Crossover anime, starting with Hachiman Hikigaya replacing Subaru Natsuki!

"But if this works, she would rather be in a sorry state, have flaws in her conduct, not be respected by you gentlemen, or even bury her head in the sand."

"Looking at the beautiful woman in military uniform who had fallen silent, attempting to delay her goal in this way, Hachiman Hikigaya sighed softly... This day has finally come."

"If you're unwilling to face it, then I'll do it."

Seeing Hachiman take a step forward, Crusch quickly withdrew his hand to avoid accidentally injuring him with his sword.

"The origin of everything is the Sloth Extermination Campaign against the Witch Cult three years ago."

"Hachiman Hikigaya recounted his past with conviction, and Crusch really wanted to cover her ears. But at least... cheating is one thing, but if one is so foolish and cowardly, how disappointed would Lord Hachiman be? She dared not imagine."

"Through the sisterly synesthesia between Rem and Ram, I sensed the anomaly in Roswaal's territory and subsequently learned about Lacey's enemy: Petritchius Romani-Conti, the Archbishop of Sloth of the Witch Cult."

"At that time, Roswaal's whereabouts were unknown, and Emilia's remaining forces were insufficient to fight Petritchus. I came here alone to seek your assistance."

"The two sides agreed that Crusch's camp would do everything in its power to help kill Petitchius, and in return..."

"Hachiman Hikigaya paused for a moment. Even now, recalling the horrific scene from three years ago is still etched in his memory."

"At that time, he rushed back with Rem for the first time, but they were ambushed and killed by the Witch Cult members due to lack of preparation."

"The second time, they successfully reunited with Emilia and Ram, and after many hardships, they killed most of the ordinary members of the Witch Cult, but in the end, they all died at the hands of Petitchius's invisible hand."

"Then the third, the fourth... and several times in total, Emilia and Rem, before they died, even at the moment they were killed, were never afraid. Instead, with their last strength, they turned their heads to look in his direction, their eyes filled with worry and concern."

"That caring look in his eyes almost drove him to despair... He didn't have the ability to protect the two people who trusted him. This terrifying reality made him suffer unimaginable self-blame, to the point of near collapse."

"He broke down so badly that he barely managed to hold on during the second-to-last round, and reunited with Emilia with Rem. The moment he saw Emilia alive and well, he couldn't hold back any longer and suddenly burst into tears."

"Even though it was so embarrassing, so abrupt, and so useless, Rem and Emilia, who were in a panic at the time, still obediently comforted him immediately."

"We must protect these two people."

"Thinking this way, however, one crushing defeat after another made him realize that Petruccius was insurmountable... In the end, the only way to break through the barrier was the last resort."

211. Crusch Line: Ruler and Subject Turn Against Each Other (Part 2)

"...In return, you will persuade Emilia to withdraw from the royal selection and join my ranks, becoming my strategist and advisor until she helps me defeat Priscilla and Anastasia and ascend the throne."

"With her hand trembling slightly as she held the sword, Crusch, knowing there was no way to avoid it, continued the conversation, recounting the contents of their past agreement."

She closed her eyes with a sigh, "Three years...it's been three years in the blink of an eye."

"Over the past three years, you have used all sorts of ingenious ideas to double the funds I gave you through business operations several times, leaving Anastasia, whose business was being robbed, struggling to survive, and causing the Hexin Chamber of Commerce to decline. Anastasia, caught between the Chamber of Commerce and the candidate competition, was unable to compete with me for various honors and prestige, and after a hard-fought struggle, she withdrew from the election in disappointment."

"Priscilla's territory was thriving at the time, and her development was outstanding. However, after researching her blessing, you advised me to completely ignore Priscilla, forget about her, even forget her name and her existence, and not to think 'I am competing with Priscilla,' but simply to focus on improving myself."

"During this period, you trained some men to go to Priscilla's territory and instructed them to move out at night and, in a reasonable and unsuspecting manner, convey the message that 'Anastasia is developing well and the threat from the Crusch camp is far less than that from Anastasia' to Priscilla and her knights and servants."

"After fully accepting your proposal, those occasional, seemingly inexplicable misfortunes and various obstacles indeed decreased considerably. By the time I came to my senses and focused my attention on Priscilla again, I had already surpassed her by a great deal."

"It was you who reminded me when the rebellion broke out within the Holy Flacian Empire."

"Under the pretext of 'preventing the spread of internal strife within the empire to the kingdom's borders,' I can lead troops on a nationwide tour, taking the opportunity to get to know the generals and the situation in each city. This will allow me to prepare in advance for which capable individuals to promote and which incompetent ones to punish after I take power. At the same time, I can eliminate bandits and monsters along the way, further enhancing my prestige."

"Many important matters were resolved through your painstaking efforts, finding the optimal solutions for me. In these three years, you have done so much for me."

"Savoring the time we fought together, those experiences, every single moment, are etched in my heart, without a single detail missing, leaving an endless aftertaste." Crusch opened her eyes, looking bitterly at Hachiman Hikigaya.

"You've provided me with such tremendous assistance, are you now simply leaving me?"

"You've cleared all obstacles. With your current prestige, you can ascend to the throne with a single call to action, and any policy you choose can be successfully implemented. Opponents are insignificant, like a mantis trying to stop a chariot." Hachiman Hikigaya frowned, finding it hard to believe. "You no longer need me, so why are you forcing me to stay?"

"Precisely because I no longer need you to pour your heart and soul into me, I must try even harder to keep you here."

"Crusch's face was full of sincerity. Even though she had gained deeper political acumen than three years ago, she was still the same person with unique charm. 'I want you to enjoy this hard-won victory with me. I want you to stand with me as the victors. I want you to have everything you deserve!'"

"As agreed, we have already—"

"Now that things have come to this, do you still only feel a sense of obligation towards me, towards my camp, towards me, and towards Lord Phyllis Wilhelm and all others?!"

"Indignantly, Crusch slammed her free left hand on the armrest of the chair, making a loud noise."

"Hachiman Hikigaya was speechless for a moment, his eyelids drooping. A heavy silence fell over the spacious hall."

"..."

At the same time, a somber silence fell over Karlsten's mansion.

Crusch stared blankly at this future. To keep Lord Hachiman, he even resorted to shamelessness and drew his sword to threaten her. She couldn't help but reveal a bitter smile that was more like a cry.

"Whether it's the official history, the Felt route, or the Anastasia route, Hachiman-sama is of one heart and one mind with whomever he allies... Is it only me, only me who can't keep Hachiman-sama, only me who can't win Hachiman-sama's heart, only me who can't subdue Hachiman-sama?"

How ridiculous, how pathetic... Poor Crusch, hahaha.

Crusch gave a silent, bitter laugh, a laugh utterly self-deprecating and ironic. This sight sent chills down Phyllis's spine, and she immediately cried out anxiously, "That's not how it is!"

She reiterated, "Because in this timeline, Hachiman only joined Crusch's side halfway through, and he already had Rem and Emilia in his heart, which is why he wanted to leave! It's not Crusch's fault! Crusch's character has been approved by Hachiman!"

Crusch sighed, "But I can't keep him here."

“It’s definitely possible!” Phyllis assured her. “It’s definitely possible! Hachiman will definitely change his mind. Look, isn’t the future Crusch-sama working hard right now? The current Crusch-sama can’t afford to be discouraged!”

This blow was too heavy... But Crusch took a deep breath and nodded slightly. Yes... it's not time for the dust to settle yet.

"I must work hard, I must succeed!!"

"What... You just married me, and now you're teaming up with an outsider like Crusch to bully me? Your Excellency has such a twisted sense of humor. Do you want to see me cry and look pitiful?"

On the other side, Anastasia puffed out her cheeks and kicked her little feet as if to express her dissatisfaction, "Well... in order to prevent the Prime Minister from colluding with outsiders to bully us, we must take him back and we will absolutely not show any mercy!"

"I see."

In Class D, Kiyotaka Ayanokouji looked knowing. "In this timeline, Hachiman Hikigaya didn't encounter the White Whale, so he couldn't use the White Whale's information to cooperate with Crusch. Without any cards to play, he could only become his only card, sacrificing his freedom to save Emilia and the villagers of Karara. Hmph... how kind of him."

When the word 'gentleman' was mentioned, Kiyotaka Ayanokoji grinned with a mocking smile.

"You recklessly belittle yourself. It seems you really can't change this trait, even though you're someone I admire."

"So, because she missed the appearance of the white whale and didn't hunt it down, Crusch didn't encounter the attacks of Gluttony and Greed, and that's why she's been able to survive until now?"

After the initial shock of Crusch pointing a sword at Hachiman Hikigaya, the situation became clear. After a moment of contemplation, Miyuki Shirogane arrived at the general outline of the timeline.

212. Crusch Route: The Reluctant Past (Part 1)

"After a long silence, Crusch and Hachiman Hikigaya's consciousness and thoughts seemed to drift back to that day three years ago."

"—You've made such a rash judgment without even engaging in combat, concluding that Emilia's current forces are incapable of surviving the attacking Archbishops of Sin, and even went so far as to offer Emilia the conditions of withdrawing from the election and surrendering to me, requesting my assistance."

After a moment's hesitation, Crusch, pacing back and forth, asked curiously, "Was this decision made on your own initiative?"

"...If I cannot persuade Emilia, I will use other methods and will definitely fulfill my promise within three days."

"Holding onto the object of his persuasion, Hachiman Hikigaya, with his head bowed, didn't have the courage to answer directly... To others, his current actions were seen as overstepping his bounds, defying authority, and betraying his country while simultaneously seeking a plausible excuse. No one but Rem, who unconditionally trusted him, could understand why he would suddenly do something like this without any reason."

"...But he still has to gamble, gamble that Crusch values ​​his talent and is willing to accept his request, rather than being so furious that he criticizes him mercilessly and makes him crawl out of this mansion in a humiliating state."

"With a furrowed brow and deep in thought, Crusch hesitated several times before finally asking calmly, 'Do you know which Archbishop of Sin is attacking?'"

"The Sloth Archbishop Petritchius Romane-Conti possesses the power of the Invisible Hand, and his soul can freely switch between the bodies of his subordinate witch cultists," Hachiman Hikigaya hurriedly replied, adding his own weight to the equation, guaranteeing, "I have all the information I need about him. With you and Mr. Wilhelm leading your elite troops, I can guarantee that nothing unexpected will happen, and your personnel losses will definitely not be too great!"

""……Yeah.""

"Curshu looked at the cold sweat on his forehead, at his hopeful eyes that held the last glimmer of hope, at his single-minded worry as he awaited trial about whether he could successfully gather reinforcements to save Emilia, and at his sincere attitude, where no lies were uttered and every word was true."

She suddenly let out a deep sigh.

"Your character, your abilities, and your talent are indeed something I desire... But is it really necessary to win you over in such a detrimental and unwilling manner?"

"I'm reluctant. It's not just Hachiman Hikigaya who's reluctant; Crusch is too. If I could, I really wish it were my own aspirations that attracted Lord Hachiman, making him willingly come to visit me."

"However, as the ruler of a power, one cannot act recklessly in many situations... In order to do everything possible to rescue Emilia's camp, one must accept reasonable compensation, otherwise serious problems will arise."

"Let's make a promise, Lord Hachiman."

After pondering for a moment, Crusch, with piercing eyes, said, "The agreement is the deal you proposed. I'll add another clause: if, after I successfully seize the throne, you recognize me as a qualified ruler and are willing to wholeheartedly support me, then you may remain here."

"At that time, we became true ruler and subject, starting from scratch, truly beginning our journey together."

"You mean—"

"That's right, so lift your head and straighten your back, Lord Hachiman." Walking up to the overjoyed Hachiman Hikigaya, Crusch helped him up, her smile as clear as heavenly music, and her words resounded powerfully:

"I grant your request!"

"As expected of Crusch, she truly possesses a magnificent demeanor."

Kyosuke Kosaka sighed, "No matter which timeline, Crusch is so cool. It would be a loss for the entire Lugunica if she didn't take the throne. And no matter which timeline, her help to Hachiman is immense."

“But she’s changed.” Kirino Kousaka snorted, crossing her arms, disapproving of her brother praising another woman.

Ignoring his sister's resentment, Kousaka Kyosuke continued to praise, "Yes, she's changed, which is why I feel her strength even more."

"..."

In the silent Carlsten mansion, Crusch, her teeth clenched so tightly she felt dizzy, thought, "With this agreement, for a full three years, even so, I still can't win over Lord Hachiman?... Anastasia, Anastasia!"

She arrived too late once again. But if Anastasia hadn't intercepted the previous timeline, she could have lived a peaceful life as ruler and subject with Lord Hachiman... Whenever Crusch thought of this loss, her heart bled and she could hardly breathe.

"In the end, why is it that the timeline divergence points for Lady Felt and Lady Anastasia are at the very beginning, while Crusch's divergence point is so late? It's just a matter of luck, meow!"

Phyllis, who was condemning the future, was also extremely frustrated. She truly felt the injustice the world had shown to Lord Crusch.

The two dejected rulers and their ministers were in no way comparable to Emilia on the streets of the capital.

"—"

A stunned Emilia, now pale-faced, leaned against the wall, a chill running down her spine and her body temperature plummeting. She murmured, "The secret of the Return of Death cannot be revealed. Hachiman, acting on his own initiative, switched sides and is now forcing me to withdraw from the election..."

If you were completely unaware of what was happening, if you were happily waiting for him at Roswaal's mansion, how would you react to this sudden and devastating turn of events?

"I…"

Emilia was trembling; she was afraid. "Will I... resent Hachiman? Will I scold him? Will I make him exhaust himself searching for a way to save me, only to be met with my estrangement after finally finding a desperate, best-case scenario?"

She didn't dare to think about it at all.

“Leah.” Parker opened his mouth, but swallowed hard, also fearing the possibility. “He can absolutely overcome the physical difficulties… but if he can’t gain Leah’s understanding and has to suffer the injustice from someone he cares about, then he—”

Emilia felt a chilling fear creeping over her.

If that's the future, she'd rather keep watching Anastasia's timeline, watching Hachiman and Anastasia get married, have children, and live a loving and intimate life together.

She prayed, Emilia prayed earnestly, she prayed that she could perceive something.