The window outside was beginning to turn white. Subaru had been awake the whole time. Hugging her knees on the futon, gripping her petrified left arm with her right hand——she hadn't slept a wink. The words Bianca had read aloud last night kept spinning in her head over and over. *'Have the resolve to bear the pain of the one you love most.'* Pain, she was used to. Dying over and over, starting again, each time hurting and suffering——yet she'd always gotten back up. In that sense, she should have been more prepared than anyone. But her hands wouldn't stop shaking. Emilias's face floated into her mind. Those purple and silver heterochromatic eyes, gazing at her while holding back tears. Leon's face appeared next. His profile as he slammed his fist against the wall, saying in a low voice, "I couldn't protect you." *(I don't want to lose either of them.)* She realized it vaguely, and Subaru covered her face a little. *(Now's not the time to be thinking about that, is it?)* The eastern window began to stain orange gradually. The sound of birds drifted from far away. The garden of Roswaal's mansion regained its outline in the pale light of dawn. Subaru stood up. "[serious]……Okay" She whispered it just once. Her voice trembled slightly, but she decided not to mind. She was terrified. But her resolve was set. --- Everyone had gathered in the great hall by the time sunlight began streaming through the windows. Subaru stood before the table and gently placed her petrified left arm, bandages and all, on top of it. "[serious]I have something to tell everyone" Her voice was calmer than she expected. The trembling might not have been visible from the outside. "[serious]I'm going to bear everyone's pain. So I need all of you——to tell me your true feelings" It was quiet. One second. Two seconds. ——The sound of a chair being kicked back. "[crying]No way!!" Emilias had stood up. His silver hair was disheveled, tears glistening in his eyes. Those pale purple and silver heterochromatic eyes looked straight at Subaru. It was the first time in days she'd seen his face head-on like this. "[crying]I won't allow Subaru to be the only one sacrificed!" "[cold]I'll take it. You shut up" Leon cut him off. Arms crossed, his red vertical-slit eyes fixed on Subaru. His face didn't waver an inch. "[serious]I have the most magical power. Think about it in numbers" Bianca interjected, hand to her forehead. From there, it escalated fast. "[crying]You can't just dump everything on Subaru——!" "[cold]It doesn't matter if you have more magical power than me. I'm the right choice" "[serious]Emotional arguments are useless. Think about efficiency" "[surprised]Wait, everyone stop talking at once!!" The three voices overlapped, and the great hall swirled with shouts, tears, and sighs. Leon and Emilias both inhaled at the same time——and opened their mouths simultaneously. "I'll——" "I'll——" Both of them stopped dead. An awkward silence. "[sarcastic]……Both of you, calculate before you speak. Really" Bianca let out an exasperated sigh. Subaru couldn't help but "[laughing]ahaha" laugh. Even though it was a serious moment. But she laughed anyway. Leon furrowed his brow and looked at her, while Emilias's cheeks flushed red and he looked away. The air loosened, just a little. But soon the argument started again. "[cold]Rather than lose you——" Leon's voice grew louder. A voice that couldn't contain emotion anymore. "[angry]I'd rather be the one turned to stone!!" ——In that instant. The stone tablet fragment Bianca was holding glowed faintly white. Everyone froze. Leon pointed at the fragment and said, "[surprised]……Isn't that thing broken?" , his voice stiff. No one said anything. The white light from the fragment slowly faded. Emilias took a step forward. He pressed his lips together, then——opened them. "[crying]I……I like Subaru……" His voice was trembling. "[crying]I don't want to see Subaru suffer!" The fragment glowed white again. Stronger this time. Something jumped in Subaru's chest. *(Wait. Wait, just now——)* Both Leon's words and Emilias's words—— *(Why am I realizing this now, of all times!!)* She screamed internally. While staring at the fragment, she desperately endured her face growing hot. Bianca lifted the fragment up in front of her eyes. "[gentle]……Hey, everyone" Her voice was quiet. Not her usual cold calculation, just a voice. "[gentle]The color of the fragment is changing" Everyone's mouth closed. --- Bianca observed the fragment carefully, choosing her words slowly. "[serious]When Leon shouted. When Emilias cried. The petrified areas momentarily returned to their original color" "[surprised]……What?" "[serious]Each time someone speaks their true feelings, the petrification slows. It's not sacrifice——sharing is the true condition for the curse to break" Bianca's golden eyes moved slowly from the fragment to look at everyone. "[serious]The stone tablet was testing the resolve to offer yourself for someone else. If everyone has that resolve——the pain won't concentrate on one person" Silence. Subaru looked at her petrified left arm. The bandages. Cold, numb. Then she looked at the fragment. It was whiter than before. Her nose tingled. Her eyes grew hot. And then——she started laughing. "[crying]……What the hell is that" Tears came. They came while she laughed. This was the first time something like this had happened. "[crying]You could've said so from the start!!!" Her voice echoed through the great hall. The heavy air seemed to burst open. Emilias made a small sound and covered his cheeks. His face was completely red. Leon kept his arms crossed and looked up at the ceiling. "[cold]……That. No one heard that" "[surprised]Me too! Can we pretend I didn't say anything?" "[serious]We can't. The fragment is recording everything" She stated it flatly. Mercilessly. From somewhere, Ram's voice came. "[cold]I remember everything you all said just now" Everyone covered their faces in unison. Subaru kept laughing while covering her face with her hand. Laughing while crying. What was this. How could it end like this. Seven days, everyone hurting themselves, holding it in, trying to sacrifice themselves, arguing——and the answer had been there all along. To clash with each other, all together. "[gentle]……So tomorrow" She steadied her voice. She looked at her petrified left arm, then at everyone. "[serious]I'll shout properly in front of everyone. All of us, together" Leon, unusually, uncrossed his arms. "[gentle]……Together, huh" He murmured, his voice low but without its usual sharpness. Emilias nodded. His silver hair swayed. "[gentle]If Subaru's with me……I think I can say it properly this time" The fragment glowed faintly white. "[serious]Save the sentimentality for after the seventh day is over" Bianca clapped her hands. "[serious]The petrification hasn't stopped yet. The time limit is until midnight tonight. You understand that, right?" Everyone snapped back to reality. "[surprised]Oh, that's right!!" "[cold]I know" "[gentle]Y, yes……" It was time to disperse. Emilias came to Subaru's side. He spoke in a small voice. "[whispers]Tomorrow……stay by my side, okay?" Subaru couldn't say anything. She just nodded. When they reached the hallway, Leon came to walk beside her. He spoke without turning around, walking ahead. "[cold]It's my turn next" That was all he said before walking on ahead. Subaru was left alone in the hallway, gently wrapping her petrified left arm with her right hand. It was cold. But——it felt a little lighter than before. When night fell, Subaru took the fragment out of her pocket in her room. It was white. Even though it had been tinged with red just moments ago, it was definitely white now. But it hadn't completely faded. Red still lingered faintly. The time limit was until midnight tonight. Subaru gripped the fragment and closed her eyes. Tomorrow——everyone would shout properly together. That was all she thought about.