Chapter 133: Subaru calls me mom in private

"Honestly, how did you let yourself get into such a state? Fine, fine—next time we meet, I'll give this kid a good, comforting hug."

Felt flushed slightly, as if she had already pictured that very scene the moment the words left her mouth, and she couldn't help but tilt her head away in embarrassment.

In the royal palace, the role she often played in front of Natsuki Subaru was that of a comforter.

After finishing a day's work and dealing with the other sisters, Subaru would usually come to her last, seeking comfort or simply holding her body as he slept.

Of course, having originally come from the Slums, she wasn't naturally such a steady, gentle sort of person—and having grown up with Old Rom, there was even less chance she'd know how to comfort anyone.

But among the several sisters—

Priscilla was domineering, Crusch relied on Subaru, Anastasia was often the one being looked after by Subaru, and Emilia was like a naive, innocent, quiet crystal doll.

So, in the end, only she could take up this heavy responsibility.

Yet she relished it—just the thought of being someone Subaru could depend on kindled boundless passion in her heart!

Reading books, asking the servants how to counsel and care for others... studying court etiquette, learning how to become elegant and mature, so that she could grow into a reliable person worthy of being depended upon by her husband—Natsuki Subaru!

As for the results... well, it could be counted a success, I suppose!

After all, only when she and Subaru were alone together, Subaru would sometimes secretly call her "Mama."

At the thought, Felt's cheeks flushed a rosy red, her face as intoxicating as if she were drunk, so alluring that anyone who saw it couldn't help but want to take a bite.

"Why isn't there a scene of me appearing together with my husband? How infuriating... if it were me, I would never have let my husband become so dispirited!"

Dressed in a white gown, Crusch was at this moment sulkily biting her thumb, resentful and unwilling like a lonely wife languishing in an empty boudoir.

That yearning of hers—unwilling to be parted from Natsuki Subaru, her dependence on him—was written almost plainly across her face.

If one had to say it, she was probably the one among the sisters who craved Natsuki Subaru's body the most... Oh, no, that's not quite right—since Priscilla was there, it was really hard to say.

In any case, even in another world, she felt dissatisfied that she wasn't appearing at her husband's side.

Priscilla said nothing, merely casting a sidelong glance at the three sisters beside her before pressing a hand to her forehead, speechless and choked with exasperation.

With her understanding of these three sisters, she could say that even if they only stuck out their rears, she'd know these three little hussies were feeling lonely and unbearable again tonight and were about to make a nighttime raid on their husband.

Let alone now—just from observing the shifting expressions on their faces, she knew exactly what they were thinking.

Anastasia, elder sister—happy again.

Crusch—getting worked up again.

Felt—fantasizing again.

After calling them out one by one, Priscilla shook her head helplessly and returned her gaze to the screen directly ahead, staring at the Natsuki Subaru in the picture, a faint smile of a strong one's recognition curling at the corner of her lips.

Not bad—now he finally had a bit of a king's bearing.

It seemed that even in a world of other possibilities, Natsuki Subaru was still that peerlessly strong man.

A man destined to become king? Now that's rather interesting.

Priscilla lightly swayed her fan and nodded with satisfaction, the magnificence at her chest trembling abruptly along with the motion.

Very good—only a man like this was worthy of her approval, worthy of conquering her and winning her heart!

In this life too, she would stand behind this man.

She wanted to see just how far he would go this time.

Priscilla's thoughts drifted far away, while on the screen new changes were unfolding.

[At this moment, Natsuki Subaru also seemed to feel the atmosphere had grown a little stiff, so he spread his hands, his eyes tinged with a reminiscent light as he spoke.

"I miss the times when we used to eat here together. Back then, so much hadn't happened yet."

As he said this, Natsuki Subaru fell silent again. He thought of Rem, who had died without a sound, and Ram, who was destined to hate him for the rest of her life.

And Emilia, whom he had imprisoned in the name of protection.

But at this point, everything was already beyond return.

"What are you talking about? Betty doesn't recall any such thing, I suppose."

Just as Natsuki Subaru was lost in thought, Betty responded to what he had said moments before.

She furrowed her brows slightly, her tone cool and detached, her puzzled expression so genuine it couldn't be feigned, as though she had truly and seriously considered whether the two of them had ever shared such an experience.

"Heh heh, hahaha, so that's how it is—why does it have to be this way!"

Upon hearing Betty's response, Natsuki Subaru suddenly burst into loud laughter, then his face twisted into an expression of anguished self-reproach as he yanked hard at his hair, roaring with all his might.

"It's all my fault, it's all your fault! Isn't it true now that not even a shred of those memories remains?"

Are you all right———

Betty watched the crazed, half-mad Natsuki Subaru before her, frowning, her lips parting as she wanted to ask this question out of concern—but in the end she chose not to voice it.

From what standpoint was she supposed to show concern for him?

If anything, here in Roswaal Manor, she was inherently on the opposing side to Natsuki Subaru, who had wrecked the manor and even sought to destroy the Forbidden Archive.

Whether for the sake of her promise to her mother Echidna, or the contract signed with the "successive generations" of Roswaal to protect the manor, she had to take action.

She could no longer allow this former acquaintance—now a violent ruffian—to run rampant here as he pleased!

At the thought, Betty extended her palm toward Natsuki Subaru.

Only this time it was not to save him, but to kill him!

"Don't do this, Beatrice—you said you would protect me. Do you still remember the contract?!"

Natsuki Subaru abruptly lifted his head, his deep, jet-black eyes gazing calmly at Betty.

Looking into those eyes like a pool of stagnant water, and combined with those words about the contract just now, Betty's movement inevitably froze for an instant.

Just as the spirit user Emilia valued contracts, Betty, as a great spirit, naturally valued contracts beyond measure.

It was only that the momentary delay brought on by that regard was, in this instant, fatal.

Soon, Betty discovered she could not move—she couldn't even lift a single finger.

"Sorry, now you won't be able to move."

At some unknown moment, a male beastman emerged from Betty's shadow, arms folded across his chest, his entire body exuding a dangerous aura.

"This is a ninjutsu that binds shadows. Don't worry, it'll release on its own in a little while."

The male beastman said this. As the strongest assassin, the Admirer, Halibel, his judgment was naturally precise and unerring.

Seizing the chance while Betty could not move, Natsuki Subaru stepped down from his seat and spoke to Betty of the true feelings within his heart.

He—truly, sincerely thanked Betty!

"That day in the forest at dusk, my heart was truly torn, in unbearable pain. I wanted to end it all, yet I didn't have the courage to start over."

"By coincidence, that was when you found me, saw through my struggle, and helped me make a choice... But why didn't you kill me back then?"

Those spoken words—were they gratitude, or a grievance?

Betty pondered silently.

But if one asked her whether what she did that day was right or wrong—

Betty felt lost over this, because back then she had merely chosen to send him away in order to uphold the contract to protect Natsuki Subaru.

Upholding the contract—was that wrong?

If she were the Betty of four hundred years ago, waiting in the Forbidden Archive in anticipation of "that person's" arrival, she would surely think there was nothing wrong with it.

But now, four hundred years had passed.

She had long since stopped holding any expectations for the outcome, and in that long, tormenting wait she had come to seek release, wanting to walk toward an ending that belonged to her own self.

...So the answer was obvious.

Betty gazed at the young man across from her, whose despairing eyes carried a faint smile, and her heart brimmed over with guilt and remorse.

That one small decision of hers back then—just what kind of despairing, tormented years had it made Natsuki Subaru endure?

"The two of us—we really are alike."

Natsuki Subaru's sudden remark instantly made Betty burst into tears!

Great, heavy teardrops rolled down along the rims of her eyes.

She herself had waited bitterly for "that person" for four hundred years, all because of a single word her mother had once spoken.

And Natsuki Subaru, too, had gone on living like a walking corpse until now, all because of the way she had saved him back then.

When he said the two of them were alike, was it because they had both sought release amid a long torment?

But didn't that mean—

that she had unknowingly done something similar to her mother, distorting the life of this black-haired boy?

That she had, without even realizing it, lived her way into becoming just like her mother?

"I'm sorry—maybe Betty shouldn't have, shouldn't have...!"

Betty cried out, her voice hoarse and broken.

But at this moment Natsuki Subaru only gently wiped away the tears from her face, as a silent response.

He never blamed Betty, just as he had said from the very beginning.

He had always been grateful to Betty—for extending a helping hand to his despairing self on that day.

"Your color is truly beautiful."

Natsuki Subaru and Betty gazed at each other, the two pairs of pupils each reflecting the other's face.

In this moment, both of them attained a brief salvation.

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