Crossover anime, starting with Hachiman Hikigaya replacing Subaru Natsuki!

"There was a way, but he was unwilling. The truth about the frozen forest, about Fortuna, Chia, and Jus—pain and fear, this past—Emilia had to face. That was his final conclusion."

"Emilia, cry if you want to... I'll be with you, always with you, so—"

"...Huh?"

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169. Goodnight, my knight.

"A bewildered Emilia placed her delicate hand on her chest, where waves of fear and pain were indeed surging forth, accompanied by fragmented memories flashing through her mind."

"It's painful, it's very uncomfortable, I'm very scared, so I really want to cry."

"If I were alone, I would have already burst into tears. But I can't."

"Asking me to cry is such a prank, Hachiman! That's bad behavior, being naughty, and that's not allowed."

Emilia puffed out her cheeks, crossed her arms, and made a big "X". It was really embarrassing to be urged to cry before she could even start.

"It would be really bothersome for me to be looked down upon like that by Hachiman! And..."

""and?""

"Back in the capital, we talked about it, didn't we? We made a promise, didn't we?"

"The pain and fear that spread from the heart to the stomach and then to the limbs and bones were suppressed by the stubborn girl. Her fair palm gently stroked Hachiman Hikigaya's cold and stiff cheek, not like stroking his cheek, but like touching a big tree that had been battered by wind and rain."

"He's reliable, but that's not what she wants."

"I'm so tired, really so tired, Hachiman," Emilia said softly. "You're so tired. I can tell."

"The unexpected situation left Hachiman Hikigaya stunned."

""I--""

"Don't say anything! You can't say anything! You're a naughty child, that's not allowed. Don't forget your promise, and keep your promise!"

"Emilia always remembered, she remembered it vividly, that night in the royal capital when Hachiman Hikigaya cried like a fragile little child."

""I don't--""

The first half of his sentence, delivered with an air of confidence and an unconsciously high volume, was followed by a pause from Hachiman Hikigaya. His second half, however, was delivered in a very low voice, yet he still managed to say it: "I didn't...I didn't hurt myself."

"'I have kept my promise to you'... that's what he wanted to say, but he turned his face away, opened his mouth wearily, and couldn't utter another word."

"The promise. Having seen Emilia's past, I understand how much she values ​​promises, and I understand the bloody reasons behind her valuing promises. How can I still utter such a lie with a clear conscience?"

"Amelia is an innocent and kind girl, but seeing this reaction, she couldn't possibly fail to understand its meaning."

"Soft fingers gently caressed Hachiman Hikigaya's cold, stiff face."

"I don't know, I don't know... Hachiman. Your secrets, your past, so much, I know nothing about it... You've done so much all by yourself, and I don't know everything either. I'm not even sure how much you've sacrificed."

"Gentle whispers, soft fingers, warm palms, transferring warmth and massaging stiff facial muscles."

"But continuing when you're this tired is hurting yourself, it's breaking your promise, that's not okay, so you can't continue."

"So, Hachiman absolutely needs to rest now! You can't object, and you can't be a bad kid."

"Amelia's harsh words reached her ears. For this well-behaved and gentle girl, calling someone a bad child seemed to be the greatest criticism she could offer. In her mind, this was a very serious reprimand."

A smile involuntarily crept onto Hachiman Hikigaya's lips. "Well, I might as well be a bad kid. I can't rest now anyway."

"Emilia, I..."

"...Strange, is that my voice? Why does it sound so tired? Why is the volume so low? Why does it sound like I'm about to fall asleep?"

"Strive to keep your eyes wide open, maintain your spirit, and continue to fulfill your responsibilities."

"Amelia didn't cry, but that was an act—she was afraid, she was in pain, so crying was the best thing to do; keeping it inside was the most painful."

"You have to watch her cry, and then you have to comfort her."

"But a slender, delicate hand gently covered my eyelids. That was the last straw that broke the camel's back, aiding and abetting the madness, and helping fatigue and sleepiness sweep over my whole body."

"How long has it been?"

On the main street of the capital, Emilia's voice was soft with sobs.

Miyuki Shirogane counted on his fingers: "From the moment I put pressure on Emilia to take on the trial, I was completely focused, feeling guilty yet hopeful for those few hours."

Kyosuke Kosaka sighed as he calculated, "I was knocked unconscious by Garfield for about an hour or two... During the two days of continuous imprisonment afterward, I didn't want to sleep at all. I was either shouting and trying to get myself discovered by others, or racking my brains to think of all sorts of escape and suicide possibilities and trying them out."

Kiyotaka Ayanokoji recalled Hachiman Hikigaya's extreme speed: "From the moment Otto and I left the prison, we were always running, running with all our might."

Izumi Masamune felt a chill run down his spine: "He entered the witch's tea party and watched Emilia's past. Although there were some jumps, he actually watched for a total of two or three days. In order to remember every detail without missing a single one, he didn't even want to blink."

"Finally, he had to deal with a bunch of witches with warped values, while still keeping Lia in his thoughts."

Parker sighed, “Although we have been watching the future for a long time, we have been helped by some unknown power that keeps everyone from getting tired or hungry and everyone is full of energy... But Hachiman Hikigaya doesn’t have this kind of power to help him.”

I worked tirelessly for three or four days, without sleep or rest, exhausting all my energy.

Hachiman Hikigaya's body returned unscathed and healthy from death. However, the distress in his soul was so palpable that even Emilia, who was still groggy from just emerging from the trials, could immediately perceive it.

"He's just an ordinary human being!"

"Emilia knows nothing."

"But she knew, without a doubt, that being able to detect Hachiman Hikigaya's fatigue and put him to sleep was probably one of the most fortunate things in her life... that was what her instincts told her."

"Gently holding the man who was gradually calming down in his sleep."

"A strange memory compelled Emilia to carry him in a princess carry; she was much stronger than Hachiman Hikigaya."

"The silver-haired princess looked down at Hachiman Hikigaya in her arms."

"Goodnight...my knight."

170. The Knight Who Overpowered the Princess

"When Hachiman Hikigaya struggled to wake up from his deep sleep, it was just dawn. As soon as he got up, he shook Emilia's shoulders and asked her how long he had slept. He was relieved to learn that it was only the 'second day'."

"The failure caused by wasting time last time has left him with lingering fears, so this time he must act quickly no matter what."

""etc!""

"Seeing Hachiman Hikigaya rush out to do something important as soon as he got out of bed, Emilia hurriedly stood up and spread her arms to block him."

"How strange, really strange. Hachiman looks so preoccupied. It's so weird!"

"The silver-haired girl who had stayed by his bedside all night was unusually firm for once. She pursed her lips, refusing to let Hachiman Hikigaya leave: 'Although I don't know why Hachiman suddenly became so tired, half a night's rest is definitely not enough! Look, aren't you still looking downcast? No matter what happens, you can't ruin yourself!'"

"If it's really urgent, I'll do it! Just leave it to me, Hachiman definitely needs to get some rest!"

"Give it to Emilia..."

"Hachiman Hikigaya rubbed his forehead, shook his head, and barely managed to suppress the lingering feeling of extreme exhaustion."

He nodded. "I will."

"Huh?"

Emilia was taken aback by this direct acceptance of advice. Hachiman Hikigaya had always been the type to shoulder all the troubles and affairs himself, and she thought this conversation wouldn't go smoothly. She had even prepared for the worst, using her status as a 'monarch' to force him.

Before she could even feel happy, Hachiman Hikigaya said his next words: "If there's something that needs to be done, I won't take that responsibility from you. But I also have my own responsibilities, and I hope you can understand me, Emilia."

""But--""

"I've already failed, Emilia." Hachiman Hikigaya interrupted Emilia.

He gave a forced smile. "I've already lost my qualifications... but at least, as your knight, I can still maintain my dignity. So please, don't stop me, okay, Emilia?"

Emilia stammered, at a loss for words, looking at Hachiman Hikigaya with a puzzled expression.

"She knew nothing... but upon hearing this gentle request, she unconsciously stepped aside to make way."

"Too cunning, really too cunning, Hachiman." Emilia gently bit her lower lip. "'Please' and all that... it's really too cunning."

"He knew perfectly well that he couldn't refuse any of his requests."

""sorry.""

“Hmm, rather than an apology, I’d rather hear you obediently promise to be a good boy.” Emilia shook her head slightly, looking troubled. She couldn’t stop Hachiman Hikigaya, so all she could say was, “Then, the promise… at the very least, you have to keep your promise, understand?”

"Yes, I've always remembered."

"Hachiman Hikigaya said with a smile, his soul and his body, in this short time, had returned to normal from being exhausted and listless... This silver-haired girl has this special charm."

"Just thinking that all my efforts were for Emilia, an angelic being, and then thinking of Rem, who is just as good as Emilia, all my fatigue can be swept away."

"Step out of the bedroom, look up at the sun, and squint slightly."

"Rest? There'll be plenty of time after I'm dead!"

"If that's real death."

"Pfft... Haha, hahahaha!" Hachiman Hikigaya couldn't help but burst into hearty laughter. "It's unbelievable that someone like me, who once aspired to be a stay-at-home dad and even found answering Hiratsuka-sensei's calls troublesome, would utter such a famous line."

"That brat!"

Hiratsuka Shizuka said indulgently, and then laughed heartily, "Always using me to humiliate you, really... Since that's the case, don't embarrass me. You've already gone this far, so just protect your genuine artifacts well!"

After forcing a laugh, she pulled out her phone again, intending to call her student and have a proper talk, fulfilling her responsibilities as a teacher. Otherwise, she wouldn't deserve his repeated calls of "Hiratsuka-sensei"!

"Emilia is so nice."

At the Shirogane residence, Shirogane Miyuki looked enviously at the obedient Emilia. "She is Hachiman Hikigaya's pillar of support right now... This tacit understanding and generosity, this care, this strength yet tolerance, I think I understand a little better now what true friendship is—if only Shinomiya and I could evolve to this kind of relationship someday."

"Then you should be advanced to the point where you can proactively call Kaguya-neechan to chat."

Shirogane Kei's words brought Shirogane Miyuki back to reality from his fantasy.

In the past, he wouldn't have been able to refute it, but now, after seeing Rem and Emilia's proactive approach to Hachiman Hikigaya, Miyuki Shirogane said confidently, "I will... well, let's wait until Hachiman Hikigaya's future finishes playing."

On the main street of the capital, looking at the energetic Hachiman Hikigaya, Puck raised his tail and proudly gave his daughter a thumbs up.

“Great job, Leah.”

"Well…"

Emilia lowered her brows sadly, finding no reason to be happy. "It was just a small act of kindness, and it didn't solve Hachiman's problems at all. I'm still so useless, Puck."