It was a facial expression that he'd put all his effort into, but ever since coming to this world, he couldn't really remember this facial expression ever fulfilling its role as a "facing expression" in the truest sense.
As far as I can remember, it was when Emilia asked her name, and when she said something sweet to Rem that made me blush when I think back on it.
--I feel like that it works well when it really matters.
While I was coming to terms with this in my mind, I reflected on the fact that perhaps my face was not appropriate for the time, place, and occasion.
Smiling but frozen, Subaru carried out his barbaric act in the silent hall.
Once you start, you can't give up on it.
Subaru's attitude as a comedian is to wait patiently for the other person's reaction and then plan his response accordingly. Even though he's not a comedian.
Subaru's decision, which benefits no one in any way, was――,
"Let me out!?"
A sharp, hard sensation slammed into the back of his head, interrupting him with a yelp.
Stars scattered in front of my eyes, and I was hit with such force that my knees instantly buckled. I heard a thud as a hard, heavy object fell next to me, and my brain immediately concluded that I'd been punched.
Subaru then forgot his pain in his rage, and with tears in his eyes he spun around,
"What the hell are you doing here?! I'm Emilia-tan's number one knight, I'm in Roswaal's care, and you know I'm Reinhard's best friend, so you're acting like an idiot!"
"Relying entirely on others--!?"
Subaru spat in rage. Someone remarked on the reliance on others that he'd blurted out, but even that went unheard by Subaru.
The situation had changed, and he was unable to back down, so he was trying to take advantage of the situation to cover up his slip-up. However, that doesn't mean he wasn't angry that his declaration of resolve had been dashed.
Subaru mustered up all his courage to say this.
Although he was feeling discouraged because the way he exerted himself was a little out of the ordinary and the reactions of those around him afterwards were far from what he had hoped for, he still wanted to be the one to praise himself - there was no doubt that this was an expression of his resolve.
And the person who dampened Subaru's enthusiasm was,
"In the end, I also did a Dempsey Roll-like combination with Shamak, Emilia-chan!"
Spotting the silver-haired child with his palm facing towards him, Subaru stomps his feet on the ground with considerable force and charges at him.
Looking down, Subaru saw that a block of ice the size of a man's arms had fallen right next to him. It was so large that it was a miracle that its head hadn't cracked open, and once it had served its purpose it dissipated and melted into the atmosphere.
Subaru couldn't hide his shock at having been betrayed by this unexpected turn of events, but the agitation in Emilia's eyes as she looked his way was far more intense than Subaru's.
She waved her hand frantically at Subaru,
"N-no! That was, I just thought that I had to make him behave properly so I didn't think about it..."
"And then hitting the back of the head with that punch is a dangerous idea! It makes you sound like the heroine of an old manga! But Emilia-tan is my eternal heroine!"
"Hiro...? Ah, anyway, this is not the time to be saying things like that, so apologize right now! I'll apologize with you."
"You idiot!"
Subaru thinks that apologizing in the company of one's parents after having done something wrong isn't sincere, but rather cowardly. Arousing one's maternal instinct and being treated like a guardian may seem similar, but they are quite different, and Subaru firmly refuses to do such a shameful thing.
The two of them continue to have their usual exchange in a gathering of national leaders.
Seeing the two of them, most of the audience members were left with their mouths open in shock.
"I messed up――!!"
"Ahahaha! Look, Al! There's an idiot, an idiot!"
The most arrogant and haughty of the two masters pointed at Subaru, one of them clutching his head, while the other burst out in laughter, clutching his stomach.
"When I saw her actually use magic, the time from chanting to activation was quite fast. She really is quite skilled."
"Oh my goodness, Lady Crusch has an incredible eye for the things she does…!"
On the other hand, the master and servant have reversed roles in terms of personality, with one praising Emilia's qualities as a magician while the other is completely disregarding her and writhing about his master's thoughts.
"Ah, that guy is pretty crazy after all, I knew it."
"I thought so. Subaru, you are Lady Emilia's…"
Though the two have yet to establish a relationship as master and servant, one of them succinctly sums up Subaru's actions with a rather rude remark, while the other for some reason looks convinced and understanding in his eyes.
and,
"What's this? I thought there was just one weirdly dressed kid here, but it turns out he was that little witch's friend... By the way, Julius, what happened?"
"No, I'm just - well, there's something that's been bothering me."
In response to the words of the speaker with a distinctive voice, the best knight silently closed his eyes meaningfully. He remained silent, choosing to simply wait for the time to come.
Seeing how each of the candidates was able to take on the atmosphere of the room without being shaken, it became apparent that they all had nerves that were somewhat different from ordinary people.
Ultimately, the argument between Subaru and Emilia had highlighted the difference in mentality between the candidates and the rest of the candidates.
Of course, the two of them were not aware of this, and continued arguing as usual, unaware of the reactions of those around them.
"Just like that, Subaru always deceives me with words I don't understand. Just because I'm a bit naive, I'm not going to let myself be fooled like that."
"Deceiving me is rude! My heart is always heading straight for the truth, and I'm heading straight for your route!"
"Ah, Subaru to Emilia-sama."
As Emilia turned away with her arms folded, Subaru stomped his feet, trying to continue. As soon as the verbal battle between the two of them came to a temporary halt, Roswaal cut in with a drawn-out appeal.
The two of them responded with just their gazes, and without saying a word, he made a gesture as if to look around the entire hall,
"Ahh."
"Uea"
It was only then that I finally noticed that the atmosphere in the hall had fallen into a state of considerable chaos.
For Subaru, who is sensitive to situations when he is unable to read the mood, the current situation is a familiar predicament, and he feels something like, "Oh, I did it again, hehe." However, Emilia's face is pale and she is so upset that it's not enough.
Her pale skin lost even more color as she quickly looked up at the stage, and as she turned, she grabbed Subaru by the ear and forced him to face the same direction,
"I'm sorry for causing so much trouble."
"Nooooo! Ouch! My ear can be removed! Remove it, when it's time to remove it, if I remove it, when it can be removed, it will come off, remove it――!!"
Emilia bowed her head while still pulling on his ears, and Subaru was pulled in that direction, causing him to bow his head as well.
Subaru was reduced to tears twice in a short space of time, but he managed to struggle and escape from her grasp, and while rubbing the painful area swiftly,
"It's dangerous, the ears are one of the weak points that can't be trained, so you need to treat them more carefully, otherwise it will be too late once they come off!"
"If you've ended up in this situation, it means you haven't been listening to what I've been saying so far, right? If it's not helping you, wouldn't it be better to just take it away?"
「You're being harsh just because you're stressed! I'm telling you, I'm confident that I'll give you a double A rating for your eyes, ears, nose, throat, and all the other sensory functions!」
It's just that my brain and personality just don't work in a way that allows me to make the most of these abilities.
Perhaps deciding that Subaru's words, which were based on the medical examination in his original world, were just his usual nonsense, Emilia didn't pursue the matter any further and continued apologizing to the Council of Sages.
She closed her eyes for a moment, then looked up at the old people with a serious expression on her face.
"Anyway, please forget what I said earlier. This child... he is an acquaintance of mine, and a servant of Margrave Roswaal, but as I said earlier..."
「Wait, wait, wait! It would be troubling if this were to be ignored!」
However, just as Emilia was trying to wrap things up, Subaru once again interrupted her.
She was now glaring at Subaru with a seriously uneasy gaze - but to say it was a plea was too strong, it would be more accurate to say she was staring at him,
"Please be quiet. I know you feel embarrassed and can't back out, so please at least be quiet for now..."
"I'm not being desperate and blurting out things I don't mean, and in the first place, I don't have the nerve to spout nonsense I don't mean in a situation like this!"
Subaru yells out to Emilia, who doesn't believe any of his previous declaration. Even Emilia can't continue to be stubborn in the face of Subaru's attitude.
Perhaps sensing a halt in the conversation as Emilia went silent, the podium, which had remained silent up until then - Mycroft - cleared his throat lightly, and,
"It seems your intentions are firm. Hmm, I wonder what Margrave Roswaal's opinion is."
As he smooths his beard after the exchange between the two, he points his sword at Roswaal. Roswaal, who is pointed at, smiles suspiciously and says, "That's right."
"Each of the candidates for king have a trusted knight by their side. I was concerned that there was no one in a position to say anything like that to Lady Emilia. It would be a bit awkward for me to be in that position."
"Right, right, right?"
"Roswaal!"
Roswaal's pretentious words make Subaru clench his fist and shout "MOTTO MOTTO!" in support, but Emilia shouts reproach in his place.
Hearing this, Roswaal prefaced his statement with, "That's it,"
"That doesn't mean that Bate can have anyone. If you're going to call yourself a knight, especially one of a kind who might one day become king, you have to show that you're worthy."
"That's right."
"Roswaal!"
This time, Emilia agreed with Roswaal, and Subaru spat out his complaints, calling out her name.
Seeing such polarized reactions with a smile, Roswaal looked up at the distinguished members of the Society of Sages,
"The qualifications to be a knight are loyalty to one's lord, and the ability to protect one's master. Without that one must have something to pave the way for his master to become king."
"--That alone is not enough, Margrave Roswaal."
As Roswaal spoke cheerfully about what he had planned for Subaru to do, a voice interrupted him. Roswaal closed one eye and turned around with only his yellow pupils, his yellow gaze directed towards a purple-haired young man - Julius.
During Subaru and Emilia's earlier exchange, he was the only one who had his eyes cast down in thought, but then he stepped forward, gave an elegant bow, and,
"Excuse me for interrupting, but there is something I absolutely need to ask your boyfriend."
Who was Julius pointing his hand at? Of course, it was Subaru.
Subaru, the one who had been nominated, grimaced at the interruption and rejected the graceful young man's gestures. Subaru never had a good impression of him to begin with. Even during the royal selection, nothing had happened to improve that impression, and to put it bluntly, he disliked him.
Julius, who could not shake the impression that he was a typical, sulky nobleman, took even the nasty changes in Subaru's expression like a gentle breeze,
"There's no need to be so cautious. I only have one thing to ask, and once that's done, you can do what you need to do."
Although what he said seemed to be in consideration of Subaru's feelings, the expression on his face as he spoke was extremely serious, and Subaru's expression naturally tightened up in an attempt to not be outdone.
"What's wrong? You're making a really weird face. It's rude to make a face like that when the other person is trying to act serious."
"I've just been seriously hurt!"
Subaru was about to collapse, hurt unintentionally by the innocent remark. However, Julius didn't comment on Subaru's attitude,
"Your foolish antics are out of place here. If you truly call yourself Lady Emilia's knight then that is."
"...So, what do you mean?"
"I mean that literally."
With one eye closed, Julius looked Subaru up and down. Subaru moved his hands as if to hide his private parts from Julius's gaze, but most people didn't understand what he meant. The only one who got it was Al, who was crouching down and shaking his head as if he couldn't bear to watch.
He wanted to say something about the attitude of his fellow countryman, but right now he was more concerned about the intentions of the man in front of him.
"Sorry, but I'm not good at reading between the lines. In my hometown, I got an E in the Air Lead test. Please explain it clearly and in simple terms."
While picking his ear, Subaru responded rudely to Julius. He didn't comment on Subaru's rudeness, but simply touched his own bangs with an irritating graceful gesture,
"Do you understand? You have just declared yourself a knight. --And you have done so in this very place, with all the Royal Guard Knights of the Kingdom of Lugnica gathered together."
Spreading his hands, Julius spoke on behalf of the knights standing behind him.
Hearing Julius' words, the knights straightened their stance, stomped their feet on the floor in perfect unison, and raised their swords in salute.
Intimidated by the force of the attack, Subaru leaned back and muttered in sourness,
"Tch… I can't believe they were the same people who were frightened by Emilia-tan's simple walking style earlier."
"You're being too talkative. Knights pay attention to even the smallest of details because they understand the importance and value of everything they must protect. Are you prepared to do that?"
Subaru almost hurt the dignity of the knights with his sour grapes, but Julius perfectly follows up by turning it into a happy story.
It's not fun because it makes you feel like you're being bullied, but what's more, his question is meaningful.
Subaru introduced himself as a knight in front of the knights.
With the dignity of the Royal Knights behind him, Julius was questioning Subaru about his true intentions and resolve in calling himself that.
In short, Subaru is currently being put to the test.
--Yes, the depth of his feelings for Emilia!
"So why are you staring at me?"
"No, it's a reaffirmation of my feelings, and a trigger for my resolve to stop my knees from shaking."
Emilia frowned as if she didn't understand what he meant, but she couldn't hide her worried behavior as she watched Subaru face off against Julius.
Subaru hit his own chest to reassure her, then turned to Julius, who had coughed lightly and asked a question,
"Cough, so you are... cough. Prepare yourself to hide me..."
"You can come out after you've calmed down. Unfortunately, we don't have any water here."
Subaru's airways had taken unexpected damage, but Julius didn't seem surprised and gave him a reprieve. Subaru gratefully accepted the item that was handed to him, rubbing his throat and buying himself some time, he ran a simulation of how he would respond in his head.
As it was now widely known that Subaru knew Emilia, whether he would increase or decrease her value would all depend on his actions from now on.
Since it appears that some of the emotions have already gotten ahead of them and caused points to be deducted from the evaluation, they will need to be more careful in how they make a comeback from here.
Emilia had gone to great lengths to act in a way that was completely unbecoming of her, showing off her power and expressing her opinion.
Subaru, whoever he was, couldn't hold back that leg.
Subaru just wanted to continue to be what was best for her.
Now then, steeling his resolve, Subaru cleared his throat and put an end to his stalling. He slapped his cheeks with both hands to pump himself up, and the force of the blow was so strong that he staggered and turned towards Julius.
Julius remained calm as he waited for our movement, his hand on his head as if to smooth out his hair, which remained messy even though there was no wind blowing inside the room.
As if to counter that graceful attitude, Subaru took a small leap, widened his stance, snapped the fingers of both hands, and aimed his finger pistols at his opponent.
"Okay, I'll give you a proper answer. Oh, I'm sorry for keeping you waiting."
Julius frowned for a moment at Subaru, who would quickly lose momentum after gaining momentum, but then, perhaps fearing he would get caught up in Subaru's pace, he closed his eyes and shook his head,
"No, that's fine. So, let's resume our question and answer session. I will ask, and you will answer. Are you worthy of being a knight? Are you qualified to call yourself one before us?"
The question was a rehash of the one from earlier―― No, the knights standing behind him were also feeling increasingly demanding an answer the longer they had been kept waiting.
As the increased pressure made him feel like he was being hit by a storm, Subaru moistened his dry lips with his tongue,
"I know very well that my skills are lacking. I can barely swing a sword, and my magic is at a beginner's level. I don't have any incredible financial skills, and I have no connection to any mysterious, hidden powers. If I were to apply the conditions Roswaal listed earlier, I'd be completely lacking."
I am fully aware of my lack of ability and other shortcomings.
Throwing a tantrum won't change reality. Natsuki Subaru is a sadly ordinary person, with no particular characteristics other than the fact that he comes from another world.
He knew that all the abilities he had cultivated in his life up until now would be of no use in illuminating Emilia's path.
Hearing that answer, Julius's handsome face revealed a hint of confusion.
Of course. After waiting long and patiently putting himself forward, the man who'd screwed it up loudly proclaimed his own incompetence and responded to the clear challenge with a response that made it seem like he'd simply thrown in the white flag.
Disappointment, or perhaps simple disappointment, flashes across his eyes.
However,
"But there was talk of loyalty and devotion and all that. Yes, it's true that my abilities are far from enough, it's almost laughable. But still."
He turns around and sees Emilia standing behind him.
She was looking at Subaru with a worried look, and one wonders what she thought when she received his gaze. With her lips pursed, and a face that looked angry, or perhaps on the verge of tears, she silently waited for Subaru to say next.
Encouraged by this, Subaru turned to Julius. And then,
"I don't think loyalty is the right word, but I want to make Emilia… Lady Emilia, king. No, I want to make her king. Not with anyone else, but with my own hands."
"...Don't you think that's a rather arrogant answer?"
Subaru's words made Julius sigh, as if he had been told a dream story.
"You lament your lack of ability, and are aware that you are lacking in ability in every aspect. And even here, you were not even given the right to speak in the first place. And now, of all people, you are trying to touch upon something crucial to the nation? --Aren't you being arrogant?"
"Is it okay?" Julius raised a finger and continued, as if to persuade the silent Subaru.
"Everyone is born with a certain amount of talent. You could even call it capacity. People cannot obtain anything beyond their capacity. Furthermore, they should not seek for anything. The same goes for the honor of being a 'knight' that you so thoughtlessly mentioned."
Julius removed the knight's sword attached to his waist and struck the tip of the sheath on the floor. A hard, sharp sound echoed through the hall, and a moment later the knights behind him echoed with the same sound. The sounds of the overlapping strikes supported Julius's movements, and with the cooperation of the knights,
"What is required of a knight is loyalty to his lord and the kingdom. And the strength to protect what he holds dear. These are indispensable. Both are essential to calling yourself a knight. However, I believe there are other important things as well."
"――――"
Subaru responded in silence to Julius' questioning words.
He probably wasn't looking for an answer either. He just wanted to say what he was thinking. In fact, before Subaru could reply, he shook his head and continued.
"What I think is essential for a knight is history."
"history...?"
Emilia, tilting her head, muttered back at the words that had been put into words by Akira. Julius respectfully replied to Emilia's question with a "Yes,"
"I am the heir to the Euclius family, a family that has served the Kingdom of Lugnica for generations. As holders of this title, we take pride in having supported and protected our country."
He swings his arm, his sleeve popping with the speed he's moving, and gestures behind him.
The knights lined up behind him raised their heads proudly at his gesture and stomped their feet in approval.
"Those of uncertain origins are not recommended to the Royal Guard. This is not due to an exclusive mindset that focuses on lineage, but because the certainty of one's origin speaks to the weight of a history of serving the kingdom. This is because the accumulated history supports our pride as knights."
Therefore, he continued,
"In this world of Lugnica, I do not recognize people who call themselves Al or you, whose origins are unclear, as knights. And I certainly do not recognize you as the number one knight serving the King."
"That's not something the person in question can do anything about...!"
"That's true. That's why I said it. Everyone is born with their own share. That goes for even the family you're from. People are not born equal."
Subaru's voice was strained as he spoke, and Julius responded with a decisive tone befitting an aristocrat.
There was an unbridgeable gap in values between them, and the other person's rejection was too far away for him to overcome that gap and make his voice heard.
nevertheless.
Still, though.
"I will make Emilia king."
"--You're still going on? Your position is far too high for yours. If your bloodline does not carry enough weight, then you do not have the power to rival that of Priscilla-sama."
Julius gestured to the jet-black helmet, as if to snort at Subaru's muttering. Al responded by saying, "Don't wave it at me," maintaining his nonchalant attitude.
Subaru's answer remains unchanged, even as he glances at the cold-hearted attitude of his fellow countryman.
"But even so, I will make Emilia king."
"you--"
"If you say I'm not qualified to be a knight, then that may be so. As I said before, I'm a person with many shortcomings. Before even considering whether I'm worthy of the honor of being a knight, I'm also aware that there are many aspects of me that make me question my qualifications as a person."
But even though I may be lacking, I want my feelings for someone to be genuine.
He may not be good enough as a knight, he may be weak and unable to reach out, but his wish is still real.
Subaru: "But even so, I want to be Emilia's strength. I want to be her greatest strength. I know that being a servant isn't enough to stand here. If I want to stand here, hold my head up, and be her strength, then I'll have to be a 'Knight'. Then."
He raised his head and looked straight at Julius.
He has a handsome face, a brave guard uniform, a splendid knight's sword, and a dignified demeanor.
He is exactly like the image of a knight depicted in stories.
On the other hand, he was wearing servant clothes that looked dirty from crawling around everywhere, and had a mean look that was far from handsome or bold. If he let his guard down, he would hunch over, and he was in a state of empty handed victory, not even having a fine sword, let alone a bamboo sword.
It's too far from where I want to be.
"If that's not the case, then I'll become a knight."
I don't know how to do it, and there are so many things missing that it's hard to pinpoint exactly what's missing. But still, I've decided what I want.
"If I can't stand next to you unless I'm a knight, then I'll become a knight. That's the end of my answer."
"Why would you want to stand there like that?"
Have they given up on persuading people with words?
Julius closed his eyes and shook his head slightly, questioning the origin of Subaru's actions. What could he hope for?
Subaru held his breath and felt a strong gaze behind him.
Emilia, the silver-haired girl standing behind her - that girl was watching.
I can't look back. I don't have the courage.
However, since he could at least feel her presence at his back, Subaru hesitated,
"--Because she's special."
Yes, he answered.
Hearing that answer, Julius muttered the same thing softly to himself. Then, as if he had come to some kind of conclusion, he slightly inclined his chin.
"By the way, may I ask what that means?"
I heard things like this.
Subaru has only one answer to that question.
"--I don't want to say it here."
I wonder what I am doing in front of all these people.
The humiliation play is also great. I can feel my face getting hot and even my ears getting red.
And speaking of Julius, the cause of all this, he seemed satisfied with Subaru's vague yet clear answer, or perhaps he just gave up and shrugged his shoulders,
"Regardless of whether you are qualified or not, I have convinced you of the reason why you are standing there. In that case, there is nothing more I need to say. However."
Turning his back on us, Julius tried to return to the line of candidates. However, in the process, he stopped once, turned towards us with just his head,
"I think I can't acknowledge you as a 'knight' after all."
"what..."
"I understand that you have someone you want to protect and respect. However, your thoughts on this are… no, saying too many things is not beautiful."
Shaking his head, Julius looked at Subaru with pity. And then,
"Someone who makes someone who wishes to stand beside him look like that is not a 'knight'."
The words were spoken softly, but the meaning contained within was more harsh than anything he had ever said before.
Feeling a chill run down his spine, Subaru cautiously looks behind him to see Emilia standing there, and he doesn't know what expression she had on her face as she listens to what he's just said.
However, he was too scared to look back. Her silent attitude made him wonder what state she must have been in when listening to what Subaru had just said, and he could only imagine the worst things that could happen to her.
"Well, something about knights, the best knight (lol) would say something like that."
And so, the next thing that came out of Subaru's mouth was nothing but a trembling sour grapes.
Subaru knew that very well. Julius's feet didn't stop as he walked away from him. Subaru's words right now were not worth the amount of money they could give him to stop him.
Feeling as if he had been denied this, Subaru continued speaking quickly.
"You may be being praised as the greatest knight here, but out in the streets, the title of Knight of Knights belongs to someone else… You think I'd be intimidated by the words of someone like that?"
"I believe your name was Natsuki Subaru. You should know that speaking words that easily belittle others not only damages your own self-worth, but also the worth of those around you."
Julius responded calmly to Subaru's careless provocation without getting enraged.
He had already returned to the line of candidates and was now sitting next to his master, Anastasia. Neither he nor his master felt any discomfort in standing there.
Seeing them standing side by side, and the other two groups of candidates doing the same, Subaru felt the blood drain from his head, even to the point of pain.
「Natsuki Subaru. ーーThat is not beautiful.」
Julius stated this, summing up all of Subaru's words, actions, and behavior up until that point.
With just that one word, Subaru realized that he had stooped to the lowest point.
Looking around, he saw the row of candidates directing disapproving looks at Subaru.
Further behind them, the line of Royal Guard Knights was probably responding with rude remarks towards Julius, their representative. Many of them were showing feelings close to hostility.
The circle of civil servants opposite him showed no signs of being friendly towards Subaru, who could only speak emotionally, and the Council of Sages behind him did not even dare turn around.
He will side with Emilia even if it means making everyone in the world his enemy.
That resolve, that strength, must have been there, at least until just a moment ago.
And yet, Subaru's body was stiff right now, unable to move from his spot.
Not only had he made the whole world his enemy, but he had only made enemies of the few people in the hall, less than a hundred, and the flames of resolve in his current state were easily set to flicker.
It was so pitiful, so shameful, that it made the back of my eyes feel hot.
Even so, even in a situation like that, even in a situation where everyone around him has become his enemy, if only she was at least on his side.
--However,
"That's enough, Subaru."
Before Subaru could decide to turn around, the sound of silver bells rang out in his direction.
When she touched him on the shoulder, Subaru was shocked at the fact that he was trembling so much that he wanted to look away. However, Emilia, who was reaching out her hand towards him, did not touch his pathetic disgrace at all.
"I apologize for taking up your unnecessary time. I will be back soon."
Emilia said as she pulled Subaru's sleeve and bowed to the Council of Sages.
The fact that he had decided that it was unnecessary time cut Subaru's heart like a sharp blade. But there was no room for argument.
There's no doubt about it, he had trampled on his own resolve, determination, and everything else.
Subaru is pulled by the arm and pulled off the stage without being able to resist. As Emilia leads him ahead by the arm, Subaru is unable to look at her face.
However, from her stubborn attitude of refusing to look in my direction, I could not sense any emotion, even anger, which painfully seemed to prove the futility of my actions.
On that back,
"It was a worthwhile time, and in some ways I could judge it that way, Lady Emilia."
Mycloth's hoarse but surprisingly clear voice came from the podium.
Mycroft continued speaking as the two of them didn't stop.
"At least he shows you're not the half-elf the world fears. -- Good, you have a follower."
"--Subaru is."
He stopped walking and Emilia turned around.
Her gaze was fixed on the Council of Sages on the stage, and Subaru, standing beside her, was not even visible from the edge of her vision. However, Subaru could clearly see her face as she turned to look at him.
His face had cold, emotionless eyes, and in a voice that sounded like a silver bell, he spoke clearly, as if he was cutting something off.
"He's not my servant."
It was a clear rejection of Subaru's previous words.
※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※
Staggering down the corridor outside the hall, Subaru felt at a loss as to what to do.
He doesn't remember how he felt after making such a fool of himself next to Emilia, in front of so many people, but he does remember that the Commander of the Knights urged him to leave the room, and Emilia neither confirmed nor denied it, leaving the decision to Subaru.
Leaving the choice up to Subaru was the last kindness she had shown him.
Subaru had pretended to be an acquaintance and then exposed himself to such a disgrace. She must have been painfully aware that his existence was nothing but a negative for her.
Even so, she didn't blame Subaru in words, and if he had chosen to stay, she would have respected that choice.
That was why Subaru couldn't continue standing in that place.
It wasn't because he couldn't bear the stupidity of what he had done, but because he wanted to avoid causing any more trouble to Emilia.
"Well, that's just an excuse."
"I don't want to hold her back" is just a convenient excuse. The root of the matter is much simpler and more hopeless.
In short, he simply could not bear to be looked at coldly by Emilia any more.
"What an idiot I am, why did I cross such a risky bridge and come to a place like this?"
Having caused trouble for many, and even been saved by a stroke of sheer luck, Subaru had finally made it to the royal castle, and what he had done was to become a huge hindrance to Emilia's path.
I came here to protect her from those who might do that. Although my enthusiasm was admirable, the results were disastrous, and it would have been better if I hadn't done it.
I started to hate myself. It was a very obvious thing to say.
"What's the matter?"
Suddenly, hearing Subaru mutter something that sounded self-deprecating, the knight walking next to him turned to look at him with a suspicious tone.
The knight had accompanied them on their way from the hall to the waiting room. Unlike those who had been inside the room, the person outside hadn't witnessed Subaru's foolish actions. Therefore, he could sense a certain amount of respect for those involved in the royal selection process in his behavior.
To Subaru right now, even being treated so courteously was laughable, and it caused the corners of his mouth to unconsciously quirk.
"Oh, it's nothing. I'm sorry. I was in the middle of an important job, and I made you do extra work."
"That's fine. Everyone knows that what is happening in the throne room right now is a momentous event that will affect the future of this country. Even among the knights, only a handful can enter, but guarding the outside and guiding important people around are essential parts of our job."
The words were spoken clearly and definitively, leaving Subaru perplexed.
To be honest, his current state of mind was that he wanted to reject the fact that he was even being treated like that. However, to him, who hadn't seen the situation, Subaru's harsh words trying to distance himself from him was merely a tantrum. It wasn't even an act of venting his anger.
He now takes pride in the fact that his actions have played a part in the royal selection.
But what about Subaru? Can he be proud of his actions?
Even if no one else accepted me, I was rejected by the person I most wanted to be accepted by.
"--What?"
Suddenly, a commotion stopped Subaru, who was sinking into a sea of self-deprecation.
Looking ahead, he heard several loud voices coming from around the corner of the passage. Subaru frowned suspiciously, and the knight stepped forward to shield him.
"Just to be on the safe side, please step back. I don't think anything will happen."
"Oh, yeah, yes."
Following her concerned words, Subaru went near the wall and held his breath. Then, the source of the commotion rounded the corner and approached.
It was a group of about six people. A young man in knight armor was leading the group, guiding the group behind him. It seemed like the group behind was holding back the person in the middle, and the one in the middle stood out from the rest of the group of knights dressed in uniform.
"What happened?"
Perhaps seeing that the situation was not urgent, the knight accompanying Subaru called out to the leading knight. The knight responded, noticing them and said with a slightly tense expression,
"Anyway, it seems like he's a suspicious person who tried to sneak into the castle. That's a bit troublesome."
"A suspicious person...? Why would you be dragging such a person around the castle? It would be better if you just took him to the barracks."
"I told you they were a troublesome opponent. Anyway, I would like to hear your instructions, Captain."
Finishing his conversation quickly, the knight bowed to Subaru before returning to his task of leading the group. Their destination seemed to be the hall where the recent Royal Selection would take place - that hall should also be one of the most crowded in the country, so what could be the reason for interrupting there?
Subaru glanced at the group, pondering on the conversation he had overheard. Surrounded by knights, the person who had snuck into the castle was now passing in front of Subaru.
One wrong move and Subaru would have found himself in the same position as that person, and he felt frightened at how rash he had been in his actions and how arrogant he had been.
However, that feeling disappeared instantly. Because,
"--a?"
Before Subaru's stunned eyes, four knights were binding his hands and feet and leading him around, a familiar bald old man - it was Old Man Rom, whom Subaru had supposedly parted ways with in the noble district.