attention, "I don't babysit Emilia. I don't coddle her. I don't kneel just to make her feel comfortable. When she messes up, I punish her. When she says something naïve or irresponsible, I reprimand her until she learns. I make her recognize the value of what I do. She understands she owes me basic respect and acknowledgment. I refuse to crawl just to remain in her sight."
He stepped closer, eyes unwavering.
"And now? She stands on the frontlines. She inspires troops, holds her ground in political affairs, makes decisions that change the future. You saw it yourself in the memories I showed you."
Subaru's lips curled downward into a bitter, pained smile.
Zero was undeniably right.
The Emilia he saw in Zero's world—she was still naïve and inexperienced, but she was changing.
She was growing stronger, more decisive, becoming someone who could carry the weight of others.
She was becoming someone who earned the loyalty given to her.
In fact, Subaru could clearly see—she had developed feelings for Zero.
Genuine attraction.
She admired him.
But Zero didn't reciprocate.
He hardly spared her such attention.
He saw her affection as nothing more than a childish crush, something unworthy of acknowledgment.
His heart—his obsession—was devoted entirely to Satella and Reina.
Emilia simply didn't stand a chance.
Subaru felt a complicated mix of jealousy, anger, shame, and disbelief churn violently inside his chest—because Zero had taken everything Subaru dreamed of achieving… and simply did it better.
"You died for people who killed you over the most pathetic, pettiest excuses," Zero stated bluntly, his voice dripping with irritation and disbelief.
"And don't misunderstand me—I know exactly how stubborn we can be. I am you. I am Natsuki Subaru just as much as you are. That is precisely why I created this entire master plan. And just so you know—if I wanted to, I could resurrect your friends."
Zero added, almost casually.
The moment those words left Zero's mouth, Subaru's expression twisted in anger and shock.
"Just because you can resurrect them doesn't mean—"
"Doesn't mean I have the right to play with their lives?" Zero cut him off instantly.
"To pretend it is acceptable for others to die just to serve my personal motives? To let them fall for what I call 'the greater good'—simply because I can bring them back afterwards? Isn't that exactly what you have been doing with yourself?"
Subaru's rant died in his throat.
His mind went blank for a moment, his eyes wide. He finally understood what Zero was pointing out.
"Subaru," Zero continued, his tone losing some of its sharp edge and turning firm, almost guiding.
"Just because you can resurrect after dying… doesn't mean you should treat your life like a disposable tool. Your death is not a stepping stone for progress. If a situation ends in your death, then it is not shameful to step away—giving up is sometimes the correct decision. You need to stop hiding everything inside. You must make others understand what you feel, what you endure every single time, and what you want out of all this suffering."
Zero's eyes softened for the first time, revealing genuine emotion behind the harsh truths he had thrown out.
"After all… our parents would never want you to go through this kind of torment," Zero said quietly, each word coming directly from the heart—undeniable and painful.
Subaru trembled.
His fists clenched and his breath shook.
And even though these truths came late—far too late for countless timelines and endless pain—he finally began to see the reality he had refused to acknowledge.
He had been wrong.
Terribly wrong.
And now, he understood his mistake.
Knowing exactly how furious he had been—how hopeless and filled with hatred he felt when his friends died because of Zero's orchestrated plan—Subaru finally understood the twisted contradiction behind it all.
Zero may have allowed those deaths with the justification that he could resurrect them later, but that didn't erase the trauma, the grief, or the emotional scars left behind.
The damage had already been done. Life was not a game where one can simply reset the board and expect everyone to return with the same hearts.
And then the realization struck him deeper than he expected.
It was the same with his own deaths.
He had always used Return by Death as if his life didn't matter.
As if it was just a currency for progress.
He was so used to dying for others that he never once questioned whether it was fundamentally wrong—to treat his existence like something disposable, an offering he was constantly forced to throw into the fire.
But he wasn't alone.
There were people who valued him—people who genuinely cared about him, who would break apart emotionally if they ever saw him reach the level of despair that he silently swallowed each loop.
His own pain was something he never thought was worth acknowledging.
He had convinced himself that his suffering was just part of his duty and didn't matter as long as he protected others.
Yet now… he finally understood.
Subaru remembered those painful, yet sincere words Satella had spoken to him back in the Castle of Dreams—"Love yourself."
He only now grasped their meaning.
The true reason behind his endless suffering was never just the cruelty of fate or the malice of witches.
It was because he constantly valued the world above his own existence.
He always worried about his image in the eyes of others.
He wanted approval so badly that he trampled on his own worth without hesitation.
He had always acted as if the world's demands were more important than his own life.
But his story was never meant to be about becoming some glorious hero in a different world.
It was never about fame, admiration, or fulfilling unrealistic expectations.
His true journey… the silent message hidden beneath all his agony… was for him to finally accept himself.
To recognize that his worth does not depend on the validation of an inconsistent and hypocritical world.
It was about learning to love himself.
Such a painfully simple truth.
Yet it took unbearable suffering, countless deaths, and a catastrophic event orchestrated by a darker version of himself for Subaru to finally reach that understanding.
Priscilla, who had been silently observing the emotional and psychological breakdown Subaru was undergoing, suddenly stepped forward with an expression that was completely unrecognizable for someone like her.
Then, to Subaru's utter disbelief—and even Zero's shock—she lowered her head and bowed before Natsuki Subaru.
The proudest woman in the kingdom, the one who never submitted to anyone, was now bowing to him of all people.
"I offer you my sincere apologies, Natsuki Subaru… My Divine self has committed countless grave mistakes," Priscilla confessed, her voice surprisingly composed yet heavy with genuine remorse.
"I must acknowledge the shame I feel within myself. Shame that is entirely deserved."
Subaru stood frozen, completely unable to comprehend the scene in front of him.
"I have always regarded you as a fool," she continued, her gaze meeting his.
"A man who crawls, begs, and relies on others instead of using his own power. I judged you as someone incompetent and utterly pathetic."
She paused, drawing a shaky breath before adding, "But now I understand that this was a flaw in my own perception. Despite being physically the weakest among us… you possess the greatest strength in terms of spirit. You are the bravest of us all. Even more than my Divine self—if I dare admit such a thing."
Subaru's jaw nearly hit the floor.
The way she spoke, the sincerity in her voice—it all felt unreal.
His brain refused to process that this was indeed happening.
Priscilla then turned her crimson eyes toward Zero, as though acknowledging his role in forcing this revelation upon her.
She inhaled deeply before speaking again.
"You were correct, Sir Zero. It is truly a disgrace—pathetic even—how individuals like myself, who have been blessed by fortune and status since birth, have relied on someone like Subaru. I was raised with the finest education, surrounded by wealth, trained in swordsmanship, strategy, and authority my entire life."
She clenched her fists tightly.
"Yet when crisis struck, we depended on someone who, by the standards of this world, is barely even a civilian. And then we shamelessly basked in the glory earned through his blood and suffering."
Zero wanted to correct her by pointing out that Reinhard was the one who was really blessed by the world, not her—but he wisely chose not to interrupt and ruin the moment.
Priscilla's voice trembled slightly as she forced a bitter smile.
"For the first time in my life, I feel disgusted with myself. Disgust at my hypocrisy… and at the absolute unfairness this entire world has shown toward Natsuki Subaru. I have been in the wrong from the very beginning."
Subaru's mind was short-circuiting.
He rubbed his eyes rapidly, then even tugged at his ears, desperately ensuring he wasn't hallucinating.
Is this seriously the same Priscilla Barielle he knows?
The arrogant sun-princess who claimed the world revolved around her?
Because right now, she was utterly unrecognizable.
If Alderban or any other individual who personally knew Priscilla were present to witness this scene, their jaws would have dropped so hard they would probably pass out or enter a coma purely from the shock.
The proud sun-empress bowing and apologizing would have already destroyed their understanding of the universe… but what came next would shatter whatever remained.
"Natsuki Subaru," Priscilla addressed him again, locking eyes with intense seriousness—so intense that Subaru felt like running away.
"I am aware that a simple verbal apology is not nearly enough. An apology must be backed by action. And I will not degrade your forgiveness by merely promising favors—or by offering you demands or commands."
She shook her head, refusing to lower the sincerity of the moment.
"Instead… I shall ask you this, Natsuki Subaru. Would you allow me the honor of being your friend?"
Zero blinked, visibly taken aback by the unexpected request.
Subaru, meanwhile, seemed to have temporarily lost the ability to breathe as his brain tried to reboot.
"M-Me…? Your friend?" Subaru stammered, pointing at himself like he couldn't even believe she was speaking to him.
Priscilla nodded calmly.
"Yes, Subaru-kun. You may call me by my name, as an equal… if you wish."
Subaru's mouth opened slightly, yet no sound came out.
He had absolutely no idea how to respond or even how to feel.
Just a short while ago, Priscilla was threatening to incinerate Zero out of sheer rage, and here she was practically offering Subaru the highest honor she could grant without sounding like she was worshipping him.
To an outsider, it might seem arrogant that Priscilla believed simply making him her friend was enough to make up for her past wrongdoing—like she was elevating Subaru to her "equal" and expecting that to be sufficient repayment.
But that was the exact opposite of what this truly meant.
This was arguably the most sincere form of apology she could give.
If she merely offered favors, she would only comply with Subaru's requests a handful of times and then move on.
There would be no fundamental change.
But by asking to be his friend…
She was making a vow.
A promise that she would stand beside him whenever the world became cruel.
Support him when he faltered.
Acknowledge him as someone deserving of loyalty and respect.
Learn from him—and help him grow—while also fixing her own flawed worldview.
And this offer was coming from Priscilla Barielle, the woman who believed the world revolved around her, the woman who considered even the Sword Saint, nobility, and all of the other Royal Candidates inferior to her divine status.
Yet here she was…
Voluntarily lowering herself.
For Subaru.
If that wasn't a miracle, Subaru wasn't sure what counted as one anymore.
"I-I would… I would also like to be your friend, Priscilla," Subaru finally managed to say, voice trembling a little from the overwhelming situation.
Even speaking her name so casually felt weird and awkward for him.
Still, he extended his hand forward, offering a handshake like a proper equal.
Priscilla stared at his hand as if it were some bizarre foreign object.
Her eyebrows furrowed in complete confusion.
"Forgive me for my ignorance, but… what exactly am I supposed to do with your hand?" she asked, sounding genuinely lost.
Subaru couldn't help but let out a small laugh.
Her pure lack of social common sense reminded him of the first time they'd met—back when she believed Appas were white and acted like the sun existed only for her entertainment.
That little hint of nostalgia made his chest feel strangely lighter.
Before Subaru could explain, Zero casually stepped in from behind Priscilla.
"Ah, it's simple," he said with a smug grin.
"You take his hand and give it a firm shake. It's the greeting from our original world—basic friendship ritual type stuff."
Priscilla nodded, trying to look like she understood every bit of this cultural detail, even though it was obvious she was still confused.
She carefully took Subaru's hand and gave the most stiff but determined handshake of her life.
Subaru felt the sincerity in that awkward grip.
"And now," Zero added dramatically, smiling like a showman preparing a grand reveal, "say hello to your Beako!"
In the next instant, two Beatrices appeared — both manifesting on Subaru's left side like twin lolis of judgment.
One of them immediately recognized him and launched herself toward Subaru with surprising speed for such a tiny girl.
"Subaru!" Beatrice wailed loudly, practically slamming into his chest with all her emotional strength.
Subaru froze for several seconds, stunned into silence, before reality kicked in and he wrapped his arms around her protectively.
"B-Beako…" Subaru's voice broke as relief crashed over him like a wave.
"I'm so glad… I-I thought… when you disappeared… I was heartbroken. I was furious at myself. I didn't know what to do without you. I felt like everything inside me shattered after you were gone…"
His eyes filled up completely, tears falling down without restraint.
Beatrice, too, couldn't hold back her emotions.
She clung onto Subaru's shirt tightly, her tiny hands trembling.
"Betty… Betty has missed her Subaru… greatly, I suppose!" she cried loudly, her voice cracking as she buried her face into his chest.
Subaru hugged her even tighter, like he feared she might vanish again if he loosened his grip even a little.
Beatrice cried harder, but this time the tears weren't from despair or fear—they were from happiness that she finally got her irreplaceable person back.
Zero smiled faintly and placed a gentle hand on the head of his own Beatrice standing faithfully at his side.
She leaned into his touch, clearly comforted by it despite trying to keep her dignified expression.
With a calm voice, Zero continued, "I made sure she didn't die. Unlike Otto and Garfiel who tragically lost their lives by those guards, I protected her. Not only that, she was conscious the entire time through everything. So she already knows every single thing that happened… every choice, every moment, every feeling."
Subaru kept holding his Betty tightly in his arms, almost as if letting her go would make her disappear again.
He slowly lifted his gaze toward Zero, his expression shifting from relief to a sharp seriousness that carried anger, grief, and confusion all mixed together.
"I know…" Subaru admitted, his voice trembling but firm.
"I know that you have done everything to help me… even when you really had no reason to go that far. I understand that much at least… But even knowing that— I still hate you."
"I know," Zero replied without hesitation, the same calm smile still on his face as if he had prepared for these words long ago.
Subaru gritted his teeth, his voice raised.
"I hate how because of you… my friends died! I hate how you let me witness their deaths while you stood there acting like some mastermind!"
"I know," Zero repeated once again, unfazed and accepting the hatred.
"And I hate you— because you made Emilia cry," Subaru snapped, pointing accusingly.
"You even slapped her! You bastard! What kind of hero does that?!"
Zero simply shrugged, completely unapologetic.
"She deserved that slap. She was being foolish and hurting herself more than anyone else by refusing to face the truth. Someone had to snap her out of that pitiful mindset."
"Agreed," Priscilla said sharply without missing a beat, folding her arms with a proud nod as if she had been waiting to say that.
"Betty agrees as well, I suppose!" both Beatrices said at the exact same moment, surprising even Subaru with their sync.
Subaru let out a long sigh, frustration and resignation mixing in his lungs.
He carefully set Betty down on her feet and stood up properly, facing Zero eye to eye.
His hands were clenched, but his voice was steady.
"I understand you. I understand your intentions. I agree with your reasons and the results you were aiming for… But even with all that considered, I still hate you from the bottom of my heart."
He took in a deep breath, his anger still burning but no longer blinding him.
"I agree with you… I do. But I still hate you—and that probably won't change anytime soon."
Zero smiled, a calm and almost relieved smile, as he spoke with honesty shining in his eyes.
"It's fine, Subaru. As long as you don't continue hating yourself or blaming your own worth… you are free to hate me for as long as you want— even for the rest of your life if that's what helps you heal. After all, I am fully aware that what I did was unforgivable by any normal standard."
Subaru paused for a moment, absorbing those words, before a mischievous grin slowly crept onto his face.
"Well, technically speaking… you are me. Just a more experienced, smug, villain-like version of me who is actually a hero. So if I hate you, doesn't that mean I'm just continuing to hate myself— but in a different form?"
His unexpected remark hit all of them at once, and the atmosphere instantly changed.
Priscilla let out a refined yet amused laugh, both Beatrices puffed up their cheeks and giggled adorably, and even Zero burst out laughing, clutching the bridge of his nose in pure amusement.
"That was actually a pretty good one," Zero admitted, his amusement genuine as he wiped the corner of his eye.
But soon, his expression shifted, turning serious and heavy with meaning.
"However, jokes aside… my time in this world is reaching its limit. I will have to return to my own original world soon. But not before we conclude everything with what I call… the final act."
Subaru's brow furrowed with confusion.
"The Final Act? What do you mean by that?"
Priscilla and both versions of Beatrice leaned in with visible curiosity, their attention now fully on Zero.
Zero nodded slowly.
"Yes. After all, I am the one who turned everything upside-down, caused chaos and manipulated events however I saw fit. I created a massive mess, not only in your life but in the entire flow of this world. And now… we must correct it. This 'Final Act' will resolve everything once and for all. It will bring closure."
Subaru stepped forward without hesitation, his voice filled with determination.
"If this plan means that none of my friends will have to deal with pain again, if it means no more suffering or pointless sacrifices… then count me in! I don't care what it takes."
"Betty shall always follow her precious contractor, I suppose," Beatrice declared boldly, hugging Subaru's sleeve as if sealing the promise.
Priscilla crossed her arms and nodded with a queen-like confidence.
"Then stop wasting time with suspense. Explain the details of this grand plan, Zero."
Zero did exactly that.
He spent several long minutes laying out the entire strategy step by step— the mechanics, the risks, the roles each of them would fulfill, and what would ultimately happen to the world after everything concluded.
By the time he finished, Subaru stood there with his eyes wide, his jaw slightly open, trying to comprehend the full extent of what he had just heard.
"Holy crap— that's one hell of a dangerous and insane plan," Subaru muttered, impressed yet disturbed.
Zero puffed out his chest slightly with smug pride.
"Well, my title isn't 'The Great Sage' for nothing. I didn't earn that by just sitting around looking cool."
Without hesitation, Subaru lifted his hand and proudly showed Zero his middle finger.
"Screw you. Seriously."
"…" Zero stared at the finger, clearly expecting that response.
The dimension fell into silence for a moment…
…before Zero cracked a faint smirk again.
To be continued...