Crossover anime, starting with Hachiman Hikigaya replacing Subaru Natsuki!

"Oh dear, calm down, Miss Maid. While I understand how you feel, this kind of behavior is hard to forgive."

"In the half-second that Julius struggled within the constraints of chivalry, Emilia, Crusch, and Anastasia each offered their own condemnations. Beatrice, without a word, used Yin magic to render Ram powerless to hold onto Hachiman Hikigaya, allowing Ram to calm down physically."

Hachiman Hikigaya sighed. "That's enough, Beatrice."

Beatrice quickly lifted the not-so-severe punishment on Ram. Ram did calm down a bit as a result, but the gloom in her eyes deepened with sorrow.

She stammered pleadingly, "You really... really don't remember Rem, do you?"

"I'm sorry," Hachiman Hikigaya could only reply with a sigh.

"Gurgle..."

Outside the royal capital, Rem was both delighted by Hachiman's recognition of the significance of her farewell and gave her sister a complicated look.

Ram could only manage an awkward laugh. It wasn't entirely her fault; the only person in the world who remembered her sister had forgotten Rem, so her outburst was perfectly understandable.

"Rem doesn't hate her sister... but Rem has always wanted to avoid any rift between her sister and Hachiman!"

Rem and Ram embraced each other, whispering tenderly.

At the same time, on the main street of the capital and on the rooftop of Roswaal's mansion, Emilia and Beatrice were both feeling very bad.

Rem was indeed forgotten, but weren't the two who lived with Hachiman the longest also suffering the same loss? It's just that they are still alive and can contribute new days and nights together, forming new memories, so they are a little better off than Rem.

But actually, they are also quite pitiful.

"After Ram, Otto, Frederica, Petra, Roswaal, and Hachiman Hikigaya met with these other key figures in the mansion. His impressions of these people were the same as Emilia's predictions about him."

"The attitude is almost the same as before amnesia, except that the depth of appreciation, recognition, or vigilance is far less than before amnesia."

"Although he had already sent letters to explain, when Otto saw the amnesiac Hachiman Hikigaya in person, he still felt like the sky was falling. He was stunned, knelt down, and couldn't believe it."

"Among Frandelica and the others, Otto was the one who held the deepest feelings for him, feelings that even surpassed those for Garfield."

"But all Hachiman Hikigaya can do is sense the weight of this real object. When someone is placed on a one-sided belief, anything he says is just empty talk."

Encouraged by Emilia, Beatrice, Crusch, and Anastasia, Hachiman Hikigaya crouched down, hesitated, and gently patted Otto's back.

"Otto, with tears streaming down his face, wailed louder than Beatrice."

"Hey, Otto, you're crying again?"

In the merchant caravan, an older man made a joke, but Otto didn't blush and refute it. He shook his head and said, "I'd be happy to cry for Mr. Hachiman—because he was the first friend in the world to appreciate me!"

“But,” he said worriedly, looking up at the screen, “crying won’t help.”

"Otto stopped crying, and then he led Crusch and the others to meet Roswaal."

"Roswaal is frivolous and hostile towards Crusch and Anastasia, who are his rivals. However, Otto, who is on Roswaal's side, is now standing against him and telling Roswaal not to cause trouble."

"With Mr. Hachiman unable to act due to his memory loss, Otto is the only one who can temporarily shoulder the responsibility for Emilia's camp. At this time, he absolutely cannot allow Roswaal, that sinner, to cause trouble."

"That's more like it."

While Otto in reality breathed a sigh of relief, in the Classics Club, Houtarou Oreki nodded, "A normal power should at least have two people in charge who have the power and ability to handle affairs and take the lead in politics. Anna's camp is Ricardo and Joshua, and Crusch's camp is Wilhelm and her father who has stepped down from the front line."

"If Otto hadn't joined Amy's camp halfway through, Hachiman would be half-dead now that he has amnesia, although he wouldn't fall apart immediately."

“No, Oreki-san,” Chitanda Eru shook her finger, “If it weren’t for Otto, Hachiman-san would have died from overwork a year ago, right?”

Houtarou Oreki, Mayaka, and Satoshi Fukube were taken aback upon hearing this, "This angle is truly unique."

But thinking about it carefully, it really is true.

Houtarou Oreki quickly shook his head. There were so many things to do all day long, he couldn't slack off. Luckily, he wouldn't encounter that kind of thing. Hmm...

Unable to resist, she secretly glanced at the curious Chitanda Eru beside her.

"We shouldn't... run into... anyone, right?"

355. A refugee wandering the world

Anastasia stated her purpose directly: she wanted to go to the Tower of the Sages with Hachiman Hikigaya to find a way to break the power of the Bishop of Gluttony.

"This isn't a request for consent, but rather a notification to Roswaal, since the two most important parties involved have already agreed. After a year of suppression by Hachiman, Roswaal's power has completely crumbled, and he now has no right to oppose Emilia's decision."

"Ram also didn't have time to stand up for Roswaal, because she also agreed with the decision, but she had one request: that she take Rem with her to the Sage's Tower."

"This was something Hachiman Hikigaya had promised her back then."

"With Emilia and Beatrice as witnesses, Ram's request to travel together was quickly approved by everyone."

"Finally, the person most indispensable for going to the Sage's Tower is the Beast Tamer Melly, who has the blessing of controlling magical beasts. Otto has already sent soldiers to invite her back."

"While we were waiting, Otto explained, 'After killing the Bowel Hunter, Mary surrendered. We later discovered that her views were rather distorted; she had been misled. Her true nature could actually be redeemed.'"

"Furthermore, given the need to travel to the Sage's Tower, Mr. Hachiman decided to spare her life, but with a condition."

"As punishment, Mr. Hachiman made the most of Merry, having her frequently lure out the monsters in the forest, ambush them outside, and eliminate them. So now, the monsters in that forest are almost extinct, and the villagers are very safe."

"Mr. Hachiman also had Merry list some of the innocent people she had killed, and then sent soldiers to investigate. If any of those people had surviving family members, he secretly sent them some money as a small compensation for Merry."

"This whole process basically achieves the best of both worlds."

"After a year of observation, by now, Mary has barely managed to squeeze one foot into Emilia's camp. She is being treated quite well here, with good food, clothing, and accommodation. However, she has no rights, is restricted, and is not fully trusted."

"Hachiman Hikigaya once discussed with Otto that if they observe for a few more years and there are still no problems, it's not impossible to formally accept Merry."

"The way it was handled was indeed good."

Vincent largely agreed with the Holy Flacchia Empire. For capable people, making the best use of them is always the best course of action. Since Melly isn't as irreconcilable as the Gut Hunters, it's certainly best to subdue her.

However, there's no need to offer any bonuses; there's no benefit to it.

People like Vincent were marveling at how kind Hachiman Hikigaya was, but on Earth, many people frowned and condemned him.

"But isn't that too unfair? Merry killed so many people when she was an assassin, yet Hachiman-senpai lets her live such a comfortable life. That's just too unfair, too much!"

The Shirogane family, Shirogane Kei felt a kind of disappointment as his idol image was shattered.

Until now, Hachiman Hikigaya's approach to various matters has been fair, decisive, and ethical. This is the first time that his approach has been met with widespread opposition.

"How could he do such a thing!"

Although he already knew that he spared Merry's life in order to successfully conquer the Sage's Tower.

But in everyone's imagination, Mary should be imprisoned in the dungeon, a prisoner, which would be quite appropriate. No one expected her to be so comfortable.

"Because you've got it wrong, you've shifted the blame for Merry's mistake onto Hachiman, Kei."

Looking at his indignant sister, Shirogane Miyuki sighed, "Merry killed many people. It would be best to punish her, but it is also Hachiman's freedom not to punish her."

"It's true that Merry is now halfway into Emilia's camp, but her killings were all done before that. At that time, Hachiman didn't even know her, so he had no obligation to stop her."

“Merry has made mistakes and committed crimes, but Hachiman, who accepted her, has nothing to do with these mistakes and crimes and does not need to take responsibility for them—Merry was forced into Emilia's camp by the loser of the failed assassination attempt.”

"You must remember that Meryl is essentially a victory for Amy's camp, and is essentially just a prisoner of Amy's camp."

“Amy’s camp is also a victim of the killing by Meryl. Amy’s camp is willing to forgive Meryl and not punish her severely. That is Amy’s own freedom, and no outsider has the right to interfere.”

Shirogane Miyuki's objective analysis was like a bucket of cold water poured on the head of the hot-blooded Shirogane Kei.

She began to think, and then realized that if Hachiman Hikigaya didn't punish Merry, then no one could really blame him.

After all, Hikigaya-senpai himself was a victim of Merry. He did not erase Merry's past sins as an outsider, but rather took the same stance as those who were killed by Merry.

"Besides, Hikigaya-senpai didn't absolve Merry of her crimes on behalf of the other victims; he was merely making amends for Merry..."

Shirogane Kei was taken aback to realize that, given the need for Meryl, this approach was indeed the best of both worlds. If Meryl were imprisoned, who knew if, once they reached the Monster Desert, she might summon monsters and directly eliminate Emilia and the others?

It's essential to treat each other well and build a good relationship.

"I see. Was I just... having too high expectations of you, senior?"

Bai Yingui shook his head dejectedly and muttered to himself.

Miyuki Shirogane patted her shoulder. "Hachiman isn't a god. He can't do everything perfectly. Given his own needs, he can only choose Rem and not kill Merry for those innocent people."

The same situation is playing out all over the world.

Only then did most people realize with astonishment…

It turns out it wasn't just Emilia.

It wasn't just Emilia and others who had blind, unrealistic expectations of Hachiman Hikigaya, believing that he could solve everything.

Without realizing it, even those who were just observing couldn't help but become like that.

"But when there's no way to be perfect, even Hachiman has his limits, and he can only choose the relatively best approach."

"..."

"How do you feel, Melly?" In the middle of nowhere, sitting on the back of a magical beast, Elsa teased the dazed Melly with a charming smile.

"I don't dislike older brothers at all, but that kind of thing can't happen anymore."

Mary understood that with the three archbishops of gluttony, lust, and greed dead, she would not be as useful as she was in the future.

"Elsa, you idiot, we can't change things, we can't go back."

Leaning on Elsa's shoulder, Melie said softly, "...Sister."

"Yes—it's not so bad to be an incompetent older sister. We can escape together and wander from place to place, silly little sister."

Elsa flicked Melly's forehead and said with a smile.

-

-

356. Ram, whose murderous intent was boiling

"Huh? No wonder the older brother looked at me so terrifyingly, just like when he was contemplating whether or not to kill me. Amnesia, huh? This is really bad. Am I going to be hanged?"

When Merry returned and learned what had happened, she screamed in fright and hid behind Emilia.

"Hachiman Hikigaya touched the corner of his eye, determined to improve his acting skills and hide his thoughts, as he said, 'I don't particularly like you, but it doesn't have to be this bad... And even if I wanted to hang you, you wouldn't just give in, would you?'"

"Merry pouted and made a face. "I don't know how, but what can I do? I can't beat my big sister."

"She accused, 'If it were Big Brother's order, Big Sister and Otto would definitely obey immediately. In fact, even if Big Brother wanted Big Sister and Otto to commit suicide, they would do it right away.'"

"You're exaggerating."