Subaru's wholehearted "Tehepero" was a complete flop, unrelated to the historical date, the cultural gap between different worlds, and all those other issues.
An awkward silence in which all sound disappears from the world and even the passage of time becomes unclear.
But the reality was that time had not stopped, Subaru's heart was still shamelessly pumping blood, and Emilia's complexion in front of him was getting worse with every passing moment.
It would be easier if he could just die of shame, but for Subaru, who has gotten through his days in this other world out of self-interest, dying of rage or agony is a distant thought.
All you can do is remain silent through the awkward moment, and keep smiling while waiting for the other person's reaction.
This is a challenge, a real challenge.
During his days in the other world, he had encountered such gambling situations many times. It had happened in the stolen goods storehouse, in the forest of magical beasts, and now in the throne room, in front of Emilia, where he had completely lost the bet.
Subaru couldn't move. He would no longer budge without Emilia's reaction, and this was the wonderful feeling he felt.
In response, Emilia's lips trembled as if searching for words, and her eyes wandered as if trying to gather her thoughts.
And then, her lips pursed, her amethyst eyes looking straight into Subaru's as if she had come to some kind of conclusion. Feeling as if he was being sucked into those eyes, Subaru prepared himself to accept whatever her first words might be――
"Gaze intently at my maid, what happened, you trespasser?"
"Oof."
"picture?"
As Subaru waits for Emilia to speak, he feels a shock from behind.
A frighteningly soft sensation was pressed against his back, and then her arms came around him, locking around Subaru's chest and neck in a seductive motion.
The orange-haired girl stood tall behind him - her chin resting on Subaru's shoulder, her face facing Emilia.
Seeing her in that position, Subaru naturally realised what the sensation of touching his back was and his ears turned red, but he quickly cut those thoughts off and shook his body,
"What do you mean, maid? Emilia-tan misunderstood..."
"Oh, so you're not my maid. Then what exactly is your status that allows you to walk around the royal castle so openly?"
"Ugh..."
My quick rebuttal was cut off by a malicious smile.
There was no denying that Subaru was currently at an overwhelming disadvantage. It was an indisputable fact that Subaru's position was guaranteed thanks to her kindness.
Considering the girl's fickle nature, if Subaru were to do anything that went against her wishes, he would be reported immediately and would likely end up incarcerated. At worst, he might even be dealt with on the spot.
Having said that, it would be completely unacceptable for Subaru to be intimate with another girl in front of Emilia. It wasn't a question of what Emilia thought, but of the manly side of Subaru that would do it.
Therefore, Subaru was in a dire situation. Unless he was a total idiot, it would make sense for him to follow the girl's advice and get out of this situation.
However, just like the circumstances of the intrusion, Natsuki Subaru was a complete idiot.
Subaru: "I can't bow my head to someone in front of Emilia-tan."
"...I see, interesting. Then what will you do with yourself?"
The girl's expression, which had been intended to tease me, suddenly changed and she asked me a question in a cold-hearted tone.
The answer here would directly determine the value of Subaru's head. He couldn't see Emilia's expression behind him, but Al, standing behind the girl, shook his head hidden by his helmet and told her in a desperate tone, "This girl doesn't understand jokes right now!"
Though it seemed bad to trample on his kindness, Subaru took a deep breath and decided to clearly state his position.
"I'm in this castle..."
"Oh dear, this is Lady Priscilla. I'm sorry for the inconvenience caused to our servants this time. I truly regret that you got lost within the castle. I apologize for my rudeness."
What interrupted the man's meaningless stubbornness was a familiar gentle man's voice.
Next to him, to the right of the overly enthusiastic Subaru, was a man with long indigo hair. It was Roswaal, dressed in the formal attire of a royal court magician, sporting the same unchanging, gleeful smile.
He gestured to Subaru with a buffoonish attitude that only seemed to cover up his superficial respectability, and then,
"I will thank you for this in due course. Once again, I apologize to the people of this household."
"So the chief trickster has come out for a visit. Well, that's fine. Thanks to you jester and your accomplice, I had quite a bit of fun. --It was also a request from my attendant."
The girl nodded generously in response to Roswaal's polite but rude behavior. Behind her, Al shifted his body in relief.
He was apparently extremely worried about the situation in which his fellow countryman, whom he had found after 18 years, was already on the verge of being dead or alive.
"Please, Princess. The last candle in my life has melted with the force of a summer ice cream..."
"Your analogy doesn't quite make sense. In any case, let us all be grateful for my generosity. Respect me, respect me."
"Hey hey, that's amazing, that's great, that's great."
He caresses the girl's head with one arm and shakes her neck in an uneasy expression of affection. It's an exchange that makes you want to stop him, but the girl doesn't seem upset despite being treated roughly. It seems to seriously fall into the category of affection.
Anyway,
"This was a near-death special. You were saved, Ros-chan."
"Well, I guess I do share some of the responsibility. Even so..."
As Subaru sighs in relief, Roswaal looks down at him with deep yellow eyes. Feeling uncomfortable in his gaze, Subaru asks, "What is it?", to which Roswaal responds,
"I never thought they'd seriously storm into the castle. I wonder just how far they'd go in beating our expectations… No, I guess there's no point in this."
Muttering, Roswaal was the only one who nodded in understanding.
Subaru was about to press him further, unable to understand the situation, but before he could do so he noticed out of the corner of his eye the person he needed to explain himself to.
"Ah, I'm sorry, Hoppo. There are many things I want to say, but..."
"Why..."
"yeah?"
As Subaru sorted out the order in which he would give his various excuses, Emilia muttered something that seemed likely to disappear within her mouth.
When Subaru asked her again, she shook her head once, then looked back at him,
"How... no, why. Why is Subaru here?"
"When I try to talk about it, the truth is that there are reasons that seem deep but are actually shallow, and seem heavy but are fluffy."
"Don't make fun of me. Subaru, I told you, didn't I? Don't you remember?"
Subaru's throat choked with a small noise as he was asked the same question over and over again, as if to confirm.
Naturally, Emilia was referring to the promise they'd made at the inn. Since he'd said he'd wait and then broken it just a few minutes later, Subaru's lack of intention to keep his promise was simply beyond words.
He couldn't help but feel guilty about breaking that promise. But on the other hand, it was no lie that he had rushed over to see Emilia out of concern for her safety.
How could he blend all of that together well, and put together something that was quite on Subaru's side? Subaru's mind raced, his brain racing.
and,
"--Everyone, you are all here. Now, the members of the Council of Sages will be entering."
As if to interrupt Subaru and Emilia's conversation, the door to the throne room opened.
Subaru turned towards the sound. The first person to enter through the large doors in front of him was the knight who had been talking to the arrogant girl before they entered - perhaps his name was Marcos?
He hid his sturdy-looking armor under the helmet he had put on, and walked forward with a dignified attitude. His appearance was exactly like that of a knight in a fairy tale, and even Subaru felt an intimidating presence that made him naturally straighten his back.
As he walks, a group of elderly people follows behind him.
All of them were dressed in attire appropriate to the occasion and their status, and from their behavior and demeanor it was obvious that they were all people of considerable rank. All of their faces were deeply wrinkled with the deepest of experiences, and they exuded a dignified presence.
The one person who stood out in the group was a white-haired old man walking in the middle of the group.
He doesn't appear to bend over, but he is about a head shorter than Subaru. He has long, pure white, faded hair, and his beard is trimmed long to compete with the length of his hair. His short stature gives off a sense of insecurity, as if he is dragging himself along, but he has a gaze reminiscent of the sharpness of a "blade" that seems to cut away that impression.
"That person is the representative of the Council of Sages - in other words, the person with the most influence in Lugnica in the absence of a king. Lord Mycrotov is so awful."
Subaru was speechless at first, and Roswaal, standing next to him, quietly commented.
Subaru agreed, and it was clear at a glance that this person was no ordinary person, so it seemed that in reality he was no ordinary person.
He was the representative of Lugnica in the absence of its king, and I also remember hearing the name of an organization called the Council of Sages.
"I think it was an organization that runs the country on behalf of the king."
"In name only, I'm an assistant. Nowadays, the actual running of things is also left to the Council of Sages… but that hasn't changed much since the royal family was alive."
Roswaal shrugged in response to the mutter. In other words, since the time of the previous king, who lacked the ability to run the country, the Council of Sages has been left in charge of running it almost entirely.
That may be the truth, but to casually let that slip to Subaru, who was practically an outsider, let alone do it in the throne room, was nothing short of bold.
Although he knew this to some extent, it seemed that Subaru's employer had a soft spot for loyalty to the country. This may seem like a serious trait for someone at the heart of the country, but
"If you start talking about that, then it becomes a question of my position in the first place. Are you sure? I can only play as a defensive midfielder."
"If we could play defensive midfielder, I don't think the situation would have become like this. Anyway, we're going over there, brother."
When Al, who had been listening intently to his monologue, interjected, Subaru turned his gaze in the direction he was pointing. He saw the knights lining up along the wall of the throne room, and three others clad in matching armor who gave off a distinctive aura compared to the others.
"Oh, what's that over there...?"
Naturally, his eyes were drawn to the three outstanding people, and to his surprise, Subaru had seen them all before.
Al tapped Subaru on the shoulder and led him towards them.
Subaru looked askance at Roswaal beside him,
"Well, that's how it is, is it okay for me to go over there?"
"The correct course of action would have been to just let you go outside like this, but... it's interesting, so follow Kabuto."
"Hey, Roswaal."
Emilia is angry at Roswaal, whose attitude has not changed since the mansion. She confronts him about Roswaal's flippant words, but...
"Unfortunately, we don't have time to follow Emilia-sama's reasoning right now. If we clarify the situation correctly, Subaru-kun, we will say goodbye here… in a long, long sense."
"But if I let you be in a place like this with me, Subaru..."
"We will have to postpone this debate for now. Lady Emilia, the other candidates have gathered. Please come over there."
Roswaal's arm points to the far end of the throne room, where the "distinct colors" are gathered.
The throne in the throne room is left empty, and the chairs around it are filled by the elder members of the Society of Sages. A large dragon's wing is painted on the wall, and beneath it they hang out like loyal retainers following the king carrying the dragon on his back.
And standing in an orderly fashion in front of the elders of the Council of Sages were beings who, unlike the cunning and intimidating presence that comes with age, were born with a radiance that resonated with others.
Led by the orange-haired girl, three girls were standing there in a majestic line.
Standing in the center was a girl in a sun-colored dress, hands on hips, chest out in an arrogant manner. Before entering the room, she must have been called "Priscilla." Even under the gaze of the person at the top of the country, her arrogance remained unwavering.
And standing to her right was a woman with long, deep green hair. Her dark hair was close to black, but upon closer inspection it was clear that it was a lustrous, glossy green. She was tall for a woman, and her eye level was slightly lower than Subaru's. And yet there was a big difference in the height of their crotches.
Her hair was tied up in a ponytail, reaching down to her waist, and her feminine, curvaceous body was wrapped in a dark blue uniform. The outfit was similar to the guards' uniforms she had seen in the royal capital, but the gold and design were different. She was wearing pants, and was a beautiful woman with a dignified face who was well suited to the description of a beautiful woman in men's clothing.
Standing to the left of Priscilla was a purple-haired woman who gave off a somewhat cheerful impression, in stark contrast to the serious-looking woman.
She also had long hair down to her waist, but it was naturally wavy and thin, giving it a soft, cotton candy feel. This woman was a little smaller than the other two, and her body was rather flatter, wrapped in a white dress.
But what caught Subaru's eye the most about her outfit was the fluffy white animal fur shawl she was wearing around her neck. At a glance, it was an exquisite piece that hit Subaru directly on his true nature as a Moflist, and he couldn't help but drool at the strength of her Mofism.
Contrary to Subaru's odd reaction, Emilia bit her lip in frustration,
"I'll definitely talk to you later."
She told Subaru as if to emphasize this, and ran towards the three girls.
When Emilia, with her dancing silver hair, stands next to them, she may be a step behind in terms of appearance, but in Subaru's favor, she stands out in terms of her inner loveliness.
Anyway,
"So, those are the participants in the royal selection - the candidates for the future king."
Considering Emilia standing alongside them and the conversation they had just had, Subaru concluded that this was probably the case. Honestly, it was a surprise that all the candidates for king were women, but if there had been a man, it would have been easy to choose that person, so in a way, he felt that this should have been expected when Emilia was a candidate.
Subaru sighed deeply inwardly, and seeing the people around him also starting to move, he quickly joined them. Roswaal went in the opposite direction from the line of knights, joining the camp of several handsome men who looked like civil servants, while Subaru followed behind Al, who acted confidently and without hesitation, and took a position slightly closer to the throne than the armored knights. There he found――
"--As expected, it's you who came, Subaru."
The handsome redhead raised one hand and greeted Subaru with a smile.
It's been two weeks since we last saw each other, but the good-looking man still looks fresh and fresh - Reinhard. His flaming red hair is shaking, and today he's wearing a knight's uniform, unlike the light clothing he wore in the lower district. The only things that haven't changed are the shape of the god inside and the sword with the mark of a dragon's claws that hangs from his waist.
"When I heard that Lady Emilia would be attending, I thought you would be the first to come."
"It's been a while, and what's with your random high praise for me? Before you, I used to cry for help in a falsetto voice and commit disgraceful seppuku, so I don't think I left a good impression."
"Of course you protected Lady Emilia from the deadly blade, but you continued to choose the best in other aspects as well. I think that underestimating others too much is also a virtue, though."
With that being said with a look of complete sarcasm on his face, Subaru was speechless.
This is why true good-looking men are a problem. Good-looking men who are favored in terms of appearance rarely find themselves in difficult situations that distort their personalities, so as a result, they often have good personalities. This is the theory behind "there are no meaningless villains among good-looking men."
A playboy with a twisted personality is an extremely rare exception when you consider the overall population of good-looking men.
Among them, Reinhard stands out for his good upbringing, so he is the best of the best. He can be called an elite good-looking guy.
"I wonder if I will receive some blessing if I bow to Nammandubu Nammandubu."
"I've never heard that chant before, but no matter what I do it won't work. It's just something I was born with."
"No, this is purely a matter of prayer, so don't worry about it. Or so I thought. But before that, there was something I had to say."
In front of Subaru, who had straightened his posture, Reinhardt's blue eyes were blank. Subaru slowly bowed his head to him, and then,
"You really helped me out the other day. I'm sorry I didn't have time to thank you or choose a way to contact you afterwards. I wish I could have spoken to you sooner."
"I understand Subaru's situation. It can't be helped. Your reputation has been seriously injured, and I've been a bit busy lately."
Reinhardt shrugged slightly, but his lips broke into a happy smile when he received Subaru's words of gratitude. Even such a simple gesture was somehow picturesque, so there was no reason for a true handsome man to feel jealous.
And the two of them rekindle their friendship.
"So, Reinhard and Subaru-kun knew each other. That's great."
Saying so, the person with the natural cat ears cut in with a voice as light as a feather.
Today she was wearing the same black uniform as Reinhard - a uniform with a dragon design, and the girl had the same white ribbon as when she last saw her, adorning her flaxen hair.
He was the person who had visited Roswaal Mansion a few days ago and delivered the message that sparked this trip to the royal capital.
She raised her hand to her forehead, like a chopping knife, and winked in a salute.
"It's only been two days, how have you been? Everyone's Feli-chan has been doing well."
"I didn't hear from you, well, thank you for the other day. It's an honor to meet you again."
"Oh, weren't you a bit stiff in the second half? Let's relax our shoulders a bit more."
The girl touched Subaru's shoulder casually, encouraging him to ease his tension. Reinhardt looked a little surprised at the exchange between her and Subaru.
"Subaru, are you acquainted with Ferris?"
"This girl came to check on attendance at Roswaal's place, where I'm being looked after. I thought she was just a low-ranking maid, but…"
Now that she was standing next to Reinhard in the same attire, she too must have been worthy of being on the same level as the 『Sword Saint』. In fact, Subaru had already heard at the mansion that she was 『the most skilled water magic user in the royal capital』.』
After putting together a fair amount of pieces, I get the strong feeling that this is a pretty impressive piece.
"I see, Ferris went to Lady Emilia's place. If I had had the time, I would have loved to go."
「There's no way that Commander Marcos would allow the Sword Saint to leave the Royal Capital. It would be a shame to cause the Commander any more trouble than this. He's already in his late twenties and with that old face… I'm afraid it'll affect not only his face but also his head.」
Reinhardt gave a wry smile at Ferris's joking words. As expected, he couldn't laugh openly given what he was saying. Subaru also remembered Marcos's rock-like face and thought to himself that he looked too dignified despite being in his late twenties.
And further,
"Can you introduce them to me now?"
Then, the last of the group, someone with a different aura from the other knights, called out to me.
Subaru also recognized this person. But to be honest, he didn't have a very good impression of him. After all,
"He's the one who kissed Emilia-tan's hand in the barracks."
He was the one who, though pretentious, kissed the back of Emilia's hand. While calling him a show-off in his mind, Subaru put on a smile on the outside,
「Sorry for the late introduction, I'm Natsuki Subaru, a stingy bastard. Please keep me in the back of your mind, hehe.」
"You're suddenly feeling very servile, Subaru."
Reinhard scolded Subaru, then turned to face the pretentious man,
Subaru has a tendency to test his opponents by behaving in a way that makes them look down on him.」
"Hey, can you stop giving me such cunning settings? I don't have any intentions like that, it's just what happens when I do my own air reading."
Reinhard's overestimation of Subaru is quite extensive. In his mind, Subaru's actions on the first day must have been extremely high on his list. He feels awkward being praised so highly, or rather, since he's not used to it, he suspects that something might be going on.
However,
"And that's how it goes, Julius. Gracefully."
There was not the slightest hint of such ulterior motives in Reinhard's attitude. Subaru realized that there was no point in saying any more, seeing his profile constructed solely with good intentions.
"That is my area of expertise, Reinhard. I am Julius Juculius of the Royal Guard. Please make my acquaintance, your Lordship."
After hearing the red-haired young man's advice, the cheeky guy - Julius - introduced himself to Subaru with a smirk on his face. He then turned to Al, who was standing next to Subaru.
He scratched his neck in discomfort when he was called "Knight".
"Oh, I'm nothing so bold as to call you a knight. I'm just a wanderer, after all. Unlike you straight-laced people."
She responded in a low-key voice. Unlike her attitude towards Subaru, her response clearly indicated her intention to distance herself from the person.
Subaru had the impression that Al was quite familiar with him, so his attitude was quite unexpected. However, unfortunately, he didn't have the time to point that out.
Just as they finished exchanging names, Marcos, the man known as the Commander of the Knights, spoke up at almost the same time.
"Ladies and Gentlemen of the Council of Sages. All the candidates are here. I, as the Commander of the Royal Guard, will be presiding over the proceedings."
"Hmm... Thank you very much."
The man who was sitting at his desk, hands folded, nodded slightly with his chin tilted back, was Mycroft, the representative of the Council of Sages. Marcos bowed respectfully in response to the old man's reply, then Iwao's brow quirked,
"The reason for this gathering is to select the next king - an important announcement has been made to all those involved in the royal selection. That is why I have asked all of you in the Council of Sages to take the trouble to come all the way to the royal castle."
Although his voice was not particularly loud, it resonated with everyone in the throne room equally. He had a natural talent for making others listen to him, and even his voice showed this. Subaru listened intently to the voice without even finding the urge to make a joke.
"It all started about six months ago when the previous king and other members of the royal family went into hiding one after the other. The absence of a king is a grave dire situation for the kingdom, and for the Dragon Kingdom of Lugnica in particular, it is something that is deeply connected to the 'Covenant'."
Covenant - it was likely some sort of agreement that the kingdom had made with the dragon. It was something he heard almost every time he started his days at the mansion, so he was sick of hearing about it. However, the information Subaru knew was only superficial, and the same could be said about the details of the royal selection. If anything, he was grateful for this lecture.
"Hmm, maintaining the covenant is closely related to the survival of the kingdom. That is why it is such a shame that the entire royal family was suddenly stricken by the disease. We must find a new 'shrine maiden' who can communicate with the dragon as soon as possible."
"To that end, we, the Knights of the Royal Guard, have received orders from the Council of Sages and have taken on the task of searching for the shrine maiden chosen by the Dragon's Radiance."
Searching his pocket, Marcos placed a small badge on his palm that Subaru had seen many times before - a jewel embedded in it, a qualification for participating in the Royal Selection.
Marcos walked towards the lined up candidates, bowed to them, and then,
"Everyone, please give Ryuju's presentation--"
Responding to the call, each girl holds up her own insignia in front of her.
Each jewel shone brilliantly in their hands, and each one began to scatter light in its own different color around the throne room.
The knights who saw this let out sighs of admiration, and the elder members of the Society of Sages also had expressions of relief and joy on their deeply wrinkled faces.
"And so, all of you candidates are qualified to become dragon shrine maidens. After observing these things, we will follow the Dragon History Stone---"
"Really?"
Marcos was conducting the proceedings solemnly. He was about to continue speaking in that solemn tone when suddenly, a gentle voice called out to him.
As Marcos turned around, a girl called out to him, making Ryuju blink with a blue light - a person with purple hair and a white dress.
She tilted her head gracefully while holding up her dragon sword.
"I know you want to keep things moving, Captain, but we're busy. In Kararagi, they say 'time is equal to money.'"
Despite her soft-spoken tone and gentle face, the girl was straightforward in her requests. She put the Ryushu away and clasped her hands together,
"In all honesty, I'd rather hear the core of the story we gathered than hear the same old stories repeated."
He speaks with a unique intonation and concludes his request with a smile.
Marcos seemed a little taken aback by that attitude, but Subaru was even more shocked.
In this tense situation, even Subaru was careful to zip his mouth so as not to make any inappropriate remarks, but
"Hey, come on, you're kidding about the Kansai dialect."
"Oh, you were scared, brothers. Apparently, that's how it goes in a country called Kararagi in the west, actually. I haven't seen it myself, but... I wonder if that's how the translation system in this other world selects the language."
As Subaru muttered to himself, Al, who was next to him, whispered the same sentiment.
As expected of a veteran who had been summoned for 18 years, it seemed he had long since gotten over that impact, and was not as shaken by her words as Subaru.
Meanwhile, a source of surprise unrelated to Subaru was spreading throughout the throne room. As a faint murmur began to fill the hall, it was stopped by a different, dignified female voice.
"That makes sense."
"--Lady Crusch."
The green-haired woman folded her arms and tilted her chin in agreement. In response to her, Marcos called out her name, and she raised her eyebrows in a slightly confused expression.
"The head of the Karsten family would do something like that..."
"I can understand the importance of formality, but it's a bit upsetting to have that cause you to disrespect the main issue. We should address the reason we've been gathered here as soon as possible. However."
The woman closed one eye and looked further inside Marcos, taking in the members of the Society of Sages.
"I can roughly imagine it, though."
"Oh, I see. As expected of the head of the Karsten family. Do you already understand the meaning of this summons?"
Nodding at Mycroft's impressed words, the woman put on a dignified face and touched upon the true meaning of this gathering in front of the throne.
"Ah. -- A drinking party, right? Although we will eventually compete with each other, there is still much we don't know about each other. If we gather around the table, drink to each other, and talk frankly, we will naturally get to know each other's personalities..."
"No, that's not it."
As the woman solemnly tried to make arrangements for the drinking party, the old man couldn't help but interrupt. The woman looked surprised at his attitude, then slowly turned towards Subaru and the others,
"Ferris. That's not what I was told."
"That's so mean. Feli-chan was just saying that there might be a drinking party going on because there was a lot of food and alcohol being brought into the castle, that's just mean."
"I see, I jumped to conclusions. I forgive you."
Although he appears to be a generous person, the content of the conversation is clearly strange.
Turning back to face the woman, she sighed lightly after considering the previous exchange, and then,
"So, please take back what I said earlier. It's embarrassing."
"Oh my, Crusch-sama is too manly."
Ferris writhes with her hands on her cheeks. Blushing, she shakes her hips and doesn't seem to be bothered by the fact that she spread false information. Or rather, judging by what she just said, it seems like she did it on purpose.
It's difficult to judge the fine line between playing pranks and not. Though Subaru was consumed by the atmosphere in the venue, he continued to think normally. His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of another clap,
"Even if Crusch-san backs down, my opinion won't change. There's no need to talk about the superficial details of the Royal Selection at this point, everyone already knows that. Right?"
The girl leaned forward and asked the three people standing next to her, as if seeking their consent.
The woman called Crusch nodded in response to her question, while Priscilla snorted softly with a bored look on her face, and Emilia's lips trembled with tension,
"I, I think I should listen carefully..."
"Sorry, but I haven't heard your opinion."
However, her attitude towards Emilia, the only one to respond, was cutting her off.
Emilia's expression turned to resignation as she was slammed into his face. Her face bowed in disapproval of her opinion being pushed aside, sparks flew in Subaru's head as he watched.
"What the hell is with that attitude...? Uhaha! I don't know anything about the royal selection, so I'd like to hear what happens next!!"
Subaru stepped forward and was about to let out a roar when a muscular arm blocked his way, stopping him. The curse that was about to come out of his mouth was overwritten by an overlapping voice that echoed throughout the hall.
Subaru's thoughtlessness was interrupted by Al. With the eyes of everyone in the hall on him, he fiddled with the metal fittings of his jet-black helmet with one arm, making a rhythmic metallic noise.
"Don't look at me like that, it's embarrassing. I know I'm out of place, so if you treat me like an outsider I'll start crying and screaming and making a fuss, even though I'm a grown adult."
As if mocking Subaru's thoughts as he searched for the line of acceptable mischief, Al nonchalantly tap-danced his way through the minefield.
His behavior, which seemed to have lost its sense of consideration rather than boldness, took everyone around him, including Reinhard, by surprise, but
"Lady Priscilla. I heard he is your knight...can you explain?"
"You bastards who love to talk will do it on your own even if I don't do it, right? I have merely eliminated the unnecessary things I do. Routine talk is no different from talking in your sleep. Don't talk in your sleep, even when you are asleep."
While Marcos was the only one who managed to remain calm, Priscilla continued to rile up the others in an arrogant tone.
They're all complete personality freaks - Emilia's character is particularly notable, which is troubling. However, from their previous exchange it was clear that she wasn't being treated fairly.
Anyway,
"---Just lend me one. No, a second?"
Al raised two fingers and turned his head towards Subaru, and Subaru was secretly grateful.
Subaru didn't think highly of himself, and didn't think he could have handled the situation as well as he had if he had lost his temper and raised his voice at the time.
Al had stepped forward and taken all the blame on himself, so he shouldered it instead.
Even though he is in a similar position to Subaru, he is able to act with confidence, perhaps because he has built a solid foundation for himself over the past 18 years. His attitude is different from that of Subaru, who has yet to find anything solid in the other world.
"The princess has started being selfish again. Please bear with her."
"It is God's will that I should subjugate the common people to my will. Rejoice and dance in the palm of your hand. Continue, Marcos. Teach my knights how I can become a king."
"If you can say that much about dumping everything on someone else, that's pretty impressive. I have nothing more to say."
The girl shrugged, giving up on Priscilla's attitude.
Seeing that the two had come to the same decision, Marcos cleared his throat and asked Emilia and Crusch, "Are you sure?" After seeing them both nod,
"Well, I've digressed a bit, but let's get back to the point. The reason all of you who are qualified to become dragon shrine maidens have been gathered here is because of a new prophecy engraved on the Dragon History Stone."
Another word he didn't know, a question mark formed in Subaru's mind.
Judging from the content of the conversation, I think it's probably some kind of prophecy board, but I'm not sure about that.
"The prophecy engraved on the stone tablet reads: 'When the Covenant of Lugnica is broken, a new Dragon Bearer will maintain the covenant and lead the country.'"
"Hmm. What the stone tablet shows is indeed the will of heaven. The Dragon History Stone, which has accumulated as much history as the kingdom since its birth, carves letters in response to events that determine the kingdom's fate. Considering that the contents of these letters have influenced subsequent history, it is our duty to obey them."
The other elders in the Society of Sages nodded solemnly as they listened to Myclotov's recollections.
One could take the rather bold interpretation that future policy is being left entirely to the prophecy board, but in reality, prophecies in a world with magic seem to have an incredible amount of power, so it's hard to say much.
In any case, it seems that in accordance with the prophecy, Emilia and the others were gathered together as candidates for kingship - or rather, for their role as shrine maidens who could communicate with the dragon.
Thinking about it that far, a question suddenly arose in Subaru's mind.
It boils down to:
"If we're going to talk about dragons and covenants and stuff, then why bother getting involved in stuff about kings and stuff like that? Surely there should be a clan that takes on the role of dragon shrine maidens?"
Subaru asked the question in a low voice, not to Al, but to Reinhardt, who was sitting opposite him. He glanced down at Subaru, a wry smile tugging at the corner of his mouth,
"I agree with what Subaru says. However, that's not the case."
"Why don't you ask?"
"The answer is that the pact for the prosperity of the kingdom was made between the dragon and the king. The dragon didn't make a pact with someone who was merely able to communicate with him. He made the pact because that person was the king who bore the burden of the kingdom."
A chapter from "The Tale of the Dragon" that Subaru had read in a picture book was dug up in his memory.
As Reinhard explained, it was the story of the king and the dragon. The weight of that history that has been passed down for generations. The policy of the Council of Sages and the Royal Guard, which Emilia and her friends were gathered in, was to respect that as much as possible. However,
"If that's the case, wouldn't a hastily made shrine maiden/king be an infuriating blow to the dragon? This isn't a game of Ikkyu-san's wits. We can't just make a shrine maiden into a king because the royal family is gone, can we?"
"I heard that there was a lot of conflict over that. But the prophecy board, the Dragon Stone, which is actually passed down in the kingdom, showed the will of heaven that this method of tightrope walking was correct. And the members of the Council of Sages also acknowledged that and gave us the order. I don't want to see things turn out badly."
Subaru nodded in agreement, responding to the explanation, which was too refreshing to be called a prayer.
There was no certainty, but there was no other way. Therefore, all they could do was do their best, and that was the current state of the Dragon Kingdom of Lugnica.
What decision the dragon will make regarding the decisions of the people of this kingdom is unknown to anyone now. Perhaps the only one who knows is the one with the heavenly will who arrogantly inscribes the words on the prophecy tablet.
"Well, I understand the situation. So we're going to choose a king from among the four of us. Is it not possible to make everyone king and then rank them?"
"The reason why that's not okay is also engraved on the Dragon History Stone... the leader will read it out now."
Subaru thought this was a great idea, but he rejected it with a shake of his head. As he explained his true intentions, Reinhard's blue eyes turned to the center of the hall once again.
The Knight of Rock, who was drawing attention from the hall, turned to the four candidates standing in line,
"The prophecy continues: 'Among the five people who can become the leaders of the new country, one shrine maiden must be chosen to enter into a pact with the dragon.'"
Subaru had no choice but to read and interpret what Marcos had so eloquently said. If the tablet of prophecy says to choose one, then there is no other way to do it.
As I thought about it that far, one part suddenly became puzzling.
"Five people…?"
"Yes, five of us."
Reinhardt nodded in response to Subaru's question.
He glanced calmly at Subaru, whose face was filled with suspicion,
"In other words, with only four candidates, the royal selection hasn't even begun yet. That's where the Royal Guard's incompetence in not being able to find a fifth candidate can only be blamed."
"I heard the population is around 50 million, right? I think it would be difficult to find five people from there, and if you could do it in about six months, then in my opinion, you moved too quickly."
In fact, I think that this condition would be quite difficult unless the means of communication are established and an environment in which a national survey can be conducted at once is in place, such as in Japan. Even in Japan, I can imagine that there are many exceptions that could circumvent these conditions.
It is unclear how many members of the Royal Guard Knights there are, or how talented they are, but just selecting four candidates in such a short period of time is quite an achievement.
"Well, if you're saying that there are actually a ton of shrine maidens who could actually make Ryusyu shine, then I won't hesitate to blame you. You stupid fool..."
"I can't say for sure that they investigated all 50 million citizens, but it was four people after examining over 80% of them. I think the Knights should be grateful."
He must have been proud of what he had done. There was not a trace of shame in Reinhard's attitude. It made Subaru, who was having fun, feel even more awkward.
However, the situation continued to flow, ignoring Subaru's feelings.
"We couldn't find that fifth person, so even though we knew who we were competing with, we couldn't do anything. It's frustrating."
"That's right. I get called in whenever something happens and my business negotiations get interrupted so many times, so just having a connection with the Euclius family won't be worth it anytime soon."
"Lady Anastasia. Honesty is one of your most beautiful virtues, but I think it would be best if you could tone it down a bit here…"
The purple-haired girl agreed with Crusch's words. Julius then made a pretentious remark. The girl - Anastasia, as she was called - turned her eyes to Julius and said,
"What? You think it'll be better if I hold it back?"
"No. I think it's more elegant that way."
"The only thing we don't understand is Julius's standards."
The advice was not very convincing, but Anastasia sighed with a deflated look on her face. Then she turned to Marcos,
"Anyway, everyone knows the story up to this point. Is the Princess satisfied with this?"
"I wonder. Al, do you understand?"
"Okay, I get it. Thank you for taking the time to come, and also for the girl who speaks Kararagi dialect."
As Al waved his arm, Priscilla replied to Anastasia, "That's right." Anastasia closed her eyes at the carelessness of the master-servant relationship. Then she looked up at the Council of Sages,
"If you have something to say, hurry up. I'm busy too, and I have a lot of things I want to do after this. You old men who hold the country's purse understand that, right?"
Her admonishing tone came across as nothing more than teasing, knowing that the other person was her superior. Subaru instinctively stiffened up on his guard, fearing that the situation might escalate, but Anastasia seemed to be someone who had already seen it many times, and knew exactly where the limit was.
None of the members of the Council of Sages, who had received such disrespectful remarks, showed any signs of reproaching her for what she had just said. On the contrary, Mycroft seemed to enjoy himself and said,
"I know you're busy, Anastasia-sama, but I'd appreciate it if you could bear with me a little longer as I talk about my old body. After all… today will be a day that will be engraved in the kingdom's history."
At the end of a casual conversation, Mycroft's voice suddenly lowered.
Hearing this, the initial sense of tension in the hall had begun to fade, but now an atmosphere spread across the room, making everyone stand up straighter.
Everyone is afraid to say the first thing, trying to figure out what Mycroft means, but it's the fearless, proud girl who starts the conversation.
"You said that history is in motion. So that's what it means, isn't it?"
In response to Priscilla's quiet question, Mycroft nodded slightly from the podium. He then turned his thick eyebrows to look at Marcos and gave a wink as a signal.
Marcos received it, put his hand on his chest and bowed.
"--Knight Reinhard van Astrea! Here."
"Ha!"
Suddenly, Marcos' voice echoed throughout the hall.
Next to Subaru, who was startled, Reinhard answered as if he had been waiting to be called upon. He then glided forward to the center with a smooth movement, bowed to the four candidates, and then stood before the Commander of the Knights, Marcos.
"Well then, Reinhard, please report."
"Haa."
Marcos gave way to the front of the stage, leaving the center of the stage free. Reinhard stepped forward and captured the attention of the audience. He faced the Council of Sages with a completely unassuming expression.
"Honorable members of the Council of Sages, I, Royal Knight Reinhard van Astrea, would like to report the completion of my mission."
"Hmm, then let's make it so everyone can hear."
Following Mycroft's instructions, Reinhardt bowed, then turned around and stood tall and proud in front of everyone in the hall.
"The Dragon Priestess, the candidate for King - the fifth and final one, has been found."
A murmur spread among the knights, and the candidates' expressions changed with strong emotions: joy, boredom, confusion, and so on.
Subaru, too, silently uttered a "I thought so" in response to Reinhard's words. Given the flow of the conversation up until now, it was obvious that this was going to happen.
But what he didn't understand was Reinhard's position. Why was he chosen to give the report? Perhaps, pondering this, Subaru noticed a common thread among the people here.
it is,
"All of them are related to the candidates for king... so that means..."
Al was Priscilla. Ferris was Crusch. Julius was related to Anastasia, and Subaru was also related to Emilia, so if that included himself, then the position of Reinhard, who had also joined them here, was also clear.
"Take me away."
It was a small voice, but it easily carried over the commotion in the hall to the great door. The guard at the gate saluted after hearing the voice, and then the door slowly slid open.
And so, through the opened door, a person was ushered into the throne room, accompanied by several women who appeared to be maids.
Seeing that person, Subaru frowned suspiciously.
She was wearing a light yellow dress, elbow-length white gloves and a skirt, and stepped on the carpet in high-heeled shoes that looked extremely difficult to walk in. Her petite and delicate frame was so thin that it seemed as if she would break if you hugged her, and her thin, golden hair matched her fragile impression well.
But with her long, blonde hair, strong-willed red eyes, and mischievous crooked teeth, Subaru knew that she was far from being weak.
Shocked at the completely different appearance, Subaru's mouth dropped open in shock.
Subaru's reaction was ignored, and while everyone was staring at the new girl who had entered the hall, Reinhard spoke in a booming voice.
"The one I respect as my king is named Felt-sama."
The voice continued to echo over and over again in Subaru's eardrums, frozen in shock.
--The selection of the king that would decide the future of the Kingdom of Lugnica was about to begin.