SIX PARTS OF FIVE

(PS: THIS A REMADE CHAPTER - THE SPEECH WAS VERY UNSATISFYING FOR ME TOO, SO I REMADE IT AFTER A GOOD NIGHT OF SLEEP! GAINED AN EXTRA THOUSAND WORDS!)

"I ask for silence from all present! Now, the great sage Miklotov McMahon will start the event."

That was the little bit of voice that escaped, in a serious way, from the mouth of a knight with a large and massive muscular bearing, a sharp face and green hair. In a simple gesture, he caught everyone's attention in the room with an upward clap of his hands.

The eyes were directed in that direction quickly, and the man quickly turned to the authorities behind him, bowing to them with respect with his head.

"We are grateful for your interference, Royal Knight Marcus Gildark." The old man, of advanced age at the center, referred to him. "Now, we'll start discussing what's really important here."

The white-haired man rose, the wrinkles only adding to his apparent wise character. The eyes were similar in brightness to the gleam of a blade belonging to a sharp sword. His beard was huge, running down almost to his feet, also entirely white. Thin and flabby, he nevertheless let out an atmosphere of great importance to the place.

"I'm grateful for everyone's attention... As you know, we are gathered here to discuss the situation in the Kingdom of Lugunica. My name is Miklotov McMahon, and I am the current political representative of the kingdom." He looked at Marcus. "But we all know that there is no point in continuing like this. It shouldn't go on like this."

With a flick of his gaze, he motioned for Marcus to come closer. As if he understood the message, he once more returned to a central position, away from the other knights grouped in neat ranks.

"Marcus, I ask you to explain the situation to everyone present." The old man turned the task over to him.

"Positively." He confirmed it, again with a polite gesture of respect. "As we all know, the Kingdom of Lugunica lost its only royalty worthy of the throne by blood. An epidemic of unknown origin affected the Castle and the Royal Family, causing countless disturbances and the loss of political stability in the Dragon Kingdom... In this scenario-"

"We can stop these stupid formalities, in fact."

A voice as sharp as a pin but which hit like a bullet reached everyone's ears. Curious at the unfamiliar presence, Ryan glanced in that direction, noticing a woman who was rather peculiar and who certainly drew a little too much attention.

"This is all unnecessary, and all you're doing is consuming mine precious time. There is no reason to say what everyone already knows. Stop this litany and let's get down to business, as this Kingdom will be guaranteed to me anyway."

She spoke again, slowly showing the face she hid behind a fan. Ryan could not deny that she was indeed someone very attractive. For all intents and purposes, she was close if not exactly the opinion of what he considered to be his version of a "perfect woman."

Redhead, with intense and striking curves, rich proportions and the perfect balance... He would have been interested in her, based on that alone.

"The body is fine, but... Personality is seriously lacking." He thought, watching as the scene unfolded.

Through just those few sentences, he felt a whole prideful character coming from her, and if there's one thing he generally hates, but especially when it comes to a love interest, it would be lack of humility. And this woman didn't seem to have a single drop of this all-important thing left.

... ... ...

"...!" Ryan's eyes widened as he noticed the scarlet woman's gaze being directed sharply in his direction for a couple of seconds. There was no way this could be a mere accident - the stare had been too intense and direct, specific in the extreme, as if she really meant to look him in the eye.

After a few seconds, she returned to her original position, being answered by Marcus, the Knight who represented her entire organization.

"Candidate Priscilla Barielle, we understand what you mean by this, but it is important that we know the formalities, after all-"

"Excuse me." A new voice entered the discussion. "As much as I never thought it would lead me to this, I have to agree with what is being said here."

She showed off. Something about that second woman reminded Ryan of his home—it was like there was a connection between what he saw and the reality he came from. It didn't take long for the boy to discover the reason, which was in the clothes. She wore a style that was very reminiscent of a mix of European and Russian styles as a whole.

She was covered in white, wearing appropriate clothing for mildly cold situations. Purple hair, like Julius's - who by the way was his knight - reflected in conjunction with star-shaped embellishments in his medium-sized hair. She had this atmosphere that Ryan couldn't quite define with a single word.

"Maybe… 'Gourmet'…? ... No... That's the kind of thing you'd say about food." He tried to think, putting a hand to his chin.

She was classy, like an actress or celebrity in his world. She also opposed Marcus, agreeing with the previous candidate.

"There is a popular saying in Kararagi that 'Time is money.' Listening to this kind of thing wastes my time, and therefore money. So let's speed up this process, yes? I have places to go after this!" She said, noting her presence.

"Oh? And who was it that asked your opinion on the matter?" Candidate Barielle immediately became hostile to the second, giving her a sharp look.

...but one that was quickly deflected. That candidate just looked straight ahead, smiling a little. It was an almost opportunistic smile, like the one from a crook. This was something Ryan easily noticed.

Marcus was prepared to try to make them conscious of the importance of being aware of the entire process, but before that could even happen, he was stopped once more, this time by a well-known, verdant-haired candidate.

"I must agree. We are all aware of the process. There is no reason for us to continue with this as it is." She said.

Crusch Karsten was at Felix's side. Ryan isn't the type to judge anyone by their looks, much less after learning that Felix is the greatest Water Mage in the Kingdom, being deserving of the title of "Blue" for his prowess with healing.

"And it always has that aspect: The guy who dresses like a woman almost always has some great power hidden in there...!" He refrained from laughing at that strangely factual thought.

At the moment, all the candidates were separated, which meant that Ryan wasn't anywhere near Emilia or any of the other six. Each was accompanied by their knights and, some, by their own team of warriors and servants, with exception of Emilia.

"I feel a bit left out here... Well, who told you to take a magical object and think there would be no consequences, Ryan you idiot...! You, who are so 'lucky' with this kind of thing...!" He thought to himself, mentally punching his own face.

He still felt the pressure Roswaal had put on it all. In no time at all, he would be forced to speak in front of everyone, and he wasn't even the least bit anxious about it all.

"Well, I think we should listen to everything, since-" Emilia tried to intervene in the situation, being opposed to the trend previously observed among the candidates.

"Shut up, half-witch! No one asked for your opinion on this matter." The redhead candidate was quick to bat.

"Okay, that wasn't cool...! That wasn't nice at all!" Ryan felt each of his nerves move under his skin as if it had a life of its own to hear that.

Emilia curled her pointy ears, looking down... It hit him like a stab. That expression was the only thing he didn't want to see in Emilia that day.

But if he looked a little to the left, he would be capable of a certain clown smiling almost invisibly to any observer...

"Do you feel like acting now, Ryan-kun?"

... ... ...

Emilia was verbally massacred in just a single couple of sentences. The population seemed to hate her so much for her resemblance to the Witch of Envy that just that would be the answer she would get if she tried to say anything.

... And while Ryan wanted to do something, he still forced himself to remain quiet... Or at least tried to. Gradually, it became more difficult to hide, to protect himself from a possible wave of criticism.

But even so, he managed to maintain control. It would not be a good thing to intervene right now, he felt. The moment was yet to come.

Marcus was forced to meet the demands of the candidates - or most of them, just. With the situation a little more under control, Miklotov has once again inserted himself into the situation.

"Reinhard Van Astrea, it seems to me that the candidate you represent and defend is not here at this exact moment... What would be the explanation for this?" He asked.

The Sword Saint just made his reference, saluting the old man, and then made an announcement that took everyone by surprise.

"She finds herself right here, and right now..."

The door to the place was violently opened by something. Looking at the door, everyone managed to come across the peculiar figure of a little girl with blond hair and eyes red as boiling blood. She was dressed in a yellow dress with white decoration.

"So that's what they did with Felt…? That's quite the change!" Ryan put a hand to his chin, admiring all the work they'd done with the girl.

She was a little plumper than before - not in the sense of being fat, but the little girl from the Slums looked significantly healthier. But even so, Ryan never thought she could be coined and carved into a most dignified lady.

"I guess we always get surprised."

That served to break the mood that had been established. He managed to forget a little of what they did to Emilia, and that calmed him down. However, Ryan also knew that this was going to get a little more bizarre from now on.

"I refuse to be part of this process! I was dragged into a Royal Selection over a place that never cared about me, and a nation that I don't care about! I don't see myself under obligation to be here!" She said, after running the entire length towards the place where the candidates were.

Getting there, before she could cause any other level of panic, Felt was stopped by Reinhard, who, with a single arm, grabbed his lady.

"Let go of me, you knight brute! I'll kick you...!" Felt tried to kick Reinhard in the face with a quick move, but even without looking, the attack was immediately stopped.

"With that, almost the entire process is complete, isn't it?" he asked, putting a smile that looked like it was made of plastic on his face.

"I do not want it! I never agreed to participate in this process...!" Felt continued to protest.

As Reinhard struggled to contain his Lady, Miklotov continued his speech. The noble whispers that spoke of Felt and her bad manners were soon stopped by the call.

" Ahem. Since all the candidates are here, there is an important revelation that must be made." He prepared himself.

The old man rose from his seat, showing his eyes to everyone. A serious revelation was being made, and that only increased the anxiety of a certain person in the audience, who gulped down their saliva and clenched their fists.

"First of all, we know that the prophecy spoke of five candidates. Each of those belonging to that designation would be identified by one of the Dragon Insignias. Here we have the five candidates, all gathered."

He stopped for a moment. Most didn't know where he was going by stating the obvious - after all, if everyone already knew the process would be that way, and there had already been protests against the repetition of the story, then why tell it again?

"But one thing has changed in all of this. The prophecy itself has undergone a drastic change."

Everyone's eyes widened, and there were even a few "Oh!" and "Ah!" in the watching audience. Priscilla hid her lips and nose under her fan, looking at Miklotov as if she'd just been insulted.

"We were all surprised by the change in writing a few weeks ago. I saw the writing myself, as well as some select witnesses, and I can affirm, by my own oath to Volcanica, that the text has been massively altered."

With a call from his hand, he called out to Reinhard and Julius, who were soon in front of everyone.

"Indeed it is the most pure truth." Reinhard confirmed.

"We saw the change with our own eyes." Said Julius, also kneeling, as well as his professional colleague and friend.

"With this, it can be seen that there is no doubt whatsoever. A sixth pillar will rise - one that will be completely different from the first five - will appear and can be the salvation or the downfall of the Dragon Kingdom... It is with these words that I let everyone here know that, although all five are here, the process is in fact incomplete."

He stopped for a few minutes, looking at each of the candidates. They all had a different reaction stamped on their faces.

Anastasia Hoshin, the merchant, didn't seem to be shaken by the news. If anything, she would be upset that she was wasting time, and with it, profit. She kept the fluffy parts of her expensive snow-white dress between her fingers, as a way to relieve the anxiety of wanting to get out of there and seeing the sacred coins enter.

Priscilla Barielle looked dismayed... It was like a hurricane was hitting her beach house in the summer! That news didn't make her the least bit excited, for whatever reason, and she was staring at a man without an arm, who wore a helmet covering his face, as if she wanted to murder him in front of everyone in the place.

Crusch looked thoughtful, but at the same time she was very alert. Among all those who did not know the truth beforehand, it could be said that she was one of those who acted more normally, with questioning and doubt at moderate levels.

Felt didn't seem to mind at all. She didn't even want to be there in the first place, let alone have to keep listening to that nonsense about nobles and heritages, coming from a country that was never less than oppressive to its existence.

But in the middle of it all, there was Emilia. She, though still a little shaken from the impact of suffering that repugnant response, was looking into a certain somewhat obscure corner of the place, where, with some searching, a certain person could be seen.

"... But, due to the fact that the sixth candidate has not yet been found, and the truth that Lugunica urges a real leader is that we have gathered them all here, so that you can publicize you proposals. Each of the candidates will promote themselves, citing their ideals and government plans."

"Oh? Now this should start to get interesting!" Ryan felt himself move emotionally. All that meeting, when it wasn't boredom, it was contempt and prejudice, so a change of pace would be more than welcome. " Not to mention that..."

He would finally be able to hear Emilia speak, say whatever she wanted everyone to hear... This moment was coming, and he would clap his hands for it. He would listen to her after all, that's what he promised.

One by one, the candidates began to introduce themselves. The first one moved, displaying the Dragon Insignia, which shone like nothing in the world. That candidate was Felt, the little girl who had no desire to rule.

"My name is Felt, and my government plan is for you all to kiss my ass! I'm not going to govern a damn thing, let alone be part of this stupid race!" She announced, generating a lot of murmurs and complaints among people.

"The expected of a sewer rat...! What were you thinking when you brought this creature from the Slums?!" A nobleman in the distance let himself be heard.

"But what a lack of education...! Expected from a troublemaker thief…" A noble woman said, covering her mouth.

Everyone had a horrible first opinion of Felt. Reinhard tried to smile as best he could, setting himself up as his lady's loyal companion.

"I understand your pain, Rein… I understand it…" Ryan, from the shadows where he was standing, began waving up and down, arms crossed.

Reinhard seemed to notice that. Through his numerous Divine Protections, he sensed that someone was referring to him, and looked in that direction, noticing the peculiar figure of the boy, who was once again surprised to find that he was noticed.

"Ryan...?" Reinhard questioned mentally, but soon tried to think of it as normal, and waved at him in an almost imperceptible way, with a broken smile on his face.

"Shoot! I've been spotted... Twice!" Ryan tried to calm down, and Reinhard also replied with an equal crooked smile of someone who was in a difficult situation.

... ... ...

"That's what you heard! I have absolutely no interest in this damn process!" Felt then withdrew, turning back as quickly as she had come there.

Felt's performance already represented an unexpected surge of energy for all present, and that only promised to get worse... Approaching that locality, Priscilla Barielle, the voluptuous woman dressed in flaming scarlet, hiding her face in her fan, said.

"As expected from a gutter rat. Watch and learn minimally how to replicate a tiny portion of my brilliance." She said, coming closer to the center.

"Why, you-!"

"Lady Felt, please don't let this kind of thing affect you." Reinhard tried to contain it before it could mean any danger to Priscilla... Or to herself, of course.

Priscilla fit in like nothing in the world. The woman arched her back, displaying an immense posture worthy of a highly controlling and authoritative leader. Her eyes shot at each person like a high-precision rifle shot, giving them the feeling they were seeing something big.

"Mineself doesn't need to worry about introductions. Soon, you will all be at mine feet, as this is the will of the world itself - everything works to benefit me, and it will last forever. You can consider mineself your newest King."

"Huh? So does she have some sort of skill that manipulates luck? Interesting…" Ryan, for a number of times he couldn't even count, put a hand to his chin. "I wonder if I could nullify that luck with my powers."

Luck can be denied, and it's not an absolute force, as many people think. For example, a sufficient amount of preparation can nullify any luck, but not one of supernatural origin.

And if a lot comes from unnatural sources, it means that it can also be nullified or denied by the same sources. A link to an external source can be cut, or an internal factor can be removed.

Thinking about it, Ryan made himself reflect. Absorbing Puck's Mana led to a peak in his powers, and he was now able to use spells of a higher order than just moving objects through the air or transporting himself through shadows.

It's not a matter of superstition - supernaturally acquired luck could really be a problem for Emilia or the other candidates, so removing Priscilla's luck would be a good step to take.

"I don't even know if [Probability Manipulation] even actually exists... Who knows? I could try."

Manipulation of odds and percentages, chances of failure and even the very own concepts of catastrophe and chaos in a certain situation - that is what, theoretically, this class of Magic does. The problem lies in the fact he doesn't know where to start.

"Anyway, I can try creating some spell later."

But that, for the most part, was just an elaborate attempt to deal with the nervousness. Ryan thought that if he could think of anything else, he could at least ease the feeling that was building in the depths of his chest.

"He looks more and more tense." Reinhard sent him a look. He could feel a growing emotional pressure in the place, which came right from the boy, through [Divine Protection of Empathy] .

... The problem was that he had to come back to reality at some point, and that was when Ryan determined that creating mental fantasies wasn't the best scenario. There were only three other candidates left, and he would be, whether he liked it or not, forced to speak.

Roswaal would announce it publicly if it didn't come from him immediately. Anyway, Ryan wasn't going to get out of there without needing to open his mouth.

The third candidate approached. "The woman in vaguely Russian costumes" - that's what he decided to call her until he found out her name. She, like the others, made her way to the center of the place, a few steps ahead of the others. Before she finally started to speak, she let one more of her highly bland, shallow smiles slip out.

"My name is Anastasia Hoshin, owner of the Hoshin Trading Company." Her name was heard for the first time. "People, I must say that Lugunica is really a phenomenal place. A beautiful culture, good views and landscapes, an infrastructure to envy, and people of the best category... But in the midst of all that, there is something that really bothers my merchant senses in this place..."

She then undid most of her smile in a single second, looking at everyone seriously, with a certain flame that glowed in the back of her eyes.

"The economy is absolute crap!" She said, sparing no words. "The country is in deficit , facing crisis after crisis... It can't go on like this, and I know I'm the only one who can resolve this kind of situation with my vast administrative talents. If you really want to live in a country where you can have economic dignity, I will be responsible. I will overhaul the entire commercial structure of the Kingdom and generate wealth and glory!"

A small group of Demi-humans, as well as Julius, are seen smiling as she speaks.

"I am a greedy gal, and everything I put in my hands, I make a point of making it grow, so that it gives an even greater return. Think about the grand scheme of things and make the right choice!" She finished by being the first to actually make a statement and not just say nonsense.

"While she seems to be minimally balanced, unlike that Priscilla, I'm a little afraid of those ideals... Mainly this 'business reform' thing." Ryan began to piece together some dots in his mind. "Lugunica has a relatively liberal economy, with the exception of group and Guild affiliations... So putting the government in that could be counterproductive for the vendors."

Free trade was undoubtedly a better choice. Lugunica was still a nation that lived, more or less, by medieval standards, but even so it seemed to have the support for a more liberal system of buying and selling.

"The State would certainly force a price and taxes on merchants, and that would not be appropriate. And considering how she talked about being a 'greedy gal', I don't doubt at all the possibility of a corporatist scheme starting to happen. She may want to eliminate competition and try to get a monopoly for her own company... Not to mention she doesn't intend to change anything other than commerce, which is baseless!"

Ryan has always thought that, whatever it is - a group, an organization, and especially a country - that it should always be governed with a certain level of charity. But Anastasia Hoshin's proposals were a bit far from that.

Having generated a somewhat positive level of impact on people, the girl withdrew with elegant gestures, being stared at by Priscilla, who never stopped despising the others in her mind.

And finally, it was the turn of the last candidate before Emilia. Crusch Karsten made her way to the same spot, and began to speak, her eyes glazed over at all who watched her.

"In fact, factors such as the economy and education of the Kingdom are below expectations. Looking from all sides, one sees problems that cannot be ignored. This is a reality we all know. Go out on the streets, abandon, even for a while, your way of life and you will see the way everyone really lives." She started to speak.

"Oh?" Ryan felt his curiosity piqued. "So she's going to be the first to give a generalist speech?"

"... But, there is only one problem that ends up standing out above all the others - The war! ... Every day, many of our young people leave their homes, never to return, consumed by the daily cruel shedding of blood on the battlefields. If I am made Queen, I promise to fight the harsh reality of war, so that better times may come to all, just as I will make the Kingdom prosperous, regardless of the failed protection of a Dragon that does not fulfill its commitments."

Soon, a large number of nobles start talking to each other aloud. Crusch's convictions were quite controversial, as she had just announced her desire to undo the millenary contract made with Volcanica, the Divine Dragon.

She hadn't made her reasons explicit, however, and that was what confused then even more.

Ryan could no longer formulate opinions or thoughts, as he was thinking of several other things, whether what to say, or how to behave in front of all these nobles... Every second, he trembled a little more, in internal panic.

"Breath... Breath, damn it!" He began to draw air slowly through his nose, releasing it through his mouth just as slowly. "And besides, the moment is arriving..."

Now it was Emilia's turn to speak in front of everyone. Seeking some comfort within herself, digging her way to trust, the half-elf slowly made herself look straight ahead, staring at everyone with her big purple eyes.

Many froze in place, many commented almost imperceptibly on the girl's appearance, but none had a truly neutral or positive expression. Emilia did her best to ignore that, raising her voice, letting the voice of her heart race.

... ... ...

"My name is Emilia. Just Emilia. I believe in a Lugunica- no, in a whole world of equality and happiness for all people..."

She started to speak. Emilia's voice was definitive, filled with the greatest desire anyone would ever see.

"I want to create a world where all people can be really equal and happy, without prejudice, inequality, violence, or anything else bad...! So I ask all of you... Let's make a country, a better world together...! Let's unite our hearts in a cause for the benefit of all, so that this possibility truly exists! Let's join hands towards a better future!"

... ... ...

Silence. Nobody had anything to say in reaction to that. There wasn't a single palm being clapped or a single cry of approval. And before long, people started commenting on a very specific topic.

"Those ears, and the hair..."

"It can not be..."

"We can't let a freak like this rule!"

"Monster!"

"We don't want your leadership, Witch!"

"Pathetic. As expected from a half-witch like you. It's less than scum! I don't even know what you're still doing here, alive and breathing in front of everyone!" Priscilla said, approaching her.

"Truly a shame. But what to do?" Anastasia said from the distance.

Nobody had the courage to say anything. Nobody did anything. Nobody wanted to do anything. In the end, no matter which words she used, everyone would see her as the evil that devoured half the world 400 years ago.

"Dreams of equality... What unprecedented nonsense! These seem more like the plans of a small child... Or rather, even a child would plan better than your inferior and maimed mind." Priscilla continued to torment her.

Emilia stared down at her, holding back the urge to cry as much as possible as most continued to repeat the negative comments.

"Big sister…" Felt was the only one who seemed to have any kind of pity for Emilia's situation.

In the end, that had been nothing but a mistake, wasn't it? They didn't want her there, and Emilia wouldn't stand a chance… Keeping her fists clenched, Emilia prepared to head back.

"You shouldn't even be alive, disgusting half-witch." To say this, the scarlet princess came dangerously close to her left ear.

... ... ...

"... Great! Incredible! Completely magnificent...!"

A strange voice, different from the others, being interspersed with a sequence of clapping.

"It's that weird guy from Loot House...!" Felt commented out loud.

A heavy silence ran across the space with those claps, and everyone took their eyes to where they came from.

"And who would you be to get involved in this?" Miklotov, who had been silent all the time, watched the boy's figure. "What's going on here is far from the subject of a mere civilian."

"Me..."

It was easy to see. To say he was nervous and anxious about the situation would be a huge understatement. His arms felt heavy, his knees felt weak, he felt like throwing up, and he could even feel his tongue quivering inside his mouth, whose jaw was spasming, moving on its own, held back by sheer brute force. His tongue still ached and caught the bloody taste of a bite he'd given himself earlier.

He trembled, almost like a flag in the wind, but he used all his strength and force to keep himself steady and stable, defying all the flow that did its best to deflect him. Despite all the pressure, he kept clapping his hands, moving closer to the center. An audible swallow of saliva was heard to echo for a few meters.

Emilia looked at him with a moderate amount of surprise, standing there, trying her best to be there, unable to defend herself.

He put a hand to his chest, ready to make a sly proclamation. As a certain rapper in his world would say, that was "Lose Yourself" time for Ryan.

"I... I'm the sixth candidate for the Royal Selection."

An "Oh!" collective cut all over the place. Everyone, every single nobleman maintained that expression of stunned surprise. Julius and Reinhard reacted the most strongly of all, and soon the young man with purple hair like his Lady tried to question Ryan rather sharply about that.

"That's a statement that shouldn't be made that way, Ryan... If you're kidding, I have to say it's a terrible joke."

Above all, Julius was a professional, so no matter how close the two were or if they had fought together in the past, he would still be as strict as ever with Ryan, demanding compliance with every rule. He could even go into battle to defend all Kingdom honor.

But, there were two people who felt the impact of that phrase in a vastly different way, and those were Reinhard and Crusch. Neither of them received the slightest sign that this was a lie from their Divine Protections.

With that, the Sword Saint approached, leaving Felt's company. With him, he brought the Insignia belonging to his Lady, and proposed a test.

"Sage Miklotov, shall I?" he asked, addressing the old man.

The elderly man could not stop looking at the trembling boy. With a very quick nod, he just confirmed it, prepared to find out about it. Reinhard delivered Felt's Dragon Insignia into Ryan's hands, and...

"Ryan... You..." Reinhard tried to say something.

Julius's eyes widened as much as most people's, and he had no say in what he had just witnessed, remaining glued in place, solid as a rock.

"See? I wasn't lying." Ryan plucked up some courage and lifted the object into the air.

Everyone was speechless. Who knew that an anomalous candidate would appear, after all, and that he would be just in absolute proximity to the other candidates?

All the candidates had been moved, but among the five, two were moved in a special way, being Priscilla and Crusch. The first could not let go of that look, while the second was more and more surprised.

Everyone was waiting for him to speak, and so he did. Ryan cleared his throat, taking a massive amount of air, and handing the object back to Reinhard, letting his voice be heard.

... ... ...

"First of all, I want everyone here to know that no, I will not participate in this process. The Royal Selection does not interest me in the slightest, and I do not wish to have any kind of ties with any government or military institutions in this place. So all of you can rest easy."

He sucked in air hard, trying to calm himself, which seemed to be working minimally. Ryan discreetly dug his nails into his palms.

"Given this choice, the conditions under which I discovered my candidacy are of little interest, as I refuse to be part of it, and in advance, nothing will change my mind... Having said that, I can begin to say what I come here to talk about really."

Ryan looked at Emilia. A little shocked by all that, the half-elf could only stare back, lips slightly parted, almost as if her time had stopped, just for that moment.

"When I arrived in this land that I still have little knowledge about, I didn't have anything, and that's not just a way of saying it. I really didn't have anything. I didn't know a single person, I had nothing but a few belongings, and I didn't even know if I'd be able to sleep properly that night. I was ready to stand under some tree or find some sheltered place that was empty and call it mine while I thought better of my own situation... You must all be wondering why I was saying this, I assume..."

Looking at Emilia in the girl's eyes, he felt a huge relief from all that tension. The change was physically visible to everyone when, once stiff, his shoulders literally slumped to his sides.

But only Emilia and a few of the other candidates saw the true meaning of it. On his face, there was a smile. An unusual smile. Emilia felt herself go back a few millimeters when she saw that.

... But the most extreme reaction came from someone rather unexpected. For the first time, a smile he had given her had been truly genuine, and Crusch didn't feel that violent gust leaving him with the gesture.

"... And it was on that very day that a person without any expectations or plans found something that... As much as I say... I will never describe all of this in the way it truly deserves... But there is there is one thing that yes, I can categorically state, it was that..."

The smile on his face gradually took on broader proportions, almost like a gesture of high admiration, eyes like those of a child admiring a candy. Ryan lifted his face as far as he could, looking up at the roof of the room.

"I was given everything I could ever want, even if I didn't deserve anything I was given. I woke up in a good bed, better than any I've ever slept in, ate good foods, which, although I couldn't taste any, I knew were made with immense amounts of feeling and care."

At that point, he no longer cared. Let them know he couldn't taste flavors! That was just a minor detail, just a bit more of information that wouldn't make that much of a difference, but it was still necessary.

"I met people who made me think that I could redo the process over and over again, just to get to know them again, I created more and more happy memories, memories that I never imagined I would one day be able to have... . I learned things, so many things, that sometimes I can't even remember right... I did some crazy things too, and I experienced too many things..."

As he said it, each of those scenes cut through his mind. Ryan remembered the various loops during the first week.

The moments when he dealt with Rem's fear and suspicion had given way to a feeling of great companionship. The two now walked from one side to the other, away from that previous reality, as if they were siblings.

The way Ram always criticized him and ordered him around, but at the appropriate and very rare times, it gave way to someone with a good heart, who was willing to listen while he talked about things like chips or mashed potatoes.

Beatrice's temper, which, while explosive at times, was also very sweet at others. He could never forget all the times he showed up at the Forbidden Archive, just to ask her to dinner or talk some nonsense.

Even Roswaal generated certain memories that he would keep forever, after all, how can you forget someone who goes around dressed as a clown wherever they go?!

Remembering all these aspects, Ryan closed his eyes, making the place silent once more for a few seconds, before looking straight ahead. Not necessarily for something or anyone - just forward.

"And that's why I can say that these days... For the first time in a long time, I felt truly happy." He let it go in an extremely simple way that didn't match all the tension that had been created. "And there is a reason for that."

His smile expanded a little more, now showing some teeth. As an unintended consequence, Ryan felt his eyes close, but he soon opened them, assuming a more peaceful expression.

"It was because I got a friend."

The next few seconds were taken up with an immense change of pace in speech. His jaw began to move on its own, trembling even more violently, so much so that he even had some difficulty in continuing to speak.

But even so, he continued. Even though his voice cracked, even though everyone saw that he was less than a step away from maybe starting to cry there. It was something that came from within, associated with a strange motivation that kept burning.

Words wanted out, and they would. They had to leave. Opening his mouth once more, everyone listened to that speech that came out so flawed and imperfect.

"She... When I met her, I never thought I could find someone like that, so kind, so caring... She was like a light that shone for me, driving out the darkness of all uncertainty... Not knowing who I was was, or what danger I could pose, she sheltered me... She... She-"

... ... ...

He stopped for several seconds. During that time, Ryan forced every muscle in his body, shutting his mouth and eyes tightly, and bringing his tongue to the top of his mouth, forcing it against the upper wall, drawing huge amounts of air.

... ... ...

"For the first time, someone smiled at me as their first reaction to seeing me, and that... For the first time, I met someone who didn't care what I looked like, how strange I could be, with the weird things I do..."

...

"For the first time, I met someone who didn't care about who I was, who didn't insist on knowing where I come from, who insisted on interacting with me and finding out more, and who wanted me to know things about her too... "

...

"A person who doesn't believe that dreaming about an ideal world is silly, who has ideals, and who likes to talk about them, and most importantly, that wants to be heard... A person who has a unique sparkle in her eye when she starts talking, who catches you in that, and then makes you want to listen and be more and more there...! And that manages to make you want to be a part of it too and see all this stuff happening in the real world! Beautiful things to hear because you know it's all true! You can feel it! "

With every word he said, Ryan seemed to get more hysterical and excited, as if he was being possessed by something... It was a feeling that just grew.

... Until he stopped, suddenly returning to a relatively calm state.

"Someone who doesn't ignore you when you start talking about different things and ideas... Someone who doesn't see you as a burden, who doesn't seek to ignore you at all costs, while maintaining a facade of friendliness... Someone who wants that you come back, that misses your company deeply when you get away just a little bit, that he doesn't like to see you always alone... That... Really cares about you, and that trusts you with her life."

... ... ...

"Thank you, Emilia. Thank you for everything. For giving me hope, for giving me light. For each and every single thing. Thank you for being this kind. Thank you for being you."

He said peacefully, facing the half-elf directly. The silence remained unbroken, two gazes connected like unbreakable chains... It was as if nothing could get in the way. Nothing should get in the way...

... ... ...

"Captain Marcus…! Captain Marcus, we have a problem...!"

A man dressed in the robes of a Knight Royal entered the room at a brisk pace. He looked highly desperate, sucking air into his lungs with difficulty as he ran towards the center of the room.

Everyone was moved by the commotion. Looking at the man, being supported by his colleagues, the nobles grew to fear.

"The Witch Cult... The Witch Cult is around...!" He repeated it over and over, as if he were in a state of great shock.

A great cry of surprise ran through the entire space, and as the others tried to take care of his condition and ascertain the information in a better way, an impact was heard...

"An explosion?!" Reinhard commented, as everyone felt the ground shake.

From the sound, it had been an explosive located some distance from where they were. Soon, the security protocols were activated and the Royal Guard placed the job of protecting the candidates from any danger on their shoulders.

"Damn it..! When everything was going so well...!"

"Ryan...!"

Emilia tried to reach out a hand, only to see him run away. Noticing this, Julius and Reinhard also tried to call for him, quickly losing sight of the boy. He didn't hesitate to run towards a shadow of the place, perpetually disappearing.

"That direction... It was Rem's! I need to get there...!"

AUTHOR NOTES

So guys! Major deviation happening! Next chapter: Witch Cult going all out!

The final part felt a little rushed because i was very tired of writing.

And the universal law of Re:Zero is also approaching...

Poor boy, so socially awkward...