If Crusch-sama's goal should be attained,
I'm sure it would suit your desires, Wilhelm-dono.
I expect the best.
My, how unusual it is to see you!
My apologies.
I am the treasurer of the capital's merchant guild.
My name is Russell Fellow.
It's a pleasure to meet you,
Natsuki Subaru-dono.
Wilhelm-san, who was that?
Russell Fellow.
Despite what he said,
he is shrewd, dealing in all of the capital's internal and external financial matters.
Now, I was just about to head back inside.
Do you have something to say?
People calling themselves the Witch Cult plan to attack Roswaal's domain in three days.
I'd like to ask for your help in stopping them.
I see.
So they have made their move.
It seems so.
Of course, from the moment that Emilia-sama, a half-elf, entered the scene,
we foresaw something like this happening.
I understand the situation.
My next question is why you chose to come to me for assistance.
Because, to be honest, you seem the most likely to help right now.
You've helped Rem and me—
Don't misunderstand.
I helped you two because I was contracted to do so.
If you wish to negotiate, you need to show me what I stand to gain.
Otherwise, there is nothing to negotiate.
If, with our assistance,
you can eliminate the threat posed by the Witch Cult,
what benefit would that be to us?
Tell me that.
If you help me out with this problem,
I'll owe a huge debt to your camp.
Should I accept the proposal,
it would mean Emilia's withdrawal from the royal selection.
You understand that?
What did you expect?
Placing your own domain's survival in the hands of another lord
calls into question your ability to rule the nation.
With that in mind, I prompt you again...
If you incur a debt to me through this deal,
it will mean the elimination of Emilia's camp from the race.
Do you still wish for my help?
Even still...
I want your help.
If she dies, everything ends, anyway.
Understood.
In that case, the Karsten family will render no assistance whatsoever.
Huh?
First of all, the condition of Emilia's withdrawal,
which you offered in desperation as an advantage to me...
It carries no weight in this negotiation.
But why?
Isn't removing one of your rivals enough compensation!?
Are you intentionally overlooking this?
Emilia's elimination from the royal selection will happen with or without my involvement.
Then you'll let the Witch Cult slaughter
all of those villagers in Roswaal's domain!?
Do not change the subject, Natsuki Subaru.
It is Emilia who lacks the power to protect that domain.
And Emilia whose people will die for her incompetence.
It is none of my concern.
B-But isn't standing by and letting people die just plain wrong?
If you have the power to save them, why wouldn't you!?
Hey, I've heard enough—
It's fine.
Allow me to correct one idea you have.
Say the Witch Cult does make a move.
That what you say comes to pass.
However, the problem lies beyond that.
Beyond that?
It's actually very simple.
How do you know when and where they will attack next?
W-Well...
If you had ties to the Witch Cult, it would only make sense.
That's bull—
Crusch-sama, please do not make jokes.
Subaru-kun has no ties to the Witch Cult. I say that with the—
Really?
Given what he says, if he cannot explain how he knows these details,
I can draw no other conclusion.
Have you never sensed any such inclination in him?
Not even once.
Regardless, as the matter calls his credibility into question, I cannot lend assistance to Emilia—
The Witch Cult is coming, goddamn it!
They'll slaughter the entire village, leaving not a single survivor.
Just kill them.
They don't deserve to live!
All we have to do is butcher every single last bastard in that damn cult!
That will solve everything! It's that easy!
You get that, right?
We can't let those bastards crawl the earth!
I'm gonna kill them!
Please help me!
Is this why you behave as you do?
Your hatred for the Witch Cult...
Is that your real reason for approaching Emilia?
No, I—
What else but murderous intent could one call that glint in your eye?
You're suggesting I'm using Emilia as a pretense for revenge against them!?
My hatred has nothing to do with how evil they are!
They can't be allowed to live...
That's why we have to kill every one of them!
That will save everyone!
I am certain I have told you, Natsuki Subaru.
That if your own lie doesn't fool you, it will not deceive others.
Why...
You don't know why?
You haven't once said
that you want to save Emilia.
I cannot allow you to come any closer.
Subaru-kun,
please calm down.
I can generally tell when the person with whom I speak is lying.
I am quite proud of the fact that I have never been deceived in negotiations.
Speaking from those years of experience,
I can say you are not lying.
W-Well, then...
You adamantly believe that your rant is true.
That is nothing short of madness,
Natsuki Subaru.
Ferris, heal his lip.
Don't bother!
Rem, let's go.
Do you have anywhere else to turn?
I hope you become a great ruler.
The kind of dictator who abandons the weak.
In my master's stead, I thank you
for the care you have given us.
What will we do?
If what you say is true, we have little time.
"If" it's true?
We have little time.
Shall we return to Roswaal-sama's mansion?
No, there's not much the two of us could do by going back now.
There aren't enough of us.
What the hell is Roswaal doing?
Roswaal-sama has been required to visit some officials within the domain.
He will stay with them for a few days.
That's why he can't do anything about the attack?
Then, unless we find reinforcements, we won't get anywhere.
What about Reinhard?
Wouldn't he help us?
Yesterday, he said that he would be
away from the capital for a while on a courtesy call.
Damn it!
Why is everyone so damn useless!?
Tomorrow, we'll have to look for someone else to help us.
You head to the knights' station.
I'm going to talk to one of the other candidates.
Very well.
The Witch Cult?
Yes.
If left alone, they'll hurt lots of people.
Emilia won't be their only victim.
I want to defeat them before that happens!
That's why I—
Amusing... You are amusing!
Indeed.
Any jester who makes it this far has mastered his act.
Wh-What's so funny about this?
I can appreciate your desperation,
but you haven't thought things through.
In trying to aid your ally, you corner them, benefit the enemy, and lose all control.
You're better off dying.
In fact, I could just lop off your head for you right now.
Still, even in the face of such harsh treatment,
the devotion you show for your master is commendable, if nothing else.
So...
I will give you an opportunity.
A-An opportunity?
Yes, an opportunity.
What you would call a "chance."
Lick it.
Huh?
Crawl on the floor,
savoring the shame and humiliation.
And like a wretched beast,
like a baby suckling on its mother's teat,
lick my foot.
If you can do that, I'll consider your proposal.
If you don't want to, that's fine...
If you'd rather favor your minuscule pride
and abandon the mistress you wagged your tail for to the wasteland, fine.
Either choice you make will entertain me.
F-Fine.
It seems you really are just an insignificant man!
What you just displayed was neither loyalty nor devotion.
It's something more filthy, like a dog's dependence or a pig's greed,
you lazy pig who knows only desire!
A pig's greed is the ugliest thing there is!
Even if the Witch Cult is defeated,
I will strike down any camp you are part of!
Your careless behavior and attitude have led me to that decision!
Aldebaran.
Hey, now... What happened in here?
Throw that detestable fool out of here.
Or kill him if you want. It matters not.
I think that matters quite a bit.
Let's go, brother.
Don't get so mad, Princess.
That fierce look will make your cute face drop in value.
Unless you want your ruined face further ruined,
take him away at once, Aldebaran.
I've told you not to call me that...
Can you stand, brother?
Yeah.
You seem okay.
I don't know what you were discussing,
but it looks like it didn't go very well.
If I take too long,
she might seriously tell me to chop you in half, so I'm heading back.
Later, brother.
That damn stuck-up bitch...
She's forgetting that I saved her when we first met!
Switch gears, Subaru.
This is no time for those idiots to bog me down.
Sniff, sniff. Sniff, sniff.
That looks super painful! Are you okee?
Huh?
You smell like blood, and not just from your lip.
Was your nose bleedy?
Now, Mimi, no getting into mischief.
'Kay!
I'm awful sorry she's been botherin' you.
Aren't you...
Right, you're Natsuki-kun.
Emilia's knight, Natsuki Subaru-kun.
Ain't this a coincidence?
Anastasia Hoshin...
Chow time!
So, about the dragon carriage...
You don't beat around the bush.
You won't make anyone happy by prioritizin' your own goals.
Trying to get on your partner's good side is the basic rule of negotiation.
That's where you're lackin', Natsuki-kun.
Sorry, but I've got a real problem on my hands.
I want to leave the capital tomorrow, so...
When you're up against my kind,
tryin' to appeal to sentimentality is the worst strategy there is.
But I applaud your effort.
It's no easy task findin' a dragon carriage in the capital right now.
Apparently, someone's buyin' up all of 'em.
Here. The place at this address should have a carriage left.
I've signed it with my own name.
This'll square everything away.
Don't put on airs...
I surely will put on airs.
It's no fun if I just hand it to ya normally, right?
I just wanted to chat with ya about this an' that.
Why bother with that? You don't gain anything from it.
I believe there's nothin' in this world that has no meaning.
You never know who might give ya some inspiration.
What do we talk about?
Hey, my lady,
I wanna eat some more!
Can I order?
Sure. Eat all ya like.
Oh, but don't get your mouth all messy with sauce.
Wipe my face, please!
Yay! I'll be back!
Despite her looks,
she's second-in-command in my private army.
Private army?
Um, um, I want this, too! And also, um, um...
It's quite famous in Kararagi.
The Hoshin Company's personal mercenary squad, Iron Fang.
Ain't she super cute?
Nothing beats sleepin' with her in your arms!
Lately, lots of people have been gatherin' in the capital.
Have you noticed the atmosphere's different now, Natsuki-kun?
Now that you mention it, everyone did seem to be in a frenzy. Because of the royal selection?
When those on top move, the people move.
When the people move, things move.
By the way, the value of things in the capital is fluctuatin' a lot now.
Some of the most valuable products are iron goods.
Weapons, like swords and spears, are bein' gathered from both inside and outside.
Iron and weapons?
They're not planning to go to war with those things, are they?
It's also possible their objective isn't to acquire the items,
but gettin' the economy rolling.
The way you said that...
Is it well known who's gathering all this iron?
It's someone you know well, Natsuki-kun.
Duchess Crusch Karsten.
It's Crusch?
Come to think of it, she did have a constant stream of visitors...
I get it.
That's why that Russell guy was there.
Russell Fellow?
He's quite a big fish.
This has been fairly informative.
Thank you, Natsuki-kun!
After fightin' with Crusch-san last night, you just left her place, right?
I figured it'd be easy to learn
all sorts of information from your mouth, eyes, and expressions!
You set me up from the start?
Does using underhanded methods like that
make you feel good about yourself?
If ya want to convince someone you're righteous,
you've gotta show somethin' to merit it.
And I see no such thing in you.
The only way to change your reputation is to replace it with another.
The things you've done are what determine your reputation.
That is, your past.
And there's no way to change your past,
so my opinion of ya isn't gonna change, either.
The things you've done won't ever go away.
You don't wanna get any closer to my lady.
I'm super strong, you know.
Thanks, Mimi.
But you don't have to do anything.
There's nothin' Natsuki-kun can do, anyway.
Like master, like servant! You're both absolute scum!
To hell with it all!
I guess Julius's efforts went to waste...
It's partly my fault, though.
I guess not even you would do something that dumb.
I'm relieved.
Mimi, let's go.
'Kay!
One last thing.
The key to negotiation is how prepared you are before ya come to the table.
Know what the other person wants, and dangle it in front of 'em.
And since all you do is want, that's where you're lackin'.
Now, it's about time we left.
Shall we, everyone?
See ya later!
Bye-bye!
Damn it!
Subaru-kun, what's wrong?
Did something happ—
Nothing!
Rem, how did it go?
I reported the maneuvers by the Witch Cult to the knights' station.
I gave them Roswaal-sama's name, but...
Not the response we wanted?
It seems the knights have received several such reports already.
Since the Cult's background is unclear,
they said they receive countless unverifiable, anonymous tips.
If that's how the real cultists stay hidden,
it's no laughing matter.
If we can't scrape a military force together...
What shall we do?
We'll go back to the mansion...
Go back and take Emilia and Ram away from there.
To the capital or to Roswaal... Anywhere is fine.
The point being they're in danger right now!
There's no time.
We should leave now.
At this pace, we should reach the mansion by morning.
That'll give us plenty of time to take Emilia and the others and run from the Witch Cult.
The question is how to transport them.
Isn't that...
From here to the Mathers domain?
Yeah.
It's already late. Isn't it too dangerous?
We were planning to camp here tonight.
Would you care to join us?
You say that, Otto...
But I bet you just wanna get rid of some
of the oil in storage that you bought out of season, right?
That's not my intention at all!
Though, it isn't as if I weren't hoping you could use a little oil.
What's this about oil?
Oh, I just made a bit of a mistake.
And now, I have a lot of oil that isn't worth much right now.
Even if we go to the capital, I don't know if I can sell it all off...
And if I can't, I'm ruined!
Ruined...
Otto, I need to talk—
I mean, ask for your help.
I'll buy all the oil in your carriage.
So in return, lend us transport.
All of the merchants and carriages here...
Anyone who'll sell transportation for money, sell it to me!
We're transporting people!
People!? We don't want any part in human trafficking!
I'm not running that kind of side business...
There's a village near the Mathers mansion.
I want you to take its residents somewhere else!
We will, of course, thank you properly.
If we ride through the night,
we should enter the Mathers domain by morning.
Sorry we can't take breaks.
No problem!
Getting rid of my excess stock and even earning transport fees...
I feel invincible!
Subaru-kun, I'm sorry.
I would like to check the map to confirm the remaining distance.
Map?
It is in your bag.
Oh, this?
It's too dark to see anything, though...
Ah, I know.
Subaru-kun, what is that?
A bit of lost technology.
I mean, it's future technology called a cell phone.
I guess it's a good thing it has some battery left, if only a little.
Here, look.
Natsuki-san, what is that?
Never seen a crystalight like that before.
It's a secret tool the margrave gave me.
Sorry, but you should probably forget you saw it.
Whoa, why does that sound like dark dealings that reek of nothing but money?
Just a bit farther,
and we should see Flügel's Tree.
If we head northeast from there, the Mathers domain isn't far.
Flügel's Tree?
A huge tree that stands so tall in the Lifaus Highway, it seems to pierce the clouds.
Legend has it that, centuries ago, a wise man named Flügel planted it.
I see...
I can call that nothing short of amazing.
Where'd the guy in the bandana go?
He didn't get distracted by the tree and run off course, did he?
What's wrong, Natsuki-san?
Where'd that buddy of yours go?
The older guy in the bandana, riding on the other side of us?
What are you talking about?
No one was riding on the opposite side from me.
Huh?
The Greed of a Pig
Come on, lick it already.
All of it, all the way...
Just like that.
You can do it even more gently and with all the tender loving care as much as you can.
Lick my toes nice and clean.
Why are you stopping?
There's still so much for you to do.
Start with the right foot, then the left one...
After you are done, do you want me to rub them on your pitiful face?
What?
Do it now! Do it! Now!
Uhh, Priscilla-san?
What is it?
I'm not sure what you're doing here by yourself...
but you should hurry up and announce the next episode, unless you want to confuse everybody.
Oh, that's right.
Next time: Disgrace in the Extreme
Disgrace in the extreme...
What can we expect from that?