The shock that went through Subaru as he saw that person being taken away may have been the greatest shock he had experienced in the throne room.
With the sole desire to help Emilia, he stepped forward to the center, only to make a fool of himself.
Far from being of any help to her, he ended up pulling her leg back, and in the end Emilia watched with disappointment.
All of these things had caused Subaru unbearable pain, but that didn't mean that Subaru was entirely at fault for them.
There was no lie in the fact that what he said was from the bottom of his heart, and it was out of the question to completely agree with everything that Julius said, who was obsessed with the honor of being a knight. Although his words were emotional and incoherent, he didn't think that all of what he said was wrong.
To put it bluntly, Subaru was still left feeling some dissatisfaction at the fact that no matter how hard he tried to explain it, she just couldn't understand him.
However, I still backed away because I knew there was no point in revealing any more of my true feelings at that moment.
Subaru had no say in that situation, and it was clear that whatever he said would be turned to stone. Natsuki Subaru was the kind of person who would have persisted even in such a situation, but the reality was that even the will to do so had been broken.
However,
"hey hey..."
On the other hand, the sight of Grandpa Rom being restrained before his very eyes was filled with the meaning of Subaru's own rash and reckless behavior being condemned in its entirety.
The knight pointed to the large old man and called him a suspicious person who had tried to sneak into the royal castle. Old Man Rom had been searching for Reinhard's mansion in the noble district, with the intention of taking Felt away, so there was no way that he would have had any reason to sneak into the royal castle.
That is, if he had been the only one who had come to the noble district.
"You can't tell me..."
He couldn't bring himself to say the decisive words "were they chasing me?"
But the question that arose in his mind was close to certainty, even though there was no answer.
To begin with, his thinking had been far too shallow. Subaru should have known just how kind-hearted the old man was, and how his personality was out of place in the nasty backstreet environment.
That's why he used his smooth talk and his clever hands to help him infiltrate the noble district, and when he went on his own afterwards, he used the old man's good nature to keep them apart.
As for the risks that followed, all of them would be the result of his own actions. No matter what kind of situation he found himself in, Subaru knew that he would at the very least be able to manage it on his own. Even if, at worst, he mentioned Roswaal's name and caused him extraordinary trouble, he had at least a minimum guarantee that he would be able to escape with his life.
However, there was no way that Grandpa Rom, who had parted ways with Subaru without any explanation, could have known about such shameless self-preservation.
He could have abandoned him. He had someone important to him, an important goal. So even after they broke up, I thought he would just cut Subaru off, due to a matter of priorities, and move forward to achieve his own goals.
The result of neglecting to consider the feelings of others was the scene before my eyes.
It wasn't hard to imagine that Grandpa Rom regretted having sent Subaru on such a reckless incursion, and was worried about him, which is why he had come all the way to the royal castle. In fact, it was an easy thing to imagine, given the old man's character.
"ROM..."
"――――"
Subaru's lips instantly began to move, as if to call out that name.
However, the one who stopped him was none other than Old Man Rom, who noticed Subaru being protected by a knight at the end of the corridor as he was being led away.
When he noticed Subaru there, a look of surprise flashed in his grey eyes, before a look of relief that only Subaru could clearly see formed in his eyes.
Then, so that only Subaru, who was about to call his name, could see, he placed his index finger over his lips and commanded, "Be quiet."
The instructions were clear.
Old Rom had been caught trespassing in the castle. Subaru would be put in a worse position if he revealed the fact that he was such a suspicious person and an acquaintance of his. -- Seeing where Subaru was now, he'd made that judgment in an instant.
"I got caught because I was stupid. It's nothing you should be worried about."
Though he didn't say it out loud, Subaru felt as if the voice of Grandpa Rom's inner thoughts reached him directly as he silently shook his head with his finger over his lips.
Distracted by this sensation, Subaru lost track of the timing to call out to the group as they passed by. With the knights still tightly surrounding him, Grandpa Rom disappeared down the hallway.
Would he be dragged out into the hall and impeached? If that happened, who on earth would defend him, not knowing the circumstances?
And above all,
"Why didn't I say anything just now...?"
No one actually said anything to stop him, and the words that crossed his mind afterwards were merely the embodiment of Subaru's imagination.
Perhaps Grandpa Rom had asked for his help, and even if he hadn't, Subaru had a reason to take action to do so.
After all, it was none other than Subaru who had made him feel like he was invading a place like this and dragged him into it.
"--Wait!"
It took Subaru a while to make up his mind, but somehow his throat managed to yell it out.
The group of people who had almost disappeared on the other side of the passage stopped and looked at me suspiciously. I was able to stop them. It was the worst case scenario, but I was able to avoid falling below the lowest point. The only problem was what to do from here.
"What's the matter?"
"I have something to talk to you about..."
Responding to the concerned voice of the knight accompanying him, Subaru walked towards the group - towards the restrained Old Man Rom.
The group seemed unsure of how to treat Subaru as he approached, but when the knight accompanying him announced that they were related to the candidate, they all straightened up and turned to look at Subaru with respect.
Although he felt it was a burden, he nodded and said he was grateful for the help and moved forward. He soon arrived at Grandpa Rom's side,
"----!"
Approaching her so close that he could reach her with just a hand, Subaru was at a loss for words as to what to say.
He always acted on impulse, but this time it was not going to be easy. If Subaru's words to Grandpa Rom, who had been caught trespassing in the royal castle, went wrong, it could be interpreted as Subaru confessing to trespassing.
Therefore, it was necessary to err on the side of caution—but once again, there was no plan.
Finding himself helpless in front of the familiar old man, Subaru realized that he was more of a person who lived by making do with what he had in mind. He had thought of himself as a calm and collected person who would think about the consequences before acting, but when he thought about the process and results of his various actions today, he no longer had the nerve to say that, and it was a laughing matter.
Even now, I have no idea what to say to her.
"--Subaru-dono?"
A voice questioned Subaru, whose lips were trembling and who was unable to form any words.
Naturally, the surrounding knights began to look at Subaru with stern eyes. Feeling their growing vigilance stinging his skin, Subaru moved his head, feeling the need to say something.
"Hmph, what aristocrats you are! You laugh at the foolish face of an old man who got caught for making a mistake. I can't believe you're of the same blood!"
Subaru's sense of irritation was drowned out by a loud voice that reverberated from one end of the corridor to the other.
The one who spat out, speaking in a foul tone and with a foul expression, was none other than Old Man Rom. He twisted his body in his restraints and looked up at Subaru from directly below with a rude look,
"If you like this side of him, take a look at it. Look at the face of an old man, covered in the dirt of the slums, who is completely unrelated to a young man like you who has been brought up in a comfortable environment!"
I was stunned, dumbfounded, and just so shocked that my thoughts completely stopped.
Subaru was the target of Old Man Rom's unbearable abuse. The knights around him were also frozen for a moment, but after a few seconds they regained their senses.
"--Watch your mouth!"
"Guh!"
The criminal who spoke disrespectfully to Subaru, an important person, was punished with a fist.
The old man, handcuffed and unable to move, has no way to prevent this. He is punched helplessly and made to pay the price for his remarks that show no consideration for his current position.
Subaru couldn't hide his shock at the excessive punishment taking place before his eyes, but he had to stop it no matter what, so he reached out his hand,
"Wait, there's no need to go that far..."
"That's too kind of you, young brat. Hey, what's the matter, knights? It's an order from your beloved owner, so how about you wag your tail... ggh."
"You're still talking, you tramp!"
However, Subaru's words of protest were once again interrupted by Old Man Rom's insults. Old Man Rom overwrites the insults, and his punishment becomes even more severe.
The question "why?" surged through his mind, threatening to spill out of his mouth. However, Subaru stopped himself from saying anything at the last moment, as he sensed the intention behind Grandpa Rom's intelligent eyes, who had not looked away from Subaru's even while being assaulted.
--Even here, Old Man Rom was still trying to protect Subaru.
Defending Grandpa Rom, who had been caught red-handed trespassing, would likely be an opportunity for Subaru to expose his true feelings.
He is aware that he will be in an inconvenient position if he is questioned, and Old Man Rom is well aware of this. This is why Old Man Rom is swearing more than necessary and pretending to be on bad terms, in an attempt to erase any connection between him and Subaru.
If it was Subaru's rash actions that had pushed Grandpa Rom into this predicament, then the current situation that had forced Grandpa Rom to make the difficult decision was also brought about by Subaru's own lack of consideration.
Grandpa Rom ended up having to clean up the mess Subaru had made.
"Subaru-dono, this place is over."
"Ah... no..."
Touching Subaru's shoulder as he stood there, the knight spoke to him in a concerned voice.
He must have misunderstood that Subaru was trembling in shock after being yelled at, and gave a vague response to the voice, before looking back into Grandpa Rom's eyes.
--Somehow I'll get out of here.
With these thoughts in mind, I couldn't think of any concrete methods, but I was overcome by a sense of obligation that I had to do it.
However, Old Man Rom's response to Subaru's wishes was to silently shake his head in refusal.
"--Don't be too meddling, you brat."
The small, husky mutter seemed to be a continuation of the earlier insult, and the knights did not suspect anything suspicious about the context, but Subaru alone could clearly tell that out of all the words Old Man Rom had spoken there, it was the only one that was true and without any deception.
After that, she looked away, and Subaru swallowed what he had been about to say, realising the end of the conversation.
When his outstretched hand was rejected, Subaru once again felt rejected. Just like in the hall. The only thing pushing him forward was the sense of urgency that he had to do something - and yet, the person he was meant to be with didn't need him.
In front of the silent Subaru, Old Man Rom waved and urged the knights, who had stopped standing still, to move on. "That's enough."
The knights looked at Subaru as if they were questioning him, but when they saw that he simply looked down without saying a word, they simply said "Excuse me" and resumed their march.
Just like that, Grandpa Rom is taken away.
Curling up the giant's large body into a small ball and turning his injured and bloodied face away from Subaru, Grandpa Rom was pulled away from before Subaru, and Subaru let his final chance slip away.
"Subaru-sama, let's go. The rest will be decided by the commander."
The knight called out quietly, but unable to hide his righteous indignation.
He probably thought that the reason Subaru had gone quiet was because of the unfounded abuse he'd received from Old Man Rom. That was part of the truth, but in a fundamental sense it was completely different. But explaining it would only dampen Old Man Rom's spirit.
--That's just an excuse.
Should we consider Grandpa Rom's considerations? If we left him like this, what awaited Grandpa Rom would be denounced and condemned by the Knights of the Hall - and on top of that, there was no telling what kind of punishment would be given to him.
If Subaru had at least mentioned Grandpa Rom's crimes here, he would have been able to use his position as a royal selection official to some extent.
"I guess I was just caught up in it..."
If Subaru had not gone along with Old Man Rom's plan, he would have undoubtedly become a suspect after he became flustered. If he had been skilled enough in speaking to convince Old Man Rom to release him in his defense, he might not have had to endure the fate of being forced to leave the hall, to put it bluntly.
Even that was just an excuse.
"I am..."
Again, it wasn't needed.
Rejected by Emilia, rejected by Grandpa Rom, his outstretched hand lost sight of where it was headed,
"Why am I in a place like this..."
I wonder what will happen to Grandpa Rom when he is taken there.
Shaking his head, Subaru shook off the unpleasant thoughts. Thinking of the faces of the people in the hall, he piled up excuses to console himself, thinking that at the very least this would be a better situation than if Subaru had caused a fuss here.
Of the people there, there were three who knew what Old Man Rom looked like. All of them were candidates for the throne. Subaru knew how important Old Man Rom was to one of them. So, he was sure nothing bad would happen.
It definitely won't happen. It won't happen, that's why.
"What am I for....I am"
※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※
A commotion spread throughout the throne room, and an old man appeared from behind the large doors that were pushed open. Leading the shackled old man was Marcos, the commander of the Knights who had been taken outside earlier.
A few minutes ago, during the royal selection process, a knight came calling for his leader, Marcos.
When his subordinate asked for instructions, Marcos made a difficult face, citing the fact that they were in the presence of wise men, but seeing that his subordinate seemed in a hurry he declined and left the room.
And so the proceedings were halted and they waited for five minutes - and the current situation was born.
"Hmm, who is that gentleman over there?"
Seeing the old man that Marcos was leading, Mycroft asked a question from the podium. It spoke for everyone in the room, and none of them could fathom Marcos's intentions in bringing this man.
Marcos bowed respectfully to everyone as they looked at him, confused and confused.
"I apologize for the fuss. This person appears to be a rebel who attempted to invade the royal castle."
"Why did you bring such a person here? He is unrelated... No, he is out of place."
The one who couldn't hide his displeasure at Marcos' explanation was a stern old man named Bordeaux. The others in the room seemed to agree, and everyone had gloomy expressions on their faces, unable to read the true meaning of Marcos's actions.
Among them, there were three people who, although they didn't understand Marcos' intentions, had different expressions of surprise than the people around them.
One is an arrogant girl.
The girl noticed that the old man's face looked familiar, but she didn't even mention to her attendant that she knew the old man, and just stared at the situation with the corners of her mouth twisted cruelly.
If Subaru had been there, her actions might have been different, but now that the only person who knew the connection between her and the old man had left the room, there was still no reason to motivate her.
One of them is a hardworking girl.
The girl took the time to remember, but when she realized who the old man was, she quickly turned her eyes in another direction - to one of the candidates. As far as she knew, there was an inseparable connection between that person and the other candidate.
When she heard about the attempted break-in to the castle, she immediately realized that the candidate was connected to the old man's plans. Her lips trembled as she wondered what she should do next.
Be aware so that if something does happen, you can take action immediately.
And the girl who was receiving the most undeserved praise in this situation was...
"--Grandpa Rom?"
With her eyes wide open and her golden hair shaking, the girl looked at the old man with eyes trembling in shock.
It seemed as if there was a mixture of unexpected joy, incomprehensible astonishment, and a variety of other emotions, all swirling about that were difficult to put into words.
Although she was only muttering the name of the old man, there were quite a few people who caught wind of it.
"--Felt-sama, are you acquainted with this old man?"
Marcos, who spoke with a tone of confidence, was one of them.
At his question, Felt paused, then stepped forward with vigor,
"You're being so dishonorable. You brought me all the way here knowing that."
"…I didn't take it at face value, but this old man mentioned your name, so I apologize for asking a question that sounded like a test."
"That's stupid. But you're just messing around."
As Marcos bowed his head without changing his expression, Felt spat out her irritation without hiding it. Then she looked at the restrained old man Rom,
"We both met in a strange place, Grandpa Rom."
Her speech was as arrogant as ever, but everyone there could sense the affection that was in it. This was the first time that the girl, who had only ever sworn abuse in this hall, had spoken with such friendliness.
Hearing this, the restrained old man raised his head. It had been more than ten days since the two had last seen each other. It was sure to be a reunion that was sure to be filled with emotion.
However,
"Hey, Grandpa Rom, what's with that face?"
The girl's expression changed instantly when she saw the old man's face, which had been beaten and was covered in blood, lifting it. Her determined, slanted eyes sharpened with anger as she glared at Marcos, who was clutching the chains that connected Old Man Rom to his handcuffs.
Marcos received that angry gaze, but his expression remained unchanged.
"It was probably the result of a scuffle with soldiers who tried to stop them from invading the castle. My subordinates were just doing their jobs, so there is no reason for them to be criticized."
"Ha, what a fine thing to say, Commander of the Knights. The fact that you made an excuse before I could even say anything proves that you think it's dangerous, doesn't it?"
"My subordinates could have been subjected to unnecessary criticism, so please laugh at my timidness. And if anyone is going to criticize me, please keep it to myself."
Perhaps it was a matter of difference between actors and those with experience, but Marcos remained unfazed by Felt's provocations. Felt's attitude made him realize that further arguments were pointless, and he sighed, shelving his indignation,
"That's fine, I get it. Anyway, let go of Grandpa Rom. It's not like he stole anything or killed anyone or anything, right?"
As if to say that they would talk about it later, Felt waved her hand and ordered Marcos to do so.
In any case, she wanted to exchange words with Grandpa Rom and try to settle the situation. That was what Felt meant when she said that. However, Marcos' response to that was,
"--Unfortunately, I cannot comply."
The command was clearly rejected in a low, firm voice.
"--a?"
At that answer, Felt's expression twitched, and blue veins appeared on her forehead. Her red eyes were colored with shock, and immediately afterwards with rage, and it was only a matter of time before flames erupted from her trembling lips.
Marcos remained unfazed by the girl's angry gaze. Before Felt could raise her voice in anger at his stubborn attitude, a red-haired young man who had been waiting in the knights' ranks stepped forward,
"Commander, I think that's a bit of an understatement..."
"Reinhard, you must remain silent. I understand that you have something to say to me, who is going against the will of my master who decided to offer me the sword. However, that will only come into effect if the person you have designated as your master is willing to accept the sword."
"――――"
Reinhard's conciliatory advice was shot down by Marcos's words. As the leader, Marcos' argument was sound, and Reinhard could not offer any reckless arguments; he simply remained silent and watched Felt's reaction.
Felt was not disappointed that Reinhard had been persuaded like that, and her eyes were trembling with rage, ignoring the current exchange.
Her anger was directed solely at Marcos, and there was a thick rage in it that seemed to have boiled down all the frustration she had felt not only about her current interaction with him, but also all the twists and turns that had brought her to this place.
"I'll say it again, let go of Grandpa Rom. We'll start from there."
"No."
Removing the shackles, Felt tried to hold back the anger that threatened to erupt, and quietly formed her words.
However, Marcos, who responds briefly, pays no attention to her spirit.
An uneasy atmosphere was beginning to spread throughout the entire hall, and Felt's patience was reaching its limits.
"--Knight Marcos, that's a bit disrespectful."
The one who stepped into this tense situation was, as expected, the person with the most power and ability to settle things, the old man, who was letting out a sigh for what seemed to be the umpteenth time today.
Mycroft scolds Marcos for taking such an adamant stance against Felt, a potential king candidate, that he even has to consider striking him.
"A person who attempted to break into the castle――while releasing him is somewhat questionable as an order, even if you were to refuse, your words would be rude. At the very least, you have an obligation to explain your rude behavior."
"As you wish."
Marcos's stubborn attitude had completely changed, and he readily followed Mycroft's orders. His quick change of heart had further infuriated Felt, but her rage was dashed when Marcos looked her straight in the eye.
If Felt's red eyes were burning with flames of rage, what spread before Marcos' eyes was the serenity of a clear, still lake surface.
Felt felt as if he had been doused in cold water. Marcos responded by saying, "Excuse me," and
"During the course of the royal selection process, Felt-sama has publicly declared that he has no intention of participating in the selection. Relinquishing his right to do so would also mean relinquishing his right to issue orders to the Knights here."
In a clear voice, Marcos explains why he won't follow her orders.
It may be an outrageous statement, but the fact that Felt's attitude up until now had not left a good impression on the civil servants and knights gathered here, nor on the members of the Council of Sages, was starting to backfire. Naturally, many of them nodded in agreement with what Marcos had said.
"Commander, that is going too far. First of all, regardless of whether she is qualified or not, there is a possibility that Felt-sama is of royal blood in this country…"
"Possibilities are possibilities. Stop talking about idealism that is unlike you. Unclear qualifications have no meaning here, and it is your own will to abandon clear reasons."
Without listening to what Reinhardt said, Marcos looked at Felt as if to gauge her reaction, and asked, "Do you understand?"
Hearing this, Felt, who had been silent up until then, lowered her face and thrust her hands into her golden hair, tearing it out violently. Then, as if irritated or perhaps venting her frustration, she began to moan, "Ahh" and "Uhh", and
"This is getting complicated, so to sum it up simply, you have no motivation to participate in the Royal Selection and you won't listen to anything I have to say, right?"
"---I think that's correct as the basis of the story."
"Oh, oh, for the first time we've understood each other. Ah, I see. I get it, I get it. Ah, okay, okay. I see, I see... you're annoying me."
Marcos confirmed the question and was glared at by cat eyes with narrowed felt pupils.
However, the wind of hostility and murderous intent in his gaze had no more effect than a gentle breeze on Marcos's rock-hard expression.
A veteran warrior and a delinquent girl who grew up in the slums. It was a match made for a very difficult one, but Felt was not so cute that she would be intimidated by that.
I knew the reasons. And I knew the conditions.
The frustration was building up exponentially, raging inside my body, looking for a place to explode.
It wouldn't be a bad idea to continue exchanging words and showing the man in front of me a lesson.
That short-sightedness exploded, and at the moment Felt was about to give in to the momentum――,
"Such talk is of no use! --Hurry and help me!"
The old man had remained silent up until then, but now the painful, high-pitched cry of the man echoed through the hall.
Neither Felt, who was bursting with rage, nor Marcos, who was standing next to the source of the scream, nor anyone else in the hall, was able to react immediately to that shout.
And the person in question didn't seem to care about the reactions of those around him,
"Felt, it's me! I'm Cromwell, the one who came with me to the slums! I don't really understand, but I think you can do something about it right now, right? Help me!"
Kneeling on the carpeted floor, the old man begs with a coquettish smile plastered on his face. If he wasn't restrained, he looks like he would have just rubbed up against the girl's legs.
Even Felt was at a loss for words at the disgrace of his behavior, and stared speechlessly at the transformation of his acquaintance. Naturally, he could tell that those around him were also feeling disgust at the pitiful appearance of the old man.
"We've been through a lot together, haven't we?! Who was it that taught you the skills to survive when you were a child and didn't know anything? It was me, wasn't it? And now that benefactor has been subjected to this, can't you do something about it?"
They spit at each other, ignore their own sins, and cry out for help.
Only a truly merciful being could evoke feelings of sympathy or pity. Normal people can only feel disgust at these convenient remarks.
In just that short time, the old man had alienated most of the people in the venue.
Everyone was left speechless by such selfish behavior.
Among them, there was one person who created words without any connection to these feelings.
"This might be a bad thing."
Only the young man with shaking red hair heard the pathetic cry and let out a soft yell in response to the rising sense of impatience in his chest.