Tattered, tattered, spilling out.
Tattered, tattered, peeling off.
Battered, battered, battered, fading away.
Battered, battered, battered, battered, battered, everything, distant and shimmering.
△▼△▼△▼△
Outside the tower, the stampede of demonic beasts halted thanks to Meili’s efforts.
On the second floor, there was the defeat of Roy Alphard, who had taken over Reid Astrea's body.
On the fourth floor, the Sin Archbishop of Gluttony, Ley Batenkaitos, was defeated.
On floor zero, the yet to be seen "final test" was broken through with Emilia's will.
In order to recapture the Pleiades Watchtower, the team had to clear all of the challenges that were prepared for them.
These results grew out of the close bonds they all shared, through believing in each other and nurturing their relationships.
Or the way Emilia would say it, this was the result of "getting along with each other".
Only because of that, had they been able to get to this point.
And if that were true, the only thing left to do....
Is to win!
When they first arrived at the tower Emilia had said,,
Emilia: [We're going to get back what we lost!]
She swore there would be no more loss; rather, they would regain what had been forgotten.
Since they had all agreed with her oath upon entering, they must all return safely from the Augrian Sand Dunes. Even if the number of people returning is more than the amount than when they had arrived.
Subaru, Emilia, Beatrice, Ram, Rem, Meili, Anastasia, Echidna, Julius, Patrasche, and they might even be able to add Shaula to their group. In the end, as long as they had their bonds, they would come out of this successfully.
Subaru: [... Let's go!]
With both spirit knights gathered, it was Julius who naturally walked to the front.
Julius, who temporarily retreated to assist in the healing of Meili using one of his contracted spirits, Kua, had pulled the blue spirit back and thus re-entered the scene of battle, clad in an extreme light created by his six spirits.
Using the effects of “Cor Leonis”, Subaru could see that in exchange for using enormous amounts of light, Julius and his spirits were being put under considerable strain.
Although they were putting on a good show, they had no intention to make this fight last longer than was necessary.
Julius bolted forwards, leaving behind a cloud of dust while simultaneously producing a rainbow colored trail of light.
Closing the distance in an instant, Julius slashed at the beastly scorpion before him.
The moment the blade met the tail, an intense reaction started, causing white smoke to billow from the impact, and...
Her shell melted.
The sword slash, which was coated in Julius’ original spell, “Al Clarista”, shined intensely through the Scorpion’s shell, which was incapable of protecting itself from the attack.
One must remember that the light show enveloping Julius is not simply for looks, however...
Crimson Scorpion: [.....]
The Scorpion's tail released a bullet at point-blank range, a beam of light that had killed Subaru more than ten times in the past- “Hell’s Snipe”.
Rather than deflecting it with his sword, Julius disregards the beam and attempts to continue his assault.
The dazzling light thinly draping over Julius’ body is a different application of “Al Clauzeria ”, which creates a forcefield around him.
To put it bluntly, Julius, having honed both his offensive and defensive capabilities gave rise to the most perfect knight- the ‘Rainbow Spirit Knight’ was born into the world.
Crimson Scorpion:[~~~!]
The Crimson Scorpion, its attacks negated and protections breached, was currently in quite the predicament.
However, the beast hadn't spent four hundred years as the tower's guardian simply idling around. The Crimson Scorpion’s shell started to heat up, causing it to become a brighter shade of red. As Julius swung his sword down, the scorpion gathered all of the built up strength in its pincers and slammed them into Julius.
The pincers became intensely hot, distorting the atmosphere from the tremendous heat.
If Subaru was to give a name to the deadly pincers, it would be called: “Jesus Scissors Hellfire Form”.
(TL Note: We are aware this name is insanely cringy. We decided to keep the name in its pure form since we didn’t know what to do with it.
The katakana literally reads: ジーザス・シザース・ヘルファイアフォーム “Jīzasu shizāsu herufaiafōmu”)
Blown away by his opponent’s adaptability, Subaru had just realized the true danger of the fight he was partaking in. The scorpion’s ability to read an opponent mid-combat and adjust accordingly would make for a great ally, but for an opponent? He’d rather his opponents not have that much growth potential.
Enemy characters that keep growing are currently unwanted.
Beatrice: [“Minya”!]
A purple crystal blocked the Scorpion's attack, saving Julius from flying across the sand again.
Since Subaru knew he wasn’t strong enough to intervene in the battle between Julius and the Crimson Scorpion, Beatrice would be in charge of covering Julius while Subaru analyzed his options.
Subaru: [....]
While trying to position himself so that he wouldn't die in the aftermath, he glanced around at the sand that had been swept away by the whirlwind and the swarm of demonic beasts that were steering clear of the fight.
Looking back at the Augurian Sand Dunes, Subaru could see the extent of the damage that their journey had caused.
Being able to gaze at the top of the tower still hadn’t registered as normal in Subaru’s brain.
Since the clouds surrounding the watchtower had cleared, they were now able to see Floor Zero- ‘Merope’, where Subaru hoped that Emilia had rewritten the rules of the tower.
Continuing this train of thought, Subaru had to ponder if the watchtower had some sort of mechanism which drove demonic beasts away. Originally, it seemed as though the builder of the watchtower had designed with this issue in mind, which made the current demonic beast predicament even stranger to Subaru.
Regardless, Subaru thought how helpful it would be if the demonic beasts stopped bothering them, since they were currently occupied with trying to bring Shaula back to her senses.
Beatrice: [..Subaru!]
Subaru: [Oh..]
A voice pierced through Subaru’s inner dialogue, alerting him to the sudden object which had just sent him flying across the sand dunes.
When he looked up to see what had hit him, the Crimson Scorpion, who had blitzed past Julius' slash, was about to land right beside Subaru.
Beatrice held her hand out in an earnest plea, to which Subaru quickly obliged. Subaru looked up after grabbing his contracted spirit’s adorable hand, only to see the Crimson Scorpion’s tail wagging around, looking suspiciously similar to a flyswatter he used to have back in his room. The tail suddenly pounced, grounding Subaru and reminding him of the consequences of ‘death’.
Subaru: [“Guiltywhip”!]
Beatrice: [“Murak”!]
Their thought processes exactly in sync, Subaru and Beatrice simultaneously made their decisions.
Decreasing the effect of gravity on their bodies, both Subaru and Beatrice entered a weightless state. At the same time, Subaru struck his whip, tangling it around the base of the Scorpion’s tail.
Just as soon as the whip had made solid contact, the Scorpion swung its tail, sending Subaru and Beatrice flying through the air at a fatal velocity.
Subaru: [Wha ....]
Crash!
Instead of being swung around, they had been instantly shaken off.
Subaru and Beatrice were slammed directly into the sand from the momentum.
Even if they were as light as air, the force of the impact would have shattered their entire bodies had they landed on anything other than sand.
????: [Let's have you give up the chase..!]
Crimson Scorpion: [....]
The Crimson Scorpion takes aim at Subaru and Beatrice, who are buried in the sand. Before the Scorpion can fire, however, a vivid light enters its path, and a battle of scorching heat and extreme vibrance unfolds.
Sparks fly with each slash, and the consecutive strikes send shockwaves through the sand dunes, which causes grains of sand to fling upwards into the otherwise clear sky.
Destructive power embodies the both of them. Julius represents speed, while the Crimson Scorpion represents endurance, without a decisive blow, this battle will likely push Julius and the others to defeat.
Subaru: [Ptu, Ptu. Shit, we've got to do something!]
Beatrice: [Ptu, ptu. We need to find a way to win I suppose!]
Subaru and Beatrice, rose out of the sand together, spitting out the sand in their mouths in the same gesture.
With tears in their eyes, they search for a way to get Shaula back.
Subaru: [There are three possibilities that I can think of ...]
Julius awakens to a new power and kicks the Scorpion's ass for a total victory.
Subaru and Beatrice complete a new spell, which incapacitates the Scorpion, letting their team win.
Or suddenly, Emilia falls from the sky gifting the world with peace using her cuteness.
Subaru: [Personally I'm hoping for the third option but ......]
Subaru doesn't think he'll be able to awaken to a new power, and sadly Subaru doesn't expect Emilia to be pragmatic enough to show up here at the perfect moment.
If that’s the case, the last option would be for Julius to level up and unlock a brand new power, but...
Julius had already done that once, so it'd be unfair to expect him to do it again.
The fight between Julius and the Scorpion continues at a speed that Subaru's eyes cannot follow.
Looking at the destruction happening in front of him, Subaru thinks about his next move.
In the end, he had no choice but to fight with all the cards he currently has.
Then at least don't overlook the cards you have, Natsuki Subaru.
Subaru: [Think, think, think ......]
With his head at full throttle, he searched for an answer, no longer relying on hopes or dreams.
And so, as he searched for a solution, Subaru realized that he had yet to use his most trusted card.
Subaru: [... Beako!]
Beatrice: [Honestly, you should have asked me from the very beginning, I suppose!]
Beatrice responds to Subaru's call, as if she had been anticipating Subaru’s plea.
Happy that his partner was willing to help, he reached out to take her little hand into his.
I'm going to use every ounce of energy I have left on this.
△▼△▼△▼△
Tattered, tattered, spilling out.
Tattered, tattered, peeling off.
Battered, battered, battered, fading away.
Battered, battered, battered, battered, everything is distant and shimmering.
A rainbow passes in front of Shaula’s eyes, and she instinctively pushes it away using her pincers.
Her red-hot pincers have enough power to burn through everything and anything. Whether it's rock or steel, it is guaranteed to be cut through like butter.
Shaula: [Even if I don't really know what butter is.]
Talking about unknown things that she had been told long ago, she hunts down her shimmering target.
However, this place is a wide sandy sea, so there aren’t any obstacles, making it impossible for her target to escape. Whether it’s a close quarters fight with no hope of escape, or a long distance duel, She is always on her own ...
Snipers are always lonely, you know.
Shaula was told that snipers are people who wait and wait in order to kill their prey.
So she waited. She was proud of being a sniper, so she kept waiting.
Day after day, she kept her eyes on the horizon, on her opponents who were coming to the tower, and she kept waiting.
There were rules that bound Shaula to the tower.
There were times when Shaula found them annoying, but she also knew that without them she would have forgotten a lot of things, since Shaula is always so forgetful.
The times they walked together, the things they talked about, the days they spent, the thoughts they exchanged, everything.
Shaula: [Oh...... That's disgusting]
Everyone was leaving her behind.
If you ask Shaula to wait, she’ll wait forever, but if you make Shaula wait, she will want you to come back. As long as you come back to Shaula, she can wait forever.
So...
It's great to have her master back.
Because everyone else was gone.
When Master came back, I didn't know if I could believe the words I said.
Shaula didn't know if she was waiting because she believed it, or if she was waiting because she was just coasting, and she didn't even know the answer to that. Shaula didn't even think about it.
Shaula didn't even have to think about it. Because before she could turn to dust, the promise had been fulfilled.
Shaula: [That makes me happy, Master.]
So Shaula doesn't want Master to go away anymore. Master can stay here forever.
Shaula doesn't want to be alone anymore, She is done with being a sniper. Shaula thinks she deserves a reward for being one for so long.
Shaula: [I don't want to be left behind anymore, Master. ...... ahhh, I want to be loved.]
Because everyone has left me behind.
This time, I want to be with you forever and ever.
So...
Shaula: [I want you to love me, Master.]
△▼△▼△▼△
Subaru shudders as the light from the Crimson Scorpion's body became even more vivid.
It appeared to be a reaction called the “Attack Color”, but to Subaru, he thought differently.
That bright red color seemed to be the result of Shaula crying out.
The existence of Shaula, who had been holed up in this tower for four hundred years, keeping her emotions locked up and obeying orders, was glowing with an outpouring of thoughts.
Red is the color of passion, and red is the color of unbridled love.
The Crimson Scorpion shines red because she loves someone and wants to be loved in return.
Subaru: [It's a common belief that Scorpio women are very affectionate!]
Shouting forcefully and kicking the sand, Subaru swings his arms to release his whip.
Crimson Scorpion: [....]
His aim is at the distracted Crimson Scorpion, who has her back to Subaru, and is exchanging blows with Julius.
Subaru must insist that the teacher she obsesses about is just over here.
Subaru: [When a woman goes for a different man, it's a rather unpleasant thing for a man to witness.]
Beatrice: [That’s a lousy thing to say, even for Subaru!]
Pushed by Beatrice's stern words, the whip released by Subaru was right on target, twisting neatly around the base of the Crimson Scorpion's tail.
However, that would’ve been no different from the previous situation, where the scorpion had swung its tail, burying them in the sand.
The Crimson Scorpion focused its attention solely on Julius, perhaps because of the dazzling tug of war earlier, so dealing with Subaru and the others would be secondary.
The Crimson Scorpion believes that Subaru and the others are weak. So naturally, Subaru aims to exploit that perception.
Beatrice: [“El Vita”!]
Subaru: [Goooooooo!]
Beatrice casts her magic, and as the effects of the magic are applied to Subaru's entire body, the tremendous weight causes both of his legs to be buried in the sand.
As opposed to “Murak”, which reduces the effects of gravity, “Vita” increases the effects of gravity. - This increase in weight is used to restrain the Crimson Scorpion's tail.
But, of course, that still wasn't enough. Even if it's a little heavier, it's at most two-hundred or more pounds. It’s not enough weight to counter Shaula's monstrous power, which can even throw a dragon carriage with ease.
So….
Subaru: [This is your moment! Do it!]
Subaru shouts as he pours strength into his arms and buries his feet into the sand.
In the next moment, Subaru's body, which was dangerously close to being pulled out by the Scorpion’s tail, stayed firmly in the ground.
The reason for this is obvious. The two forces canceled each other out. The Crimson Scorpion and Subaru- no, Subaru and everyone else.
???: [.....]
In front of Subaru, the one holding the whip, was the Hungry Horse King, who assisted in the tug-of-war with his unusually large body.
And the Hungry Horse King was not the only one to participate in this unprecedented tug-of-war. A Courtesan Bear, a Winged Mole and a Sand Earthworm all participate in the tug-of-war. The demonic beasts who were supposed to be his enemies, were assisting Subaru in battle.
The only person who could bring it about ….
Meili: [Being the messenger is rough.]
A girl’s struggling voice echoed in his ears. The girl who spoke, breathing heavily with a bloody face, was Meili.
She tightens her dainty profile and exhales a big, long, deep breath.
Meili: [Hello everybody. It’d be a waste if you all just stared, though.]
Meili claps her hands, and the sea of sand shakes in response. It's the footsteps and cries of the demonic beasts that keep approaching.
This is not a phenomenon of normal scale for the “Demonic Beast User”.
Using her Divine Protection of Magic Manipulation, the small indigo-haired girl standing in the sandy sea controls the entire demonic beast horde, no longer deserving the title of a mere “Demonic Beast User”. This is the second coming of the “Mother of Demonic Beasts”, an entity that once ravaged the Vollachia Empire.
Meili: [....]
There was something behind the painful expression on Meili’s face, but she recovered her consciousness enough to participate in the fast-paced battle.
Naturally, the pain and fatigue Meili experienced was absorbed by Subaru and redistributed through “Cor Leonis.” It is one of the last cards that Subaru has.
It wasn't Emilia, Beatrice or Ram. It was not Julius or Echidna, Patrasche or Meili, much less the sleeping Rem.
This, the last collaborator for the attack on the Augurian Dunes ...
Subaru: [I'm sorry to drag you in the middle of this, Gian! Please help me!]
In the distance, the presence of Gian, the ground dragon left behind in the basement of the Watchtower’s sixth floor, was detected by ‘Cor Leonis’, and Subaru dared to share the burden with the ground dragon.
It was a tremendously heartbreaking decision, but what was even more heartbreaking was the fact that Gian was able to meet the conditions for distribution of the burden by Subaru's “Cor Leonis”.
In other words, Gian, like Beatrice and the rest of the team, wanted to support Subaru.
He indulged Gian's desire and asked the ground dragon to shoulder the majority of Meili's burden through Subaru. It was the trick which allowed Meili to stand.
That's also the reason why the Crimson Scorpion unexpectedly lost the battle of strength.
And that's ...
Subaru: [This is your defeat Shaula.]
The Crimson Scorpion's legs floated in response to Subaru's words as he won an all-out battle with the borrowed help of demonic beasts and the ground dragon Gian.
The “Greatest Knight” does not miss that moment.
That rainbow light, released from the edge of Julius’ sword, cuts off the tail of the Crimson Scorpion from the base.
Crimson Scorpion: [....]
The severed tail explodes, sending shockwaves towards Julius. However, the rainbow light surrounding him prevents the shockwaves from ever reaching him. The Crimson Scorpion, unable to use its most powerful weapon, furiously swings it’s large pincers down towards Julius’ back.
However, losing the tug-of-war, having its tail cut off, and impatiently striking at “The Most Excellent Knight” who overcame a duel with the first generation “Sword Saint” proved to be a fatal mistake. The Crimson Scorpion’s attack failed.
Crimson Scorpion: [Shhhh!]
An arcing sword slashes at the left pincer’s joint, leaving a clean wound gaping where the large pincer used to be. Still shaking off the shock of having its left pincer cut off, the Crimson Scorpion attacks with its last resort: the right pincer. The attack nearly has Julius in its grasp.
When the knight’s body is surrounded and the pincer closes...
Julius: [“Al Clanvel”!]
Just before the pincer snaps shuts, a tinted light emanates from Julius, expanding and overtaking the surrounding area.
The instant Julius removed the light-based armor he encased himself in, the explosive glow blasted the pincer that was about to shut, shredding it to pieces.
Crimson Scorpion: [....]
The resulting shockwave sent the Crimson Scorpion's huge body flying through the air. The demonic beast rolled around on the sand, covered in various wounds and missing its tail as well as both arms.
The Scorpion came to a sudden realization of its surroundings. Demonic beasts of various sizes encapsulated the immobile Scorpion, pinning the eight legs it had left. The Scorpion desperately struggles, writhing around and attempting to break free of the demon beasts’ grasp, while shaking its head and gnashing its sharp fangs as if it were refusing its inevitable defeat.
Perhaps, the Crimson Scorpion could come up with some hail mary ability, a new technique derived from the disparate situation it found itself in, but...
Subaru: [It's over, Shaula.]
Subaru found himself mirrored in all eight of the Crimson Scorpion’s compound eyes, which wavered at the sight before it. Now trapped in a rather pathetic state, the Crimson Scorpion was unarmed and pinned to the ground. At this point, it would be an easy kill but that isn’t what Subaru wants.
He had pushed himself to this point and still didn't know what the right answer was.
Subaru: [Meili.]
Meili: [I wonder~ what ni-san would’ve done if I hadn't been here.]
With her name called, Meili sighs and turns to the Crimson Scorpion.
She snaps her fingers and exhales as she lines up next to Subaru. The compound eyes of the Crimson Scorpion then focus on her.
Meili: [What are you? Are you a scary Red Scorpion?]
Crimson Scorpion: [....]
Meili: [Or who are you?]
At the question, the Crimson Scorpion's compound eye movement slowed down.
It wavered, silently staring at Meili, and then Subaru.
The aggressive red eyes slowly change hue.
Subaru: [Shaula.]
Together with its brightly colored shell, the Crimson Scorpion settles down.
The eyes change back to green, the shell changes back to black.
Subaru: [Shaula!]
Eventually...
△▼△▼△▼△
Tattered, tattered, spilling out.
Tattered, tattered, peeling off.
Battered, battered, battered, fading away.
Battered, battered, battered, battered, battered, everything, distant and shimmering.
Everything spills, peels, fades, and appears far, far away, shimmering.
Left behind, the memories are distant, but it sure as hell shines through.
Those days were everything that mattered to her, and Shaula was desperate to scoop them up.
Subaru: [....]
Shaula: [Do you remember that, Master? You told me to wait for you to come back, and then you disappeared.]
Subaru sat down and tilted his head slightly at her question.
That attitude of hers, as if she were talking about fond memories of the past, made Subaru shake his head.
Subaru: [I don't remember, I don’t know what you're talking about. How many times do I have to say it?]
Shaula: [Well, it can't be helped. Master is awfully forgetful, just like me. Master and I are very much alike]
Subaru: [That's creepy! Though I admit our way of speaking is similar.]
That said, Subaru does feel an odd sense of familiarity, since the speaking style Shaula uses mimics that of his old world.
Subaru isn't as charming, cute, or fit as Shaula is. He couldn’t devote himself to a person who left him behind for four hundred years.
Subaru: [I'm impatient, ya know. I’d want immediate results. If I had stayed with you for all those centuries, I’d be worried about my own endurance.]
Shaula: [Oh, that's no good, Master, Okay? There's a quote: Love is endurance!]
Subaru: [What the hell do you mean endurance! That’s a slogan for a reliable woman, or a useful woman!]
Shaula: [It's all for the purpose of fulfilling the desire that's growing in my heart. I want you to laugh with me because that smile, too, is wonderful ......]
Subaru: [That’s not funny, y’know.. Look, something got stuck in my eyes.]
Shaula: [Let's see.]
Pointing at his face, Shaula stands up and brings her face close to Subaru’s, close enough for him to notice every detail in Shaula’s face.
Her face is defined by large, sharp eyes. Strong eyes, and a nose that ran down her face in a smooth line. If one were not aware of current events, it’d be rather difficult to convince them that this person had spent the last 400 years waiting in a desert, given her long eyelashes and her skin's fine texture. Her whole being is shaped in a way that expresses the idea of ‘beautiful’ over ‘cute’.
The existence that was given the name of a star and destined to wait for someone. The existence who has been waiting for their beloved for a long time in this land.
Shaula; [Huh? Master, do you have something in your eyes, or are you just crying a little?]
Subaru: [Your master is an asshole. I'm going to beat his ass with my own hands.]
Shaula: [That would be really complicated! Master KOs Master, what kind of reality is that!?]
With a wince, his lips quivered and Subaru squeezed his eyes shut.
He felt something hot, something burning behind his shut eyelids. Something burning that was coming in, plowing in, escaping out of the refusing eyes, running down his cheeks.
Looking at the clear drops, Shaula moves even closer to Subaru’s face.
Subaru: [.....]
Surprisingly, a damp feeling stroked Subaru's cheek as she closed her eyes.
When he opens his eyes, Shaula's face slowly pulls away. Laughing mischievously, she puts a finger to her lips and shows her red tongue in a jesting manner.
Shaula: [Master's bodily fluids are sweet and salty tsu~~]
Subaru: [How the hell can you say that….?]
Shaula: [The way you say it doesn't change anything. My thoughts and feelings are expressed with every fiber of my being. Master, I love you.]
She said she loved him. She would never be able to say it lightly if she knew the phrases’s background. Shaula would occasionally say "I love you" because she was full of love. The words that she has been wanting to tell her master for a long time are pouring out of her. Her four hundred year desire to love and be loved.
Shaula: [I love you, Master.]
Subaru: [I'm not going to tell you I love you.]
Shaula: [I know. Master is shy. But I like that, too.]
Subaru: [....]
Time left her behind, the role imposed upon her, blinding her to the tower like a chain. When she was about to hurt her loved ones, she cried and begged for death.
She would rather die than hurt her master, she said. What did Subaru say to her when she was sobbing like that?
Subaru told her he wouldn't let her cry.
Subaru: [I'm not going to tell you that I love you.]
Shaula: [That’s fine. If Master doesn't say it, I'll keep saying it, and then one day you'll say those words back to me.]
Subaru: [Someday, that's a pretty long time. You're not going to wait 400 years are you?]
Shaula: [Four hundred years felt so short, though]
She had once cried out in a sad voice that said she had been waiting for a long time. She had cried out that she had been left behind by the passage of time, that her affections had been held hostage and that she had been lonely all along.
There was no way this version of Shaula could know that there was a world in which she vented those feelings, those emotions, the despondent passion that waited for 400 years. If that’s the case, then what is the feeling that currently blows through her heart?
Subaru won't let her cry, he vowed. Even now, he had no intention of letting that happen.
Natsuki Subaru, who was her Master, scrambles with all his might to stop those tears.
And yet ....
Shaula: [Four hundred years is just around the corner.]
She showed no sign of her previous form, the Crimson Scorpion. Not even a glimpse. She simply smiled as a beautiful girl.
Unintentionally beautiful, and so fragile that she might crumble if a finger were to lay upon her being, Shaula’s normally white cheeks were slightly flushed as she continued, saying “Because”, with the face of a young maiden in love, she continued, “because”.
The maiden in love continued to say “Because” - and
Shaula: [... because I loved you even while I was waiting.]
Subaru: [....]
Shaula: [Hey, Master. So, someday…]
△▼△▼△▼△
Tattered, tattered, spilling out.
Tattered, tattered, peeling off.
Battered, battered, battered, fading away.
Battered, battered, battered, battered, everything is distant and shimmering.
Battered, battered, battered, battered, and everything looks distant and shimmering.
Subaru: [Shaula.]
Tattered, parts of the flaking shell turn to dust on the sand.
It wasn't confined to just a few parts, all the parts that were peeling off turned to dust.
The severed tail, the detached pincers, the multiple legs that were held down by the demonic beasts, and the head that is embraced by Natsuki Subaru, everything.
Beatrice: [I’ve done my part, I suppose.]
Beatrice, aware of Subaru’s feelings, spoke that in as small a voice as she could afford to Subaru, who was desperately attempting to embrace whatever was left of Shaula in his arms, next to his chest.
The dainty looking spirit looked drearily at the demonic beast that continued to crumble away, devoid of any power, no, not a demonic beast, but rather a companion, who just like Beatrice, had been entrusted with a role that required her absolute dedication.
Subaru refuses to accept Beatrice’s words.
But his instincts understood. This isn’t “death”.
Entrusted as the guardian of the Pleiades Watchtower, this outcome was inevitable.
Subaru: [If …. we …..]
If they hadn't come here, would Shaula have been able to stay here forever?
In this tower of sand, all the time, waiting for someone who would never return, at this place.
Julius: [Subaru, you know. That assumption would be an insult to her.]
Subaru: [....]
Julius: [It is best for you not to regret this.]
The knight, who had already sheathed his sword and corrected his blood and sand-stained attire, tells Subaru. Julius was ruthless, but he was right for all intents and purposes.
Biting his back teeth and hiding his hatred for Julius’ righteousness, Subaru exhaled.
In response to Julius’ words, Subaru hugged Shaula tighter, the girl who was alone for so long. She was left behind, left behind for an unimaginable length of time. So much empty time, spent in so much empty space. No longer alone, she was now being sent off.
Subaru, Beatrice, Julius, and Meili gathered around.
In the distance is a faint outline of someone running away from the watchtower.
All this time, she'd been alone, and they've all come together for her.
Shaula: [But for me, one Master is enough.]
The sound of Shaula’s voice came to Subaru’s ears, the sight of her saying such a thing came to Subaru’s eyes. The emotions contained within them overwhelmed Subaru, causing him to once again burst into tears.
Slowly, the demonic beast's fangs gently traced the drops that ran down Subaru's cheeks, lovingly and gently.
Those sharp fags, fangs that could break anything and everything, do not even think to break Subaru, who was probably more fragile and in greater danger of fracturing than anyone else present.
Subaru: [Ah...]
The arms he held unexpectedly lost their weight.
Raggedly, the outer shell of the Crimson Scorpion loses its mass and turns to dust. The black dust fluttered over the sand, and Subaru croaked.
Subaru: [Shaula......]
Shaula: [Yes, Master.]
Subaru: [Shaula ...... Shaula ...... Shaula .....]
Shaula: [You wanted to see me, Master?]
Subaru: [Shaula, Shaula ......]
Shaula: [Oh, my goodness, Master loves me so much, I'm in trouble!]
If Subaru closes his eyes, her voice comes back to his ears as she answers his call.
And yet, Shaula was nowhere to be found.
Subaru: [Ah....]
Subaru squatted on the sandy sea.
Subaru realized someone’s voice was speaking, but he didn’t attempt to register it any further. He didn’t know who it belonged to, and he didn’t even have to time check. He simply looked up to the sky, helplessly as if he had been caught in a trap, and finally opened his eyes.
The black-dust filled sand shuddered slightly, and something began to crawl out.
It was a small, palm-sized being. A small being with a crimson shell, a small being that scrapes away the sand with two deft swipes and dextrously pulls itself out of the remaining sand with its tail.
Subaru: [....?]
It comes toward Subaru, who is kneeling on the sand, and gently snuggles into his hand.
There was something touching about that gesture.
△▼△▼△▼△
Tattered, tattered, spilling out.
Tattered, tattered, peeling off.
Battered, battered, battered, fading away.
Battered, battered, battered, battered, everything is distant and shimmering.
Battered, battered, battered, battered, and everything looks distant and shimmering.
Because you were there in all that shimmered.
Shaula: [Four hundred years is just around the corner.]
Shaula: [Because I loved you even while I waited.]
Shaula: [Hey, Master. So, someday …..]
Shaula: [I hope we meet again someday.]
Shaula: [Now it's Master's turn to wait for me . It’s time for me to be the woman you chase, instead of the woman chasing you.]
Shaula: [Master, keep this important promise.]
Shaula: [Next time, don't forget.]
Shaula: [I love you Master.]
△▼△▼△▼△
Subaru: [You Goddamned idiot...]
Subaru murmured, in a trembling voice, wondering if this was something he could even forget.
Once Subaru recovered slightly, he picked up and wrapped his hands around the being facing him. The little, tiny scorpion shuddered, its shell vivid, bright red.
It was the color of “love” that would not be allowed to fade, even after four hundred years.