Crossover anime, starting with Hachiman Hikigaya replacing Subaru Natsuki!

"—That's so mean, Hachiman."

"How could you leave me like this—I'm so lonely. You said you were really looking forward to me and trusted me, right? Running away like this is such a bad thing, hehe."

"...Hehe..."

"wrong…"

"I'm so scared, Hachiman. I'm really, really scared. Because, Hachiman said you believed I could pass the trial, so I kept trying, and and and and and and and... um, I really, really tried my best. Even though I was so scared, the thought of Hachiman saying he believed in me made me want to keep going. But I just couldn't. I'm sorry, I disappointed you. I'm really useless, aren't I?"

"But Hachiman is a bad boy. He promised to always protect me, to always be my knight, but when I woke up, I didn't see anything! Puck too, you two are both bad boys, untrustworthy, unpromising bad boys, you're both naughty!"

"I was really scared and sad being alone... So I thought I must have disappointed Hachiman. After all, I'm so useless. So I wondered if you were already tired of me. Yes... So I thought, did you go to see Crusch? That's why I was so scared, so I came here to take on this challenge. Because if I don't disappoint Hachiman, as long as I do my best to complete the mission, you will come back to save me. You won't give up on me, and you will always protect me... Because it's always like this, right?"

"So, I know, umm, I know, Hachiman isn't a bad kid. I only just realized it. I don't know what would have happened if it weren't for Hachiman, so I'm the bad kid. I'm so willful, keeping Hachiman by my side like this is really disobedient."

"...Hehe..."

"wrong…"

"Gently, tenderly, a girl with long, silvery-white hair swayed. She giggled and hugged the man in front of her, pressing her cheek tightly against his, getting her flesh, his scent, his fragrance, and rubbing against him peacefully."

"But, I still can't live without you. ...I'm so lonely, I'm so lonely. Only Parker is here, only Parker talks to me, is willing to help me, and takes me with him. But, but, Parker disappears as soon as it gets dark, so I'm really so lonely... So, I'm so sorry that it took me so long to realize this."

"I only realized this after returning to the manor. Why isn't Hachiman here? Why did Hachiman have to leave me? Why did Hachiman stay in the capital? Why is he so close to Crusch? ...Hehe, I'm so lonely, I'm so lonely, Hachiman. I'm so scared, so very scared."

"So, it took me so long to realize how incredibly important you are to me. But the first person I thought of was still Pakkun, which must have hurt you. I'm so sorry. But it's okay, it's okay, as long as Hachiman is here, that's all that matters. Hachiman is the most important person, I already know that."

"Everyone who went back to the village to report the news, including Otto and Roswaal, said that Miss Crusch really likes you, right? ...Hachiman likes Miss Crusch too, doesn't he? No, you can't do that, you'll become a bad kid, you really can't."

"...Hehe..."

"wrong…"

"I was so willful, really willful. Um, I'm sorry, Hachiman. But, when I realized you were gone, I felt so sad, so pained, so scared, like I was about to collapse."

"Even now, I feel a warm sensation in my chest, um, like I'm dreaming, it's so strange... I'm sorry, I don't even know what I want to say anymore, it's so weird, but it's okay, it's really okay, let me think. Yeah, I'll definitely say it properly."

"I'll think of Hachiman first, I'll always be thinking of you, only of you, and I'll be a good boy. So, Hachiman, you have to be good too, and don't go looking for Crusch, okay? Hehe... Hey, what's the relationship between Crusch and Hachiman? Who's Rem? Idiot, I'm such an idiot. But, Hachiman is so good to Rem, I'm so jealous. You're always watching over Rem, whispering secrets to her, and you won't be with me. I'm so lonely."

"...Hehe..."

"wrong…"

"I'm sorry, I was so selfish, wasn't I? It was really too much... But, I really, really want Hachiman to only look at me, only at me, only think about me. Otherwise, I'm so scared, so very scared. So, what Pakkun taught me, umm, so I'll definitely convey it to you properly, tell you properly... I love you, Hachiman."

"Most importantly, it's Hachiman. I've been thinking about you constantly, only about you."

"Hey, Hachiman. I only think about you, I only care about you, I just need you. That bad boy Puck... I can't leave Hachiman, I want to be with you forever, always, always, always... So, Hachiman, just look at me and think about me, don't think about Crusch or Rem, okay? If you can do that, I'll be absolutely, absolutely happy."

"Hmm. But Rem is still sleeping... It would be terrible if Hachiman didn't help her. I'm so sorry, I want Hachiman to just watch me, but I also feel that's not right."

"But you know, I like you the most. Emilia likes Hachiman Hikigaya the most, hmm... hehe... I like you, Hachiman."

"...Hehe..."

"wrong…"

"Something's wrong, it's illogical, it's completely wrong, I'm heartbroken, sad, in pain, grief, and confused... Heh heh... Emilia... Emilia, Lia..."

"Yes, it's me, Emilia. I'm Emilia."

"An irresistible smile, sweet words that captivate the heart, the most ardent passion and the most straightforward love—a silver-haired girl with eyes radiating joy, staring intently at Hachiman Hikigaya, overjoyed and giggling."

"Say one more thing, you can't be so lazy! I love Hachiman the most. So, Hachiman has to say it too, you have to say you like me... So, Hachiman is such a bad boy, he's naughty."

"whee."

"She smiled, looking directly into those eyes that had completely lost their color, into the lifeless skeleton, and into the light weight that had collapsed completely into her arms."

"In the dimly lit stone chamber, the silver-haired girl offered her first kiss to a skeleton. And then..."

"The biting icicle pierced her heart."

"Embracing and kissing. The deceased Emilia, and Hachiman Hikigaya."

148. Emilia's Confession (Part 2)

"...What's that? Hey, what's that?!"

Felt stared in astonishment, from the moment she saw Otto being devoured alive, to the moment she saw Hachiman Hikigaya dragging his skeletal body into the grave, to the moment she heard Emilia speak from the grave and saw the expression on Emilia's face in the grave.

My body had been involuntarily in a state of stress and tension until this moment when I suddenly collapsed into the chair in a state of shock.

Upon closer inspection, I found my forehead and back covered in cold sweat. I was so frightened that I forgot to breathe. Only then did I exhale a long breath and begin to breathe again.

Having grown up in the slums, she was naturally not afraid of death, but the thought of dying like that was enough to send chills down her spine. However, the horrific deaths of Otto and Hachiman Hikigaya weren't the most important thing.

"Hey, Reinhard, tell me, tell me, that Emilia, she's fake, right? She must be fake, right!"

Felt, whose worldview had been turned upside down, turned to look at Reinhard, who had long since lost her will to pity and whose eyes were filled with sorrow.

"Hey, even though I don't really, really like Emilia right now, she's such a kind person, isn't she? I stole her badge before, and all she wanted was to chase after it back. When she saw me resist, she didn't intend to kill me, and she was very nice when we met again..."

"She's so kind, so gentle, unlike the filth and corruption of other high-ranking people. She's practically the embodiment of all the kindness in the world... But, but..."

Felt couldn't bear it. She shook her head, pointing to the sky at Emilia, who had kissed Hachiman Hikigaya before committing suicide. "But—how could Emilia possibly stand by and watch Hachiman Hikigaya get hurt like that!?"

She hated, hated Hachiman Hikigaya... But how could Emilia, who was so good to her, only care about venting her love after seeing Hachiman Hikigaya like that!

"I... I absolutely refuse to acknowledge that it was Emilia!!"

"Lord Felt..."

Reinhard opened his mouth, but remained silent. Witnessing his dearest friend's death time and again, and now suffering this horrific double blow to both his physical and mental well-being, even Emilia herself—

“That’s… the real Emilia. That is Emilia, without a doubt.”

At the Carlsten mansion, Crusch said bitterly after a moment of silence, "Lord Hachiman said he said 'Emilia.' Although it doesn't sound like the same person at all... but Lord Hachiman wouldn't mistake her."

Phyllis asked blankly, "If he hadn't always been by Emilia's side, would Emilia have become like that?"

Phyllis naturally had a very good impression of Lady Emilia.

It's only been two days, just two days apart. If Hachiman becomes like this after leaving Emilia-sama's side...

Crusch lowered her eyelids. She knew what Phyllis was thinking. She was thinking the same thing... If Emilia lost Lord Hachiman, she would break down, she would be in pain, she would torture herself, she would not be able to live.

"Then I..."

what can we do about it?

"Lord Hachiman... if it were you, you certainly wouldn't want to see her end up like this, would you? I really, really could... harden my heart and disregard your own wishes, take you away from Emilia, and make you serve me? Would you forgive me?"

With a tangled mind and a hint of confusion in her eyes, Crusch looked up blankly, trying to find answers from Hachiman-sama's remains.

"—"

The tattered skeleton came into view like a dazzling bolt of lightning piercing through the dark clouds, sharpening Crusch's eyes and giving rise to a resolute determination.

“If I follow Emilia’s lead, Lord Hachiman will end up like that… Even if it’s just for Lord Hachiman’s safety, I have no choice but to do it—it doesn’t matter if Lord Hachiman is unhappy, Emilia said that Lord Hachiman likes me very much!”

"In that case, Lord Hachiman shouldn't be upset about being taken from me, right?"

"If he's worried about Emilia, I can protect her. As long as I can get Lord Hachiman, it's all worth it!"

He muttered to himself. Suddenly enlightened, Crusch jumped to his feet. "Do you understand now, Crusch, Wilhelm?"

Phyllis, moved by Crusch's words, also brightened up and nodded excitedly: "As you command, meow, Crusch-sama."

"..."

In the convenience store, Yukinoshita looked at Emilia, who had committed suicide for love. She reached out her hand, wanting to touch this broken rival through the screen.

At this moment, she no longer felt intense hostility towards Emilia; instead, she discovered in this rival a quality she shared with herself.

“You and I are so alike… so alike, Emilia. Insecure, afraid that Hikigaya-kun will be taken away by someone else, afraid of losing him… We are both insecure people, Emilia.”

Listening to her whispers, Hachiman Hikigaya felt a tightness in his chest, as if something was growing and being suppressed.

"I couldn't do it... Neither Yukinoshita, nor Rem, nor Emilia, could truly give them their greatest happiness... So, you've always been this afraid, Emilia... afraid of Crusch..."

This is unnecessary. However, Emilia's fear is justified... Hachiman Hikigaya will be kidnapped, and he will value others more, even if that person is not Crusch, but Rem... Even so, Hachiman Hikigaya cannot put Emilia at ease.

Because he couldn't do it; he couldn't have only Emilia in his eyes.

The Shirogane family... Shirogane Kei truly couldn't accept it. Looking at Hachiman Hikigaya and Emilia, dead together, and then thinking of Otto being eaten while trying to save Hachiman, she felt incredibly heartbroken. "What happened? What happened to Emilia... Emilia-neechan... how could she become like this..."

“I don’t know.” Shirogane Miyuki shook his head, feeling very distressed. “Amelia’s normal psychological resilience shouldn’t be this low. She was perfectly normal in the previous loops… But it’s a fact that she was tormented to the point of mental exhaustion and became so afraid of reality that she went insane.”

"What exactly is this?"

Mysteries, countless mysteries, a tragic reality, and a chaotic mind. Just looking at it is enough to make one breathless. With such immense pressure, Shirogane Miyuki asked himself honestly, if he were in that situation, he definitely wouldn't be able to handle it, or at least he would have been devastated for a while.

At the Uesugi residence, Uesugi Fuutarou looked at the eerie Emilia, who seemed even more terrifying than Elsa, and a deep chill ran down his spine; he felt a slight fear of women.

149. The Consequences of Overindulgence

"This is...me?"

On the main street of the capital.

Wearing a cat-ear cloak, Emilia tilted her head back, her small mouth slightly agape in surprise. Her two beautiful, deep purple pupils were unfocused and lost their luster, and she froze completely.

A strand of silver hair fell to her lips, but Emilia didn't brush it away. She stretched out her slender, fair hand and gently touched her lips with her fingertips. The cool, white touch of her fingertips made Emilia, who was in a daze, blush instantly, and the shy blush spread to her earlobes and neck.

"I...I...is this...me?" Her fingertips brushed against her lips, Emilia's heart pounding more fiercely than ever. She stared blankly, her lips pressed tightly together. "Parker, is this me? Really, really is me? Really, really..."

"Don't doubt it, Leah. It's you, it really is you."

Parker, who was floating to the side, had a complicated expression, and his voice did not reveal any joy. "That kid's first kiss was indeed yours. Even that little maid didn't do that."

In a sense, her long-cherished desire to "correct" her overly straightforward daughter has come to fruition. So proactive, so direct, she initiated kisses with the person she liked and confessed her feelings so many times.

but…

"Who could be happy about something like this!"

Parker suppressed his anger, letting out a low growl as he panted heavily.

"My daughter! My son-in-law! Everything... Dodo, Roswaal, you really dared to do this!!"

It's broken. Its most cherished daughter is broken, like a shattered mirror, a complete mess.

Parker looked at Emilia.