Re:Zero Light Novel Volume 14/Synopsis

Chapter 6: Lies to Hope
After Ram finishes explaining what Subaru's next plan is, Emilia expresses annoyance at Subaru's actions, initially believing he would have come to greet her after she finished the trials, but she suspected he had absolute faith in her and that there was someone else who he needed to help. She still felt angry and questions Subaru's love for her, which Ram confirms its strength, which makes Emilia happy.

Ram asks if Emilia finished the trial, but she tells her that while she faced her past, the trial isn't over because there are two more, so she will have to go back into the tomb soon. Seeing the resolve in her eyes, Ram comments how strong Emilia has become, and after a moment of quiet from the both of them, Ram bows in apology to Emilia, which surprises her. Ram explains that she was apologizing to her because she initially didn't think she could still stand tall after having her heart broken the first time she took the trial and the loss of Puck, but now here she is, standing with her head held high, though she points how she has a few tears in her eyes, causing Emilia to ask if she is cooperating with Subaru and Otto because she is such a crybaby. Ram declares she is helping Emilia by helping Subaru and Otto, which Emilia accepts. She still asks why she is helping her and Ram answers saying that when one has something to ask, it is necessary to display one's own sincerity. Ram then kneels before Emilia and begs her to save Roswaal.

Emilia is confused by what Ram means and Ram explains that Roswaal is possessed by obsession that has bound his heart for a long time, even though she was okay if he never looked her way or saw her as more than a tool. She tells Emilia that Roswaal has strayed too far from his path and has lost sight of the objective that was the foundation of his hopes, now he hangs on the words of the Gospel, which is why she asks her help in breaking his obsession. Emilia asks if he will be okay with that and Ram says he won't, saying he may feel like he has lost his reason for living, but she believes she is the only one who can break his obsession, and if successful, maybe her own feelings can reach him. Though Emilia was still confused by Ram's words, she understood her feelings and asks what must she do to break his obsession. Ram answers that she must sit on the Royal Throne, believing it will help Roswaal's desires to become fulfilled even if he walks off the beaten path. With all her feelings, Ram asks Emilia once again to save Roswaal. Emilia tells her that she may not understand how becoming king connects to saving Roswaal and she may not understand all of her feelings, but this was the first time Ram has ever asked her for anything, which made her very happy. She tells Ram that she will definitely help her and prepares to work on fulfilling both her and someone else's desires at the same time. Ram is left deeply touched by this declaration.

The two are then drawn to the voice of Roswaal himself, who left his room to confront the two of them, asking if he can now have a moment to speak himself. However, Emilia stops him from getting closer and brings Ram closer to herself, threatening to attack him. Roswaal claimed she was being too harsh and that he was merely coming to see her after hearing about how she challenged the trial despite being all bandaged up, but Emilia had doubts, as her suspicion towards him is due to feeling Ram's hand tremble in her own. Roswaal tells Emilia to calm down before telling her that he sympathizes with her. When she asks what he means, he tells her that he sympathizes with her because she was being forced to confront the past against her will by those whose expectations she feels she must meet, and Emilia realizes he is being insincere with her in his voice. He once again 'congratulates' her for completing the trial, but Emilia tells him that there are still two trials left as well as pointing out his insincerity, which he sarcastically commends her for.

Emilia asks if Roswaal only came to insult her and while he confirms, he also tells her that he wanted to see the results of the trial for himself. She asks if his opinion has changed a little before admitting that despite the problems she felt she has caused for others, everyone still helped her, and she wants to fulfill those expectations. Roswaal, however, merely starts laughing and accuses her of copying Subaru, shocking her. Roswaal claims that everything she has said to him were borrowed words from Subaru who set the stage for her, and while he finds no fault in her challenging the trial since everyone else, including himself desires it, he accuses Subaru of forcing a cruel situation on to her. Emilia tries to counter him but Roswaal continues, saying that Subaru only filled her with encouragement that lacked logic and reason and forced his ideals onto her alone, but he accepts that since he believes the two of them are the same. Emilia asks what he means by that and he says it is because they force their ideals on to the people they love.

Roswaal accuses Subaru of saying words that just sounded comfortable to her ears, and that she is too soft and easy to handle if one remains polite. He claims that Subaru does not love the real her, but the idea of her that rests within him. Despite those words, Emilia gets the feeling he was talking more about himself than her and she asks him if that is the only reason he believes he and Subaru are the same. When he doesn't respond, Emilia tells him he and Subaru are nothing alike, and how Subaru called her a troublesome woman for making him and others wait on her when she was all talk, and after seeing her old self in her memories, she became really happy Subaru saw her for what she was, and now she doesn't want to show him her bad sides anymore, which is why she believes the two of them aren't the same. She admits how anxious she became when she regained her memories, but now she believes that there will always be someone to help you if you want to change. Roswaal tries to rebuke that statement but Emilia stands tall with her belief and determination that his feelings won't become a lie.

Roswaal was left completely stunned by Emilia's words just as Emilia asks Roswaal if he did all of this so she would punish him, but Roswaal tells her that he dislikes pain, though Emilia's next statement suggested he did indeed want to be hurt. Roswaal admits that Emilia has changed and he respects her decision despite saying he still sympathizes with her, but then he says that her decision is meaningless as he considers the world to be 'finished', leaving Emilia confused. He tells her that he believes this world has strayed off its proper path and that the Sanctuary and Royal Selection are now meaningless, causing Emilia to yell at him that giving up on everything they started together was wrong. She offers her hand to him saying he won't have to abandon anything anymore and he says she still sounds like Subaru, asking how much she plans on making a reality, which Emilia says she will prove from here on out. She turns to look at Ram and tells her that she will make her wish come true as she turns around to re-enter the tomb to take the second trial. Before she does, Roswaal says to Emilia that she was wrong about one thing: everything started between him and his teacher, but she still goes in without facing him. After returning to the tomb, Emilia wonders what the next trial will be just as she hears a voice say "behold the unknowable present" and proceeds to pass out once again.

With Ram and Roswaal alone outside the tomb, Roswaal admits that Subaru is a formidable foe for raising Emilia's resolve so highly. He also apologizes to Ram for putting all that goodwill she built to waste, and that Emilia is still very weak for not launching her own outburst after everything. Ram asks from what point was he watching their conversation, and he explains his conversation with Subaru, Otto, and Garfiel before going to see Emilia herself, and when he saw her kneeling before her, he assumed she was acting. He also revealed that he was trying to provoke her into hurting him, but not to be punished, rather he was just following the instructions of the Gospel, like he had been doing everything else. He tells her that Subaru and the others have headed for the mansion leaving the Sanctuary in Emilia's hands, which he considers a poor move on his part because he believes seeing nothing but what one wishes for is a vice that he doesn't want Subaru to have. He also says to her that he did not expect Garfiel to join Subaru's side but it removes him from the Sanctuary so it will help him reach his objective in another way. He also acknowledges her involvement with Garfiel earlier and how she felt it was the right thing to do as he patted her soldiers. Thankfully Ram doesn't let her feelings distract her as she asks what he plans on doing next. Roswaal answers that what he seeks hasn't changed and orders Ram to remain outside the tomb to greet Emilia, genuinely admitting he wouldn't want her to see anyone after leaving. Afterward he leaves himself, returning to the settlement. Ram, however, disobeys Roswaal's orders and uses her Clairvoyance to warp herself to the Witch's laboratory, reaching it before Roswaal. Roswaal meets her in the lab and reminds her of the order he gave her before asking why she came here. Ram responds saying she has come to rob him of his obsession with Echidna as she pulls out her wand.

As it turns out, on the night before, Otto met with Ram and asked her for her cooperation with Subaru's wager with Roswaal. Ram asks why he believes she would betray Roswaal in favor of Subaru and Otto reminds her of how the flow of events has strayed from Roswaal's desires, and that both Subaru and Otto want her to fulfill her own desires. Ram allows Otto to continue talking and after he finishes his explanation, she asks if he considered she would tell Roswaal what he told her, but he chose to put his chips forward with her. After a brief moment, Ram asks Otto if he has told Subaru about his plans for Garfiel where he confirms he hasn't, admitting that it is a reckless move on his part which she agrees with. Nevertheless, she offers three conditions for cooperating with the two of them: first is to let her deal with Garfiel, second is to have Subaru do something for Emilia so she can get back on her feet, and her third condition is for Otto to not tell Subaru why she is cooperating in the first place.

Back in the present, Roswaal asks Ram if she seriously wants to point her wand at him, which she confirms. He tells her that it has been years since she last pointed her wand at him like that and how unfortunate it is to happen now. He also says it pains him that someone who knows his feelings and objective would call them an obsession, but Ram confesses she always felt that way about them. He admits the vice he mentioned about Subaru can be found in Ram, especially since he thought her actions were an expression of devotion in her own way, but Ram tells him fighting Garfiel was both for herself and for him. Roswaal tells her that Subaru's gambling for her assistance was extremely risky, but Ram says having great timing is his sole-redeeming quality.

Ram asks Roswaal if he has his Gospel, believing he wouldn't have it at a point he felt he needed to make a move. Thinking back to the vow they made together, Roswaal says to Ram that the flow of the world has indeed gone off his desired path, and without his desire, he offers his soul to her as promised, though she says the choice of whether he lives or dies is up to her. Sure enough, Roswaal pulls out the Gospel and asks how long she has waited for this moment, especially since according to himself, he was the one who destroyed her homeland and forced Ram to pledge loyalty to him, as well as how he offered his support to her to live after she lost her horn. Ram thinks back to that painful moment and admits she never told Rem about it, unable to properly remember her though due to her condition. Roswaal admits she was a precious pawn to him within the Sanctuary but her decision to stand before him, he considers a mere trifle.

Roswaal praises Ram for creating a position where he would be forced to have the Gospel on his person, but he tells her that she should have just let him finish what he wanted to accomplish as he directs her attention to Ryuzu Meyer in her magic crystal. Roswaal explains that his objective is the magic crystal itself so he can use its power to change the weather. Ram asks why if the world has gone astray from his intentions, and Roswaal explains that the ending hasn't, which will define either success or failure. He does tell her that had she used the magic in the crystal herself, she would have been able to destroy him but she tells him that would be meaningless. Confused, Ram explains she doesn't want his wish to be granted and she will not find satisfaction in being given a broken version of him. Roswaal calls her greedy and asks how she plans on defeating him without her horn. Ram admits she won't be able to win against him but another voice says that making it a two against one battle might give her the advantage. Hearing the voice, Roswaal realizes this was the reason she went along with Subaru's plan as Ram once again tells him she wants to rob him of his obsession. The voice is then revealed to be Puck himself, having been summoned with a magic crystal Subaru gave her. Roswaal accepts Ram and Puck's challenge and the three of them begin fighting.