Mycroft made this dignified declaration, and a tense atmosphere filled the hall.
It's not like they had been talking in a relaxed manner up until this point, but it's true that they had been proceeding with their discussion with contempt for the Council of Wise Men, the highest position in the country. At this point, Mycrotov's presence suddenly increased, and naturally drew the attention of everyone in the throne room.
Mycroft responded calmly, stroking his beard.
"In proposing to hold a meeting of wise men, I would first like to get the support of other comrades."
Mycroft was in the center of the nine seats lined up on the stage, looking out at the elderly people around him. When he spoke, the elderly people, who had been silent and almost nonexistent up until then, nodded in agreement.
"I also agree with Mr. Mycroft's proposal, with the authority of the Council of Sages."
"Same here."
"Let's agree as well."
Mycroft's chin dropped as the older men agreed, then he looked down at the candidate below him.
The five of them, who had still been standing in somewhat opposing positions, hurriedly gathered together in response to Mycroft's silence. Anastasia, who had been far away, made a mad dash.
When the candidates returned, the two who had been beside them naturally left the group and joined the line of knights where Subaru and the others were. --Al and Reinhard were sandwiching Subaru in between, which made for an extremely uncomfortable situation.
"Do I have to be here?"
"I'm happy that you're there as a buffer. Honestly, there's no way I'd go against the Sword Saint, seriously."
Al wiped his forehead in fear. Since he was wearing a helmet and his tone of voice hadn't changed, it was likely just some sort of light-hearted remark, but for Subaru, who had seen Reinhard's fighting prowess up close, it was not something he could dismiss as a joke.
Al also went to the trouble of calling himself a mercenary and acting as Priscilla's bodyguard with only one arm. I think he has some skill, but considering he's from the same hometown, it's hard to imagine him stepping into the realm of non-humans.
As he himself stated, he wouldn't last even a minute in a fight.
"When you think about it, maybe Erza really is quite talented after all..."
He remembered the woman who, against Reinhardt, had demonstrated results worthy of being called a sword fight. At the same time, the pain from his torn stomach seemed to come back to him, so Subaru grimaced and quickly stopped.
"Her abilities were real. I haven't been able to track her down since then. It seems we still can't make her face the justice she deserves for inflicting such serious injuries on you."
"I just finished the flashback scene, so don't dig it up. Ah, I feel like even my eyes are hurting from being hit in such a straight line…"
Thinking back, I think the second death was the most tragic of all the deaths I've had so far. The psychological pain was more intense later on, though.
Subaru rubbed his eyes quickly, his eyes bloodshot, and Reinhardt turned a concerned look towards him,
"Are you okay? I actually know someone who can use water magic. He's right next to you..."
"Hmm, I'm going to talk about something important now, so be quiet. I'll heal you later."
"This may be strange for me to say, but don't you guys seem to be going at your own pace a bit too much?"
Ferris mentioned Reinhardt's voice, and Julius reprimanded him.
Subaru was confident in his own laid-back approach, but the four around him were also pretty impressive, he thought to himself, as if it were none of his business.
In contrast to the tense atmosphere surrounding the candidates, the people involved were engaged in a rather leisurely exchange, while the opening of the Council of Wise Men was officially announced―― Mycroft nodded,
"I thank my comrade for his support. Now, shall we begin our discussion? The topic, of course, is 'Who should become king?'"
The old man stopped speaking while combing his beard, then closed one eye, and,
"Hmm. The problem is how to decide that. The Dragon History Stone said to gather five candidates, but there was no description of how to select them after that. In the extreme case, we could have all the camps compete in a martial arts contest here and then make the remaining camp the king."
"I feel like if you use that method, there will be one side that will win completely."
Mycrotov's joking words were met with a light-hearted response from Roswaal from the group of civil servants.
That joke could only point to one camp: Felt's camp, which included Reinhard. Even though he knew that, Mycroft laughed loudly,
"Even if you are the head of the royal court magician, is there someone you don't want to deal with?"
"My only redeeming quality doesn't work against that person. Unfortunately, the moment I come face to face with him, it's all over."
Roswaal shrugged and shook his head. Even Reinhard looked down in embarrassment at his words, but seeing as he didn't deny it, he still seemed confident.
Knowing just how powerful Roswaal is as a magician, I wonder if there really is such a huge difference between him and Reinhard. But as long as the two of them are convinced of this, it's probably an unshakable fact.
Reinhard's inhuman qualities became more and more apparent to Subaru.
and,
"Well, since the Head Court Magician has also opposed this, let's not choose a drastic solution. Hmm, in that case, what do you think we should do, everyone?"
Putting his light-hearted greeting aside, Myclotov led the group into discussion.
The members of the Council of Sages who were taking part in the discussion looked at each other, then spoke quietly, in a voice that was slightly less pronounced than Mycroft's, but strangely enough everyone could hear it.
"First of all, we should listen to all the candidates."
"This is the first time we've been fortunate enough to be able to all gather together and see each other like this."
"Until now, not everyone in the Society of Sages could participate."
"So let's talk. Your respective positions, your resolve to become king, and what you plan to do on top of that - would that be appropriate to talk about?"
"Hmm, I completely agree. Now, Knight Marcos, may I make a request?"
As a result of the Council of Sages' discussion, the proceedings were once again handed over to the Commander of the Knights.
The lone figure in armor, standing beside the candidate, bowed, then turned to face him, his expression tightening.
"I may be the one to proceed once again. Each of the candidates must have their own opinions and positions. The members of the Council of Sages, the knights in the hall, and the civil servants all want to know about them. Please bear with me."
Speaking for everyone in the hall, Marcos bowed respectfully to the five candidates.
Then he raised his head, his face stern, his mouth wide open,
"First, Lady Crusch, please. Knight Felix Argyle! Here!"
"Um."
"Yes."
At Marcos's voice, Crusch calmly nodded, and Ferris raised his hand lightly.
Ferris jogged off to the center of the hall, lining up with Crusch who had stepped forward. On her way there, she stared intently at Marcos' face,
"Commander. I always say this, but please call me Ferris, not Felix. It would hurt Feli-chan."
"I have no intention of treating any of my subordinates differently. That certainly doesn't include you. Step forward."
Marcos coldly pushed Ferris, who was begging him with a finger on his cheek, away from him, and pointed with his chin to Crusch's side, urging her on. Ferris stuck out his tongue in dissatisfaction at Marcos, then stood next to Crusch, arms folded.
"I am the candidate for king, Crusch Karsten, head of the Karsten family. At your disposal."
"I am Lady Crusch's number one knight, Ferris of the Argyle family."
"I am Felix Argyle the Knight, members of the Society of Sages."
Crusch introduced herself with a bold and fearless attitude, and Ferris followed suit with an extremely flippant attitude. Marcos corrected her introduction as if to scold her, and Ferris' piercing gaze pierced her, but Marcos ignored it with a stubborn, expressionless face.
Seeing this exchange from the sidelines, Subaru muttered a small "Huh?",
"That Ferris kid, his real name is Felix? It sounds like a really cool guy's name."
In old samurai families in Japan, the firstborn's name was inherited, and it seems that there were cases where the name was given to the firstborn even if the gender was different. In historical TS games, which are common in gal games, female warlords are often given male names. Japan is a serious disease.
As Subaru was convinced, Al tilted his head slightly. Perhaps this was not something he could easily accept, given his common sense. There was also a difference in the time when Subaru and he were summoned, so it would be good if they could deepen their mutual understanding a little more.
"Subaru, haven't you heard?"
As Subaru thought this while glancing at Al, Reinhard suddenly asked with a surprised look on his face. Not understanding the point of the question, Subaru asked back in a goofy voice, "What?"
"Ferris may sound like a man's name, but he's a fine man."
"--Wait."
"What is it?"
"What did you just say?"
Unable to accept what Reinhard had just said, Subaru's brain temporarily exploded. Slowly, carefully mulling over his words, Subaru asked Reinhard to repeat them once more. He nodded generously, and,
"Ferris may sound like a man's name, but he's a fine man."
He said the important things twice, without missing a single word.
"Whaaaaaaaaat?!"
As their consciousness caught up with reality, the screams of Subaru and Al echoed throughout the hall.
Their shocked expressions drew attention from everyone in the hall, but they were oblivious to this as they continued to flail about and make gestures to express their confusion.
Subaru moved his body and pointed to Ferris, who was standing in the center of the room.
"Wait a second, is that a man?! Even a knight among knights sure doesn't like jokes?! I can't laugh at that!?"
As I speak, I look at Ferris, who is looking my way.
I did think she was tall for a woman, but if you take away her facial structure, her slender body lines, and her height, she looks just like a woman. However, it cannot be denied that she lacks some of the curves of a woman, but there are quite a few women out there who are flat-chested even in adulthood. This does not disprove the argument.
"His voice is high, his figure is slim, and his skin is so translucent, I can't believe that he's a man... No, I don't want to believe it!"
"You know what, brother?"
"Oh, I know, brother!"
The two of them put their arms around the one-armed Al's shoulder and reconciled their perceptions.
Two men are better than one. Just when he was half sure of his victory, thinking that he would show signs of regret for Reinhard's unfunny joke,
"Ah, so this is the first time I've seen you two. My knight Ferris is a man. I, and no one else, can say this with certainty."
Crusch, who had remained silent up until then, called out to the two people with their arms around each other.
Subaru and Al's heads snapped around at the incredible content of the dignified voice. With their arms around each other's shoulders, they started to turn in opposite directions, and in an instant their shoulder joints were strained, causing a chain of pathetic cries of "Ouch!". Subaru then stomped on the floor to regain his composure,
"Ugh, you can say anything you want with just your mouth! It won't work if you try to support us! Evidence! Yes, we need evidence!"
"Ferris and I have been together for a long time. We've even taken baths together, and there's no doubt that my penis was between my legs…"
「Stop!! I'm so sorry!! I'll fully acknowledge, accept and embrace everything, so don't say anything about penises from your girl's mouth――」
"I didn't say penis, brother?"
Subaru corrected him for being so direct, but Al added to the confusion. Subaru was overwhelmed by the multiple sources of confusion he was being bombarded with, and pointed his finger firmly at Ferris, the source of this whole situation,
"You too, dammit! Who the hell benefits from being with someone like that? Not only that, you've got cat ears but you're actually a guy? Who the hell benefits from that?! I don't have any sort of male daughter attribute or anything! I like totally normal silver-haired heroines!"
"Even if you say that, it was Subaru-kun who misunderstood. Feli-chan, I never said a word about being a girl."
"Don't mess with me, you idiot -- Correction, you bastard!"
Ferris's attitude of sticking out his tongue and winking made Subaru stomp his feet in anger, but it didn't seem like he was going to be able to elicit any more gratitude from the other person.
Dad, Mom, the existence of ``male girls'' exists even in this other world.
「That's unbelievable... I've never been treated like this in my life. Even though I'm famous for being the gentle person who walked around naked next to her, I couldn't help but feel angry...!」
"It's now just one completely naked person--!"
Subaru was so excited that he even lost track of what he was blurting out, but Al still dutifully interjected.
The two of them exchange a thankless exchange, where it's natural for a joke to be responded to. I wait for the surprise of the two of them to die down,
"--Have you calmed down?"
A husky voice confirmed to the two of them.
On the stage, Mycroft had his hands clasped in his lap. Even Subaru, as expected, came to his senses and said, "S-sorry," in apologise for the consideration shown to him by the head of the country.
I quietly returned to my original line and, for some truly rare occasion, engaged in deep self-reflection.
"Whenever people find out Ferris' gender, they always look surprised. It's a joy I can't stop experiencing, no matter how many times I experience it. Though there aren't many people who are as surprised as the two of you right now."
"Hmm. You know that and yet you still continue, that's really mean of you, Crusch-sama."
Myclotov implicitly scolded Crusch, who was relaxing her lips in satisfaction, but in response, Crusch tightened her expression and shook her head,
"Lord Mycroft, there seems to be a misunderstanding, but I did not tell Ferris to dress the way he did. It was all of his own free will."
"I believe it is a master's duty to dress his servants appropriately."
The one who argued with Crusch was Rickert, who had returned to the line just like Subaru and the others. Perhaps because of the previous events, he had gained a say in the group of civil servants, as several attendees nodded in agreement with his words.
Looking at the group of people from the same boat, Crusch then pierces Rickert with her sharp eyes. Rickert's face twitches as he is pierced, but he still faces her head on.
"Hey, do you have any objections...?"
"You're not like the plebs who turn a blind eye. Apart from the fact that you're a bit awkward, not everyone believes the same, and you're a bit easily elevated, I think highly of you, Rickert-dono."
--Didn't you get beaten up pretty badly?
Subaru was thinking to himself, but Crusch wondered if it was meant as a compliment. Rickert also looked a bit unconvinced.
However, before he could pursue that question, Crusch added, "However,"
"I said that it is the master's duty to dress appropriately. So I would still like Ferris to remain in his current outfit. Do you know why?"
"I wonder why?"
The question was asked while still staring at Rickert, but perhaps intimidated by the glare, Rickert was unable to continue. Mycrotov asked back in his place, and Crusch nodded,
"It's simple. A thing should be given the appearance that makes its soul shine the most. Ferris looks much better in his current outfit than if he were to wear knight armor. Just like I prefer this outfit to wearing a dress."
Having declared this, Crusch puffed out her chest as if she was putting her soul into it.
Ferris stood next to the imposing figure, and she - no, he too, followed suit, smiling beside his master's majestic figure.
Looking down at the two of them, Mycroft narrowed his eyes as if he was looking at something bright. Then he tilted his chin slightly.
"Hmm, that would be fine. I will end this discussion here. Is that okay, Lord Rickert?"
"I, I have no objections."
"We have no objections. Commander Marcos, please proceed."
Rickert stammered as he put down his spear, while Crusch maintained the composure of a champion. They exchanged opinions, but it was clear which of them had won without even needing to look at each other.
Anyway,
"Although this is the first statement of intent among the candidates, you are the leading candidate after all. I shouldn't say it, but I feel a sense of security from you that is different from the others."
I heard those words spoken in a voice that was a little too loud to be called a whisper.
Hearing this, Subaru's ears trembled as he asked Reinhardt next to him, "What do you mean?" Reinhardt lowered his eyes slightly at Subaru's honest question,
"The Karsten family, of which Lady Crusch serves as head, is a ducal family that has long supported the history of the Kingdom of Lugnica. With a history of loyalty to the country and a solid family background, and Lady Crusch's own talent that has enabled her to lead the ducal family at such a young age - there is no doubt that she is the favorite to become king."
"Well... how is it, actually?"
Subaru couldn't help but nod in agreement at what Reinhardt had been saying.
Even Subaru, who didn't have much knowledge about peerages, understood that the rank of Duke was a key position in the country that could be easily counted from the top.
Candidate for king - even though the royal family had been wiped out, it would naturally be desirable for the next person to take the throne to be someone who was close to the original royal family.
Thinking about it in that sense, Subaru couldn't help but think of Emilia's disadvantageous position.
"That's pretty much a decision."
"As the head of the Karsten family, Lady Crusch is well known for her genius."
"His decisions are a little bold, but if you think of it as a sign of his great character, I have nothing to complain about."
The people around him must have confirmed what Subaru had just heard. The whispered conversations were all about Crusch's advantages, and it seemed implicitly common knowledge that she was head and shoulders above the rest in the Royal Selection that had just begun.
Even before Emilia's time to appeal had even begun, Subaru couldn't help but feel impatient as the atmosphere in the room was steadily shifting against her.
However, the sense of irritation that tormented Subaru's heart,
"It seems like there are a lot of people who are a bit confused."
Crusch raised her finger, interrupting the whispering conversation, bringing the conversation to a temporary halt.
Crusch waited until everyone had shut their mouths and everyone was paying attention to her. When she realized what he meant and the hall fell silent, she gave a nod and began the proceedings.
"I think I understand in my own way what each of them wants from me as the new king. The Karsten family is a powerful family with deep ties to the royal family, and they have been held responsible for a large proportion of national politics up until now. Therefore, if I were to ascend to the throne, there would be no impact on the government or the running of the country. This means that a smooth succession to the throne can be guaranteed."
Many people in the hall nodded at Crusch's fluent words.
She carefully put it into words, and Subaru also clearly understood why she was considered the closest to the throne. That was why it seemed so difficult to argue against her. However,
"---I'm sorry to those of you who have high hopes for me, but I can't make that promise."
At this statement which seemed to throw away the overwhelming advantage that he had been given, there was a moment of silence in the throne room - after a few seconds, a shockwave ran through the room.
"What does this mean?" came the questioning voices. Looking around at them all, Crusch boldly stepped into the still-heated situation,
"When I become king, the country will inevitably be different from what it was before my predecessor. I want you to understand that."
"--May I ask what you mean by that?"
"Of course."
The murmurs quieted as Mycroft's questioning voice condensed, and as the initial shock began to subside, Crusch looked up at the podium in the hall.
Her long, deep green hair swaying, and with a dignified expression on her face, she gazed out at the Council of Sages - beyond them, at the design of a dragon painted on the wall of the throne room.
"The Dragon Kingdom of Lugnica - protected by a pact made with dragons long ago, this country has built up prosperity. War, disease, famine, and every other crisis have been averted by the dragons, and the word 'dragon' has never disappeared from the kingdom's long history."
"A pact with the dragon" - that was exactly what Subaru had read in the picture book.
A brief history of how the Kingdom of Lugnica has continued to prosper and flourish, protected by the covenant it made with the dragon.
Everyone listened intently to what Crusch had said, pondering its meaning.
The pact with the dragons has always supported the kingdom from behind the scenes throughout its history. With the downfall of the royal family, the continuation of this pact is in jeopardy, which is why a prerequisite for the selection of the next king is that the next king must be qualified to be a "Dragon Priestess."
"That is why we must entrust the throne to a shrine maiden who can communicate with dragons. Otherwise, the prosperity promised to the kingdom will..."
"--- I don't like that idea."
As Mycrotov was speaking about the covenant, a word from Crusch suddenly struck him.
The old man opened his eyes in slight surprise, and Crusch crossed her arms and sighed,
"The prosperity that has been built up through the pact with the dragon is nothing short of wonderful. In times of war, enemy countries can be burned down with the dragon's breath, when there is disease the people can be healed by activating mana, and when famine occurs the land soaked in the dragon's blood will be blessed with fertility. All hardships will be relieved by our noble dragon. Glory to the Dragon Kingdom of Lugnica."
Although the contents of what she was saying were brimming with brilliance, Crusch spoke in a matter-of-fact manner, with a gloomy expression on her face.
She looked around at everyone who was silent and murmured softly.
"Let me ask you: Don't you feel embarrassed?"
Subaru could sense that the silence in the hall was building up with more tension than ever before.
However, in this hall where all sorts of passionate emotions were beginning to bubble up, if there was anyone who was feeling the most anger right now, it was undoubtedly Crusch, who stood before the throne.
"No matter what hardships we face, our pact with the dragon guarantees that we will be able to overcome them. But they have become complacent with that pact, and when their very existence is threatened, they become distraught and try to cling to alternative methods. I am disgusted by this, and I will do something about it."
"--You're going too far, Crusch-sama!"
At Crusch's harsh words, one of the members of the Council of Sages stood up and expressed his anger. He was an elderly man, just as old as Mycrotov. The old man slammed the arm of his seat in a husky voice,
"It is unforgivable to treat the covenant lightly! How many sacrifices have the kingdom avoided thanks to the dragon's blessings in the past? And how many lives have been saved? Are you going to deny all that history?"
"I have spoken highly of the past prosperity. I would never say that I myself have not benefited from it. House Karsten is also a family that was born together with the kingdom. If the kingdom is in danger, then so is our family. And if the country is saved by a dragon, then so is our family."
But, she said, taking a breath.
"That is not to say that we are talking about the future. Don't you feel any remorse for your current disgrace? Have you been so hung up on your pact with the dragon that you have stopped thinking? When war, disease, or famine strikes the kingdom once again, will we have no choice but to curry favor with the dragon?"
"--it is"
"If getting used to living under the protection of the dragons leads to ruin, then let the kingdom perish. Being too blessed leads to stagnation, and stagnation leads to corruption, and corruption brings about the end. That's what I think."
"You... you say you will destroy the country!"
An old man so enraged his veins feel like they might burst.
Hearing that shout, Crusch's eyes lit up with ambition and she shook her head, "No."
"If the kingdom will perish without the dragons, then we should become dragons ourselves. The king, his subjects, and the people should shoulder all the burden that the kingdom has placed on the dragons up until now."
Therefore, Crusch took a breath,
"Once I become king, I will have the dragons forget all previous covenants. As a result, it will be inevitable that we will part ways. The pro-dragon kingdom of Lugnica is not a country of dragons, but the country of our people."
"――――"
"Hardships await us. Or perhaps an even greater disaster awaits us than the many disasters we have overcome in the past with the help of dragons. But I want to live a life that does not shame my soul."
Lowering her voice, Crusch shook her head and looked down,
"I have long had doubts about the state of our country. I believe that the current situation is a heaven-sent opportunity to correct it."
Considering his loyalty to the former king, it would not be surprising if his words were dismissed as disrespectful.
In fact, the elders in the Society of Sages looked at each other in surprise at what she had just said, and a deep shadow fell over their faces.
"It's definitely an idealistic theory, but..."
There was an undeniable weight to what Crusch had to say, and Subaru found himself captivated.
It seemed that those around her felt the same way, and there were no more loud voices in the hall arguing against her.
He goes head-on against the history that the kingdom has built up, and has an air that does not even allow the leading figures who have created that history to argue back.
There was no denying it; it was clear to see that he had the bearing of a king.
"— I understand your thoughts very well, Lady Crusch. If you accept these things and then take the throne, then you may do as you wish. That is the choice of a king who shoulders the weight of his country."
"Of course"
Responding to Mycrotov's words with just three letters, Crusch turned on her heels, as if she had said everything she needed to say.
The crowd started to murmur again at his confident and leisurely manner, but Mycroft was the first to stop them. The old man turned his attention to Ferris this time,
"Then, Knight Felix Argyle. Is there anything I can help you with?"
The idea seems to be that not only the master, but also the servant should talk about the selling points of their master.
However, Ferris quietly shook his head at Mycroft's words,
"Thank you for your kind words, but I have nothing to add. Lady Crusch's thoughts are as she has spoken them. And the correctness of Lady Crusch's actions will be proven by history and by us who follow her. —I have no doubt that my lord will become king."
Ferris sang solemnly and cheerfully, bending his slender waist.
When Mycroft nodded in agreement, Ferris saluted once before moving towards Crusch. He gave her a wink, and when she pulled her chin back, he relaxed his cheeks in delight,
"As expected, Crusch-sama is always wonderful. Feli-chan is already smitten."
"Sometimes I don't understand what Ferris is saying. But I'll forgive him. There's no way you'd do anything to my disadvantage."
From their exchange it is clear that there is absolute trust and a strong bond between them.
Ferris is so devoted to him that it almost takes his character out of the equation, while Crusch accepts it with no qualms - I see, they seem to have a good relationship.
"Well, now that we've finally had a chance to hear from each of you... well, it seems like things have been pretty eventful from the start."
After Crusch's statement of intent came to a close, Mycroft summed up the conversation that had just taken place with these words.
For the Council of Sages and civil servants, who were generally hoping to settle the situation peacefully, her policy as the most likely candidate for the throne must have come as a complete surprise.
She probably lost many of the votes she could have gained through this exchange. However, in exchange, she may have gained a strong trust from those who continued to support her after hearing what she said, which she will not lose no matter what happens.
It was impossible to gauge the merits or demerits of these words and actions at this stage, however, as to how much of an impact they would have on the royal selection in the long run.
"I don't really understand how the king is selected..."
The purpose of the current policy statement time is to decide this.
If I were to compare it to a blind date, it's the first time you promote yourself, when you decide which girl to go for. You throw a jab to see if she's a bad choice, and then it's a crucial turning point where you decide how to land a straight punch to take her home. Even I think that was a terrible analogy.
Anyway,
"Well then, let's continue. We'll start with sitting next to Crusch-sama."
"Hmm, so it's finally here. It's hyper time."
The commander of the knights seemed to have regained his composure and was continuing the proceedings, when a comment that seemed to destroy his renewed sense of morale once again came from the orange-haired girl as she stepped forward.
"Did he just say hyper concubine time?"
When Subaru was stunned by the shitty grammar mixed with katakana, Al pointed at himself with his thumb as if boasting about his achievement, and looked behind his helmet with a smug look on his face.
Then, with heavy, steady footsteps, he stepped forward and stood next to Priscilla.
Unlike the Crusch from earlier, she was wearing a gorgeous dress and hair that reflected the sun. The numerous colorful accessories made metallic noises, adding even more noise to the already noisy Crusch.
Standing next to such a girl was a one-armed man dressed like a townsman, his face hidden by a jet-black helmet, so he was bound to draw strange looks from those around him.
"Hmph, it seems that this magnificent mistress has already attracted the vile gazes of all sorts of people."
"You're using it really well, Princess. It's a pretty good uppercut."
Despite being looked at as odd, or more accurately, as if she were an oddity, Priscilla for some reason puffed out her chest with pride, and Al showered her with irrelevant praise, befitting her servant.
As the two of them were having a somewhat crazy exchange, Marcos cleared his throat in front of them,
"Then Priscilla Barielle. I look forward to working with you."
"It's annoying, but I'll go along with it. I'll let those old bones know of my authority, and then I'll let them choose to follow me. It's simple."
As she spoke, she pulled out a fan from between her breasts, opened it noisily, and laughed softly while hiding her mouth. It was a sadistic smile reminiscent of a poisonous woman, which did not suit her lovely appearance.
Following Crusch's explosive remark, the atmosphere in the hall, which was by no means good, began to take on a distinctly ominous quality. Even Subaru, who was well known for being unable to read the mood, could sense the obvious tension, and in the midst of this tense hall, someone muttered quietly.
"--You ruddy bride, how disgusting."
Subaru gasped at the deep, hateful voice that sounded like it was boiling with hatred.
He had a clear feeling that things were not going to go well, as he had no idea who it was referring to or what impact that unexpected voice would have.
With the second candidate at the center, the prologue to the royal selection had only just begun.