Chapter 95: Unofficial history records that that night it was Roswaal who took Natsuki Subaru's hand.

Outside the screen, Betty's face lit up with delighted surprise.

"This is... the scene of when Subaru and I first sealed our contract, kashira!"

But then, like an eggplant struck by frost, she drooped dejectedly.

"And yet, I don't remember it at all—even though it was such a memorable moment..."

Hearing this, Felt waved her hand and spoke in a mature tone that didn't match her appearance.

"Come now, little girl, stop fretting over this. It's precisely because you don't remember it that it seems all the more precious. Besides, the way I see it, you did far better than those two maids over there."

In the end, Felt offered her praise with a tsundere air, while at the same time slyly taking a jab at Rem and Ram with her words.

However, Betty didn't appreciate it.

She folded her arms across her chest and shot Felt a displeased glare.

"Who are you calling a little girl!"

After this outburst, Betty looked Felt up and down, her expression speechless.

"Come to think of it, you're the one who's a little girl, aren't you? You're so young, yet here you are putting on a mature act."

Felt pointed at herself with an incredulous look, then stamped her foot in exasperation and explained,

"It's only because the Subaru on the screen called you that that I started calling you that too. And besides..."

"Right now I really am a child, but on the inside I'm already plenty mature!"

"Saying that only makes you look like a brat pretending to be grown-up. Going purely by mental age, Betty is several hundred years older than you, kashira!"

Betty narrowed her eyes, the corners of her lips curling up, and looked at Felt with an extremely mocking expression.

"What did you say? You little shrimp!"

"You flat-chested board!"

The two of them faced off, each so infuriated by the other that their teeth itched.

"These two women—are they playing some kind of spot-the-similarities game?"

Garfiel looked left and right, sizing them up for a good while before scratching his head and speaking.

Pfft!

Beside him, Frederica, hearing her brother's blunt remark, lost the battle to hold it in despite her best efforts, covering her mouth as she desperately suppressed her laughter.

However, that stifled laugh was like a fuse, instantly setting off a thunderous burst of laughter from everyone in the spectator area.

"Hahaha..."

The air was at once filled with a cheerful mood.

[The time came to the dead of night. Natsuki Subaru, lying on the bed, was sinking into a Nightmare.

In the dream, he ran ceaselessly through a forest, trying to escape from Rem, who chased after him relentlessly.

In reality, Natsuki Subaru, his eyes shut tight, wore a contorted expression, cold sweat breaking out all over his body.

And just as Natsuki Subaru was being tormented by the terrifying Nightmare, a sudden warmth was conveyed into his heart.

As though at this moment someone were at his bedside, holding both his hands, offering spiritual support to the fear-stricken him.

In an instant, the Nightmare dissipated.

Natsuki Subaru's tightly furrowed brows slowly relaxed, and his breathing steadied.

The camera angle pulled back: Natsuki Subaru lay flat on the bed, and the room was empty save for himself.]

"The death in the previous loop really did cast a heavy shadow over Subaru. Ah-Subaru, how pitiful."

Anastasia pouted, feeling sad for Natsuki Subaru as though she could empathize with him.

"This old man is rather curious—this scene doesn't look so simple. In the end, who was the benefactor at the bedside that held his hands?"

Wilhelm stroked his chin, casting his gaze toward Betty on the other side.

"Now that's truly a pity. Clearly, at this point Betty's relationship with Subaru hadn't grown close to that degree. Though there was a contract, the scope of a concept like protection obviously doesn't include Nightmares."

Betty shook her head regretfully and pointed toward the screen to make her point.

"See? In the very next moment, I denied it."

[The scene shifted to the night of the fourth day, in the Forbidden Archive of the manor.

While Natsuki Subaru was asleep, Betty used the ability known as the Door Crossing to transfer him into the Forbidden Archive.

After his initial bewilderment, Natsuki Subaru shook his head and voiced the question that was on his mind.

"Though I think it's pretty unlikely—Betty, you didn't happen to hold my hand while I was sound asleep, did you?"

"It's indeed impossible. Even if it were Brother's request, I must decline."

Without lifting her head, Betty looked at the book in her hands and answered without the slightest hesitation or mercy.]

"Oh~ so it wasn't little Betty after all? But there were hardly any people in the manor, right? It definitely wasn't Rem or Ram, and that silver-haired big sister should have been asleep at this time too, right?"

Outside the screen, Meili curiously counted on her fingers, and at last a flash of inspiration struck her.

"Ah, so it was Roswaal after all!"

Hearing this, Otto let out a pfft and nearly choked on his own saliva, hurriedly explaining,

"How could that be?! Even though you don't remember it, Roswaal once hired you two sisters to attack the manor and kill Mr. Natsuki!"

Meili lightly wrinkled her dainty little nose and asked, puzzled and innocent,

"Couldn't it be that Roswaal was secretly caring for and looking after big brother? After all, doesn't he have that whatchamacallit—some plan he wants to carry out?"

At these words, everyone was startled. Disgust, nausea, shock... different emotions flashed across their faces one after another, as though a splendid drama were being staged.

Then, in unison, they turned their gazes toward Roswaal, only to find that his expression had grown grave.

Though no one knew why, that expression really did look exactly like someone whose secret had been hit dead-on!

Seeing this, everyone couldn't help but roar inwardly.

Even Elsa, beside Meili, couldn't help but darken her expression, thinking to herself, surely Meili hadn't actually guessed right...

And seeing this, Meili grew even more cheerful. She clapped her hands and said happily,

"So it really is the case, isn't it? Mr. Mule, on the one hand, gives big brother trials between life and death, while on the other, secretly cares for big brother, hoping he can lead him toward the ideal ending. Looking back over everything that's happened, it's been nothing but loving and slaying each other."

As she spoke, Meili sighed, shook her head, and lamented,

"Big brother and Mr. Mule—truly a pair of star-crossed lovebirds."

The moment these words came out, the entire venue fell into an eerie silence.

It was Puck who reacted first, slapping his thigh and laughing so hard he rocked back and forth.

"Pffhahaha, little lady, you really are too funny! So then—do you have anything else to say, Roswaal!"

Puck looked at Roswaal with a teasing gaze, his tone brimming with gloating.

"I was just now thinking about whether the path of caring for Mr. Subaru and building a good relationship with him would work out, that's not... never mind!"

Roswaal explained for a while with a dark face, but seeing that the more he explained the worse it looked, he gave up outright, letting everyone's imaginations run wild.

Amid the chatter and laughter, the image on the screen changed once again.

[After a long while had passed.

"Someone's calling me..."

Betty, who had been quietly reading with her head lowered, suddenly raised her head, as if sensing something.

"Are they summoning me? I wonder what's happened this time."

Betty closed the book, sighed, reinforced the wards on the Forbidden Archive, then turned to head out.

"As for you, just stay here. It'll be quite safe."

Betty turned her head, gave Natsuki Subaru a word of instruction, then opened the door and left.

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