Subaru woke up, it's rare that he slept longer than seven hours, but this was an exceptional case. He noticed that the bed he was in was also exceptionally comfortable. He glanced around the room, noticing several expensive looking paintings of various landscapes, along with lots of vases and other furniture. He also saw Reinhard sleeping on a chair to his left, and a brown haired cat... person, on his left.

This cat person also appeared to be casting healing magic, the warm glow felt familiar. After blinking a few times, the healer noticed he was awake. "Well you tyook your time waking up, Mister Natsuki~" She, or he, (Subaru had no clue) said in a rather androgynous voice.

Reinhard's eyes fluttered open. He glanced at his surroundings before recalling the events at hand. "Subaru, I'm glad you're awake." He stated.

Subaru sat up and stretched, feeling the ghost of an ache in his chest. "Where am I?" He asked.

"You're in the Crusch Estate Mansion, I took you here after you fought with Elsa Granhiert." Reinhard replied.

Elsa Granhiert? Oh that must be the assassin who fought us yesterday, or... How long have I been out?

Subaru had forgotten about that. "Right, what the hell happened? I felt like a carriage hit me once I casted that spell." He rubbed the spot on his chest where he supposed his gate was.

"You used a spell that was incompatible with your gate, Subaru." Reinhard answered.

"Huh?"

"If you use a spell you don't have an affinity fyor, it can damage your gate quite badly, Natsyuki~." The cat boy explained, seeing the confusion that was painted on Subaru's face.

"I see."

"Subaru, this is Felix Argyle, he is the best healer in the kingdom. He healed your gate and your, burn wounds." Reinhard scratched his arm while saying that last part.

How much do you wanna bet he thinks my injuries are his fault? His Nice Guy levels are off the damn charts.

"I see. Wait, you said burn injuries? What exactly happened last night?" Subaru asked, he had obviously missed quite a bit during his unconsciousness.

Reinhard nodded. "Well, I don't know what happened before you passed out, but when I arrived..."

Flashback

Reinhard kicked the door down, he had been searching for Subaru for the past thirty minutes, and he had heard all the shouting from outside. Upon entering the room, he noticed the black haired assassin and the unconscious Subaru on the ground.

A silver haired woman had stopped her attacks to kneel down next to Subaru. The assassin took advantage of her distraction and charged forwards to attack her.

But even if you can run the speed of sound, you're no match for the Sword Saint. Reinhard jumped ahead and blocked the attacker's hit. "Black hair, poisoned blades. You must be Elsa Granhiert, the Bowel Hunter." He inspected her from toe to head.

"Red hair, powerful looking sword. You must be the Sword Saint. I'm so happy to have such interesting opponents." She grinned. She jumped towards him to strike, but Reinhard blocked with his bare hands.

It continued like this for a while, Elsa would jump back and forth, trying to harm him, and Reinhard caught the blade with nothing but his skin and almost infinite amount of Divine Protections. After several minutes, a beam from the ceiling fell to the ground. It was then that Satella remembered that the loot house is on fire. She tried to lower the temperature of the fire to extinguish it but she then fainted from over usage of mana.

Reinhard noticed several planks of flaming wood about to land on lady Satella, so he rushed towards her and pushed her out the way. Elsa then took advantage of the time frame and rushed towards the Giant. She jumped and was just a few inches from carving into his bowels when something grabbed her by the ankle with impressive strength. At this moment, Rom swung his club and clashed it against Elsa.

She could feel her skull shatter and her spine fracture, she was flung across the room and flew out the window. Reinhard quickly ran to the window to see if she was still alive, and if she was, he'd arrest her. But by the time he got there, she had disappeared. He sighed and hesitated chasing her but a glance back at the flaming building reminded him of the two unconscious bodies on the floor.

After a moment of hesitation, with great haste he evacuated them all from the building. Once outside, Rom approached him.

"If you hadn't intervened, I would have died. Thank you for that." He confessed, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Of course, but I don't think I could have beaten her without your help." Reinhard's humbleness seemed to be unlimited.

"You're certainly like the rumours say, you're not stuck up at all." Felt voiced, now standing next to Rom. "We would have been toast if not for you, thanks I guess." The thief's pride took a small hit from having to be saved like a damsel in distress. But it's better to have a damaged pride than to be dead.

Reinhard nodded and looked back at the two sleeping beauties. "Do you know these two?"

"They came into the loot house earlier, it seems we might have stolen something from them that they needed back." Rom admitted. "Please don't arrest Felt, you can arrest me just leave her please."

"Rom! I'm the thief here! Arrest me not him!" Felt yelled.

Reinhard shook his head. "I won't be arresting anyone today. I'm off duty, so I can unofficially disregard the stolen object part." He confessed. "In other words, I won't tell if you don't."

Felt was about to make a joke along the line of 'Doesn't that violate the knightly code' but she refrained from it, in the case that he changed his mind.

"So what did you steal from them?" Reinhard asked curiously.

"It's an insignia of some sorts." Felt stated. "I gave it back to him after finding out he's a spirit arts user. That was a surprising amount of spirits at his command."

Reinhard nodded. I saw first hand how high is affinity is. He can speak to them verbally and understand them too. I've never seen so many spirits condensed in such a small area, let alone in a heavy populated one. He could be dangerous, but my Divine Protection of Empathy earlier showed that he has no malicious intentions. He seems to be a bit more self-hating than the average person but I don't think he's evil.

Either way, back to the subject at hand.

"Where is it now?" He asked.

"He pocketed it." Rom responded.

Reinhard walked over to Subaru's pocket and pulled the insignia out. He recognised it instantly as a royal candidate insignia. In surprise, he dropped it onto Subaru's sleeping figure, and his heart skipped a beat as it started glowing.

He's a... He's a royal candidate?

End of Flashback.

"After that, I took you to this manor and Felix here was kind enough to heal you." Reinhard smiled, although he seemed to rush the second half of his sentence. He decided to keep the royal candidate part secret for now, thinking it best to tell him in private.

Felix giggled. "After you begged me to, yes. I healed you and your gate. I recommend to not use magic you don't have any affinities with, but other than that your gate should be as good as new~." He had stopped with the unnecessary 'y's but still spoke in that overly enthusiastic tone.

Subaru chuckled and then thanked him. He was about to ask another question before his stomach rumbled, interrupting him. "Ah. I forgot that I haven't eaten since. Well. How long have I been out?"

"Well, it happened the day before yesterday. We spent all of yesterday trying to heal you and then now you've woken up. It's currently morning and time for breakfast." Reinhard explained.

I haven't eaten for three days, sheesh.

He pulled his covers off and realised he was naked except for underwear. "Hey, what happened to my clothes?"

"They burnt in the fire."

Fuck.

"Felix, may I request to have a moment alone with Subaru, I need to tell him about.. That." Reinhard coughed.

Felix nodded and grinned, winked then left the room. Subaru raised a brow, Reinhard didn't need his divine protection of empathy to notice his confusion. "What do you need to tell me about?"

"Subaru. While you were unconscious, I pulled the insignia out of your pocket but then dropped it on you. While it laid on you, it glowed red... Subaru. No, Lord Subaru, you're a royal candidate."

Subaru went silent, chewing the inside of his mouth in thought Royal Candidate? No idea what that is. What does the insignia glowing on me mean?

"Sorry Reinhard, as I said before, I come from a far away place. I don't know what being a Royal Candidate means nor what the insignia glowing means." Subaru scratched his head.

Reinhard let out a simple "Ah.". He seemed to think for a few seconds before continuing. "Recently, the entire Royal Family died out to some unknown disease. A prophecy revealed that five candidates for the throne, to become the 42nd ruler of this country, would be born into this world. They could be identified by these Royal Insignia's, they would glow once in contact with a Candidate." He pulled an Insignia from his pocket, placing it in Subaru's palm and seeing it glow. "The Insignia glows in your hand, you have been picked by the Great Dragon Volcanica to become the new king of our Kingdom."

Subaru's mouth fell open. I AM QUALIFIED TO BECOME KING!? Wait, he said there are five of us. Does this mean there's gonna be some form of election? Close to democracy I guess.

"Lord Subaru, I would like to humbly request this of you." Reinhard got down on one knee and bowed his head. "Please, allow me to serve you as your personal Royal Knight."

… WHAT!? Okay.. Think straight, you can do this Subaru. He was able to defeat Elsa quite easily from what I heard, he must be quite a powerful knight. I see no reason to say no... But really? Me? King? Must be my lucky day.

"Of course! I'm new to all of this so I'm going to need someone to teach me everything from square one. But please drop the 'Lord' part. Or at least while it's just the two of us. Kinda makes me uncomfortable."

Reinhard lifted his head, he seemed surprised to hear the acceptance of his proposal. "Thank you L-... Subaru, I shall do my best to serve you."

Subaru grinned.

…

Subaru had finished his meal, when a rather tall man in rather peculiar clothes approached him. He wore makeup which reminded him of a clown. "Reinhard, I didn't know Jesters were actually real people. Do all nobles own one?"

Felix, who was on the opposite side of the table burst out laughing, while the Sword Saint just winced and bit his lip. "Subaru, this is Lord Roswaal. Lady Emilia's sponsor. And also the most powerful magician in the country."

Subaru's mouth widened. Ah, fuck. Is there any way more ways for me to mess this up?

"All is forgiven Lord Subaru, I heard you're participating in the election. I wish you the beeeessst of luuuuuck~." He spoke with a rather strange and irritating accent. "However you did heeelp Lady Emilia quite a biiiiit~... If there's anyway for me to repaaaaay you just say sooooo~."

So he's apparently the kingdom's most powerful magician? Should I ask him for information on magic? That could only benefit me.

"There is one thing actually. Would you have any sources of information on magic? Preferably the spirit arts." He asked.

"Of course, I shaalllll send a number of boooooks to the Astrea Estate as soooooon as possible~."

The accent annoyed him, but the books would be much appreciated.

…

Subaru and Reinhard were currently in a Earth Dragon carriage on their way to the Van Astrea mansion. "Hey Reinhard?"

"Yes, Subaru?"

"What happened to Felt and Rom?"

"Ah, they're still in the slums. I decided to not punish them."

Subaru went silent while considering something for a moment. "Would it be possible to maybe get Felt a job at the mansion or something? I know she's a thief but the thought of a young girl living in the streets when I could've done something to help bugs me."

Reinhard's eyes widened. "Of course."

'My Lord is even kinder than I could have possibly imagined. My Divine Protection of Judgement triggered earlier when I touched his shoulder and he has some sort of very powerful ability. I cannot detect what it is, but I know that it is there. Could it possibly be his high affinity for spirits? Maybe his ability is related to the control of spirits...

My Lord will make a perfect king. He is powerful, caring and although I don't know of his intelligence, I am sure he will make the correct decisions. I shall protect him with all of my being.'

I hope you somewhat enjoyed this chapter. This is once again just a filler/interlude for the upcoming storm.

Hopefully the next one shall be more entertaining. Expect one sometime next week (hopefully within 2-4 days.)