"Okay, I'm past the difficult part…" Makoto sighed in relief—only for it to be replaced by a wave of creeping worry.
"…Is what I want to say, but I know better than anyone that this isn't even halfway over."
Makoto wasn't foolish. Getting past Beatrice was only one hurdle—one that would now cast even more doubt on him in the eyes of others. He knew that. But the hardest part of his plan wasn't convincing people.
It was the plan itself.
It was reckless. Absurd, even. But it was all he had.
Based on everything he'd learned so far, the attack was expected to begin around noon—or more accurately, after midnight. At the same time, there would be an assault on the village. That could only mean one thing: two assassins.
One was obvious—Elsa.
But the second remained hidden, elusive. From what he'd gathered through Beatrice, it seemed likely the mabeasts were being controlled by someone else entirely. He couldn't say for certain, but this was a world where magic existed. The possibility was too real to ignore.
Makoto would never admit it aloud, but he had the makings of a great detective. His instincts were sharp. His hunches were rarely wrong. Just like last time—when he was the only one able to find their missing dog.
"The only problem is how to stop the attack without any casualties on the first try…"
His brow furrowed in thought as he walked down the hallway in a straight line—only for his foot to catch on a rug.
"Ah—!"
He slipped, crashing to the floor with a thud. A vase toppled from a nearby table, shattering on the ground just centimeters away from his head.
Makoto gulped.
That… was way too close.
"What happened here?"
Makoto turned his head to see Rem standing over him.
"S-Sorry, just my luck…" he groaned, rubbing the back of his head.
"It does seem rather unfortunate, dear guest," she said calmly as she knelt to clean up the broken vase.
"Uh… let me help. It was my fault, after all."
"I appreciate the gesture, but as a maid, it is my duty to clean up any messes in the mansion."
Her tone was dismissive—cold, even. Makoto swallowed hard.
The hostility she radiated wasn't subtle. In fact, it was unnervingly clear. It reminded him of the mabeasts somehow—feral, restrained danger—but she was… different.
Whenever she spoke to him, he could sense the quiet venom in her words. And that worried him. Because he needed Rem. More than anyone else, she was key to his plan.
He had already explained everything to Ram. Just like in the previous loop, she eventually believed him—probably even passed the message along to Rem.
"So… um… you still don't like me?" Makoto asked nervously, trying to sound light.
Rem glanced at him with a flat, unreadable stare.
"Whether I like or dislike you is irrelevant to our current situation, dear guest."
Makoto looked at her for a long moment. His expression dimmed with sadness.
"I-Is it because of the Witch's scent…?"
"!?"
In a flash, Rem's hand darted out. She grabbed a sharp shard of the broken vase and pointed it at Makoto's neck.
"I know about your plan. And I'll be blunt—I don't believe a word you told my sister."
Her voice was icy. "If you even think about harming her, I'll deal with you myself… Witch cultist."
Her tone was sharper, more threatening than he remembered from the last loop. It scared him.
"Why do you hate me just because of how I smell? I can't control that."
His voice cracked slightly. "From the very beginning, all I've wanted was to protect everyone…"
His heart ached. He didn't understand her hatred.
Rem's eyes narrowed.
"For our safety? Are you sure about that?" she asked coldly. "You say this is for us, but the truth is… it feels like you're doing this for yourself."
She paused.
"I might be wrong. But I'm not so foolish that I can't tell when someone's acting out of selfishness."
"My benefit? What could I possibly gain from this, Rem-san?"
His eyes hardened as he met her gaze head-on.
"That's for you to figure out. Not me."
She stood up and turned away.
"Whether you're doing this for us or for yourself… it's not my job to decide. But I'll give you one piece of advice—figure out your priorities before you make your next move, Makoto-sama."
Without another word, she left him alone in the hallway.
Makoto remained on the floor, staring at the place she once stood.
What did she mean… doing this for his own sake?
Was that how she saw him?
Worse—was it true?
For the first time, his conviction wavered.
Why was he doing all this?
Was it really for them…?
For people who didn't even want to be saved?