Re: Circuits (Redux)

by L33t Horo

I taken over the original story with the blessing of the original author, the story will have my own spin on it, I hope I can do it justice, please enjoy

12. Chapter 12

Re:Circuit (Redux)

Chapter 12: Grand selection and debacle

I was, understandably, unable to properly voice my disappointment and embarrassment, to have the idiot trio pity me… oh, how far have I fallen. Inside I was crying.

I should have listened to the voice, but if I did…

Yeah, live a life with as little regrets as possible.

Well, that was short lived as the trio then realised who I was.

"You took my damm knife!"

"You tried to kill me with it! You should be grateful I did not return in the way I was planning to" I said as I pointed that out.

"N...no I wasn't"

"Bullshit!" I said, I mean you were about to pull the same stunt with the bitch ass broad over there!" I said pointing with my thumb to the lady, who, against all reason, was just looking at this shit show. Apparently it amused her.

"Anyways, would you mind letting us go… I don't feel like fighting and I have other stuff to do" I said.

"Are you nuts? We like you way less than someone we don't know. Just 'cause it's three-on-two instead of three-on-one doesn't change a thing."

Even though I hoped to end this peacefully the willful (asshole) girl paid no heed to my plans whatsoever.

"Correction. It is not three-versus-two, it is three-versus-one-versus-one."

"LADY PLEASE, JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP ALREADY!" I yelled at her.

The trio were not the patient type and only waited for us due to being bewildered at the situation, now that they snapped out of it it was a matter of time.

I reinforced my body, no need to use weapons as I knew how they fought.

I was fast, so much that the one with the manacles on had no chance to defend from a pin point uppercut on his jaw.

The 2 others were shocked at my speed and at how high he was sent flying into the air.

I twisted myself and delivered a kick to the vertically challenged one that hit the muscle hound one, then I stepped in as he pushed the midget out of the way.

"Say night night asshole, nothing personal but you gonna serve as my punching bag to relieve some of my anger issues…" I said as I delivered a flurry of blows to the big guy.

Each hit was fast, and each one could be felt even from behind him.

He collapsed on top of the midget.

I sighed in relief… "ahhhhhh… much better" I said as I whipped my brow.

The girl was still there watching the whole scene with only a single raised eyebrow.

She looked at me with a disgusted face

"What? Don't say you have fallen in love with me? Hahaha I understand but my heart already belongs to another so tough luck" I said with a sneer.

"Even as a joke one should take moderation, else I shall be forced to call your execution" the lady said imperiously.

"So it's like that uh? I see, seems like you have your britches on too tight in there your highness" I said with sarcasm, "normally one would thank the person who took the time and effort to rescue you" I said.

The huffed at that "Such foolish notion, No difficulty would have befallen me even without your help. I can only marvel at your taking pride in resolving something that was not a problem to begin with."

THIS BITCH!

"I told you, didn't I?"

"I don't know what you mean, are you strong or powerful that you did not need my help to begin with or what? I mean what, like, okay, you're super-strong, so you'd have been fine even if I hadn't saved you?" I asked to make sure.

"Not at all. It is far simpler.—This world is composed solely for my convenience. Nothing occurs that is not to my benefit. It is thanks to me that I was saved, yet you attempt to claim this as your own exploit. Have you no shame at stealing credit from another?"

With one blatant forward thrust of her bountiful breasts, the girl was asserting, as if it was natural, as if it was obvious, as if it was common sense—that she was absolute.

"I stand corrected, she could give Gil a run for his money"

The best thing to do with this kind of people is… to stay as far away as possible.

With a sigh I picked up the bag with the appa I bought from the guy back in chapter 1.

I remember the promise I made with him and bought a dozen of his fruits, however he gave me a few extra ones, I was feeling a bit peckish so I grabbed one to eat.

"—Wait."

"Wh-what?" I asked as I was about to leave.

"What is in that bag there? Show me."

The girl strolled around me, nodding to indicate that I should put down the bag. I didn't want to oblige, but defying her would only prolong things, so I reluctantly opened the bag and showed its contents—a mountain of ripe, red fruit.

"I do not recognize them. These fruits… What are they?"

"They're, um, abbles. The fruit of knowledge. Never seen one before?"

Blinking at my reply, the girl snorted as she looked at me like he was an imbecile.

"You lie. Do not make me laugh. Abbles are white, understand? I have absolutely never seen fruits such as these."

Astonished, I replied, "Well, yes... when you peel them…"

It was the girl's turn to stare blankly.

I remarked, "Wait, don't tell me you've never seen an abble that hasn't been peeled…?"

"Mm, I have indeed never seen one that was not at the dinner table.—Very well. Hand them over."

Nodding in satisfaction, the girl audaciously demanded he give up my abbles.

I saved the girl from a robbery only for the girl to attempt robbery on me.

I wanted to see Emilia again. I wished Rem were healing me that moment.

"Hand them over. I shall split one open and see for myself. Or is it only lies that dribble from your lips?"

I sighed at the insufferable woman "…Handle with care, okay?"

Judging resistance to be the fool's choice, I took an abble out of the bag and placed it in her hand. The girl took the abble, turning it around as if studying the sensation upon her palm.

Then, her left hand flashed toward the abble—neatly severing it vertically and horizontally into four equal pieces.

The girl licked the fruit juice off her fingers, satisfied at the cross section.

"Sweet and sour… Certainly, this is the taste of an abble. I will spare your life."

"Spare my… No, never mind. Anyway, you're satisfied now, I take it?"

"Ab-so-lute-ly not!"

Her statement, crossing the line from arrogant behavior to tyrannical, made even me erupt in indignation.

"You don't even care that you sliced one up out of the blue. Why do I have to give you all of them? These abbles aren't just abbles. They're the bonds between two men!"

"Enough prattle. How about this?"

The girl pointed at the bag, her lips cracking into a wry smile.

"We shall wager for them."

"—Wager?"

"Yes, a simple wager. Something easy, flipping a coin and guessing whether it is heads or tails. A single abble shall rest upon each attempt. How about it?"

She was proposing a contest, but all I could do was laugh at her suggestion.

"You just say the darndest things. Why would I agree to that in the first place? I don't have to entertain you, take care alright and leave me alone"

With that I turned to leave.

Danger…

I jumped forward by a yard. I felt a strong pressure from her.

She is dangerous.

I managed to avoid a hit from something.

It must been magic. I readied myself to trace a large number of mundane weapons to use as a screen in order to flee.

Apparently she noticed my desire to flee rather than fight.

"What a low brow… have you no pride?!" She yelled.

Pride uh?

Seeing all the things I've done… how I learned to fight and survive, how often I relied on the voice… Archer…

Pride is the further thing I had.

"You speak of rather foolish things, I don't have the time or inclination to entertain your ideals or point of view, I don't need nor require such a thing as pride will only drag me down, so what? You can feed your pride to the mabeasts for all I care"

Her eyebrow twitched "You insolent-"

Maybe the girl being incomprehensible was my way of avoiding the truth. But I wouldn't receive any more answers here to begin with. After all, the instant the two exited the alley, they were greeted by a voice—Emilia's voice.

"—I've finally found you."

Unlike the back alley, the bright rays of the sun illuminated everything on the main street. The sunshine dazzled and burned his eyes. That radiance haloed her white robe as she looked at me.

Her elegant brows were furrowed. Her fingertips restlessly toyed with her sparkling hair. Her gloomy, violet eyes quivered as her lips loosened in slight relief. It was plain as day how much she'd worried about me.

I both deeply regretted making her worry and was happy she had worried. My expression brightened at their reunion, unexpected but eagerly awaited."Ah, Emili—"

But as Emilia let out a soft sigh, I felt that something was wrong. I began to call her name but stopped when he saw someone beside her—a male someone with a burly chest.

"Wait, wait, wait! Don't go flirting with Emilia-tan when I'm not around!"

I dashed forward to put himself between the man and Emilia. But my glare at the silhouetted man froze in the face of a torrent of sharp words.

"Hey, hey, lil' missy. I think your guy here has a screw loose. Is he all right?"

The chummy voice addressing Emilia was a bit hard to make out. That was only natural, since the speaker's head was covered in a full-face helmet.

The jet-black helm, meant to conceal his entire face, looked highly refined, but the headpiece alone wasn't what made him stand out—though that description is misleading. He stood out because the helmet actually was alone."More worried about an interloper than excited for your reunion? What a fascinatingly yet complicated sense of masculinity."

"Well, you've got pretty horrible fashion sense, don't you?!" I quipped.

"And you've got quite some lip toward your seniors. I'm an easy-going old man, so I'll let it slide, but someone else might chop your head off."

I rose an eyebrow as the man tapped a finger against the nape of his neck in obvious amusement. Yes, the bare nape of his neck, for while the man wore a pitch-black helm over his head, beneath he wore only a shabby mantle and an open linen vest-and-shorts combo that made him look like some bandit. His "shoes" were sandals with split-toe socks. Behind his waist, he carried a handsome sword with a fat blade resembling a Chinese crescent sword almost similar in shape to Kanshou and or Bakuya, yet had none of their strenght or abilities, however I knew this guy was strong.

Everything clashed with everything else. My tracksuit was no less out of place, but the man's attire was surely the greater offense to common sense. I tentatively asked Emilia my burning question.

"Emilia-tan, don't tell me this guy's outfit passes for normal here in the capital?"

"Don't worry, Subaru. I'm as shocked by what he's wearing as you are."

The man erupted into laugher and promptly divulged what he was doing with Emilia in the first place.

"Oh yeah, she was really shocked. It was so cute. I said I was looking for someone, and I was pretty surprised when she said she'd come along, though."

I put a hand on Emilia's shoulder and stared at where the man's eyes probably were.

"Emilia-tan's kind-heartedness is a real virtue, but you still have to pick who you help. Why do you think a poisonous mushroom looks so bad? It's saying, 'I'm poisonous. Danger. Eat me and you'll die.' That's to stop damage before it happens."

The man replied, "You're making it sound like I'm a dangerous guy. That's horrible."

"Back where I come from, one look at you and they'd bring all the local school kids together and tell them about kidnappers." I said with a dead pan stare.

I blew off the man's flippant comment and returned to Emilia.

"Anyway, Emilia-tan, like I'm always telling you—watch out for men and cars. Men are wolves, so you can't show them that defenseless, adorable, smiling face… Are you upset?"

"No, I'm just thinking that sounds more like something I've said to you than something you've said to me, Subaru. No offense."

I was tempted to cover my face, regretting that my slip of the tongue had only heaped more trouble onto me. But the coming lecture was mercifully interrupted by an outside party. The orange-haired girl stepped forward and pompously declared, "Mmm. How perceptive of you to wait for me at my destination. Your loyalty is admirable, Al."

Her words made the man—Al—laugh out loud.

"…To be honest, I want to say it was dumb luck I happened to be here, but that'll just put you in a bad mood. I agree with you, Princess. Yep, it's just like you said!" He stood beside the girl and ruffled her orange hair with the palm of his hand. "Apparently, by sheer coincidence, the person the lady here was looking for and the person I was looking for were together. Maybe you could call it fate?"

"So it's like the saying, even chance meetings are the result of karma? No thanks, I don't want any threads of fate except red ones with Emilia-tan."

There was a momentary, as he processed something, I felt a glint of realization on him after a pause before Al's reply.

"—This guy's got quite a mouth on him."

But Al's laughter and the light wave of his hand wiped my doubts away. All his actions had been with his right hand the entire time—for the man didn't have a left hand.

So the man had one arm, a pitch-black helmet, and a haphazard threadbare outfit. Judging from his tone of voice and his appearance below the neck, he was probably a bit more than twice my age. In spite of that, he didn't come off much like a senior, sporting an attitude as light as his clothes.

To put it kindly, he was easy to get along with. To put it rudely, he was an adult that needed to pull himself together.

"With Puck there as your guardian, I'm wondering why he let you go around with this guy…" I asked.

Puck replied to Subaru's question telepathically.

"Lia spotted him looking in garbage bins on the side of the street as soon as she stepped out of the garrison. Her meddling happens at lightning speed, so I didn't have any time to stop it."

"Oh, come on…"

My reply couldn't hide my exhaustion. True, Emilia's soft-hearted nature was nothing new, but Al looking for his traveling companion in trash bins was completely off the rails.

I wondered if the man had put any funny ideas in her head while they'd been alone. I gave Emilia a look of concern when I realized that…

"—?"

…without a word, Emilia had slipped behind my back as if to avoid the eyes of other people. She pulled down her hood to hide her face again, keeping her voice quiet as if that would erase her presence.

I dubiously raised my eyebrows and looked toward the orange-haired girl who seemed the cause of Emilia's misgivings.

"What, staring at me?" the girl said. "Drinking in the beauty you will dearly miss once I depart? Certainly, it is cruel that my beauty is so divine, but it is rude to stare in silence."

"Sorry, my eyes are in perfect shape… also beauty is relative, so please stop putting up airs to someone that cares little about your peacocking… so... everyone found who they were looking for? So how about we break this up?"

I gave the girl—the one Emilia seemed to be hiding from—a dismissive reply as he directed the spotlight away from her and toward Al. I didn't know why, but Emilia seemed averse to the attention.

So I did what I felt would serve her best.

Al replied, "Well, that's all fine… The decision to shift the talk to me instead of Princess included."

"…I sympathize with you more than a bit… No, a lot."

Al shrugged at my rather earnest words and looked down at the girl.

"An adult with a broad mind can put up with a lot without gettin' sick of it. Even a proud cat that's never been housebroken. Maybe I've just gotten old enough to find it adorable."

I couldn't see his eyes through the helmet, but he sounded like a father figure protecting his beloved daughter.

They get along pretty decently, huh, I thought vaguely in my mind. I added out loud, "Well, we're gonna head this way… How about you?"

The girl replied, "Then I shall go that way as well."

"…Then, we're gonna head the other way."

"Then I shall go the other way as…"

"Oh, good GAWD. Are you stalking me?! What, did you fall in love with me or something?!"

"I imagine that is a joke, and a petty one at that. Lackluster men die in lackluster ways, you know."

With great pomp and ceremony, the girl, dispassionate to the bitter end, departed with her companion. Her hesitant steps proclaimed that even though she wanted them to part ways, she found it unamusing to do so.

So with all the invective remaining in him, I said to the departing girl, "Hey, arrogant chick, take this."

"What an insolent tongue to direct at me. With one command, Al could take that head off your—"

As the girl turned around with some very menacing words on her lips, her red eyes widened. Her hands stretched and caught the pair of abbles lazily arcing toward her.

"Take 'em. These are bonding abbles. In the end I may have won the bet, but the winner has the right to show mercy like a noble warrior. Take care not to wander into bad guys like that from now on, okay?"

"I will have you know I did not become involved with those men by acting like some foolish child."

"…Incidentally, why did you get involved with them?"

"When I asked them if it was not inexcusable that they should live with such impoverished faces and attire, they became agitated."

"You're the one in the wrong there! Good God, hey Al… try to teach her SOME common sense, else I am going to have to BEAT IT into her… seriously!"

I could not help but sympathize with Dumb, Dumber, and Dumbest all over again and turned my back to the girl, pulling Emilia along by her arm. The small measure of payback gave me some satisfaction as petty as it was.

Emilia kept her head down as she went along with him. As they quickly departed, they heard one final muffled shout from the street behind them, filled with apparently genuine gratitude.

"—Lil' missy, thanks for comin' with me on my search!"

---

Couple of blocks away

"Hey, Emilia-tan, they're gone now, so why don't we talk finally?" I asked.

Parting ways with the arrogant girl and her guardian, Emilia and I walked together for a while before stopping.

I was worried that something I'd said had brought about Emilia's sudden change in behavior. After a brief silence, Emilia lifted up her face and, just as I expected, the subject was the girl she'd attempted to hide from.

"Subaru.—About that girl from earlier… She… Where did… Why were you…?"

"Ehh, Emilia-tan! What, are you jealous? We're at the point where you're just burning with envy?"

"—Subaru."

With one word, Emilia cut off my typically glib reply. She had a solemn expression, and the tension in her cheeks told even me that bad jokes weren't going to cut it.

"Err? Emilia-tan, what's with the really serious look…?"

"Please, Subaru, don't make light of this. Why were you with that girl…?"

Emilia seemed to want to hear something from me. It threw me off, but I sank into thought to try to give her the earnest reply she sought. But just as I focused properly about things for once…my efforts were for naught as an angry, rough, and coarse shout interrupted their conversation.

"Finally found ya! You're a lot of trouble, damn it!"

At the voice, I scanned the area, aghast. Roughnecks were on both sides, blocking the street to prevent their escape. Dumb of Dumb, Dumber, and Dumbest stood at the vanguard of the men, glaring at me, all filled with bruises.

"I've been lookin' for you and the woman to pay you back for makin' fun of me before."

So I replied, "…So you brought all your friends for payback, uh? No matter how much you resent an insult, a man with a spine wipes his own butt… That's what I…always believed in…!"

"Hey, don't try to make me feel bad! What do you know about me, anyway?!"

I listened to Dumb's abuse, complete with spittle flying, as I quietly looked around. There were fifteen or sixteen men blocking the street. i couldn't exactly expect Reinhard to bail me out of this one, and using magical weapons was out.

"This my life now… dealing with mobs, I would like to rely in Puck and Emilia but… if it's just this I can take it." I said as I reinforced myself

Puck telepathically praised my decision as rather manly.

"It really is pathetic of you to put up a show, but it will put my daughter at ease at least so be quick about it."

Rushing in I punched a guy in the face to throw him to another, while avoiding by a hair's breath an attack to my back, I twisted clockwise and pulled the guy in and slammed against 6 others that came rushing in.

Immediately I positioned myself in front of Emilia to protect her.

"He took out 6 of us… what the hell?!"

They were all angry as they began to menacingly come together, I was about to trace and shoot some swords at them when…

Faster than what I could ask what was going on, a rather scary statement came from overhead, heralding the descent of a certain blue-haired maid.

"—I came here tracking Subaru's scent. What kind of disturbance is this?"

Tumbling end over end as she descended, Rem held down the hem of her skirt and landed with a boom. She brushed the dust from her sleeves as everyone gawked at her.

Rem made an adorable little tilt of her head.

"So, Subaru. Do you have something you wish to say to me?"

I pointed at her feet and voiced his question.

"Let me start with, err… He's ah, not dead, is he?"

Rem lowered her gaze. Underneath lay Dumb, smashed to the ground the moment she landed.

Head buried in the city street, the hoodlum said one last thing before he ceased to move altogether.

"Not another…maid…"

Rem slowly nodded.

"He is breathing."

" Ah, fantastic then! It's all good! That's Rem for you, the all-purpose maid everyone wants in their time of need!"

"Oh no… Saying how you can do nothing without me, you are making me blush."

Rem and I engaged in our daily routine, even as Rem's violence had the thugs reeling. My praise made Rem's cheeks go red as she demurred. In the meantime, the men gradually regained their bearings."D-don't toy with us here! You really think you're gettin' out of this alive…?"

Rem's voice lowered as she switched to her emotionless Work Mode.

"I judge that these men are threatening Subaru and Lady Emilia's safety."

The hooligans faltered at the change. I felt a pang of pity for them while raising a finger to Rem.

"Rem."

"Yes?"

"Don't kill them, okay?"

"You are as kind as ever, Subaru—I shall half-kill them, then."

"Alright, but I am also joining in, games are more fun when played in co-op"

In a miraculous combination of equal parts violence and loveliness, Rem leaped into the mob along with me.

Some lunged at her only to be thrashed. Others turned tail and ran which were taken care of by me. Others still squatted down and cowered, unable to grasp what was going on—Rem and I heaped punishment upon them all impartially.

"That's amazing, I can't ever get tired of seeing her make grown men fly." I said as I gave an appreciative whistle.

The impending end of the strife before my eyes filled my head with tranquility, as if I were removed from the uproar. I never even noticed the violet eyes staring at him, nor the pleading murmur that accompanied them.

"—Subaru."

Emilia had been taken hostage!

"So that's why we're gonna rough you up a little. Just a little, wee bit," said a thug to the girl.

The men blocking off the road and laughing lewdly included Dumber and Dumbest. Their group, separate from Dumb's, had surrounded the girl and her companion. They didn't need to put into words exactly what kind of payback they had in mind after capturing her. The vulgar lust in their eyes said it all.

I smiled at them with the same smile Archer gave to Julius.

It was not a kind smile, even if it was sweet, it was one filled with malicious and murderous intent

The thugs shivered in fright at the benevolent looking smile that hid murderous intent.

Archer sent a blueprint, yes… this weapon has a low cost and its ability is ideal for the situation.

"I see… so you have all chosen death I see" I said as I approached them, tracing the blades just behind them, where their shadows laid, my circuits trimmed with power and I felt a slight discomfort but they were done.

"You son of a b-" the thug said as he was about to rip her dress away and do unspeakable horrors to her.

Yet they could not move.

I went over and pried his hands of her and gently herded her further away.

The group was afraid, unable to comprehend what had happened and being helpless due to being unable to move.

"So, gentlemen… I do hope you are prepared?" I said with a sickly sweet smile.

Even Rem felt a bit of pity, but it vanished as soon as it came.

I smashed their faces over and over, they were unable to move, defend or do anything to stop me really, in fact I had half a mind to kill them for even THINKING of doing …

They all had swollen faces, a few had a bunch of broken teeth… they were in agonizing pain, yet they could not fall as the blades that bit into their shadows worked their magic.

Black keys… those do come in handy, I should learn how to use them even better as to learn how to use Crowd Control Techniques these puppies had.

Rem and I cleaned up the remaining thugs as Emilia was in awe at how fast we worked.

Still she felt a pang of pain seeing the wounded due to them both protecting her.

Noticing her look of dejection I took a gamble.

"You shouldn't feel bad about their wounds, they asked for this and came full well expecting a fight, they just did not expect us to be stronger than them, it is easy and simple as that, those who come to hurt should, in turn, expect to be hurt as well" I said, "humanity... well all intelligent races really, can't escape their own stupidity, you can't morn for the stupid, you will be crying all day" I said as I lifted her chin "even if I am stupid, I at least can learn from my mistakes, so that makes me much less stupid… wait… did I mess up?"

Emilia began to laugh.

Unknown to them, Al and his charge had watched the fight unfold. The boy it seems… had piqued the interest of the brat.

Al sighed and gave a small prayer for the boy… as her brat being interested in someone was a pain worst than death.

---

Next morning

Apparently we had to go to the castle now, as it was time for the meetup to happen.

I dressed myself and made sure my clothes were wrinkle free as possible, as I did not wish to embarrass anyone with my outfit. Nothing I can do about my eyes, I was born like that.

So we took the carriage and had a rather quiet ride to the castle. The entrance was as huge and majestic as a fantasy castle would look.

Yet Emilia still looked worried. And I was helpless to do anything, as my jokes would be seen in bad taste.

"Subaru… can you promise me something?" She asked.

The voice told me what to say, as she looked distraught.

"Let me hear it" I said.

She sighed.

"Can you promise me to stay out of trouble and behave?" She asked.

"While I can promise to behave the part about staying out of trouble would be hard, I have an inkling of what will happen and I understand why you ask this of me, however…"

"However….?"

"You were the first and only person to help a stranger in need in a new land, you are a kind person and compassionate, almost to a fault, yet that is also a charming point of you, I do not wish to promise to sit idly by as they slander and defame you" I said.

She looked at me, unable to understand why I went such lengths for her.

The memory that never was.

Knights escorted us to the main meeting hall.

I could feel their hatred or Emilia, their negativity permeated the air, no doubt a gentle soul as her's could feel it as well.

I placed my arm on her shoulder and gave her a beaming smile.

She took some courage and walked with a bit more confidence.

Yet I remained vigilant, untrusting of the people in here.

To the side I saw Roswaal who gave us a smile and went back to his position.

"—All have been assembled. The Council of Elders may enter."

The great doors opened once more. The armored knight stationed at the door led a group of old men filing into the chamber. All the men wore robes identifying their station. Each solemn stride made plain that these were men of great dignity and experience.

The one who stood out the most was a white-haired man with a beard so long it nearly touched the ground. Though his back was not stooped, he stood almost a head shorter than myself. Even among the others, the deep wrinkles of his face made him seem especially old, but his eyes were sharp enough to cut steel. As I observed the silent procession, I remarked to Roswaal with a whisper,

"The Council of Elders, that's the people running the kingdom in place of a king, right?"

Roswaal shrugged and stated with extreme disrespect, "Formally they are an adviiisory body, but yes. Matters of state currently rest in the Council of Elders's hands… But having said that, it is not reaaally much different from when the royal family still existed."

It sounded like the Council had been holding the reins since the rule of the previous monarch, apparently a man of little talent in public affairs.

Al, silent until that point, motioned with his chin toward a section with Knights of the Royal Guard neatly lined up.

"It's time, bro. We need to line up over there, not over here."

Those assembled had naturally sorted themselves out, with knights and officers on the left, and civil officials and nobility on the right.

"Seems like it, but is it all right for me to line up over there?"

Roswaal replied, "You may go with him as you have been properly invited as part of her camp."

Emilia's eyebrows shot up at Roswaal's attitude. She approached to object.

"Roswaal, wait a…!"

"Unfortunately, Lady Emilia, this is not the time or place for you to argue. If all the facts become clear, Subaru will be staying here…for a very, veeery long time."

"But if we let Subaru stand over there, he'll—"

"The time for argument is at an end, Lady Emilia. The conference is beginning. To the center…"

Roswaal's face tensed as he gazed at the seats around the throne, being filled by the Council of Elders that very moment. The only vacant seat left was the throne of the king at the heart of the chamber.

And in front of the old men of the Council was a tidy line of people who had given off a special aura since the moment of their birth.

The girl with orange hair was at the top of the list of three girls with magnificent posture, conspicuous and vibrant. Standing in the center, Priscilla put a hand on her hip and pushed her shoulders back, causing her skirt to sway slightly. Even before the elders that governed the nation, she still had that belittling look on her face.

To Priscilla's right stood a girl dressed in clothes resembling an army uniform. The color of her hair was such a deep green it nearly seemed black, but upon closer inspection, the glossy luster definitely reflected green. Her long hair was tied at the end by a white ribbon. Her beautiful, dignified face was trained straight ahead. She was tall for a girl, about the same height as Subaru, but their legs were very different lengths. On her hip, she wore a sword bearing a family crest with a lion baring its fangs. She looked like a beautiful girl disguised as a handsome in contrast to the green-haired girl's serious ambiance, the girl to Priscilla's left with light violet hair exuded a serene image. Her wavy hair fell down to the middle of her back, looking cottony soft. She was short compared to the other two girls and wore a white dress made with generous amount of fur. Particularly eye-catching were the white fox muffler and the ridiculously large purse at her hip.

All were beautiful, projecting a particular unique aura. They were clearly cut from a different bit her lip in regret, delivering me a reminder before trotting back to the line of girls.

"—We will discuss this later."

When Emilia lined up with the others, her silver hair dancing about, her attire definitely seemed a step behind everyone else's. However, the loveliness within excelled above all the others, at least according to me.

"In other words, they're the future royal candidates for the selection… Huh?"

All the participants were girls, Emilia included. As I realized this with surprise, the people around me began moving one after another. I followed Al's lead and headed toward the lined-up Knights of the Royal Guard. As I did so, a certain red-haired, handsome young man standing at the head of the knights, greeted me with a bright, friendly smile.

"—So you did come, Subaru."

It was Reinhard. The agreeable young man apparently hadn't forgotten him in the last month. He still had flaming red hair and eyes as blue as if very sky had been trapped in them. The only change was that he was wearing a formal royal guard uniform. He added, "When I heard that Lady Emilia would be attending, I wondered if you might show up."

"That's a crazy-high appraisal of me on your part, isn't it…? I thought the main image you had of me was getting a hit back at Elsa"

Reinhard replied to Subaru without the faintest trace of sarcasm.

"I think you underestimate your own virtues. You, of course, protected Lady Emilia from a wicked blade, but you also made virtuous choices in other areas as well."

He shrugged good-naturedly. Even that gesture was perfectly polished, and I couldn't help but be a jealous.

And so I stood to Reinhard's side, and Al to his. Just as he realized that they were in the front row among the knights in a very prominent position, he heard the overly friendly call of a cat-eared girl, accompanied by a forced smile and a wave…

"Subawu, it is you!"

It was the messenger girl who'd triggered their trip to the royal capital. I was a little surprised to see him standing with the knights, dressed in a female uniform for the Royal Guard, complete with a skirt.

And standing by the cat-eared femboi side, giving him a silent nod, was none other than Julius.

"Subaru, what's with that scowl all of a sudden?" Reinhard asked.

"In my homeland, they teach you to make this face when you look at an insect called archnemesis."

Reinhard attempted to smile as I tried to hide the disgust making itself plain on my face.

"I hope you don't take this personally, Julius. It would seem Subaru does this to make a more humble first impression on people."

"No, there's no deeper meaning here. Can you not make me out to be sneakier than I am?"

Reinhard ascribed uncomfortably great praise to my words and deeds, so I shot him down immediately. Julius, in response stroked his hair back as he said, "I do not mind, Reinhard. It is the duty of a knight to behave in a manner befitting his station.—I am Julius Juukulius of the Knights of the Royal Guard. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance…and that of the good knight beside you."

After his pompous introduction, Julius tried to draw Al into the conversation. Without much energy, Al replied, "Aw, don't get stuck on formalities, okay? Stop calling me good knight or sir knight or whatever. I'm, whatchamacallit—a common cutthroat. I'm not one of the high and mighty like you." I reflexively raised an eyebrow at his behavior. i'd thought Al was the type to get along with anybody, so his attitude toward Julius was unexpected.

But unfortunately, there was no time left for a follow-up.

"—The gentlemen of the Council of Elders and the candidates have been assembled. If I may be so bold, I, captain of the Knights of the Royal Guard, Marcus, shall oversee these proceedings."

"Mmmm… Very well, please do."

Still at his seat, the one who crossed his arms and made a faint nod was named Miklotov. Marcus, captain of the knights, nodded and presented a solemn expression to all assembled.

"I have an important announcement to make to this assembly for the election of the next ruler…for the royal selection. It is for this purpose I have gathered the Council of Elders and called you all the way to the palace."Marcus's voice was not especially loud, yet it reverberated so that everyone in the throne room could hear. The captain of the knights had a voice fitting his title, one that marked him as a man destined from birth to lead others.

"Half a year ago…beginning with the late king, the members of the royal family passed away in rapid succession. Any kingdom lacking a king is in crisis, but it is an especially grave matter for the Dragonfriend Kingdom of Lugunica, deeply related to the Covenant."

The Covenant—apparently this indicated the pact between the kingdom and the Dragon.

I've heard the term in fairy tales and in conversations at Roswaal Manor several times. However, just like the royal selection itself, there were numerous details that remained unclear to me. In that sense, I was grateful for how the conference was unfolding."The kingdom's relationship with the Dragon began several centuries prior. The king of that time, His Highness, Falseil Lugunica, and Holy Dragon Volcanica formed a covenant between them. Since that time, the kingdom has been rescued from crisis by the Dragon several times over, preserving it and its prosperity."

"Holy Dragon Volcanica is extremely faithful, with a deep sense of duty. Even many generations later, he has continued to protect us from beyond the Great Waterfalls far away."

As Marcus delivered his solemn speech, Miklotov stroked his beard and nodded.

"Mmmm. Furthermore, the continuance of the royal family is deeply related to maintaining the Covenant. This makes the loss of all members of the royal bloodline to plague an especially regretful matter. A Dragon Maiden is required to begin the next era without a moment to spare."

"Renewal of the Covenant through the Dragonfriend Ceremony, a meeting of the minds with the Dragon, requires a maiden that meets select criteria. This duty was shouldered by succeeding generations of the royal family, but now we seek another to carry it."

Keeping the emotions in his voice as restrained as possible, Marcus faced the Council of Elders sitting on the dais and touched a hand against his chest.

"For this purpose, we, the Knights of the Royal Guard, upon the command of the Council of Elders, have undertaken the duty of locating maidens selected by the light of the Dragon Jewels."

Marcus slid his hand into a pocket. Upon his palm, he raised up a gemstone with a tiny emblem upon it. It was one that I had seen many times, for it marked those qualified to participate in the royal selection."Everyone, present your Dragon Jewels—"

The girls responded, presenting their own emblems.

Instantly, the throne room was bathed in a vivid glow from the jewels bearing the insignia. The one in Emilia's hand was red, and each other emblem dazzled the room with a different color.

The knights sighed in wonder. Even the wrinkled faces of the Council of Elders showed a faint sign of relief.

"As you can see, each of these candidates is qualified to become a Dragon Maiden. Having beheld this fact, we shall do as commanded by the Dragon Tablet and…"

The solemn proceedings came to a halt at a soft voice.

"…Excuse me?"

As Marcus's breath caught, a girl in front of him bearing a twinkling blue Dragon Jewel inclined her head. She had violet-hair and wore a white dress."I understand the captain wants to tell his story, but as folks say in Kararagi, time is money."

In contrast to her gentle tone and docile face, her request was as straight and to the point as a fastball. She put her Dragon Jewel away and smiled softly.

"If you're repeatin' what we already know anyway, I'd rather hear more about why we're here."

The demand by the girl with a peculiar accent seemed to rock Marcus back on his heels. But I was rocked to a far greater degree.

"Hey, wait a… No way, that's Kansai dialect?"

Al, standing next to Subaru, could only whisper back in sympathy to Subaru's murmur.

"Oh, first time you've heard it, bro? Apparently they all talk like that in the Kararagi area to the west. I mean, I've never seen the place myself, but the way they talk sure stands out."

To me, hailing from the same homeland as myself, Kansai dialect should have been familiar to him. The way he phrased things put me off a little, but I suddenly became very curious about what this Kararagi land to the west was like.

The next girl over said, with a clear voice that echoed across the surprised occupants of the throne room, "She has a point."

As the violet-haired girl crossed her arms and tucked in her chin, the green-haired girl offered her agreement. Marcus appealed to her, "Lady Crusch, the head of the House of Karsten should not be…"

"Formalities may be important, but we don't have all the time in the world. We should touch upon the reason for our being gathered as quickly as possible. In fact, I have largely guessed already."The girl Marcus addressed as Crusch closed one eye, surveying the Council of Elders with the others. Miklotov let out a sigh of admiration.

"As expected of the Duchess of Karsten. So you already understand the meaning of this gathering?"

"Yes, Lord Miklotov.—A banquet, yes? We shall eventually be rivals, but there is still much we do not know about each other. By sitting us at the same table to exchange toasts, we may gain some understanding of the character of our competitors…"

Crusch had decided the occasion was a particularly formal banquet when Miklotov interrupted.

"No, that is not the case."

The girl raised her eyebrows at his reply and slowly turned toward Subaru and the others.

"Ferris, this is not what you told me."

"Oh no. All Ferri said was that they're bringing lots of food and wine into the castle so maybe they're going to have a banquet. Oopsie."

"I see, I assumed too much. I'm sorry for doubting you."

It was an odd kind of master-servant banter, without much affection.

Crusch faced the front again, letting out a small sigh as she put that brief conversation behind her.

"And so, with some embarrassment, I take back my previous statement."

"Oh my, Lady Crusch, you're being way too manly…!"

The femboi named Ferris put a hand to his cheek with an air of concern. Apparently, he wasn't particularly bothered that he'd leaked false information to his master. Given his current reaction, I felt he'd done it on purpose.

The girl speaking in Kansai dialect clapped her hands in search of agreement from the other candidates.

"Hey now. Just because Crusch backed off doesn't mean my opinion's changed. Everyone knows the gist of this royal selection thing by now, right?"Crusch nodded in reply to the question, but Priscilla rudely blew it off with a small snort. Then, Emilia raised her hand a little.

"I think th-that we should listen to the full story."

But the girl's treatment of Emilia was altogether too cruel.

"Sorry, but I'm not asking your opinion here."

As if she had been struck by the hostility, pain ran across Emilia's profile. I couldn't bear to watch.

With rage in my eyes I was about to give them a piece of my mind…

Al stepped in front of me from the side, raising his arm up high.

"Yeah! I don't know about this royal selection business, so I want to hear the rest and stuff!"

As all eyes gathered on Al's buffoonish behavior, he comically waved his hand to further establish his harmlessness.

"Hey, don't look at me like that, I'm gonna blush. I know I'm really out of place, so don't treat me like some suspicious intruder or something. You're gonna drive a middle-aged man to tears."

Marcus seemed to be the only one keeping his complete cool.

"Lady Priscilla, your knight has requested it, but…would you like to hear the explanation about the royal selection?"

Priscilla fanned the flames in a grandiose tone.

"Whether I desire it or not, you love your long-winded stories all on your own. It is a waste of time to me. Repeated words are no different than nonsense. I do not even speak nonsense in my sleep."

In contrast to the selfish bearings of the others assembled, Emilia's good character stood out. But it was clear from the earlier exchange she was not being treated said to me, "—That's one you owe me"

With Al holding up a finger and tilting his head toward the younger boy, I was grateful on the inside. It was scary to even think about what would've happened if I'd continued and blown a gasket. Al had taken all the blame on himself in my place.

But the anger would not be so easily quelled.

Priscilla continued, "By my grace, we shall follow the commoner's view. Rejoice and dance upon my palm. Continue, Marcus. Tell my knight how I shall become monarch."

The violet-haired girl slumped her shoulders and threw in the towel at Priscilla's demeanor.

"It's really somethin' how you pass the buck onto everyone else. I'm just gonna keep my mouth shut."

With a consensus seemingly forming, Marcus looked at Emilia and Crusch, with both nodding as well.

"Very well, with that brief digression finished, I shall return to the topic.—You who are qualified to become Dragon Maidens are assembled here because of the prophecy carved into the Dragon Tablet. This prophecy states, 'Should the Covenant of Lugunica lapse, the nation shall be guided by she who forms a bond with the Dragon anew.'"

Miklotov replied, "Mmmm. The words on the tablet are providence itself. The Dragon Tablet, with a history at least as long as that of the Covenant, contains the words by which the fate of the kingdom shall be decided. Considering the impact of these details upon subsequent history, surely it is our duty to obey them."

The other members of the Council of Elders solemnly nodded in response to Miklotov's words. Marcus continued, "The Dragon Tablet, handed down by Holy Dragon Volcanica, has guided our kingdom's path since the days of yore. They have provided the land with advance warning of various crises, from the Great Cuedegra Famine and the Nightmare of Blight Dragon Balgren, to the onslaught of the Black Serpent in recent years, enabling us to minimize the damage incurred."

"Mmmm. There is no need to continue listing these achievements. They are known to all present."

The aforementioned achievements were likely major affairs in the kingdom's history, but they didn't ring a bell with me, ignorant as I was to this world's history. I thought that a prophecy letting you plan for upcoming events was a pretty nice thing to have. But also it was quite boring

Either way, apparently Emilia and the other candidates, or rather, maidens able to communicate with the Dragon, had been gathered in accordance with this prophecy.

In a quiet voice, I raised a doubt I'd been harboring with Reinhard beside him.

"I just thought of this, but if the problem's just the Covenant with the Dragon, the Dragon Maiden doesn't actually have to become queen, right? Can't you have the ruler and the maiden be separate?"

The corners of Reinhard's lips rose in a strained smile.

"I think you have a valid point, Subaru. But it can't be done."

"Mind if I ask why not?"

"Because the Covenant for the prosperity of the kingdom is formed between the Dragon and the king. The Dragon isn't simply choosing someone able to communicate with. The pact is formed because that person is carrying a kingdom on his shoulders. In other words, the Dragon is very particular about his partners."

"But if that's the case, won't rushing a maiden into a monarch just annoy the Dragon more? It's, like, I close my eyes for one moment and poof, the king is gone, and here's a maiden to take the place of the king. Would the Dragon go for that?"

"That's a fairly strong argument. But in the end, the Dragon Tablet upon which the fate of the kingdom is engraved takes precedence. That is what the Council of Elders has decided, and they have commanded us knights accordingly. I want to think that it was the right thing to do."

Neither Archer nor I liked that, to simply follow blindly to something that says about the future.

If it's written in stone why fight it?

It made a mockery of them both and their efforts.

Nothing is preordained.

Even if I had doubts, the higher-ups had settled the issue. The only one who knew how the Dragon would judge was the Dragon himself. It was truly as Ram had said: Only the Dragon knows.

With one issue having been settled, Marcus's voice echoed across the quieted gathering.

"The prophecy continues thus: 'There shall be five able to lead a new nation. Of these, one shall be selected as the maiden to form a new Covenant with the Dragon.'"

Hearing that sentence from the prophecy, something tugged at my mind and made me frown.

"Five…?"

"Yes, five. Currently there are only four candidates—so the royal selection has not even begun yet. It is our shame that we have been unable to find a fifth."

"Your population's, like, fifty million people, right? Finding four in half a year sounds downright speedy."

They had to search for people on a world without any national transportation networks. Those were pretty harsh conditions. I thought finding four candidates in such a short time was worthy of serious praise.

Marcus finished his explanation, apologizing to the girl who'd raised the initial objection to his carrying on.

"That summarizes the present circumstances. Lady Anastasia, please forgive my great rudeness."

"Don't, don't. This mess isn't my fault. Happy now, Princess?"

"I wonder. Al, has your little head gained any new insights?"

"Yeah, I've got it. Sorry for makin' ya go through the trouble. Sorry to the lil' lady from Kararagi, too."

As Al flippantly waved with his one arm, Priscilla replied, "There you have it." The girl—Anastasia—rubbed her forehead at the irresponsible master and servant and looked back up to the Council of Elders.

"Anyway, if there's still more, can we get on with it? I don't have forever, and I got a lot to do later. You old men with the purse strings get what I'm sayin', right?"

The rudeness of Anastasia's statement stirred the room up, and I stiffened. But Anastasia seemed to have a very good read on her position, and the Council of Elders showed no sign of irritation.

Abruptly, Miklotov lowered his voice.

"It pains me to take so much of your busy time, Lady Anastasia, but I must ask you to remain with the conference a little longer. After all…this day shall be marked in the history of the kingdom."

Though the room had gradually lost its original tension, the statement triggered an ambiance that compelled everyone to stand a little straighter.

And moving the proceedings forward was Priscilla, pushing out her chest without a single ounce of shame.

"So history shall move, you say, old fossils? In other words, you mean that, yes?"

Miklotov replied to Priscilla's quiet question with a small nod from his perch. Then, the eyes under his thick eyebrows sought Marcus. The look was some kind of signal, as Marcus saluted and suddenly bellowed across the chamber.

"—Knight Reinhard Astrea! Come!"

My shoulders trembled out of the blue as Reinhard, seemingly having waited for the call, replied, "Yes, sir!"

He advanced straight forward, saluting the four candidates before standing to attention before Marcus and the Council of Elders.

"Very well, Reinhard. Report!"

"Sir!"

Marcus took a step back and yielded the center of the platform. With all eyes upon him, Reinhard stepped forward and faced the Council of Elders without a single trace of timidity.

"Esteemed members of the Council of Elders, I am Reinhard van Astrea of the Knights of the Royal Guard, here to report that my mission is complete."

Miklotov instructed, "Mmmm. Say it so that all may hear."

Reinhard turned around, looking over everyone in the room.

"—We have finally found the fifth candidate to become Dragon Maiden, and monarch."

The ranks of knights stirred and formed a space between them. The expressions of the candidates changed, registering strong emotions: determination, delight, tedium, and bewilderment.

"Bring her in," Reinhard curtly called.

Receiving his command, two guards before the entrance saluted and slowly opened the doors. Beyond them a girl, accompanied by ladies-in-waiting, was led into the throne room.

When my laid eyes upon her, my jaw instinctively dropped in absolute shock and Archer chuckled.

The hem of her light yellow dress fluttered as her high-heeled shoes stepped upon the carpet. Her scrupulously arranged blond hair practically sparkled. The girl was remarkable for the strong determination in her red eyes and the impish appearance of her snaggletooth smile.

She looked so different that he almost doubted what he was seeing. I couldn't help but be lost for words.

With me being paralyzed by surprise, the announcement seemed to echo against his eardrums several times over.

"This young lady who seeks the crown is called…Lady Felt."

—And so, the royal selection that would determine the fate of the Kingdom of Lugunica began.

I gave an appreciative whistle.

"She was cute before… now is a whole different thing, the wonders of a proper diet" I said as I nodded.

"Indeed, however, she looks rather irritated"

"Taking into account her personality… I bet she was forced into this"

"Yes. I can see that being the case"

I gave her a smile and a thumbs up while she glared at me, feeling annoyed, it seems she did not recognize me.

Felt slowly passed by my dumbfounded gaze and stood before Reinhard. He nodded with a charming smile at her appearance and addressed her with the utmost respect.

"Lady Felt, thank you for gracing us with your presence."

Felt raised her eyes and called out to him.

"—Reinhard."

Reinhard responded to her clear-as-a-bell voice.

"Yes?"

Knight and lady, their eyes met. And then…

"—Why you. What's the big idea, dragging me in here with no explanation?!"

…she raised the hem of her dress, her long, slender leg tracing an arc—an arc that was about to slam right into the tip of Reinhard's chin when the knight raised a hand, stopping it short.

"I am quite surprised. What brought this on so suddenly?"

Remaining balanced on one leg, Felt violently slapped at her dress in anger.

"Don't block me and then play dumb! It's this place! These clothes! Them! You! What the hell is going on here?! I can't take any more of this!"

It was an expensive dress, no doubt custom-ordered for her. Seeing it treated so roughly sent the ladies attending her wilting to the floor as if their eyes were spinning.

"You did not like the dress? I believe it looks very good on you."

"This isn't about the dress, and it's not that it's embarrassing! I'm saying that I hate it! And not just the dress! I hate you too! Don't you think abducting and holding a girl against her will is embarrassing for a knight of honor?!"

Reinhard declared without hesitation, "If it is for the prosperity of the kingdom, it must be done."

Felt put a hand to her forehead as if he was giving her a headache.

I remarked to myself, "I'm so glad. I thought she'd completely changed, but it's only how she looks. I guess leopards really don't change their spots, and it isn't just me!"

It would've made a sorry story for Old Man Rom if I'd had to report back that she'd become a whole different person. We meet back when I went to buy some abbles, and asked me to keep an eye out for Felt, as he knew I would be here

I was relieved at being able to confirm she was safe and sound in a place I never actaully expected her to be. On the other hand, I couldn't help but think Felt being dragged into becoming a royal candidate was prearranged rather than mere coincidence. After all, Reinhard had met her in the first place because she'd been the one to steal Emilia's badge…

Emilia, realizing who Felt was, had apparently reached the same conclusion as me.

"That girl…from back then…?! That's why Reinhard was so surprised…"

From Emilia's point of view, Felt had gone from the thief of her badge to her rival for the very throne.

The other candidates, the knights, and the nobles all displayed appropriate reactions to the newcomer's crude behavior, none friendly. Under the austere stares, Felt clicked her tongue rudely.

In the short time I've had known her she'd never been this much of a brat. I guessed that it was a product of various things during the last month. I had been through a lot, but her transformation from a street urchin to a royal candidate was a Cinderella story to rival my own.

Felt was scanning the chamber to size up her surroundings when she suddenly noticed me among the knights in the front row and brightened.

"Oh, hey! What are you doing here, nii-chan?"

Felt shoved Reinhard away with a hand on his chest and walked over without a care.

Where did all that ladylike behavior go? I wondered as I raised a hand, delighted to greet a friendly face.

"Hi, it's been a while. Looks like you're in good health!" said Felt.

The instant the sunny greeting escaped her lips, she kicked me straight in the stomach, however I curved my body so I looked like a greater than sign and avoid most of the power in her kick. Violence out of the blue. I groaned as Felt crossed her arms and nodded, remarking, "Looks like your belly's all healed up, but you've got a whole bunch of new scars in other places. You okay there?"

"If you're worried, take it easy on me, and here I thought you looked cute, seems your brat like behaviour hasn't changed an inch, has'nt it…? What's with the hard smack instead of a hi? Geez, what if you'd broken something… It's not like it's been that long, either." I said with a grin.

Felt is a nice girl, however she is awkward and resorts to violence to show her appreciation to others. Or you may say she resorts to violence in any case, as she is not good at being honest.

Wait… wouldn't she be a Tsundere if that where the case?

She glared at me

"I feel like you are thinking something rude about me"

"Lady Felt, if you are finished greeting your old friend, could you please come this way?"

Felt scowled at the solemn look on his face, glowering as she stepped forward.

"So what do you want me to do here?"

Reinhard replied, "'Act more like a lady,' I would like to say, but instead, I would have you hold this."

Felt scowled at Reinhard's joke. Reinhard took a dragon emblem out of his pocket and deposited it in her palm. The gemstone immediately emitted a white light."I thought this back when I stole one of these, too, but these are strange rocks. Why do they glow?"

Felt had blithely said something very dangerous. Marcus seemed to notice her careless statement.

"Stealing?"

But Reinhard immediately followed up, "As you can see, the Dragon Jewel acknowledges Lady Felt as a maiden. Now that her participation has been confirmed, I believe that this royal selection now begins in a true sense."

Marcus put a hand to his chest and knelt down on one knee. Reinhard followed suit, then all the Knights of the Royal Guard.

The knights reported their mission was a success. Thanks to their efforts, five Dragon Maidens had been found—in other words, the candidates for the next queen of Lugunica had been assembled.

Priscilla remarked, "I see. Thus, this day will go down in history."

This was the very definition of a huge, must-see event. Surely, everyone present had to be deeply moved by the occasion, or so I thought as I watched—and noticed that, for their part, the government officials appeared troubled, with bewilderment and astonishment plain in their expressions.

And one man from among them stepped forward.

"Pardon me, if I may?"

He was a middle-aged man with a stoop and unhealthy-looking bags under his eyes. He stroked his thick beard as an apparent nervous tic.

"I have no words sufficient to thank the knights of the kingdom, and the Knights of the Royal Guard in particular, for everything related to this royal selection ceremony. Without their assistance, it surely would not have been possible to arrange this in such a short time."

Marcus replied, "You are too kind."

"However, and it brings me no joy to say this, even though we are following the Dragon Tablet, are there not various…issues, with those selected?"

"You are saying what, exactly?"

"I am wondering if we have been too focused on those qualified to be Dragon Maidens, and not enough on those qualified to wear the very crown of the kingdom without becoming an object of ridicule?"

The declaration of the hunchbacked man was clearly tinged with anger.

"Hear, hear!" said a few other civil officials in a display of support.

He continued, "The Covenant with the Dragon is the gravest matter. Lugunica has come this far as the Dragonfriend Kingdom and cannot survive as a nation without the Covenant. But valuing the Covenant so much more than the people will sow the seeds of future discord."

"In other words, the Dragon Maidens that we knights spilled our blood to search for would not make kings worthy of our fealty?"

"Th-that is not how I would put it, but essentially, yes."

The man broke out in a cold sweat at Marcus' frank summation, and after a moment he acknowledged the true meaning of his oblique comments. The knights had desperately toiled to solve a nearly unsolvable problem. This ridicule of their efforts did not exactly instill pleasant emotions in them.

Myself, standing with the knights, felt the hot anger all around him on me skin.

"Smells like something's burning in here…"

Hearing my murmur, Al cheerfully spoke to two other people in the same row.

"Well, it sure sounded like he was insulting the knights. I don't mind, but what do you two think?"

The two he'd addressed, Julius and Ferris, turned their heads toward Al and myself. Ferris spoke first."Your dear Ferri doesn't really mind, meow? I mean, whatever Beardy says, Ferri's fealty is already to one person alone, you see."

Julius followed up. "I will not go quite as far as Ferris, but I feel the same. I have already pledged my blade. One day, they will offer their fealty to another. I do not intend to be so narrow-minded that my heart should be disturbed prior to that day."

Not one to be outdone, Al said, "Ha, that's mighty fine of you. Of course, it's the same with me where Princess is concerned."

The two others could only make wry smiles at that.

I simple watched as I had a bad feeling about all this.

Ferris had Crusch. Al had Priscilla. That would have to make Julius a supporter of Anastasia. They were three knights, bearing the full trust of their masters. Comparing their position to my own sent a keen sense of inferiority through me, even though I had no doubt in my earnest desire to fulfill Emilia's wishes at least as much as any of the rest…I felt a strange feeling of unease as the back and forth in the throne room intensified. The earlier opinion was only the beginning as the civil officials aired their discontent one by one.

"One must be both maiden and king. Perhaps they are not sufficiently aware that they must wear the crown?"

"No matter how dressed up they are, their demeanor exposes their true natures."

"They are not refined enough. Their education is lacking. How can they be monarchs like this?"

A familiar voice interrupted the civil officials.

"Surely it is not a proooblem. I would think such a bounty of personaaality will make for a highly amuuusing royal selection."

"So they want a perfect king/queen… the notion is so ridiculous as it is absurd… I known one such person… the live that person lived… was a sad and lonely one" Archer said as if remembering a bittersweet memory.

"You be quiet!"

I looked at Emilia and the others. No doubt Felt's crude, in-your-face attitude earlier was what had really set the civil officials off. But he couldn't say the other candidates hadn't sparked any unease themselves.

In truth, Emilia's expression, as if trying to endure the pain, hurt him acutely. I wanted from the bottom of my heart to rush over that moment and give her a shoulder to lean on.

Miklotov's single word quieted the throne room.

"—Silence."

As the man of highest stature there, Miklotov narrowed his eyes as he regarded Felt. After keeping his silence for a time, the old man let out his breath.

"Mmmm. That was somewhat irreverent behavior, so I do understand Mr. Rickert's view. In that light, I believe everyone should hear a brief summation of the candidate's personal history."

A bald, stern-faced old man seconded Miklotov's opinion.

"…Indeed. We can decide whether she is suitable or not from that."

Seeing the rest of the Council of Elders nod, the civil official apparently named Rickert took a step back. Miklotov continued, "Sir Reinhard. We would first hear the highlights of what you know."

After he was called, Reinhard bent down on one knee in a show of the utmost respect. I wasn't even involved, but a cold sweat broke out over him nonetheless. After all, a blunt telling of the truth would naturally expose Felt's life of crime and stir up even more problems.

"Until approximately one month ago, Lady Felt was living in a corner of the Lower Quarter of the royal capital—also known as 'the slums.' An occasion arose where she had an opportunity to touch a Dragon Jewel. Having judged that she was qualified to be a Dragon Maiden, I brought her with me as a matter of course."

Assuaging my concerns, Reinhard made his report while deftly dancing around the problematic parts. The explanation had huge, glaring gaps, but the assembly did not focus on those, but rather, certain other things.

"A waif from the slums… Sir Reinhard, are you insane?!" Rickert exploded. "You bring a vagrant from the streets to a ceremony to select the monarch who must shoulder the future of Lugunica?! Just what do you think the royal throne is?!"

"…"

Reinhard had done as asked, expressing utmost courtesy to those on the platform. His gallant profile did not reveal the slightest hint of negativity. Rickert directed his words at Miklotov next.

"Someone should be selected who is suitable for the crown. We cannot simply lay our hands on whoever happens to walk be—"

As Rickert eloquently attempted to sway Miklotov, a familiar voice dashed cold water over his efforts.

"Mr. Rickert, you are sliiightly too heated over this matter, are you nooot?"

"Nonsense, Roswaal. Nor do I approve of your conduct. Not only I, but all of the officials. Until now we have overlooked this because we are in a time of crisis, but I shall still my tongue no longer. Not about the House of Astrea hauling a waif into these halls, nor you, the fool nominating a half-demon to be monarch…!"

Many swords begun to form in my mind, at the ready should these pigs dare...

"—Mr. Rickert. I would suggest you amend your comments."

The frigid words reverberated throughout the chamber. Rickert's face, red from indignation, paled. Roswaal continued, "It is poor manners to address a half-elf as a 'half-demon.' Furthermore, Lady Emilia remains a royal candidate… Do you understand which of us should remember his place?"

Roswaal's tone of voice was unchanged from the norm, but the power behind it made Rickert avert his gaze, Roswaal looked at me and with a look told me to calm down, as many of the knights turned to look at me, apparently I was leaking a fair bit of killing intent. He shook his head, as if to conceal his intimidation, and dramatically motioned to the dais.

"A-and what of it? I do not believe my claim to be in error. Qualified as Dragon Maiden does not mean qualified to be king. Lord Miklotov! Please reconsider! The future prosperity of the kingdom cannot be built upon the election of an obscene royal candidate such as—"

"—Sir Reinhard."

The sage addressed not Rickert, attempting to sway his view, but the red-haired knight.

"Is this girl…?"

"I cannot be absolutely certain, for the means to prove with certainty no longer exist.—However, I must resist the urge to call this coincidence happenstance."

"What would you call it, then?"

"—I would call it fate."

At Reinhard's reply, Miklotov closed his eyes as if that statement held some special meaning.

Neither I nor those around him had any idea what the two were talking about. It seemed only the pair knew to what they referred. Surrounded by such confusion, Miklotov put a hand to his forehead, as if lamenting the situation, and looked across the other old men.

"Have you not noticed? Take another good look at Lady Felt.—If you cannot tell even then, I must question your fidelity to your own kingdom."

In response to Miklotov's challenge, the occupants of the chamber held their breaths and gazed at Felt. Felt, at the eye of a storm of unrestrained stares, scowled openly.

Rickert bluntly pointed out Felt's shortcomings.

"Looking at her, of course one can tell…she is still very young, and there are far too many things she would have to learn before setting foot near a thro—!"

Suddenly, his face stiffened as if he'd realized something, his eyes opening wide in shock.

"B-blond hair and crimson eyes—?!"

Once Rickert said it, the other officials were struck with similar force like a row of dominos. The only one not affected was myself, ignorant of common knowledge in this world.

When I glanced to the side, Ferris and Julius appeared to understand. I couldn't tell what in the world Al was thinking, per usual, but Al showed no special sign of surprise.

"Blond hair and crimson eyes—these are peculiar to the bloodline of the Lugunica Royal Family. But! It cannot be! The entire royal bloodline passed away in that incident half a year ago! It is simply impossible that this girl could—"

Reinhard calmly interrupted Rickert's forceful denial.

"—Mr. Rickert, are you aware of a certain incident in the palace some fourteen years ago?"

The words from Reinhard's lips struck Rickert with even greater force.

"Sir Reinhard… Surely, you are not saying that…"

"Fourteen years ago, thieves infiltrated the castle and abducted the daughter of the late second prince, Lord Fold. The thieves were permitted to escape, and the daughter was never found."

This was the kind of national failure that was never leaked to outsiders.

"As the matter was not written upon the Dragon Tablet, the thieves were easily permitted to infiltrate the royal palace at the time. Since there were a number of other urgent matters, an all-out search for the daughter was not conducted."

"Mmmm. That incident was the trigger for the dissolution and reconstitution of the Knights of the Royal Guard. Your kinsmen were not uninvolved in this matter, I believe?"

"Thus, I have information that would otherwise be unknown to me. And based upon this…"

Miklotov replied to Reinhard's minimalist reply with a nod of his own. However, Rickert's frenzy showed no sign of diminishing.

"That is an extreme—no, an irrational position! Are we to believe a daughter of the royal household vanished without a trace fourteen years ago, came to live in the slums, and now you incidentally discovered her with the royal selection nearing?! And furthermore, you just so happened to find out that she is qualified as a Dragon Maiden?!"

Even after the barrage of information Rickert was still standing.

"This is absurd!" he laughed. "This is all too contrived. You could easily have found a girl with maiden qualifications and dyed her hair and used magic to alter the color of her eyes.—Surely you have not engaged in such shameful behavior?"

"I swear it upon my sword."

Reinhard laid the sword at his hip upon the floor, offering it in a show of the highest respect. Rickert, seeing the knight among knights displaying such deference, sank into a heavy slouch.

"…With all of the royal family already lost, no means exist to confirm whether she has royal blood or not. I do not think anyone will bow their heads based on mere supposition about her identity."

"That is natural. However, I am certain that Lady Felt is worthy of throne…even without a claim by blood."

Reinhard's unshaken reply drew a resigned sigh from Rickert.

"It seems that the Sword Saint of our age is rather invested in her."

Once more, he turned his gaze to Felt, the subject of the matter at hand.

"Setting aside your maiden qualifications, you hail from the slums.—And it is possible you possess the royal bloodline, presumed lost. I cannot even begin to fathom the distress this must bring you. Are you determined to see this through?"

The statement sounded like a test, a ritual so that Rickert could use her reply to let go of his misgivings. Only when he received Felt's reply could he allow the discussion to end.

But Felt flatly denied her qualification, completely ignoring the flow of the conversation to that point.

"Huh? What are you talking about, old guy? I never said one word about being king."

The unexpected reply caught everyone in the chamber off guard.

"I got dragged here out from the slums against my will," she continued. "I told him to take me back and he wouldn't, and he hid my old clothes so I had to wear this stupid thing. I am way past ticked! I'm annoyed a million times over! No, I don't accept this!"Felt's rage-filled rant brought another awkward silence over the hall. Even I, famously unable to read the mood, could tell that things were going south.

Among the silent remaining candidates, Priscilla, her arms crossed with a bored expression, spat out, "—How long are you going to entertain this boring, pointless discussion?"

As all eyes fell upon the girl, her full bosom shook above her folded arms.

"Even if it is in name only, five have been assembled so the process can commence. All we need do is begin, and the unworthy will be culled in due course. After all, I shall be the last one standing. Whether the excess baggage is qualified to be king or not is completely beside the point."

Priscilla's brash, irrational argument drew a heated reaction from Felt.

"Ahh…?"

She leaped down from the dais and glared at Priscilla head-on.

"I was thinking earlier you were a good-looking chick, but I guess it's a flower bed inside your head, too, huh? If you wanna pick a fight, I'm game. Everyone knows with me you get more than you bargained for."

"Such arrogance. Do you know who I am…?"

"Ha, like I'd know…!"

Felt brushed off Priscilla's statement with a loud laugh. Priscilla's eyes cruelly narrowed.

With my breath catching from the decisive change in the atmosphere, Al shouted from beside him, "Princess, this is—"

He must have known exactly what Priscilla was about to do.

Then, at Al's shout, a gust wind cut across the chamber. Reinhard moved directly in front of her in a split second and spoke in a quiet voice.

"—Pardon me, Lady Priscilla."

In the literal blink of an eye, the knight, on one knee on the dais a moment before, had come between the two royal candidates. The red-haired knight was facing the orange-haired girl—and behind him, Emilia held me close to protect her.

Emilia's violet eyes filled with anger as she chewed Priscilla out.

"Such hostility in an important place like this… What are you thinking?!"

However, Priscilla waved off the nuisance with a hand, numb to any pangs of guilt.

"I am merely teaching an untrained bitch her proper place. After all, impoliteness toward me can only be repaid with one's life."

Emilia pressed the point against the unrepentant Priscilla.

"Won't you say you're sorry? Or do you actually not realize you've done something wrong?"

For an instant, the words made Priscilla's face go blank. Then, she glanced at Emilia with barely constrained laughter."Ahh, this is most amusing. I have rarely been so entertained. You may take that as a compliment."

"What a disagreeable child you are. What are you talking a—"

"One should apologize for doing something wrong, you say? If that is the case, why do you not apologize, silver-haired half-elf? In your case, 'I'm sorry I was ever born.'"

"Say that again…" I muttered.

"Uh? Must I repeat myself? Are your ears as defective as the one behind you?"

I rose my eyes to her, she took a single step back.

My eyes held untold rage and violence, which I would unless on her

She rose an eyebrow "Oh? You would dare challange me?"

A spark begun to form in my hand… as many Invisible tendrils of shadows begun to gather.

"Subaru, take a deep breath… your imaginary number elements will go wild if you don't keep your head cool"

I hate bullies, and I hate people who think themselves as gods benevolence while acting like tyrants and assholes.

"I-I have…no relationship to the Witch…" she said

"Does such an excuse mean anything to anyone? You are the spitting image of the being that is taboo to the world. The very sight of you fills people with fear and makes their hearts tremble. Is that not why you cover yourself and obscure your appearance?"Assaulted on all sides by Priscilla's acrimonious words, Emilia silently bowed her pale face.

SLAP

Priscilla's face was smacked hard enough to even be thrown into the ground.

"H…how dare you! You lowly peasant not a soul ever dare struck me-"

SLAP

The people around me where unable to act as I slapped her a second time. Even Al was shocked.

"A… a second!?"

"Shut up! Even if you are elected as a dragon maiden, even if you were to raise to the throne, there are things you can and cannot do, and as long as I live I wont allow you or any other to slander Emilia or Felt" I said.

The hall was silent, Roswaal rose an eyebrow at this and gave a small chuckle.

"I held myself back but someone ought to tell you, even if you are high, the ones bellow are the ones who brought you there, if you dont change and by some miracle you do become ruler… no one would support you, your arrogance and pride will ultimately kill you"

I stood next to Reinhard, both of us screening Felt and Emilia.

"Emilia, even if you can't voice it yet, I will help you"

A memory of a female knight dressed in blue, her hair as golden as wheat, and eyes as green as polished jade.

I took a knee and looked straight into her eyes with firm determination and conviction.

"An oath shall be sworn here! I shall attain all virtues of all of Heaven. I shall have dominion over all evils of all of Hell! –I shall declare here. My body shall serve under you. My fate shall be with your sword."

A single golden sword appeared in front of me lodging itself to the floor, radiant golden glow, unable to be perceived by anyone, a holy aura, one that gave tranquility. My hands placed on it's pommel and I looked up at Emilia.

Her breathing was ragged, a light blush on her face.

'Will you take this vagrant boy as your knight?" I asked with a smile.

"Oh? You sure have a good knight" the girl with the Kanzai accent said.

She was impressed, he sure had balls of steel to make this ruckus.

On the side Roswaal smiled.

As each candidate came forward to present themsleves and what they hoped to accomplish I had already made my choices… between all of then the only ones I felt were best suited would be in order: Crush, Emilia and Felt, the last two being a tie, as Emilia was still too naive and Felt too volatile.

"Excuse me, but there is something I must voice, this boy, dared to insert himself as a knight, I find his mannerisms and actions highly questionable for someone who wishes to be a knightl, who does he think he is, to claim such thing?"

Aaahhh… so it was this trope.

"Who am I, you ask? Rather, shouldn't the question be if I have the strenght and resolve to follow trough?" I said with a smirk.

Julius narrowed his eyes, he did not expect me to be able to keep my cool and return his underhanded mockery, dream on, even Ram is better at it than you. I spar with the best.

"Resolve isn't everything, and I do know know if you strong enough."

I took a deep breath, wet his tongue, and braced myself as I stepped forward.

"—I'll make Lady Emilia king. I'll make her wish come true."

"…Do you not think that this is an exceptionally arrogant reply?"

Dismay entered Julius' expression, as if he were listening to a tale of an empty dream.

"Do you understand? People are divided according to their birth. Perhaps it is best to use the term capacity. Nothing is gained by attempting to surpass one's own capacity. Furthermore, you will never gain what you seek in doing so, especially not the title of knight, which falls so frivolously from your lips."

Julius drove the scabbard of his own sheathed sword into the floor with a thump. On cue, the knights assembled behind him produced the same sound a moment later. The hard, heavy echo displayed that he had all the knights behind him.

"Those who pursue knighthood require loyalty to lord and kingdom and the power to protect their liege by force. No one may call himself knight without either one of these things.—Can you still say there is the will, the power, the resolve within you?"

"Don't get all high and mighty on me, you speak of such things as it means anything. I know that to you all I am just some punk, any words I say will be ignored"

"You say that you accept your current lack of lineage for such venture? I see; that is a precious thought. If you had not acknowledged your weakness, I might have been forced to reduce myself to your disgraceful level."

"You understand that you are lacking in strength? Did you declare it so loudly in expectation of a reward? Weakness is a matter of shame, not pride."

"— since when weakness means one has lost?"

Julius was taken back.

"Weaknes… means opportunity, shall I carve my point trough your arrogance… oh knight of the royal guard?'

Julius was getting angry as the boy had thrown a challange at him, even Roswaal was taken back by the look of shock he had.

"Only those of certain birth may be recommended for entry into the Knights of the Royal Guard, the pinnacle of knighthood. This is not out of deference to lineage, but because their ancestors have displayed their loyalty to the kingdom, down to the very blood that flows through their veins. I do not accept that you, nor the mercenary calling himself Al, have any qualifications to call yourselves knights."

"Bloodline… It's not like a person can do anything about something like that…!"

"Indeed. It is just as I have said. People are separated by birth. It was the same in your home. Just because two people have been born does not make them equal."

"However, that sounds to me like an excuse you are making"

Not a single person in that place acknowledged me as a knight. And yet, he replied, "—Even so, even if all of you deny and reject me... I'll make Emilia king."

"I do not understand. In the face of such rejection, why are you still even here?" he said with unconceled contempt.

Cold glances from throughout the chamber watched my recklessness with scorn and contempt. But I couldn't care about any of that.

All he cared is about the woman behind me...

Feeling her presence, I hesitated for a brief moment, and then answered with steel in both my words and eyes.

"—Because she's special." I said with a smile

My eye colors, unknown to me, changed to a silver color.

That was his answer.

Julius's eyes widened slightly in apparent surprise. However, the surge of emotion was immediately concealed when his face calmed again.

"You are obstinate. I accept that you have a reason for standing here regardless of whether you are qualified or not. In that case, I have nothing more to say to you."

Julius turned his back to me as if he was returning to the line of candidates. But his very first step halted, and his head alone turned back toward me.

"—However, do not think that I accept you as a knight, or ever will."

"That is fine by me, I do not need nor care about your acceptance"

Both glared at each other, the space between them felt heavy, the tension could be cut with a knife.

Julius sighed in annoyance "I been patient enough to entertain your idiocity, however it seems you can't accept my good will, you have insulted the honor of the knights and thus I request for a duel"

"Honor you say? One should ask for what they give, so far the only one who has stained their honor has been you and you alone, or have you forgotten what occurred at the garrison?" I said with a cruel smile.

He clenched his fists.

"But I shall humor you, oh finest knight" I said with sarcasm dripping from my words.

Both were led to an arena where Emilia looked at me with worry.

"Don't worry, I know I can't win… but that does not mean that I will allow myself to loose"

She could not understand me.

As we both entered the arena I activated my circuits...grabbing the training weapon I concentrated.

"Trace… on" reinforcing both body and weapon I held my sword at the ready.

The enemy was the finest of knights of this land.

"Kick his ass Juulius!" Feris shouted.

Someone who outstripped me in power, skill and even magic.

That's fine…

For just like my mentor… I had never fought anyone other than beings who far outstripped me un everything.

And so I stood at the ready, like a naked blade.

He rushed in, getting everything in a single overwhelming first strike, going for what would be a lethal opening.

Crack

His training weapon clashed mightily against my own as I redirected the power of his blow to the side.

"It's not gonna be that easy" I said the first of the 3 sentences I would speak.

Crack crack crack.

The sound of wood on wood

Yet Juulius felt something wrong.

My weapon felt… off.

He kept trying to hit my openings yet he was rebuffed over and over, as if I was reading his mind, even areas I shouldn't be able to see…

How? Was this perhaps a divine protection?

To the side Reinhard put a hand to his mouth, unable to understand this.

This method of fighting is suicidal! One wrong step… and its death to Subaru.

Yes, all those openings were ON PURPOSE!

He was herding the attacks there in order to be ABLE to deal with them.

It was equal parts disturbing as ingenious.

Yet as I danced in the fine edge of death I kept fighting.

Crack

The first hit.

I, Subaru Natsuki, dealt the first wound.

Well, more like a scratch on his face.

To be honest I was actually aiming for it, since his pretty face annoyed me.

Archer sighed at how juvenile I was being.

"I sense no pride in your sword skills… and yet you dare!"

"Dont force such meaningless concepts on me, pride? So what? Feed your pride to the mabeasts for all I care" I said glaring at him with a cruel smile.

Yelling, he charged at me "NATSUKI SUBARUUU!"

Both blades clashed.

A booming force at the clash between our weapons made the air shift violently, both exchanging attack and defence neither giving an inch.

A fight of ideals…

A fight for the lovely, lonely and abused girl behind his back.

I would fight, not to win… but not to loose.

A light begun to bloom from within his soul were his circuits lay… a pink sakura flower begun to open up.

As the swords clashed with each other, unknown to me, knowledge begun to settle into my subconscious mind.

Chapter end.