"Die, you scum."

Several large blocks of ice were shot down at rapid speed as they not only pierced through the remaining Witch Cult members, but also froze their bodies solid. Shortly after Puck did this, Akira swept his arm in front of him and slashed through the air as he was taking control of the vectors in the air flow. The moment this happened, a hurricane with wind speeds of 120 mph blasted through the area as the frozen Witch Cultists were shattered into countless pieces. While Subaru couldn't hide his look of shock, Petelgeuse merely squinted his eyes at this display. These two actions showed him one thing, Puck and Akira were the most dangerous individuals here.

"My brain trembles."

"Puck!"

"Silence, Subaru. I'll deal with you l-"

Before Puck could finish his sentence, both Akira and Subaru's eyes were wide with shock as they saw the spirit being crumbled up as if he were a piece of paper. The sound of laughter, coupled with a rapid applause, could be heard as Petelgeuse witnessed his Authority capturing the small creature. With a look of both amusement and madness, the Archbishop of Sloth suddenly stopped clapping his hands.

"Complacency! Negligence! That is sloth! You should have killed me right away! Even with the power you have, you failed what you needed to do!"

"Foolishness."

A wave of cold air suddenly exploded within the area. The trees, grass, and even the very ground was covered in ice as the once empty night sky was now filled with snow. Suddenly a large figure was seen slamming down it's claw onto the ground as its gaze was now fixed onto the remaining three individuals in the area. As the beast's gaze fell onto the Archbishop of Sloth, it opened its jaw as the very breath it took was visible due to the sheer cold it brought.

"If you want to kill me, then spread out a thousand hands. Half of what Satella could."

"Puck.......is that really you?"

"Can't you tell, Subaru? No, it would be mean of me to ask that."

Fear, that was the one thing that Subaru could feel at this moment. The spirit that he once thought of as a friend was now the very thing causing him to be paralyzed with fear. Soon, the black-haired boy's gaze fell upon Akira. As the white-haired boy stared at Puck, his facial expression was the same as it always was. However, Subaru noticed one thing off about Akira. Whether it was due to the cold or due to fear, this was the first time Subaru ever saw Akira's hands trembling.

Soon the boy's gaze shifted towards Petelgeuse, who was currently biting down so hard on his fingers, his very blood began to stain the snow. This situation was utterly unbelievable for him. His faith, everything he devoted his love to, was at the hands of a measly spirit. Soon blood began to escape from the Archbishop's eye sockets as he casts his gaze upon Puck.

"This can't be happening! It's impossible for a lowly spirit to have this kind of power! What am I--"

"Echidna. You should know what that name means as a member of the Witch Cult."

"How filthy! It's disgusting to speak of that name! You fearless being who is foolish, pitiful, and slothful! Do not speak of any of those fallen witches other than Satella! Your actions are insulting my faith, love, and everything I have offered her!"

"A human who's only lived several decades shouldn't be talking about time to a spirit."

Petelgeuse felt his entire body growing colder as Puck spoke. When the Archbishop glanced downward, he saw it. His body was beginning to freeze starting from his lower body. His bloodshot eyes kept their gaze upon Puck, refusing to waver in the slightest. Even now, as his body was being frozen solid, Petelgeuse still had one thing he believed in.

"Time has no meaning when it comes to the depths of ones faith! You're a slothful being who wasted the greater part of your life simply because you're immortal! Don't lump me together into the same category as you! Ah.....my brain trembles!"

"You people don't consider death as a punishment. That is why I hate all of you."

"The trial is complete! Though my body will rot away, my feelings will reach her and I will receive her love! I eagerly await our reunion!"

Those were the final words of Petelgeuse Romanée-Conti as the Archbishop's body was completely encased in ice. There was no time to process this fact as Puck slammed his left claw onto the man's body, leaving no remains behind as the shattered pieces were hidden underneath the snowy ground. Now the only people left were Subaru, Akira, and the spirit himself. As his gaze fell upon the two boys, Puck decided to indulge them before he fulfilled his duties.

"He died while he was ahead, but now we shall speak. Natsuki Subaru, you have committed three sins. First, you broke your promise to Lia. You don't seem to understand the importance of a promise to a spirit arts user, you have no idea how much you hurt Lia by thoughtlessly breaking your promise."

The cold winds grew more fierce as Subaru couldn't move a muscle. He justed wanted to protect Emilia at all costs. All he wanted was to save the ones he cherished from a future he knew was doomed. Yet right now, at this moment, he couldn't protect anything. Not Emilia, not Rem, not even himself. Despite his best efforts, Subaru protected nothing in the end.

"Secondly, you ignored Lia's wishes and came back. You have no idea how much she was driven into a corner and has suffered, due to an unwanted reunion with you. Not only did you trample upon her promise, you trampled upon her heart. And third, you let Lia die. In accordance to my contract, I will now destroy the world. I'll cover everything in ice and snow as a parting gift to Lia."

"Puck ....what are....."

"It's not a matter of if Lia would like it or not; what's already been decided can't be broken. No matter what type of contract it is. Though I may end up defeated. Even if I try to cover the whole world in ice, the Sword Saint will always stand in my way. I have no way of defeating him. Though it's not just him that stands in my way. After all......"

Just as Puck tried to freeze everything in the area, Subaru's eyes widen in horror as the cold air blasted his surroundings. Yet for some reason, the black-haired boy didn't feel cold at all. When Subaru looked forward, he saw one person standing in front of him. A boy with white hair had his back facing him as he looked forward. His hands were trembling, a feeling of dread consuming his being as his gaze was fixed on the obstacle ahead of him. Yet, despite this fear and sense of foreboding, Suzushima Akira didn't look away.

"There's still a dark horse here capable of becoming a threat to me."

"Puck, let me ask you one question. Why are you going through with this?"

"......Lia was my everything. There's no point in existing in a world without her. I ended the moment she died. Now let me ask you something, Suzushima Akira. Why do you protect Subaru?"

As his gaze fell upon the white haired boy in front of him, even Subaru himself began to ask himself that question. Why did Akira come all the way back to the manor and save him? He let Rem die, he killed Emilia. He was just going to die like a dog. After watching a merciless ending occur each time, meeting the royal candidates and learning the difference in how they saw him and Akira, Subaru already came to a conclusion. No one expected anything from him, not even himself. So why, why did Akira save someone like him?

"I don't have a reason."

"Care to elaborate?"

"Just like you don't need a reason for protecting Emilia, I don't need a reason for wanting to protect Subaru. For better or for worse, he's the man I respect and call a friend. That's why it's my job as his friend to help him get his shit together when he goes off the deep end. Plus, this is my only way of repaying Emilia while also giving her proper respects now that she is gone. To save the person she wanted to help, to stop the person she loved from destroying the kingdom she wanted to guide and the dream she envisioned.......I'll stop you, Puck."

The moment he said this, Akira stomped onto the ground with his right foot. A roaring boom echoed through the area as the ground was full of cracks while the white-haired boy blasted off to the sky like a rocket. While Akira had changed the vector of the force his legs exerted, there was another method he was utilizing. By controlling the wind around him, Akira had four whirlwind-like bursts of air connected to him.

Puck couldn't help but be surprised at how quickly Akira was in front of him. He didn't know how a normal human could pull off such a feat without the use of magic and that fact is what put Puck on guard. Even without magic, Akira could still pose a threat potentially. Though the Spirit of the End had to remind himself of something important. He was the one who knew of Akira's genius, he was the one who helped Akira learn the basics of magic.

"I was the one who discovered the affinities you had in terms of wielding magic."

"Minya."

The moment Akira was in front of Puck's head, his right hand was aimed at the spirit. Before he knew it, Puck felt his head being pierced by stakes made of crystalized mana covered with light purple flames. The stakes were so strong, Puck could feel his flesh being torn apart before he released a powerful cold wind to blow Akira back down to the ground. Just as this was happening, Akira pointed his index finger at the spirit as if his right hand was a gun.

"Jiwald!"

The spirit hissed in pain as he felt his right eye getting blasted by a heat ray from Akira's index finger. Just as Akira landed on his feet, he noticed how Subaru was right behind him with a shocked expression on his face. The white-haired boy merely walked forward as he had to continue fighting. Even if it costs him his life, all he needed to do was buy time.

"Subaru, help is on the way. I'll try to buy you enough time to escape. If we're lucky, he should arrive by the time I--"

"Why? Why are you doing this, Akira? I abandoned you when you only tried to help! I hated you just because you're so damn perfect and always know what to do while I couldn't do anything! I ignored all the advice you gave me because I didn't want to admit you were right! I'm not worth all of this effort so why? Why? WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO SAVE ME?! LET ME DIE!"

The moment Subaru said this, a horrifying sound entered his ears. The sound of flesh being cut rung in his ears as his eyes were wide with horror. As he glanced at his own body, Subaru noticed how he didn't suffer a single injury and didn't even feel an ounce of pain. However, the moment he looked on the ground, he saw the once white snow painted red. When he looked to the side, he saw a severed left arm resting upon the ground as a loud scream was released.

Right now, in front of Subaru, Akira screamed out in pain as his left arm was cut off. As the white-haired boy screamed, he noticed how his severed arm was impaled by a large spear made of ice. While he understood the basics of magic, he didn't understand magic enough to reflect higher levels of spells. He needed more exposure to it in order for that to happen, which is why Puck's attack managed to get through his barrier.

"I must ask as well. Why are you trying so hard to save Natsuki Subaru, Akira? What do you possibly have to gain from such a man who let Lia die?"

"Puck......Subaru. Can you two stop projecting onto me, you damn assholes!"

The moment he shouted this, Akira stomped his right foot onto the snowy ground. As this happened, Puck merely looked in front of him as he was on guard. The one step that Akira took caused an enormous tsunami made of snow as it was heading straight for the spirit. Just as Puck was prepared to release his own magic, the tsunami made of snow melted quickly and instead was turned into a high pressure water cutter. Suddenly the spirit let out a scream of pain as he felt both of his left legs being cut off, his enormous body losing it's balance as he fell onto to the ground.

"Why am I doing this to save you? What do I gain from saving Subaru? Don't try to use me to get an answer to satisfy yourselves! I'm here because I want to help my friend, what other reason do I need! I failed to protect someone close to me, I failed to protect Emilia and make her dream come true....but even so--......I won't fail to protect the bastard she and I want to believe in!"

As Akira said this, he felt his body getting colder. As he looked downwards, he noticed how both of his legs were frozen solid. His breathing grew more and more erratic, but his eyes were glued upon the spirit that was in front of him. Meanwhile, Subaru could only look at Akira in shock. The way the boy was fighting Puck, the condition he was in, it reminded him of the first time. The first time that he saw the man, known as Suzushima Akira, die. With a look of worry on his face, Subaru tried to step forward and reach out to him.

"Akira--"

"Go, Subaru! I can't protect you as well now that i'm stuck in place. For now, just run as far as you can. With any luck, I may have bought us enough time. So please, don't look back and just run."

"Akira......I......I...."

"I'm sorry, Subaru. I know i'm the last person you want to see, and I know you wouldn't want a heartless guy like me around, especially now that Emilia is gone. But please, leave me alone. Run away and don't look back. I'll keep my promise with Emilia. Until you're fully recovered and safe, i'll watch over you."

As Subaru looked at the young man, he could see it clearly. The way Akira's lips were quivering, the way his remaining hand was shaking. The white-haired boy was terrified, he didn't want to die. Yet despite being scared and not wanting to die, he was willingly giving up his own life just for him. After taking a deep breath, Akira began to lift his right arm into the air.

Suddenly a breeze could be felt between Puck and Subaru, however that gentle breeze was short lived. In a matter of seconds, the winds grew more and more fierce. Even the Beast of the End could feel his body starting to be blown back by the fierce winds. As for Akira, his right arm was shaking as his nose began to bleed profusely. This was the very first time he tried to pull this stunt since coming to this world, but if it meant saving Subaru and keeping a promise to someone he held dear, he would gladly pay the price.

"Changing the vector. It doesn't matter if it has movement, heat, or electricity. If it has a vector, I can manipulate it!"

Through the use of his ability, Akira was forcing the surrounding winds into a single point in order to create an extremely high velocity wind. However, doing this had its risks. If the wind is moving in an abnormal direction or when his vector calculations are disturbed by sound, he could very well screw this up. But right now, Akira's focus was honed in one on thing.

"Compress the air! Compress it! If I can just compress the winds at high speeds within a single point! If I calculate the movements of the wind perfectly, then I should be able to create it. The fourth state of matter!"

Both Puck and even Subaru couldn't believe what they were witnessing right before their eyes. The frozen ground began to shatter as they rode the winds before being shortly vaporized by the object Akira was creating. As Subaru began to run, Akira smiled up on noticing this. Soon his gaze went towards Puck, the beast still lost in the moment of what Akira was doing.

"Why do I go so far for Subaru? It's the same reason you would go far for Emilia, Puck. Him, Emilia, Rem and Ram, Rom....and Felt. All of these bastards showed me what it was like. They showed me what it was like to live! What it was like to have people to go back to! What it was like to be needed!"

"I'm not some damn hero! I'm not some knight in shining armor! I'm scared out of my mind, but even scum like me has things he can't back down from! I am Suzushima Akira! For the girl I loved and killed, for the friend I failed to protect, for the man I respect to keep living! I'll fight until this frail body breaks apart! IF I CAN'T BE A HERO, THEN I'LL BE THE STEPPING STONE FOR THE ONES ABLE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE! If Emilia can fight the prejudice aimed at her and keep moving forward, THEN I NEED TO GET MY SHIT TOGETHER AND DO THE SAME!"

"So this is why Lia trusted you so much. I apologize, Suzushima Akira. You truly were Lia's guardian angel. As respect for you.....rest along with Lia, my son. You alone have earned the honor to be Lia's family. Now sleep, my son."

Just as Puck said this, he suddenly began to glare at Akira. He noticed how while the boy had his attack prepared, the white-haired boy was seen gazing at the black haired boy that was running as fast as he can. However, the boy smiled as he saw knew that Subaru would be in good hands should he fail now. He was sure he bought enough time for Reinhard to appear, he played his role and it was time for him to exit the stage. Yet even so, Akira continued with his calculations as he said one final thing.

"I'll leave the rest to you, hero (Subaru)."

As he said this, Akira looked forward as he saw Puck taking a breath. In almost an instant, a giant glacier was seen forming just above the beast's head as it was being aimed at the white-haired boy. Noticing this, Akira did not falter as the glacier was suddenly heading towards him at rapid speed. The moment this happened, Akira's accelerated his calculations even further. His eyes now producing blood from his sockets, his nose bleeding, and his mouth now coughing up blood. This resulted in the plasma growing exponentially in size at an alarming rate.

Soon the enormous glacier made contact with the giant sphere of plasma. When the plasma interacted with the ice, the charged particles within the plasma directly heated the ice and caused it to melt, while also creating fractures throughout the entire large body of ice due to the rapid heating.

A strong burst of wind blasted throughout the area as shattered fragments of the glacier danced around in the air. As some parts of the vicinity was frozen solid, others were completely vaporized as the spirit of the end noticed that half of its face was burned off. While Akira's body was frozen, Puck could see the boy's final moments plastered upon his face. It was a face with tears of blood dripping down from his eyes, yet his lips were forming a soft smile, almost as if his prayers were answered.

"I'm sorry, my son. Despite how perfectly you planned everything, your prayers were not answered. The man you wanted to save is truly slothful. The man you prayed would arrive to save you all is too late."

"I hear a cackling laughter. It's a familiar voice, the voice of a man I hate."

As Puck was releasing more of his power, Subaru was stuck in place. His body was freezing at an alarming rate. Despite how fearful he was, he couldn't stop that dreadful sound. The sound of himself laughing hysterically as his life was coming to an end, unaware of the red-haired knight that was walking through the frozen domain.

"Ah......i get it now. The one person that's laughing is me. I let Rem die, I killed Emilia, I abandoned the man who believed in me and got him killed too. I'm......I'm......."

"You're slothful, Subaru."

Everything disappeared in a flash of white. After watching a merciless ending occur each time, after breaking the thing he wanted to protect the most, Natsuki Subaru realized something.

"No one expects anything of me, not even myself."

~????~

His eyes were widen with horror, his gaze slowly taking in his surroundings. He was no longer in the frozen wasteland that was formerly Roswaal's domain. Right now, he was standing in front of Kadoman's shop as he was back at the Royal Capital. He slowly began to look down, noticing his once destroyed body now fully intact and no longer covered in ice. However, this moment was short lived as he heard voice call out to him.

"Subaru-kun?"

His head turned slowly towards the source of the voice. A wave of emotions hit his very being all at once due to the sight of her. Her blue eyes filled with concern as she stared at him, her bright blue hair that he had grown to miss the sight of. At this very moment, Subaru could only utter one thing.

"Rem?"

"Yes, it's your Rem."

"Geez, she's already claiming to be yours. You sure work fast, Subaru. Couldn't get Emilia, so you go for the maid. I swear, you're like a horny tornado or something."

Subaru's body froze in place the moment he heard the sound of a young man joking with him. As he slowly turned his head, he saw Akira looking at him with a teasing smile on his face. However, that smile was short lived as a look of surprise was plastered on Akira's face as he felt Subaru suddenly hugging him. As he felt the black haired boy hug him tightly, the white-haired boy noticed the look in Subaru's eyes. Tired, filled with guilt, he knew this expression all too well. It was the same expression he wore himself back when Ayu died. Before he could say anything, Akira saw Rem placing a hand on Subaru's cheek.

"I'm sorry for forgetting my most important duty. You look tired, i'm a failure as a maid."

"Tired........you're right. I've become tired after losing and wearing myself out."

It all happened in the blink of an eye, Subaru grabbed Rem by her right hand as he ran off with the maid. As this happened, Akira noticed how Subaru was gazing at him. A look of plead, as if asking not to follow him. A look of guilt, as if looking at him brought immense amount of pain and regret. As he saw his two friends running off, Akira merely let a sigh escape from his lips. While he would tail them, he would at least do Subaru a favor and stay out of his sight until necessary.

"My theory is starting to look more and more possible. He wouldn't act like this just by merely witnessing a terrible future. Those eyes.......I know that look all too well. You can't just suddenly be overwhelmed with that much emotion unless you actually experienced it for yourself. Subaru, just what the hell happened for you to look at me and Rem.....like I looked at Ayu at her final moments."

~With Subaru~
The sound of footsteps rapidly colliding with the ground echoed in Subaru's ears. All he wanted to do was keep running as he held Rem closely. He didn't want to look back for a moment, he didn't want to be met with his gaze. The gaze of the person he abandoned, the gaze of the man who died all because of him. The gaze of the man he envied and hated, despite how much that man sacrificed just for him.

"Subaru-kun! What happened? If you don't explain, I cant--"

Suddenly the black haired boy stopped running as he slowly turned around. All he was met with was the sight of Rem as the maid was trying to catch her breath. Without knowing it, Subaru was breathing heavily as well the moment he stopped running. Soon the two of them began to walk up some stairs that lead to higher ground so they could talk in private. As they finally managed to catch their breath, Subaru decided to finally speak.

"My bad, I was in a hurry. I had so much that I needed to think about that I forgot to explain. I'm sorry, Rem."

"Really, you mustn't do that. I realize that you're giving a great deal of thought to our situation just like Akira-san is. I don't dislike it when you're forceful, though.

"Sorry I worried you, I'm fine now. I guess both you and Akira have only seen me being so pathetic, getting depressed all the time. But I realized something. I've caused problems for everyone, and I feel sorry for everything, but i've finally realized how I can round things off nicely. Or rather, I the answer was already in front of me and i'm a man who just didn't know when to quit."

"But I think that's what is so wonderful about you."

As Rem said this, Subaru couldn't help but form a weak smile. Soon his gaze was now cast upon the sky. The things he's realized and been forced to realize. All kinds of experiences brought him where he is now. Throughout everything that happened to him, Subaru finally came up with an answer. As his eyes were now staring at the maid in front of him, Subaru made his choice.

"I've decided."

"Yes?"

"Let's run away together, Rem. As far as we can go."

"Huh?"

"I'm going to leave the capital and head either west or north. I heard no one can enter the kingdom in the south, so I can't go there. I hate the cold, so going west might be the best option."

"Um....."

"It might be a long journey, and I know this is a snap decision, so it won't be easy."

"P-please wait! The way you said it makes it sound like you're planning to go to some other country that isn't Lugunica. Oh, knowing you, it must be because you have another great idea. Something that will help Roswaal-sama and Emilia-sama. I'm sure if we tell Akira-san, the chance of success might go u-"

"That's not what this is, Rem. There's nothing I can do in the capital, but i'm just as powerless if I went back to the mansion. That's what I figured out. So run away with me, Rem. We can't stay here, that's what everyone has been telling me. I didn't want to believe it, and denied it with all my might, but....they're right! No one ever needed me! It's been spelled out for me over and over!"

As he said this, he remembered the time he went to the Royal Candidates for help. Each time was the very same, he was denied and shown how worthless he was. When he tried one idea, they would mention how Akira did what he did but faster, smarter, and more efficiently. Time and time again, he was forced to see the gap between him and the white haired boy along with seeing his own weakness.

"That's why I decided to disappear. It's for the best, everything I do results in a dead body. Or maybe more, depending on what happens. I've had enough. Let's run away, Rem. You and I can't stay here! We shouldn't be in this country!"

"But this is so sudden."

"We don't have much time! I'm sorry that it's sudden, I really am. But you have to choose. Me or someone else. Let's get a dragon-drawn carriage and head west. We'll leave Lugunica and go far west to.....Kararagi, was it? We'll buy a little house and live their together. Even if bad things happen, I can keep going as long as you are there. Just having someone at home waiting for me with a smile....no matter how tired I am, if I know you are waiting for me, I know...please choose me!"

As he bowed at a ninety degree angle, Subaru outstretched his right arm as his hand was held out towards Rem. While the blue-haired maid was still trying to process this, her gaze fell back onto Subaru, noticing the boy's desperate cries as his hand reached out to her. Truth be told, deep down inside, even she was starting to feel conflicted.

"If you choose me, i'll give you all that I have! Live with me!"

"Subaru-kun..."

"Yes!"

"I can't run away with you. We're supposed to laugh together as we talk about the future, remember?"

"Maybe we can't laugh now, but once we start moving, maybe we can--"

"I've thought about it, too."

Subaru couldn't hide his gaze of confusion as he looked at Rem. The blue-haired oni merely smiled softly as she looked at the young man in front of her. Right now, she hasn't told Subaru a single lie. Instead, she was going to be truthful with him and speak from the heart. That was all she could do at this very moment.

"We would arrive in Kararagi and rent a place to stay. As long as we had a home and work, we would get by somehow. Fortunately, thanks to Roswaal-sama, I have received an education, so I should be able to find work easily. You might either have to look for manual labor or take care of things around me. Once we had a stable income, we could look for a better place to live. You could study in the meantime, perhaps for a year, so that you can find a decent job until you can actually work. We would work together, and once we had enough money, perhaps we could buy a house. Maybe we could even open up a shop. Kararagi is a thriving commercial place, after all. I'm sure we can earn a living on one of your fanciful ideas."

"......"

"And once our jobs are on track, um....this is embarrassing to say, but we could have a child. It would be half-human and half-oni, so i'm sure it would be feisty. Whether we have a boy or a girl, twins or even triplets, i'm sure they would be adorable. I'm sure it wouldn't be all fun times, and it might not work out like how I imagined. We might have all daughters and no sons, so you might not feel very proud of your family."

"Rem."

"But, but...even when the children grow up and reach the age where they start to treat you coldly, i'll still be on your side. We'll be famous in the neighborhood as a couple of lovebirds, as we take our time spending life together and growing old. I would feel bad for doing it to you, but I would prefer to die before you, if possible. I want to die quietly in bed, your hand in mine, surrounded by our children and grandchildren and say, "I'm so happy", as you all look on. I could end my life happily, so happily. If you want it so badly, if you could wish for that future with a smile, I would be truly happy to die that way. As long as I could live with you.....just knowing that you want me with you when you run away makes me happy from the bottom of my heart. But I can't, because I know if we run away together now, I would be leaving behind the Subaru-kun I love most. Subaru-kun, please tell me what happened. If you can't, just trust me. I'll do something to make it right."

"You truly are slothful."

His mouth was agape as he was at a lost for words. His eyes held both a look of desperation and confusion. Soon his mind began to think back on Petelgeuse's words, the way he let Rem die for him all because he wasn't putting forth as much effort as he should have. All because she wanted to support him to the very end. As he clenched his hands into fists, Subaru heard Rem calling out to him.

"We should go back for now, at the very least, Subaru-kun. If we take our time and consider things calmly, maybe we'll find a different answer. With you, Akira-san, and I working together, i'm sure we can come up with something."

"But let me say this, you won't be able to save anyone with the way you're approaching this. Just being emotional and acting on impulse won't save--"

"I've already agonized over all this and I already know what Akira would say. I thought about it, I suffered. That's why I gave up."

"It's easy to give up, but--"

"It's easy to give up? Don't give me that! There's nothing easy about giving up! You think i'm just doing nothing, thinking about nothing, cutting myself off from everything, and throwing everything away, and that's all it took to give up! It wasn't easy to give up! It was so much easier for me to think there was something I could do! But there's nothing I can do, there's no way out! The only path everything leads up to is giving up! If I could do something, I would....I would but ..."

"Subaru-kun, it is easy to give up. But it doesn't suit you. I don't know what painful things you've been through or what you've done that makes you suffer so. And I know it wouldn't be right for me to thoughtlessly say I understand. But even so, there is something I do know. You're not someone who gives up on things halfway through. I know that you're someone who can smile when you talk about your wishes for the future. I know that you're someone who can't give up on the future.

"You're wrong, i'm not that kind of man."

"I'm not wrong. You haven't given up on anyone. Not Emilia-sama, Nee-sama, Roswaal-sama, Beatrice-sama, and even Akira-san. If you really gave up, why do you feel so much pain at just the mention of their names instead of having no reaction at all?"

"You're wrong! I have given up! It was impossible for me to carry it all from the start! My hands are so small, that it all slipped through my fingers, leaving nothing!"

"That's not tru--"

"What do you know?! What do you know about me?! This is the kind of man I am! I'm weak but I want it all! I have no knowledge, but all I do is dream! There's nothing I can do, but I struggle in vain! I--I--, I hate myself! All I do is talk a bit game and make myself sound like a big shot, when I can't do anything! I never do anything, yet I complain like a pro! Who do you think I am?! It's amazing I can keep living like this and not feel any shame, right?! I'm empty, there's nothing in me at all! I know that it's obvious. Before I got into the situation that led me to all of you, do you have any idea what I did?! I did nothing, not a single thing! I had all that time and freedom, but I never did a damn thing and the man in front of you is the result of that! All of my incompetence, all of my powerlessness, is the product of my rotten character. Wanting to accomplish something when I haven't done anything goes beyond the limits of arrogance!"

Subaru was breathing heavily after screaming his lungs out. His words of self loathing pouring out like a fountain. In his mind, the cost for his laziness and all his wasteful habits in his life just ended up killing both himself and Rem. As he held onto both sides of his head tightly, a thought suddenly came to him. He thought back on the time he was training with Wilhelm back in Crusch's manor.

"That's right....I have no character. I thought I could go on living here, but nothing changed. I bet that old man saw that part of me perfectly. I wasn't trying to get stronger or trying to make things better. I was just striking an obvious pose to justify myself, to say that I was trying, that it wasn't like I wasn't doing anything. I wanted to say I couldn't help it. I wanted to be told that it couldn't be helped! I was only pretending to push my body to its limits so that would be possible! Even when I had you help me study, I was just posing to cover up my embarrassment, Rem! Then there's Akira, he's always one step ahead of me, he's more reliable and far stronger than me! Everything I wanted to do, he could do it better and faster than I could! I kept acting like he and I are equals, but in reality he's far better than me! I only stood around him because I thought it would make me look bigger than I actually am! At heart, i'm just a small, cowardly, piece of trash who's always worried about how everyone sees him, and....nothing has changed! Why can't I be more like Akira and not care about what people think of me?! Why can't I be strong and smart like him so I can be useful?! Why can't I be less emotional like he is under pressure?! WHY IS HE SO DAMN PERFECT AND I'M THIS PIECE OF TRASH?! WHY CAN'T HE BE THE DAMN HERO AND SAVE US ALL THE TROUBLE?!"

His breathing grew heavier with each passing second as his gaze now fell onto the ground. This was the truth that Natsuki Subaru realized. He hated himself to a large degree. In his eyes, he was the lowest of the low. While his gaze was still fixed to the ground, he heard the sound of footsteps slowly approaching him. As he felt someone's right hand touching his left shoulder, the black-haired boy lifts his head as he assumed it was Rem trying to comfort him. However, his eyes widen with shock as he saw who was standing in front of him. Instead of the blue-haired maid, the one standing before Subaru was none other than the white-haired boy that he just mentioned.

"So, you have thoughts like that too, huh."

"What do you know Akira? Unlike me, you've always been strong. You've always been smart and a hard worker. You're far stronger and more reliable than me! You're always giving it your best, always striving to be better. You never worry about how others see you. You're the one people expect the most out of! You can't understand how I feel! How could you when you have everything that I do-"

"You're right. I probably can't understand you, there are many differences between us. However, the same could be said to you. Just like I don't know how you feel, you don't understand how I feel either. We're both just assuming shit about each other, yet neither of us have put forth the effort to actually learn about each other. I won't act like I understand you, I won't even stop you if want to run away after all this. However, there is one thing I can do. The version of me that lives in your head, the perfect guy that you always compare yourself to, the Suzushima Akira that you assume me to be........i'll shatter that illusion of yours and show you the truth. The truth that Suzushima Akira is just as flawed of a bastard as you are."

The once calm, analytical gaze of Akira was now replaced with a look of empathy. Whether Subaru or him wanted to admit it or not, they had far more in common than they let on. However, Akira clenched his fists as he wanted to clear up this misunderstanding. If the black-haired boy wanted to give up, he wouldn't stop him. He wouldn't act like he understood everything he went through, but there is one thing he refused to let happen. He refused to let Subaru use him as an excuse to do so, especially if it was all based off of assumptions.

"Subaru, you're not the only one who wanted to change since coming to Lugunica. I may be strong and have my wits, but....just because i'm strong doesn't mean I don't struggle. The perfect Suzushima Akira that you imagined in your head is only just that, your imagination. The perfect man that you see me as doesn't exist. Just like there are some things one person can do better than the other, there are things you can do that I can only dream of doing."

"DON'T GIVE ME THAT! You expect me to believe there is something I can do that you can't? Don't screw with me, Akira! When I made a big mess during the Royal Selection, I practically ruined Emilia's chances at the throne! Then you came in and dominated the flow of the conversation, my mistake almost instantly thrown under the rug. Then there was my fight with Julius! I was beaten senselessly in front of all of the knights, I struggled and struggled but couldn't do a damn thing! Then you came in and practically stopped it the moment you arrived. You're stronger than me, smarter than me, and all around more reliable than me. Nothing anyone says to you or about you seems to affect you! You always kept your self worth and moved forward! What could I possibly do that you couldn't! I'm not the only one who wanted to change? What could you possibly want to change about yourself when you have it all, Akira!"

"For someone like myself, a guy who's ability to trust others is so cracked and broken, I am wretchedly timid and forever trying to read the expressions on people's faces. When I first got to the manor with you and Emilia, I thought I would never be able to get along with you all. I thought the moment you saw how boring and distrustful I was of you all, you would leave me behind. But as time went by, I slowly began to open up to you guys. Little by little, I grew more and more attached. But.......it's because of that, that my fears only continued to increase. Nothing seems to bother me? You couldn't be more wrong, Subaru! I'm terrified, even now it shakes me to my core! I want to trust you all, I want to believe in everyone with all my heart! I want to give back the goodwill that you all gave to me, but I can't! I'm so scared that the moment I open up my heart, the moment I show the real Suzushima Akira and not the one I was forced to be back at home, i'll lose all of you just like I lost the few people who understood me back home. I hate it! I hate the me so scared of trusting others, he can't value what little relationships he does have! I hate the me who kept trying to live up to the expectations of others all so he could feel loved for once and not be abandoned! I hate the me who was so powerless, he couldn't even save the life of the one person who gave a damn about his life when he couldn't care about it himself! I hate the me so use to being alone, so scared of trusting anyone, that I couldn't call out for help and expect someone to be there when I was at my lowest! Everyday I keep asking myself if changing was impossible for me.But........"

Soon his gaze fell upon Subaru, causing the black-haired boy's eyes to widen with shock. This was the first time he ever witnessed Akira like this. The calm and collected Akira, the perfect knight that he envisioned, was nowhere to be found. For the first time, Subaru saw Akira's eyes filled with tears as they held a look of both sadness and admiration. As he looked at Subaru, Akira remembered the time he confronted the young man. He remembered back when Subaru desperately cried out for him to help. That moment would forever be engraved in Akira's mind.

"It was only through meeting you and seeing how much you struggled....that I began to think that I could change too, Subaru. At first, I didn't really see much in you, I will admit that. But seeing you study at the manor, how hard you worked as you worked under Roswaal and everyone else, seeing how much you wanted to make Emilia smile and to be by her side. I admired that part of you....and I envied it in equal measure. I want to be able to have someone I can work hard for, someone that I want to make a bright future for. I want to have the same willpower to make it through the day and still laugh like an idiot, even when things don't go my way. When you asked me for help during the Ulgram incident.....I felt relieved. For the first time, someone didn't expect me to do it all. They didn't expect perfection out of me. They didn't expect me to mindlessly obey them and be controlled. For the first time, in a long time, I felt like I was looked at like a normal human rather than a puppet. It was thanks to you, Subaru. But now that I know how you feel, along with how much you have accomplished, I can say one thing. You're amazing, Natsuki Subaru. If nothing else, I respect you far more than you think."

Subaru couldn't find the words to say to Akira. He already knew how Akira felt, the letter the boy left him during the first loop told him that. He knew Akira wasn't perfect, he knew the boy had his own issues and was only trying his best. But Subaru still envied him, he couldn't help but to envy the white-haired boy. He knew it was wrong, but he couldn't control this feeling he had. Yet he also knew these were the genuine feelings of the man he envied. Soon Subaru stepped backwards as he shook his head, trying not to let Akira's words get to him. However, before Subaru could say anything, Rem spoke up since she found the chance to do so.

"I know that you're a courageous man who reaches his hand out for the future, no matter how uncertain it is, Subaru-kun."

"Why? Why are both you and Akira......"

"When you said you hate yourself, I wanted to list off your good points. I just wanted to tell you what I know."

"THAT'S MAKE BELIEVE! You two simply don't understand anything! I know myself the best! Why do you all care about me anyways! I'm small, weak.....and always running awa-"

BAM

It happened in an instant, right before Subaru could finish degrading himself. The black-haired boy felt great pain on the left side of his face as he noticed Rem looked at the situation with great shock. In that brief moment, Akira had slammed his right fist into Subaru's face. His look of empathy and sadness were now replaced with frustration as he grabbed Subaru by the collar of his shirt and jacket.

"WE KNOW WE DON'T UNDERSTAND! So give us a chance to understand you, you dumbass! Tell us us the things about you that you want us to know! Give us a chance to understand you and we'll let you understand us! You understand yourself best, but you also want to be recognized, right? Then help us recognize you! Plus isn't obvious why we care about you?!"

"Akira-san is right! It's because....you're our hero! You helped me in that dark forest when I lost myself and only thought of raging around. Both yourself and Akira-san stayed behind to act as decoys when Nee-sama and I couldn't move. You survived despite having no chance of winning and your life was at risk. You came back to us alive. You said the words that I wanted to hear at the right time from the mouth I wanted to hear them from. Time stopped for me the moment that I lost everyone except Nee-sama. But you sweetly melted my frozen heart and gently moved my stopped time. You wouldn't understand how saved I was and how happy I was during that moment on that morning."

"I've been misunderstanding something this whole time."

"As for me, whenever I was asked what I wanted my first impulse was to answer "Nothing." The thought went through my mind that it didn't make any difference, that nothing was going to make me happy. But that changed the moment you helped save Rom and Felt. Thanks to you asking me for help, I was able to keep Petra and the rest of Arlam Village safe. As time went by in the manor, I slowly began to think if I could be like you. Being able to laugh and smile after tragedy. Being so open about my emotions, regardless of what others may see me as. It was through watching your actions, that I started to believe that even someone like me could change. That's why, I also want to save you from the mistakes I also made, so you never have to go through something like that. Even if it means I have to play the villain to keep you on track."

"I thought Rem would forgive my depravity, no matter what. I thought Akira was so perfect, that nothing could bother him and that if I disappeared he would seemingly take my place and make everything work out. In reality, Rem would never allow me to spoil myself. In reality, all the expectations and perfection of Akira that I compared myself too....were just my own thoughts I forced on him. In reality, he's just as flawed as I am, he's just as scared as I am. He's just as human as I am."

"Even if you face hardships and it looks like you'll lose ........"

"Even if everyone stops believing in you, including yourself, Akira-san and I...... "

"WE'LL BELIEVE IN YOU!"

That was the final nail in the coffin as Subaru felt himself falling down to his knees. The moment he heard Rem and Akira say this, the young man felt two things happening him. First, he was brought into a warm embrace by Rem and was soon met with a kiss on his forehead, making it even harder for him to refute. The second thing he felt was the reassuring hand of a young man, who respected him, now resting on his left shoulder as if to tell Subaru that he was there for him. As Akira noticed Subaru was now crying uncontrollably, he merely nodded his head at Rem, signaling for her to speak to Subaru as the black-haired boy seemed to have reached his limit.

"I couldn't save anyone......"

"I'm right here, Subaru-kun."

"No one bothered to listen to me."

"I'm here, I'll always listen to what you have to say. I love to listen to you. Akira-san too, he's willing to listen if you just ask."

"No one expects anything from me and no one believes in me. I...I hate myself."

"It has to be you, I want it to be you, Subaru-kun. If you can't forgive yourself for being empty and having nothing, then let's start from here, right now."

"Start where?"

"Just like you started my time for me when it stopped, we'll make the time that you feel has stopped for you move again. Let's start from here, from square one. No......."

A gust of wind danced in the area as the light in Subaru's eyes began to shine once more. Seeing this, Akira smiled as he simply walked to the side. As he used his ability to reflect the sound waves from reaching his ears, he closed his eyes so he wouldn't read Subaru and Rem's lips. Right now, he wanted to give them some respect and stay out their moment for now. As Subaru was slowly standing back up, he was merely met with a passionate smile from Rem.

"If it's too hard for you to walk alone, we'll share the burden and support each other as we walk. Isn't that what you said to me this morning? Show me how awesome you can be, Subaru-kun."

"Rem......"

"Yes?"

"I love Emilia."

"Yes."

"I want to see Emilia smile. I want to be of help to Emilia's future. Even if she says i'm in the way, even if she tells me to stay away, I want to be next to her. Using my feelings for her as an excuse to get her to understand everything, it was arrogant of me and Akira picked up on that and tried to warn me. It's okay if she doesn't understand, I just want to save her. If there is a bleak, painful future waiting for her, I want to take her away to a future where we all can laugh together."

As he said this, Subaru stepped forward as he reached out his right hand towards Rem. He knew he was a weak and frail guy that couldn't do anything on his own. That's why this time, during this loop, he'll do things differently. Starting with this very moment right in front of him.

"Will you help me, Rem? Will you lend me a hand in order for me to walk straight and watch over my mistakes?"

"You're a cruel man, Subaru-kun. You ask all of this of someone you just rejected?"

"Hey now, it's hard for me to ask this of the one who's rejected my once-in-a-lifetime proposal."

"Pfft."

The moment Subaru and Rem heard this, they slowly turned their heads to the source of the noise. Having growing bored of waiting, the young man stopped reflecting sound waves and heard the last bit of what Subaru and Rem said. Right now, Akira was trying his hardest not to laugh and ruin the moment. However, the moment he let out a chuckle, Rem and Subaru began to laugh along with him. In this moment, they were all a bunch of hopeless cases. After managing to compose herself, Rem gave Subaru her answer.

A smile formed on Subaru's face upon hearing this, but the black-haired boy knew there was one more thing he needed to do. Soon he began to walk to the side, his eyes now focused on the white-haired boy standing before him. A few seconds of silence passed before Subaru finally spoke what was on his mind.

"Akira, I always envied you. You always carried yourself as this calm and intelligent guy. You have unbelievable power and you always seem to know what to do and how to do it. In my mind, I hated you a bit. You were everything I wanted to be and more. Yet, despite how you come off, you're far kinder than you let on. You even tried to warn me time and time again, all because you gave a damn for someone like me. I'm sorry, Akira. I'm sorry I forced my own perception of you onto you and lashed out at you when I couldn't meet your level. I know I'm not the brightest, i'm bound to let my feelings get the best of me and just act off the heat of the moment. That's why I need someone like you, someone good under pressure with sound logic to help keep me in check. You don't have to forgive me but ...can I keep relying on you?"

As Subaru said this, he noticed how Akira suddenly turned around and began to walk away. At first, he thought the boy was rejecting him. To be honest, he wouldn't blame him with how he was treating him lately. However, just before Subaru could say anything, he noticed how Akira had stopped walking and had his left arm stretched out as the palm of his left hand was exposed. As he slowly turned his head, Akira merely met Subaru's gaze with a small smirk.

"A part of me hated you as well. It was because of how similar we were. I hated you because I felt like I was looking at a mirror. Watching someone who couldn't be his true self because he was to busy hating on himself. Looks like we're both really shitty bastards. But maybe we can make things a little less shitty by working together. You may annoy me sometimes and make me wanna bash my head against the wall, but.......you're not my enemy, Subaru. You never were."

After hearing this, Subaru smiled as he rushed over to Akira with Rem following close behind him. The moment he got close, Subaru slammed his right palm on top of Akira's left as everyone walked off. No other words were needed for the two of them. Right now, in their eyes, they were brothers-in-arms. Despite their differences, they decided to come together. As the trio began to walk down together, Subaru and Akira were thinking to themselves.

"I'm looking at Emilia, and Rem is looking at me. That's why I won't look down."

"For the first time in my life, i've made my own choice and i've made it clear. Even if it's a one way road, whether my path leads to salvation or my own demise, i'll face it head on."

"In this new world. My life ....."

...Will start from zero.