Priscilla walked ahead of her helmeted knight, Aldebaran, her regal strides echoing through the lavish hallway. On either side, rows of knights stood at attention, their white knight robes gleaming beneath the chandeliers. At the end of the hall stood a pair already waiting before the grand double doors, Subaru in his butler uniform, and at his side, the knight of knights, Reinhard van Astrea, her expression unusually grim.
Subaru glanced at her, noticing the change in her demeanor.
"Is something wrong?" he asked, lowering his voice. "Why do you look so down?"
Reinhard blinked, then quickly returned her face to a neutral expression. "It's nothing to be concerned about. I'm simply preparing for the ceremony."
Subaru looked around, puzzled. "Wait… where's Crimson?"
"Lord Crim intends to arrive late," she said, her tone flat. "He wishes to make a… grand entrance."
"Ah. That… sounds like middle schooler syndrome."
A knight nearby called out, pointing to Subaru. "Is he with you, Sword Saint?"
Reinhard answered swiftly, her voice firm. " Yes, he is a guest of my lord."
The hardened knight turned his gaze on Subaru, analyzing him with a scrutinizing glare that made Subaru gulp under the pressure.
Then, a loud, haughty voice rang out across the hallway, unmistakably directed at him.
"I never thought I would be forced to grace you with my divine presence twice, you wretched clown. The one whose only accomplishment was offering me a bittersweet red appa."
Priscilla Barielle stood at the entrance, as radiant and commanding as ever, her eyes burning with theatrical disdain.
Behind her, Aldebaran, the helmeted knight, tilted his head and gave Subaru a thumbs-up.
"Nice to see you again so soon, brother."
"I see… you've found her." Subarus voice came out disappointed which made Al smile amusedly under his helmet.
The knight who had spoken a moment earlier turned to Priscilla. "Everyone is waiting inside. Please make haste."
Priscilla smirked with high, smug fashion. "It is my privilege as their superior to keep the masses waiting."
Subaru scoffed silently. What a brat.
The grand doors creaked open, revealing a magnificent great hall. The space was filled with an air of big shots, filled entirely with powerful magic users and prestigious knights. A massive red carpet stretched down the center, leading to a circular arrangement of elegant seats at the far end.
Walking along that red carpet were Emilia and Roswaal.
Many of the nobles and knights turned to stare, not just at them, but toward the doorway behind them. Emilia, puzzled by the sudden shift in attention, glanced over her shoulder. Her eyes widened in shock.
"Subaru…" she whispered his name, her face darkening as if a shadow had passed over her heart.
"Um, Emilia, I—" Subaru stuttered, words failing him like a fish gasping for air.
Before he could say more, Priscilla's sharp eyes flicked toward Emilia. With a sly smile, she moved, clinging tightly to Subaru's arm, pressing her large, ample chest against him with theatrical flair.
"You seem to be staring at my appa handler, half-wit," Priscilla said sweetly, her tone dripping with mockery.
"Get off of me! You'll give Emilia the wrong idea!" Subaru hissed, trying to pull away.
A brief smirk flashed across Roswaal's painted face, so fleeting it was almost as if it had been imagined.
"My, how lovely to see you again, deaaaaar Priscilla," Roswaal said smoothly, stepping forward. "Do forgive my servant for troubling you so."
At his words, the fiery redhead let go of Subaru with a snort, tossing her hair over her shoulder dismissively.
Priscilla passed by Emilia without even sparing her a glance, blatant disrespect radiating from her stride. But Emilia didn't even notice.
Her eyes were locked onto someone else.
"Why are you here, Subaru?" she asked, her voice low with quiet hurt. "Didn't I tell you to be a good boy and wait for me? Don't you remember?"
Emilia shook her head slowly, disappointment flickering in her gaze as she looked at him, wounded.
Subaru opened his mouth but couldn't find the words.
Reinhard, sensing the tension, took a careful step back. Everything was unfolding exactly as her lord had described, nearly moment for moment. Best not to interfere with the other candidates, especially not now.
That was when a loud voice echoed through the grand hall:
"The Council of Wise Men will now enter."
At once, the magic users and royal knights lined up in perfect formation, bowing respectfully as several elderly men in lavish robes made their way down the red carpet toward the circular seating at the end of the hall.
So those are the Wise Men... Subaru thought, watching them. They're the ones managing the country in the king's absence, right?
"Hey, that's where we're supposed to stand," Al said, nudging Subaru and pointing to a space among the knights.
"I can stand there too?" Subaru asked Roswaal, motioning toward Al.
"Hmmm… it sounds amusing," Roswaal said with a mischievous smile. "So you may accompany hiiiiim."
Reinhard stood still, carefully studying the clown lord's face. As expected of her lord, her Divine Protection of Doubt activated, warning her that someone nearby was hiding their true intentions, up to no good. But Roswaal's mind was shielded behind layers of magic, unreadable. As expected of the kingdom's greatest magic user...
"Wait, Roswaal!" Emilia suddenly called out, clearly alarmed. "If Subaru is allowed to stay, he'll—"
But Roswaal cut her off smoothly. "Emilia. The conference is beginning. To the center."
Her protest died in her throat. Emilia looked torn, angry, and scared all at once. She glanced behind her to see the council already seated, and the three other candidates, each with their escorts, standing before the Wise Men.
She turned back to Subaru, her eyes hardening into a glare.
"You're going to explain this to me later," Emilia muttered, her tone cold. "And where is Beatrice? Why didn't she stop you?"
Subaru winced but said nothing as she walked away. His eyes turned forward to the center of the hall, where the candidates of the royal selection stood. So those are the participants… the candidates to be the future ruler of Lugunica.
Standing beside Al in the line reserved for the royal knights, Subaru leaned over and whispered, "So… is it true?"
Al tilted his head. "Is what true?"
"That you're from Earth."
"WHAT—?!" Al nearly shouted, earning several irritated glares from the knights nearby. He quickly composed himself, lowering his voice. "How did you find out?"
"Someone told me," Subaru replied.
Al's demeanor shifted immediately. His posture stiffened, and a chilling edge crept into his voice. "Who told you?"
Subaru felt a drop of sweat slide down his temple. "Crimson."
"...Who's Crimson?"
"You should be seeing him soon," Subaru said vaguely.
Before Al could press further, a familiar high-pitched voice rang out behind them.
"Hiya, Subaruuuu~!"
Subaru turned to see Felix Argyle, dressed in his usual feminine attire, gliding over with a playful sway in his hips. His cat-like ears twitched as he smiled.
Subaru visibly recoiled. What is with this guy's whole deal…?
Felix winked. "You look tense, nya~ Want me to loosen you up?"
Subaru forced a stiff cringing smile. "I'd rather be tense, thanks."
Subaru couldn't hold back any longer.
"What's the point of having cat ears if you're a guy?!"
Felix turned back with a playful shrug, his expression unfazed. "I dunno what to tell you. Not my fault everyone makes assumptions about my gender, nya~"
He walked away with a wink and a sway of his hips, leaving Subaru standing there, his temple twitching with irritation. Subaru clenched his fist and raised it slightly in the air as if to punch the air itself in frustration. He could only glare daggers at the retreating femboy.
What is wrong with this world…?
He turned his head and immediately noticed another familiar figure nearby, one with neat purple hair and the air of a noble knight. Julius.
The knight met Subaru's gaze and gave him a polite nod. "Subaru. It's nice to see you here… Where is your Great Spirit?"
Ugh. Subaru groaned inwardly. Just what I needed. Spirit-obsessed romantic rival number one.
Grinding his teeth and forcing a smile that resembled more of a grimace, he answered with exaggerated politeness. "Nice to see you too, Julius. Beako is—"
Before he could finish, a sudden burst of pink light flared near the entrance. A small glowing orb zipped through the air, landing softly at Subaru's feet. As the light dimmed, the familiar figure of Beatrice emerged.
"—Here," Subaru finished, his face paling slightly as he stared down at her.
Beatrice crossed her arms, pouting as she looked up at him. "Honestly, you're SOOO mean, Subaru left without informing Betty, I suppose."
"I'm sorry, Beako."
Seeing the spirit's arrival, Reinhard could only blink. To think Subaru had formed a contract with a Great Spirit within a month… Such a rate of progression was utterly absurd, even by her standards.
Before she could dwell on it, a voice echoed through the hall.
"Now, if I may be so forward," the speaker began, a tall, authoritative man stepping forward, "I am Marcos, leader of the Imperial Knights. I will be directing today's proceedings. It all began around half a year ago, when members of the royal family, starting with the king himself, went into hiding one by one, causing—"
"Yeah, yeah. I get that you wanna talk up a good show here, but I'm busy, y'know? As we say in Kararagi, time is money."
The one who interrupted was a purple-haired girl, arms crossed, speaking with a guard like she wanted to skip the tutorial and get straight to the gameplay. Subaru could respect that sentiment, but to be that rude about it?
The guard she was addressing blinked in surprise. "She's speaking in the Kansai dialect?"
"Evidently everyone in western Kararagi talks that way," Al supplied casually.
Subaru nodded slowly, considering it as Beatrice clung to his leg, holding on tightly like she usually did when feeling uncomfortable in crowds.
Al's gaze drifted downward, landing on Beatrice. Something in his posture changed beneath the helmet, his voice lowering with faint emotion. "Nice to see you in better circumstances… Beako."
Beatrice looked up at him with narrowed eyes, her expression sharp. "Betty only allows Subaru to call Betty by that name. I do not warrant you the right to speak Betty's personal nickname, I suppose."
Al exhaled slowly, his tone filled with a quiet, regretful weight. "I know."
Then, barely audible under his breath, he whispered, so low that even Beatrice couldn't catch it:
"I know that better than anyone."
As the purple-haired lady finally stopped talking about how precious her time was, the green-haired duchess-like woman spoke up.
"I agree."
"Lady Crusch, should the head of the Karsten family say such a thing?" a nearby knight asked with a concerned expression.
The duchess glanced confidently at the guard. "While it is important to observe formality, it's also a fact that our time is limited. It would be wise to inform us why we are here. Naturally, I have a general idea."
One of the Wise Men looked up at the girl in question. "You already know the purpose of this meeting?"
"Yes, Lord Miklotov. For a drinking party, correct? One day, we will face each other as rivals, but by sharing drinks at the same table, we may learn more about each other."
Crusch smiled coolly at Lord Miklotov.
The elder did not look impressed.
"…No. That is not correct."
Anastasia smirked at the duchess in a mocking way, as if she had just gained one less rival to worry about.
Crusch turned sharply toward the cat-boy standing in the Royal Knights' quarters. "Felix… this isn't what you told me."
"Oh, come on!" Felix waved his hand with a sheepish grin. "All I said was it might be a drinking party."
Blushing red in apparent embarrassment, the duchess forced her tone to remain calm. "I see… I jumped to conclusions. Forgive me, allow me to retract everything I've said."
"Hey now, even if she backs down, my opinion ain't gonna change. No need to explain the Selection now. Everything's led up to this point, so we should already know," Anastasia added, glancing toward Emilia and Priscilla.
"I think we should hea—" Emilia began, trying to diffuse the passive aggression, but was harshly cut off.
"I wasn't askin' fer your opinion."
The rudeness made something spark inside Subaru. In the original timeline, he would have been completely dependent on Emilia for emotional support, after all, no one remembered how much he had sacrificed and suffered. But this time, things were different. With Toyota by his side, someone who truly understood him, Subaru had found himself splitting his emotional reliance between the two.
Instead of lashing out, he clenched his fists and gritted his teeth silently.
Emilia wouldn't like it if I were to interfere… it would only make her seem weak if I stepped in.
"Hey." Al raised his voice loudly. "I don't know what's up with this Royal Selection, so I'd kinda like to hear the rest."
The old man looked from Priscilla to Al. "Lady Priscilla, I'm told this man is your knight. Have you explained the Selection to him?"
"Whether I have or have not, your men will still ramble on about it, yes? So continue, Marcos."
"Then the reason we've gathered you, who are qualified to be the Dragon's Priestess, is because of a new prophecy engraved in the Dragon Stone," Marcos explained. "It states: From the five capable of becoming the nation's new leader, one shall be chosen to enter a covenant with the dragon."
"Five?" Subaru echoed, surprised.
"Yes. Five."
Reinhard couldn't contain her warm smile. While she didn't approve of her lord's method, it would still be nice to show him off.
"Currently, there are four candidates," Marcos continued. "The Royal Selection will now begin, as history is set into motion."
"Knight Reinhard van Astrea, step forward."
"Yes, sir."
Reinhard stepped before the entire hall, bowing her head. Almost all of the knights looked upon her with respect, after all, she was one of them. In contrast, the majority of magic users glared at the Sword Saint. The reason was simple: due to her constitution, they couldn't use any magic in her direction unless it was above intermediate level, which required astronomical amounts of mana.
The Wise Men looked at her with a blend of fear, unease, and respect. She was a weapon, a deterrent to be aimed at foreign powers.
"Honored members of the Council of Wise Men," Reinhard declared, "I, Reinhard van Astrea of the Imperial Knights, would like to announce the completion of my mission to find the fifth candidate."
Tap.
The entire castle trembled. Not metaphorically, literally. A pulsing weight filled the room.
Tap.
Each person felt it, a pressure so heavy, it was as if their legs were being forced to kneel.
Tap.
With each step, gravity seemed to ripple through the hall. Everyone turned their heads toward the sound.
Tap.
The massive doors slowly creaked open. And through them entered a young man with wild, unkempt white hair and a blindfold.
Crimson.
Reinhard's voice rang out again, firm and unwavering.
"The one I, myself, revere as king, my lord… Lord Crimson."
The hall was silent as the white-haired figure strode forward down the velvet carpet. With each step, the gravity pulsed. Then, a pink light formed beside the four candidates, coalescing and building in shape and presence until it transformed into an elegant throne.
Crimson's measured steps echoed until he reached it. Regal and malevolent, he relaxed into the seat, resting his arms on the sides and crossing his legs.
A smirk slowly curled across his lips.
And then, just as suddenly as it came, all the gravity in the room vanished.
He sneered.
"Why so quiet?" he asked with quiet malice. "You're looking at your new king."
(AN: We are finally at the royal selection, it took way too much setup, but MC's powers have improved a lot, so I'm going to show them off outside of his perspective just for a little. These next few chapters will be trash-talking and fight scenes; it's going to get fun, pure aura farming.
I've set an official release schedule: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, Although when I get bored, I add extra.
Bonus chapters will drop on Saturdays if my demands are met. 🔫
Trade deal:
You give me 100 power stones, and I give you a bonus chapter.
Sounds fair, right?)