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{3rd Pov}
Emilia emerged from the trial chambers, her face streaked with tears, her expression a shattered reflection of defeat.
Standing nearby, Garfield, along with Rem and Ram, immediately understood the outcome of Emilia's trial without needing to hear a single word.
"Another failure, huh?" Garfield grunted, crossing his arms, frustration evident in his voice.
"I… I'm sorry," Emilia murmured, her voice trembling. "I don't even remember why I failed… It's all a blur."
Her self-confidence was clearly shaken, her gaze fixed on the ground as though afraid to meet anyone's eyes.
"Seriously? She can't pass no matter how many times she tries," Garfield snapped, his tone laced with irritation.
"Garfield," Subaru's voice cut through the tension like a blade as he appeared suddenly, flanked by Reina, Beatrice, and a man none of them recognized. "If memory serves, you've failed the trials yourself. So where exactly do you get the confidence to mock Emilia?"
Garfield froze, the accusation striking a nerve.
Emilia's tear-stained face turned toward Subaru just as a voice, fragile and strained, called out her name.
"Emilia…" the unknown man croaked, his entire body trembling uncontrollably.
Subaru walked up to Emilia without hesitation, gently using a handkerchief to wipe away the tears from her cheeks. Then he took her hand in his own, offering a silent promise of comfort and strength.
"Puck," Subaru called out, raising his voice slightly. "It's important—you need to come out."
From within the glintstone, the familiar form of the cat spirit emerged, eyes wide with confusion.
"Who's that?" Puck asked, pointing toward the trembling man. He seemed unable to recognize him. Apparently, his memories from before his encounter with Emilia were gone—severed when he broke his contract with the Witch of Greed, Echidna.
The man stepped forward slightly, his voice barely holding together. "E-Emilia… I-I'm Geuse… your uncle."
The revelation hit like a thunderbolt. Emilia stared, stunned speechless. Even Puck looked taken aback, glancing back and forth between them.
Subaru turned toward Puck, his expression serious, almost grim. "Puck, you need to break your contract with Emilia."
"What?!" Puck exclaimed, his reaction immediate and defensive. Ice spears formed above his head in a clear show of emotion.
"I know how much you care about her," Subaru said firmly, unwavering. "But whether you meant to or not, your actions are hindering her growth. You're protecting her so much, it's breaking her spirit instead of helping her."
Puck flinched, his magical constructs beginning to flicker and fade.
"She needs to grow on her own," Subaru continued. "You know this. And the only way for that to happen… is for the contract to end."
It was a harsh truth. Breaking spirit contracts always came with consequences—often severe. More often than not, the one who initiated the severing suffered the brunt of those effects.
It was selfish of Subaru to ask Puck to be the one to break the bond instead of Emilia, but he knew Emilia was already emotionally shattered. He couldn't bear to let her endure even more pain.
"I… I suppose I must," Puck muttered, his voice cracking as he looked at Emilia, eyes filled with sorrow and shame.
"Can you… forgive me?" he asked, barely above a whisper.
Emilia, ever pure-hearted, gave him a soft, pained smile. "I'm sorry, Puck. I said a lot of hurtful things in anger. Please forgive me."
Puck's tiny fists clenched. She was asking for forgiveness—when clearly the blame was his.
"No… you don't need to ask me for anything," he said, his voice shaking. "Your anger was justified. You were right."
Then, in a surge of magical energy, Puck released the contract.
A sudden wave of weakness swept over him. His essence flickered, fading slightly. On the other hand, the moment the bond broke, Emilia's sealed memories began to flood back.
She cried out in agony, grabbing her head as the lost fragments of her past pierced her consciousness like blades. Geuse rushed to her side, supporting her.
"No!" she sobbed. "W-What have I done?!"
Visions of a frozen Elior Forest overwhelmed her—a memory long buried now returning with brutal clarity.
"Emilia! My dear child! Don't cry!" Geuse said, wrapping his arms around her protectively. "It wasn't your fault! It was never your fault!"
Tears poured down Emilia's cheeks as she looked at Geuse. Her eyes were a storm of emotions—grief, sadness, disbelief, joy, guilt, and confusion.
"I-It was Pandora!" Geuse said with urgency. "She's the one who manipulated us, who forced these crimes upon us! She even erased herself from your memories!"
Subaru, holding Emilia's hand, gave it a reassuring squeeze. Her other hand was held tightly by Geuse.
Softly, calmly, Subaru began recounting the true events of the past—the hidden truths and the cruel machinations that led to this moment.
At long last, Emilia began to see the truth: it was never truly her fault.
Still, the burden of memory weighed heavily on her.
"Emilia, you were just a child," Geuse whispered. "If blame must be placed, then place it on me. I killed Fortuna."
His voice cracked, and tears welled in his eyes. "After that… I lost control. The Witch Factor was incompatible with me. It drove me to madness. I… I committed atrocities."
"No! F-Father Geuse!" Emilia cried, reaching for him. "It's not your fault! You tried your best to protect us!"
The two of them embraced tightly, united not only by blood but also by shared trauma. They had finally reconciled—not just with each other, but with their own pasts.
...
Roswaal sat in contemplative silence, listening to Ram as she recounted everything that had transpired.
He hadn't expected this outcome. Not in the slightest.
Petelgeuse Romanée-Conti was supposed to be dead—killed by Natsuki Subaru himself. That was a pillar of his plan.
And now? Now Geuse was alive. Subaru had derailed fate once again.
All of my plans will unravel at this rate, Roswaal thought darkly, clenching his fists tightly.
I suppose… it's time to take drastic measures.
It was a gamble now. A deadly one. Either Subaru would win, or Roswaal would.
But Roswaal had a trump card: his resolve to resurrect his beloved Sensei.
At any cost.
"Ra~am," he called in his usual drawl, though his voice was low and ominous this time. "Could you please fetch Garfield for me? I need to have a little… chat with him."
Ram, ever the dutiful maid, nodded. Though her servitude was born of complex emotions—some might even call it Stockholm syndrome—she obeyed without question.
Roswaal turned his eyes toward the horizon, a wicked glint in them.
This time, he wasn't just playing a game.
He was going to cook.
And this time, he wasn't going to make soup or stew.
No.
This time—Roswaal was going to cook fucking biryani itself.
To be continued…
(A/N: Roswaal thinks he can make Biryani, bah! Subaru will make the best Biryani ever. For those who haven't eaten biryani I pity you, just like how I wish to eat KFC one day, I hope you can eat Biryani too.
It is probably one of the best dishes made in world, just ensure to not buy it from random stalls if you ever visit India, also ensure the best transport, Indian heat is too much for us, not to mention guys who are used to living in colder environment.
Also, tell me is the story getting worse? I heard some complains.
They say it lacks Substance... It is amusing that this is my first fic that I have been making short chaps after my first two fics, it was a part of a big 10k word chap. If any of you face problem, you can read this on Ao3, Fanfiction.net, Scribblehub or wattpad, to get the full chaps.
Secondly, you can read my other fics, if you are searching for peak then go visit Fate/Poseidon. I promise it is not dropped, the source is trust me bro. Haha, anyway, I hope you all enjoy yourselves!
We are reaching longer chaps and more interesting parts now)