The Newest of Heroes and the Most Ancient of Heroes

Last time, at the end, Emilia recovered Regulus's metia mirror and heard a familiar voice from the other side of it, but now we see what was happening on the other side. Searching for Priscilla, Al had ended up clashing with the Witch Cult while acting separately.

Emilia had been diligently gathering information while being held captive, but she wasn't about to let this golden chance slip by and leaned right in. Al is bewildered because he knows she's been captured. Her mental toughness is just too much.

Thinking back, in Arc 3, around when Subaru first met Priscilla, Emilia had joined up with Al, so they were actually interacting in the exact same pairing as back then.

Well, the whole Prince Charming thing doesn't really get through very easily. Not just with Emilia, either.

If it's left to Al, it'll be fine.

The OP survival check! ...or so I thought, but the commercial break was dead!?

Since he didn't take part in the crucial battle to capture the city hall, Anastasia can't help letting a bit of sarcasm slip out at Al's return. Still, the information Al brought back was worth its weight in gold, so splitting off was the right call after all. If he'd been there, Capella might've turned him into mush too!

Garfiel's little-brother vibe is cute and nice.

Her way of trying to cover it up hasn't matured at all since her loli-Emilia days...!

Takahashi-san mentioned this on the radio too, but in the last episode, when Regulus threw a tantrum and targeted No. 184, just before the attack landed, she was smiling a little. It's probably the same feeling that made her overlook Emilia leaving a substitute behind and disappearing.

Basically, Sirius uses the Authority of Wrath in such an unpleasant way that it's easy to forget, but this is about how it should properly transmit things other than anger and sadness too. The fact that she shares almost nothing but negative emotions is what makes her a Sin Archbishop.

The floodwater that poured in actually became a tailwind for Subaru's city hall assault team, who had been at a disadvantage. It would be strange if the Witch Cult did that, so then who else could it have been?

Anastasia here is great. She genuinely looks frustrated by her own lack of power.

Just like Garfiel says, Subaru is the only one in this world who has the trophy of having defeated a Witch Cult Sin Archbishop...! Julius did fight alongside him partway through, but the real finishing blow was Subaru's achievement.

"Have some pity, will you?"

Put absolutely everything aside except Emilia. That was something he clashed with Roswaal over in Arc 4 too. Though it feels like Al and Roswaal are coming from very different grounds when they say it.

As a candidate for this episode's subtitle, "Heroic Fantasy" stayed in the running right up to the very end. That's how much the phrase means to me as the author.

The only two who truly understand what it means for Subaru to take this on here are Al and Anastasia. Needless to say Garfiel doesn't, and Julius also has too much of a romantic streak to start from doubt.

Subaru, having steeled himself, and Emilia, appealing to that resolve. The author will be quiet for a while from here.

Around here, including Emilia's side, they depicted the speech in chronological order, so I think the anime makes Emilia's emotional arc while listening to the broadcast feel more natural! Thank you! Oh, thank you!

The scenes inserted along the way showing the Royal Selection candidates properly listening to Subaru's speech are so good. That's something a novel can't portray, so it's one of the greatest joys of being the original author. Thank you! Oh, thank you!

You talk in a rush and afterward can't even properly remember what you said yourself. That happens a lot. I get it.

Otto! You always show up so suddenly! Honestly, you're a man with timing every bit as good as Subaru's!

T-twenty-nine minutes and thirty seconds...!!!!! Th-they did it! They actually pulled it off!

So, with that, Reinhard has joined up at last! Thanks to the effect of Subaru's speech, the emotions of Priestella's citizens were influenced to one degree or another, and after Emilia's determined declaration of marriage, the story continues next week! This was an important episode this week! Thanks for sticking with it!

Personally, I suspect Otto took a deep breath and steadied himself internally before making his entrance at the end. What do you think?

By the way, you may already have guessed from the fact that they didn't appear, but the Sin Archbishops are completely ignoring Subaru's broadcast. They probably don't feel anything about it, and aren't even paying attention.