The day began when Subaru opened his eyes. The room was lit only by a sliver of dawn, and he could barely make out his surroundings. As the rest of his body restored its functions, he stretched out and accidentally bumped Beatrice lightly on the top of her head.
The small spirit yawned as she stirred. "You're already awake, I suppose?"
Taking a deep breath himself, he affirmed saying, "Yeah. Did I have nightmares again last night?"
"Yes, in fact," she answered. "I'm a bit concerned about the frequency with which you have nightmares, I suppose. I'd like to talk to you about it when we return to Roswaal's mansion." She got up from the bed and left to get cleaned up.
Taking the idea from her, he donned his bathrobe and towel to freshen up himself. Upon reaching the bath, he found Wilhelm for the second day in a row. The white-haired knight smiled and said, "Ah, you're here early again. I must say I'm quite impressed, most young knights do not wake up so early to prepare for the day. Would you care to chat with an old man before we get about our business?"
Subaru admitted, "Oh, I usually don't rise at dawn. It must be something about being here that makes me get up so early. That said, I'd be happy to chat with you, Wilhelm."
It was a mostly one sided conversation from the older gentleman, but Subaru enjoyed hearing his tale. His fiercest battles were in the Demihuman Wars many decades ago, including the "fight" where he defeated the Sword Saint Theresia van Astrea in order to show his resolve to protect her, followed shortly by their marriage. His old eyes shined as he reminisced about her, and Subaru found himself taken in by Wilhelm's absolute love and devotion to her.
After speaking for what felt like half an hour, Wilhelm stretched out and apologized, "I've taken up more time than I intended, Sir Subaru. Thank you for allowing me to talk at length, and I offer you my best wishes for the upcoming event. Support your lady, and help her feel strong when she takes the stage."
Subaru thanked him, and the two got out of the large bath. The young knight made his way back to his room and took no extra time to grab his uniform and change into it. Exiting the washroom, he went to sit down with Beatrice on the sofa.
She looked up and told him, "Bubby's contractor will join us shortly, I suppose. He informed me a few minutes ago that she was nearly ready. She slept a bit later than you, so you haven't missed her despite taking so long in the bath, in fact."
He wiped his head and sighed in relief. Somehow, he was lucky enough that talking to Wilhelm hasn't set anything back. Patting Beatrice's head, he thanked her. "You're the best, Beako. No one could cover for me as well as you!"
She blushed and quietly said, "You're welcome, I suppose."
Right on cue, Emilia knocked on their door. "Baru-tan, Beatrice, I'm ready now!"
The knight and spirit simultaneously rose and headed for the door. He greeted Emilia with a big smile, which melted her 'still half-awake' face away. "It's time for the big day, Emilia-tan. I'll be with you the whole time, so don't feel frightened when you're at the castle."
The half-elf slowly nodded her head with a slight smile, and then grabbed onto his hand. She blushed as she asked him, "Can I hold your hand, at least until we get to the castle? I'm still reeeaally nervous."
He smiled and wrapped his fingers snugly into hers. "I'll hold your hand as long as you need me to, Emilia-tan."
She smiled wider, and quickly nodded. Beatrice followed alongside as the two quietly made their way down to the grand entrance hall. The three were greeted by Crusch, Ferris and Wilhelm wearing their formal outfits for the public announcement.
"Good morning Lady Emilia, Subaru, and Beatrice." Crusch looked at where Emilia's hand was joined to Subaru's. "Are you feeling a bit nervous, Lady Emilia?"
Emilia blushed a little and confirmed, "Y-Yeah, just a little bit. I've never been in front of an audience like this before."
Subaru looked over and quietly chided her, "Emilia-tan, I know Crusch is a very honorable opponent, but you still shouldn't tell your rivals things like this."
She quickly put her hand over her mouth and looked down a bit dejectedly. Crusch reassured her, "It's ok, Lady Emilia. I was nervous the first time I had to speak in front of a bunch of knights and nobles, too. May the day go well for both of us." Emilia looked back up and smiled, and the trio made their way out to the dragon carriage.
"Emilia-tan, Roswaal is planning to join us, right? It doesn't seem right for your sponsor to not be here with you at the public announcement." Subaru sounded concerned as he walked with Emilia and Beatrice.
"Oh, I talked to him before we left," she answered. "He should be arriving in a few minutes to join us for the ride. He said he had urgent business in his domain yesterday and couldn't join us on the road."
She then looked up, detecting a strong magical presence. Subaru and Beatrice also looked up to spot a quickly descending caped magician. Within a few seconds, Roswaal had landed perfectly in front of the trio sporting his usual clownish smile.
"I apo~logize for not joining you sooner, Lady Emilia. Nevertheless, I am no~w ready to join your ride to the ca~stle." The eccentric lord bowed and entered the carriage, which prompted the trio to follow him inside.
The two girls took their places on either side of Subaru, much to Roswaal's amusement. "Miss Beatrice, I di~dn't realize you had grown so close to our knight in such a short period of time."
She dismissed him, saying, "How I feel about him isn't your business, I suppose. You of all people should know that a spirit and contractor should always have a close bond, in fact. All mages and spirit arts users should know that."
He shrugged and smiled. "If you sa~ay so, Miss Beatrice, then I will si~mply have to agree."
He then adopted a rare meaningful look as he faced Subaru. "Sir Su~baru, Lady Emilia, I've already sent a carriage on ahe~ad to the castle containing the head and heart of that A~rchbishop you defeated, like you requested."
Subaru's face lit up. "Great! With this evidence, Emilia should look more like a rising hero than anything else."
Roswaal smiled once again. "Ve~ry good, Sir Subaru. Once aga~in, I see I've made the right choice bringing you i~nto our camp. I ha~dn't even thought of using the Archbishop's corpse in su~ch a manner."
Every time he looked at his enigmatic smile, Subaru felt a chill down his spine. Something about it just wasn't right. So far, however, Roswaal has been a powerful ally and hasn't shown any indication of secretly being horrible. Unless he obtains proof that Roswaal is evil, he just has to smile and keep moving forward with Emilia.
Emilia unconsciously began to lean against Subaru, lost in her thoughts. Even with Roswaal as her sponsor, Subaru as her knight, Puck as her spirit, and Capella's dragon head as proof of their ability, she still feared the worst from the announcement. She had even chosen to wear her magical cloak to conceal herself until she had to present her identity. The party yesterday was a great relief from having to worry for a while, but the pressure was back on for her.
"—ia-tan?"
She became alert again as Subaru got her attention. "Oh, I'm sorry, Baru-tan. I was just lost in my thoughts. You're going to be with me the whole time, right?"
"Of course," he confirmed. "I won't leave your side for even a second."
She weakly replied, "Good. I don't know if I'll make it through if you aren't with me."
The carriage ride continued quietly. It wasn't long before it came to a halt, and the driver opened the door. Roswaal exited first, followed by Subaru who helped Emilia and Beatrice out of the carriage. The entry plaza of the castle was well decorated, but it felt painfully lifeless. No one was walking through or even working in the gardens, and two knights stood silently in front of the main entrance. A heavy air hung above the courtyard, making Emilia feel even more uneasy than she already had.
The four quietly made their way over through the courtyard and into the castle with no issues. Emilia continued to hold Subaru's hand, while Beatrice quietly walked beside him. Normally, she would have complained about the situation, but she held her tongue for the occasion.
At the gate, the two knights nodded at Roswaal, and allowed the group inside. A robed man, whom Subaru identified as one of the members of the Council of Sages, greeted them. "Welcome, Margrave Mathers. I assume the hooded woman is the candidate whom you are sponsoring?"
Roswaal nodded, wearing his usual aloof smile. "Of co~ourse, Councilor. This is Lady Emilia, and her kni~ght, Sir Subaru. The young girl is actually a spirit by the name of Lady Beatrice, and she is contracted with Sir Su~baru. All fo~ur of us are here in suppo~rt of Lady Emilia."
The councilmember accepted his answer, and then he led them toward a lobby where they would await the event's start. Subaru and Emilia were pleasantly surprised to find Reinhard waiting around with a slight grin, along with an energetic girl that they had almost forgotten would be there.
"Big bro! Long time no see!" The radiant smile on Felt's face was a sight for sore eyes. Subaru barely had time to appreciate her regal black and yellow dress before she dashed over and hugged him.
Subaru chuckled as he embraced her in return. "Nice to see you too, Felt! We were so focused on keeping Emilia-tan prepared, we sort of forgot about the other people that would be here!"
He pointed out Emilia, still wearing her anti-recognition cloak. It took her a second, but Felt could then recognize Emilia as she smiled at her. "Big sis, you're here too!"
Reinhard chuckled and walked over to the group as Felt gave Emilia a hug. "Subaru, I'd love to say it's been a while, but it has really only been a day. Regardless, it's a pleasure to see you and Lady Emilia again—and Miss Beatrice, of course. Margrave Mathers, a pleasure as always to greet you."
Always the formal one, Subaru thought. Roswaal silently bowed in greeting to the Sword Saint, maintaining his distance from the friends. The two Royal Candidates and their knights were about to catch up when two more candidates arrived. Crusch strode in with her head held high beside Wilhelm as Ferris meekly walked behind her, while a purple-haired woman with a neutral expression walked alongside Julius.
So, that must be that woman Julius mentioned, Subaru thought. Crusch, Felix and Julius all smiled as they approached their rivals and fellow knights.
"Pleasure to see you again, Subaru," said Julius as he extended a handshake to his protegé. "I'd like to introduce you to the candidate I'm sponsoring as a member of the Juukulius family, Lady Anastasia."
Anastasia grinned girlishly, but politely introduced herself. "Hiya, I'm Anastasia Hoshin! Ya may know me as the head of the Hoshin Tradin' Company. Julius here likes to talk ya up quite a bit, ya know." She shook hands with Subaru before turning to address Emilia.
"Lady Emilia, I see ya're doin' well. Since this is officially our first time meeting, nice ta meet ya." She smiled with the demeanor of a business executive. It was clear to Subaru that she didn't personally care for Emilia, which was not a shock. However, she was willing to be polite even in private, much to his relief.
Emilia returned the gesture and said, "Of course, Lady Anastasia. It's nice to meet you too."
The group mingled a while longer before the last Candidate finally appeared. A fiery-haired woman around Emilia's height in a black-and-red dress marched in followed by a nearly bare-chested man wearing a concealing knight's helmet. Upon closer inspection, Subaru realized the man was missing his whole left arm below the elbow, and his visible body was littered with scars.
While she was still out of earshot, Julius quietly told Subaru, "That's Priscilla Barielle, the only candidate you've yet to meet. If she talks to you, I would suggest keeping your introduction short."
The nasty-eyed boy looked stunned, but he silently nodded. Priscilla stood at a distance from the gathered Candidates, Knights, and others present, and scanned through the assembled people. She stopped at Subaru, staring at him with the look of a predator lying in ambush. To his surprise, she suddenly began walking toward him. She held a fan in front of her face, only showing her eyes to him.
"You. Who are you?" She demanded of him.
Holding back his nervousness, he answered, "I'm, er, Subaru Natsuki Juukulius, of the Royal Knights." He had to hold himself back from sighing at his own lame introduction.
Her eyes widened ever so slightly as she responded, "I believe mineself has heard that name somewhere before. It must not have been important if thine name is one that fails to stay in mine mind." She didn't give him a chance to respond before she closed her eyes, turned around and walked away.
In his confused state, he was surprised to hear a voice in his head.
Such a rude woman, I suppose. She has no right to get off treating my contractor so poorly, in fact.
Beako? Since when have you been able to talk to me telepathically?
I've had the ability since I contracted with you, in fact. Until now, there was no reason for me to use it, I suppose. I guess I should apologize for not telling you sooner.
Subaru closed his eyes for a moment, before looking down at the spirit by his side. She looked miffed as she stared off at the haughty woman. He gently patted her shoulder, which caused her to look back up at him.
Don't be bothered by her. You and I are too awesome to be bothered, right Beako? He smiled down at her and gave her a thumbs up.
She sighed as she thought to him, If my contractor says it's true, then it is, I suppose.
Priscilla's unexpected remark had left the room in a state of awkward silence, broken only when the councillor from earlier arrived to inform everyone in the hall it was nearly time to begin the event. The members of the four camps other than Felt and Reinhard lined up in their respective groupings, and slowly made their way into a grand hall where nobles and knights from across the kingdom awaited them.
After the first four camps entered the hall, Reinhard entered alone. No one could comment on it, because introductions had already begun. The speaker was Miklotov McMahon, considered the head of the council and also one of the most respected people in the Kingdom of Lugnica.
"Welcome, Candidates. With this Selection event, all in the Kingdom shall know of your roles in society as well as your promises should you be chosen to become the next Dragon King. All of you will be given time to address these matters, and the Dragon Stone shall make the events here known to all." The elderly sage then turned to Reinhard, and addressed him.
"Sir Reinhard, we had been made aware you had found the fifth Royal Candidate. Might I inquire as to her whereabouts?" His gaze didn't waver as he addressed the Sword Saint.
Reinhard simply replied, "I intend to reveal her at the appropriate moment, when it is time for her speech."
Miklotov nodded, having accepted this answer. "Very well. Candidates, you may come to deliver your speeches for all to hear." He backed away, clearing the podium for the candidates.
Priscilla made her way to the podium with no hesitation, smiling devilishly as she prepared to speak.
"Mineself will be the next Dragon King, simply because the world works in mine favor. Frankly, this entire Selection means nothing because of that, so therefore mineself would suggest you prepare for mine coronation immediately. You may all refer to mine glorious self as Priscilla Barielle."
Everyone was shocked by her bold and brash speech, but she simply walked away without giving anyone a chance to question her. The others looked at each other for a moment before Crusch made her way to the podium with Ferris and Wilhelm. She briefly gazed upon the gathering, and took a deep breath before addressing the crowd.
"Citizens of Lugnica! For too long, we've suffered losses as the result of aggression along our national borders. Not just the lives of good soldiers, but also the lives of innocent families have been taken by the skirmishes allowed by the other countries. As King, I, Crusch Karsten, will recruit more soldiers, but also more Royal Knights to supplement our standing army as well as the domains across our kingdom. We have a serious lack of new talent among the Royal Knights, and by allowing more people to demonstrate their inner abilities, we could strengthen our country."
She paused for a moment to reflect on her words, looking at Subaru. Then she continued, "My friend Sir Subaru here with us is a prime example. Had he not been discovered by a Royal Knight himself, we would have missed out on his talent as a spirit arts user and his absolute devotion to protecting those around him."
Subaru's face flushed red for a moment, and Emilia smiled because her knight got recognized on the national stage for all to hear. Crusch finished her speech with her head held high:
"As we all know, we are the Dragon's Kingdom of Lugnica, but where is the dragon? Where is Volcanica? We have suffered greatly in the past many decades from border conflicts, the Demihuman War, and repeated attacks from the Witch Cult. The dragon has failed to appear even once throughout all of these events. What reason have we to keep binding ourselves to a contract with a dragon that does not even hold up its end of the bargain?!"
Murmurs could be heard through the crowd as she paused.
"If you elect me as the Dragon King, I promise to be the last one, and I will sever the contract. The next king after me shall be the first Lion King in ages, whereupon man and demihuman alike shall take control of their own destinies!"
The crowd continued to chatter, as nobles and knights alike whispered accusations of treason while speculating the possibility of a return to Lion Kings. An older nobleman shouted out, "Sever the contract with the dragon? Have you gone mad?! What will happen to us if disaster strikes once more and the dragon doesn't respond because it's no longer bound to?"
Crusch roared in response, "Are you saying these past events were not disasters? The dragon hasn't been responding to disasters in decades! We will persevere with our own strength and ability, just as we have been doing! This time, however, we will have the extra military strength to effectively do so!"
More speculations were murmured, as some began to share her doubts of the dragon's responses while the nobleman with no further rebuke sat down. With no further questions, she stood back as Ferris raised his ceremonial blade in the air and called out, "I am Felix Argyle, Royal Knight and holder of the title 'Blue', and I support Duchess Crusch Karsten's campaign!"
Shortly after, Wilhelm took out his not-so-ceremonial sword and announced, "I am Wilhelm van Astrea, the Sword Demon, and I also support Duchess Crusch Karsten's campaign!"
They could hear the crowd talk about Wilhelm and how surprised they were to see him actively supporting a Royal Candidate. The three left the stage, making way for the next candidate. Subaru and Emilia looked on hesitantly while Anastasia took the opening to take the stage next with Julius. The Greatest Knight took an opportunity to give Subaru a friendly nod, which the younger knight returned. On stage, Anastasia delivered a speech that highlighted her logic and reasoning abilities.
"Good day, citizens of Lugnica. My name is Anastasia Hoshin, the head of the Hoshin Trading Company. As y'all might guess, I'm quite good at managin' money and economies of scale. I've seen how the Royal Treasury is barely able to pay even its most basic dues, and it ain't because they're not collectin' enough taxes. My aim is not only ta refill the coffers and get this country back on its financial feet, but also ta bring prosperity t'each and everyone of ya!"
The knights were largely silent, but the nobles seemed particularly interested in an economic solution to the kingdom's troubles. After her brief pause, the merchant princess continued.
"Now, I know a lot of y'all realize I ain't from Lugnica, and ya might think maybe I don't have the best interests of the country at heart. To that, I say, what does my nationality really matter? Bein' the king would be such a boon for my business it ain't even funny! I'd absolutely put the wellbeing of the kingdom first in order to ensure we're all prosperin'! I can't very well profit if the kingdom goes down in flames, so ta say. If ya elect me, we'll all come out richer in the end."
A younger noble called out, "What about our border security? No one will want to become a soldier if they can earn all their money without sending at least one grown kid to the military!
The purple-haired woman laughed before answering, "Border security'll be fine when we produce enough goods ta fully supply the rest of the world. No one'll want to attack the country providin' em with all of their needs and wants!"
Minor arguments broke out among the nobles, while the knights looked at each other as they considered her words. With no other questions, Julius raised his sword and declared, "I am Julius Juukulius, known as the Knight of Knights, and I support and sponsor Lady Anastasia Hoshin's campaign!"
The discussion continued on as the two left the stage. Only Emilia and crew had yet to take the stage before Reinhard's public revealing of Felt, but she still froze up in worry. Sensing her nervousness, Subaru took hold of her hand again, and he looked into her eyes.
"Don't worry," he said reassuringly, "you've got this, I promise you. I'll be beside you the whole time, as will Roswaal. You've been practicing your speech since we defeated that Archbishop. I know you can do it."
She slowly began to smile again, and she quickly nodded as she took a deep breath. She finally removed her concealing hood as she got up on stage with Subaru and Roswaal while Beatrice stayed behind to watch.
Before she could even talk, the flames of outrage were already fanning in the crowd.
"A devil?!"
"Demon half-elf!"
"Witch's vessel!"
Only the nobles dared level such accusations, though the knights certainly said nothing in her defense. One prominent nobleman shouted, "Margrave, what is the meaning of this? Is this another of your sick jokes, parading a half-elf devil as if she's a legitimate Royal Candidate before us?"
Roswaal answered in his same jestering tone, "But of co~urse she is legitimate. Do you dou~bt the power of the Dragon Stone and the indicator jewels?"
On cue, Emilia raised her jewel in the air, displaying to all that it indeed shone red. While it put to rest the accusations she was illegitimate, the criticisms did not end. She waited until the crowd quieted some, and began her prepared speech.
"Hello, everyone. My name is Emilia, just Emilia. My wish as King is to bring an end to inequality throughout Lugnica, and to protect the weak from those who would oppress them."
The nobles laughed at her introduction and mocked her words.
"How does a devil protect the weak?"
"Oh, there'll be no inequality when the Witch oppresses everyone equally!"
"No one would elect such an obviously bad candidate!"
Subaru could feel his blood boil as they continued to mock her. However, Beatrice's vigilant stare caught his eye before he could say anything.
My contractor is too awesome to be bothered by these idiots, I suppose.
Her thought helped him to shake off his frustration. He held Emilia's hand just a little firmer to remind her that he was still there, giving her the strength to finish her speech.
"I know there are doubts about my ability to help people, and that's why I've allied with people who have proven they can! With their help, we have succeeded in taking down an Archbishop of the Witch Cult, which I intend to prove right here and now!"
The crowd was shocked to silence. A large double door opened, revealing a covered wagon. After being wheeled in, the cover was removed to reveal the head and heart of Black Dragon Capella.
"These are remains of Capella, who self-identified as the Sin Archbishop of Lust. We defeated her in this form by removing her heart and carving it in half. This was possible thanks to my knight and his spirit's arts which disabled her long enough to do so. We intend to continue fighting to keep everyone safe, whether from mabeasts or cultists!"
A not-insignificant number of knights were amazed by what her camp brought forth, and they started to think that perhaps she isn't evil after all. The nobles, however, were largely unconvinced. A noble who'd been silent until then asked, "How can we be sure these are truly the remains of a Sin Archbishop, and not just part of a dragon's corpse you found in a cave somewhere?"
Similar questions spread through the crowd, fueled by their doubt of her achievement. They did not last long, however, when Emilia received an unexpected defender.
"This woman was well known for her shapeshifting abilities, and we've had knowledge that a black curse dragon was indeed one of her known forms." Miklotov himself had stepped forth to deliver intelligence proving Emilia's claim.
"We will inspect the teeth to determine whether this is a curse dragon or not." He and another councilman walked to the head, and opened its mouth. Sure enough, the razor-sharp teeth indicative of a curse dragon were present.
"This is indeed the mouth of a curse dragon, and the last known curse dragon died before even the Witch set foot in this world. That this corpse is still relatively fresh certainly adds a lot to her claim that this is in fact the Sin Archbishop of Lust's corpse."
Miklotov then turned to Reinhard. "Sir Reinhard, you have a Divine Protection to determine a person's truthfulness, correct?"
The redhead knight nodded. "Indeed. Lady Emilia has not lied in her entire exchange, from identifying the corpse to the method of the Archbishop's defeat."
The other candidates, their knights, and several in the crowd were amazed when they heard Reinhard's words. Ferris whispered to Crusch, "You didn't see any lies either, did you my Lady?"
A wide-eyed Crusch shook her head. "No, Ferris, as far as I can tell she did not lie."
Miklotov addressed the camp. "It would seem we owe you all our gratitude for defeating a particularly brutal member of the Witch Cult. The Council of Sages will prepare honors for you at a later time." With no further words, he and his fellow councillor returned to their positions.
Some of the knights began to doubt their first impressions of her, but the nobles still seemed antagonistic. Emilia could hear them still calling her names and unwilling to trust her words despite all the evidence proving her claim. She only had one part of her speech left to deliver that Subaru had insisted she add.
"We are not only sponsored by the Margrave, but members of my camp also have control of powerful forces. Sir Subaru is currently contracted to a great spirit of Yin, with us here today." Subaru pointed out Beatrice to the crowd, much to their confusion, but she quickly proved herself with her arts.
"Murak."
She effortlessly floated over to her contractor's side, and followed up with another spell.
"Neutrino."
The entire room suddenly felt very heavy, as though gravity had increased significantly, though not enough to cause any harm or structural damage. She released the spell after a few seconds, leaving the nobles to catch their breath.
Emilia continued with her speech. "I myself am contracted to the Great Spirit of Fire." Puck popped out from her hair as people asked in disbelief if they heard her correctly.
For his demonstration, he quickly reduced the temperature of the room from an uncomfortable heat to very, very cold in an instant. As the temperature rose back to normal, he announced, "That's me, the Great Spirit of Fire, also known as the Beast of the End."
"The Beast of the End?!"
"How can the Witch's lookalike command a true Great Spirit?"
"Does she intend to scare us into submission?"
Emilia answered the questions. "Using the power of not only my contracted Great Spirit, but also my knight, my sponsor, and the other highly talented members of my camp, we will protect the oppressed and bring equality to all citizens of Lugnica."
Despite her best efforts, the crowd was still mostly against her, but she could hear positive murmurings, especially among those who disliked Priscilla's attitude, Crusch's anti-dragon stance, and Anastasia's capitalist approach. She had not won the day, but at least she wasn't in the absolute worst position she could be in. She backed off, and Subaru raised his sword while he exclaimed, "I am Subaru Natsuki Juukulius, junior Royal Knight and Knight Commander of the Mathers Domain, and I support Lady Emilia's campaign!"
Subaru felt his heart race as his sword hand sweated. Roswaal raised his hand in the air, summoning a spectral blade of flames as he called, "I a~am Roswaal L. Mathers, Margrave and Lord of the Mathers Domain, and I spo~nser Lady Emilia's campaign."
The group walked offstage, and Subaru could see that Julius, Ferris, and Reinhard all looked at him with astonishment. He recognized he would have to make time to tell them all the story of Capella later. As debate and outrage distracted the nobles, Reinhard opened the candidate's entry door and Felt appeared with no fanfare.
The knights immediately took notice of the fact that she was blonde and red-eyed, which could indicate her bloodline. She made her way to the stage with a scowl on her face accompanied by Reinhard. When the nobles finally realized the final candidate was upon them, the outrage began anew among those who recognized her.
"That girl! She's a thief from the slums, known for stealing items left and right while constantly eluding capture!"
"First a devil, now a sewer rat? What kind of a farce is this?"
Felt, however, was undeterred by the criticism. She boldly declared, "You all have a lot of nerve calling the last surviving member of the Royal Family a sewer rat, you know!"
All focus was on her and her seemingly insane declaration. She continued, "That's right, I'm a member of the old Royal Family, the kidnapped daughter of Ford Lugnica. Since I am the only legitimate heir to the throne present, I could say that this selection is actually unnecessary."
An uncomfortable silence permeated the room. If she's telling the truth, can she truly just cancel the election and claim the throne like that? After a brief pause, however, she continued.
"Unfortunately for me, the Dragon Stone disagrees with me on that, so I will participate in the selection to win the throne fair and square. When I get elected, I'm tearing all this stupid crap down! Why do we need a nobility that squeezes the poor dry, anyway?! You should have to do the same hard labor that everyone else does to live, too! It's so unfair that some lords tax their lands without even maintaining a proper army to protect their villages and towns!"
The nobles started to whisper about their fear of this girl; with her talk she could become immensely popular among the poorer folks and win without a single noble vote. The knights were somewhat more sympathetic, having been called on more than a few times to support useless small-time lords with poorly-trained soldiers.
With fire in her eyes, Felt concluded, "There's little reason to support an establishment that does not support its citizens adequately, and I intend to rebuild it the right way."
Reinhard raised his sheathed Dragon Sword, and declared, "I am Reinhard van Astrea, the Sword Saint, and I support and sponsor Lady Felt's campaign!"
Groans could be heard throughout the nobility.
"At this rate, either the Witch lookalike will curse us, or miss Savior of the Poor here will make us destitute!"
"Why did the Dragon Stone choose such bizarre mismatches as Dragon Maidens?"
Miklotov took the position at the podium once more.
"That will be all for today's event. From here on out, the Dragon Stone will record all the deeds of the Royal Candidates and their camps for all to know and acknowledge. The next event will be held two years from now to review their deeds and to see how the public's view of these camps have changed between now and then. Until then, best of luck to all the Royal Candidates."
With the event concluded, the camps filed out. Several nobles and knights went to inspect the corpse of Capella for themselves to further try and verify or rebuke the evidence. All the camps, aside from Priscilla and her as-of-yet unknown knight, were somewhat exhausted from their speeches, and took to the private corridor for a moment's rest before they left the castle for good. Subaru sighed rather loudly in relief, gathering himself once again, when Priscilla's helmeted knight approached him.
"Hey bro, nice work, really! Killing that Archbishop, I mean." The knight had a rough, mature voice, like someone who'd been smoking for years into his middle ages. "Oh, uh, sorry for surprising you like that. I'm Al. Actually Aldebaran, but Al for short. I'm Princess's knight, you could say."
Subaru was stunned by the casual demeanor of the mysterious knight. "Oh, yeah, hi. I'm Subaru—wait, Aldebaran? Like, the star?"
Al's helmet made a clunking noise as he nodded. "Yeah, yeah! And you're named for the star cluster, and not the company, right?"
Subaru was awestruck by his response. His name hadn't made anyone ask about its origin—until now. "Al, are you from, well, Japan?"
"I...think so? It's been so long I can barely remember, but that sounds right." The helmeted man continued to amaze Subaru. "To be honest, I've forgotten most things about Japan, and Earth, just that I once lived there. For some reason, hearing your name made me remember the stars and the company, but I can't really recall much else."
Subaru could barely respond, "So, I'm not the only person from Japan, or Earth for that matter, to get isekai'd here. Well, Al, I hope as a fellow Japanese man you'll help watch my back when I need it!"
Al responded, "I'll try to as long as you don't make Princess angry, bro! I'd prefer not to die in this world, you know? Not until my natural death."
The nasty-eyed boy laughed. "Ha, yeah that makes sense. I'll let you go so you can get back to 'Princess' before she gets upset with you."
Al thanked him, and went back just to get clonked by Priscilla's fan upon arrival. Subaru swore he could hear the man complain about constant abuse, and watched apprehensively as she continued to whack him as they left.
Boy oh boy did I dodge a bullet by being refused a meeting with her! He wiped his slightly damp forehead as he thanked his lucky stars. Just then, Emilia tapped his shoulder, and he turned around to find her looking confused.
"Subaru, what were you talking to him about? I heard something about stars and Japan and Earth, what's all of that? Is Japan the town you grew up in?" She tilted her head with a quizzical expression.
He sighed and responded, "It's, uh, a little hard to explain at the moment, but I promise I will when we get back to Roswaal's mansion, ok?"
She pouted, but then she smiled again. "Ok, Subaru. Oh, thank you for helping me keep calm back there. I don't think I could've done it without you there. I still wish the crowd would've been more receptive, but I guess they all want to see me as a villain and nothing else."
She then hugged him, holding him close, and she whispered in his ear, "You're the best, Baru-tan."
His expression melted into a goofy smile like a child for a moment before he quickly corrected himself. She let him go and turned back to see Crusch, Ferris, and Wilhelm approaching. Crusch looked impressed as she commended Emilia and Subaru.
"You slew an Archbishop of the Witch Cult, and managed to keep it a secret until now? I admit, Lady Emilia, I was as shocked as everyone else when I realized you weren't making up your story. And Subaru, you and Beatrice incapacitated her long enough to kill her! I retract what I told you the other day, being able to contract a great spirit isn't what's so amazing, but rather that you can work with one to take down an Archbishop of the Witch Cult! At this rate, you'll give Julius a run for his money as a spirit knight!"
Wilhelm also commented, "Even I never managed such a deed in my lifetime. You are a true knight through and through, Sir Subaru. You'll always have my respect."
Ferris was completely speechless, only managing to smile and clap his friend on the back. Subaru then spied his adoptive brother heading over.
"What's this about a run for my money, Lady Crusch?" Julius didn't have a hint of jealousy in his voice, just pure amusement.
"Oh Julius," Crusch teasingly told him, "even you have to admit that not just anyone can incapacitate and kill an Archbishop, especially with no backup from other trained and qualified knights."
He nodded his head and chuckled. "But of course, and if anyone could do it, it would be someone trained by me personally. He has a little while before he has truly caught up with me, but I will go slay an Archbishop or two myself just in case." He then turned his attention to Subaru.
"Sorry, Julius," said Subaru. "We really did want to keep that a secret until now, like a hidden weapon."
"It was a clever tactic, Subaru." Julius was very enthusiastic in his praise. "You prevented anyone from accusing you of spreading rumors by demonstrating the truth onstage for all. And to think, you defeated an Archbishop who could become something as horrible as a curse dragon."
"This is goin' ta be a real tight race, ain't it?" Anastasia had walked over unnoticed to the group. "Julius, sorry ta take ya away, but I gotta get back to my home for now. Don't ya worry, once ya help me get back I promise I'll let ya spend more time with him." She smiled and bowed for the group.
"Very well, Lady Anastasia. Lady Crusch, would it be alright if I join you all a little later, then?"
"Certainly, Julius." She smiled as she answered. "I'll have the chefs whip up extra food. I'm sure you're not the only extra visitors I'll be having tonight."
With that, Julius and Anastasia left. Their gap was quickly filled by Reinhard and an overly-excited Felt. She practically had stars in her eyes as she hounded Subaru, "Wow! You and Big Sis killed a nasty Archbishop? I don't know a lot about the Witch Cult, but I do know the Archbishops are the powerful, evil leaders!"
Reinhard had a rare look of astonishment on his face. "I can barely believe it, even though my Divine Protection assures me you told the truth. With your camp taking the credit, Lady Emilia, there can be no doubt among the people you have the strength to back up your promises to protect the weak and oppressed."
Crusch teasingly asked, "I suppose you two will want to join us tonight, as well? I'm sure Subaru has quite the story to tell."
Felt instantly responded, "Hell yeah! Save us two seats, we're definitely visiting after I exchange this annoying dress for something else. Reinhard, let's go get ready!"
She immediately took off, leaving a very exasperated Sword Saint behind to give chase.
"My lady, what is wrong with wearing that dress to the Duchess's manor? It looks so fitting for a Candidate!"
The remaining members save a few giggled at the strangest Selection duo they could imagine. Even Wilhelm had the shyest grin on his face.
Emilia suggested, "Well, what are we waiting for? We should go and relax for a while to take our minds off the stresses of the day."
Roswaal interrupted, "We~ll, that's all fine and good, Lady Emilia, but I mu~st be off. I fear wh~at could happen if I am away from my domain for too long. By the way, Sir Suba~ru, as it would happen, these next two weeks would be pe~rfect if you'd like to invite your friends to come visit the mansion. I do not kno~w when another opportunity like this one will strike again."
The mysterious Margrave took his leave, and the remaining group decided to be on their way as well. Roswaal took to the skies as Crusch and Emilia's parties got into their respective dragon carriages. Once inside, Emilia took a deep breath.
"Are you ok, Emilia-tan?"asked Subaru with a concerned tone.
"Ah, yes, I'm fine Baru-tan." She smiled, putting his tensions at ease. "I'm just worn out from the stress. It'll be better now that I don't need to worry about another event for two years."
He sat back in his seat, relieved by her answer. He still couldn't help but feel that the day didn't go as well as he was hoping. With her revised speech, proof of her camp's deeds, and their strength, he thought people would have been far more convinced of her goodness. The young knight realized he'd underestimated just how strong the hold of racism against half-elves was in the nation, and a single speech wouldn't undo centuries of learned hatred.
He then turned to his other bench partner, Beatrice. He put his hand on her head and began to gently rub it. "Are you doing ok, Beako?"
"Betty is fine, but she appreciates that her contractor is remembering to check on her too, I suppose." The small blonde leaned into his side, satisfied that she was still worth being checked on.
"Betty knows today was about Bubby's contractor, so she can forgive all the extra attention her contractor gave away." He sighed at his forever-tsundere spirit companion. Once they returned home, he'd absolutely have to shower her with praise and compliments. He couldn't have her thinking that she's less loved, after all.
The ride was generally silent as Emilia and Subaru were both contemplating the day's events, and their spirits didn't want to bother them. They quickly arrived back at Crusch's manor, and the group got out to meet with their hosts again. Wilhelm was already waiting for them in the courtyard, and politely greeted them.
"Lady Emilia, Sir Subaru, Miss Beatrice, welcome back. Lady Crusch and Ferris are currently attending to a matter that popped up while we were gone, but you are welcome to return to your guest rooms or relax in one of the parlors. Should I send for drinks to be delivered?"
Emilia looked at Subaru, who smiled and nodded. Sporting her own smile, she said, "Please do! Thank you Wilhelm."
The old knight bowed and walked off, allowing the three to get back to their rooms. There was a little more space in Subaru and Beatrice's room, so they took refuge there. They sat down and spread out on the sofas, grateful for the reprieve. After a moment of silence, Emilia tapped Subaru's shoulder to get his attention.
"Hey, Baru-tan, I was just thinking about something important. I didn't want to bring it up until after the party and the selection, so I'm sorry for not telling you earlier. Roswaal has been working to try and form an alliance between our camp and Crusch's, so I was planning to talk to her about it tonight. With Julius, Reinhard, and Felt coming, though, I don't know if bringing it up is appropriate."
He could see how concerned she was about the subject. An alliance with Crusch had potential to bring great benefits to the Emilia Camp, but he knew very well that Crusch wouldn't form an alliance for no reason other than one of her friends was the personal knight of that camp. He suggested, "Why don't we approach her and ask for a private conversation before dinner? I'm certain she will hear you out, and I'll be there to support you, or I can even make other suggestions on how it would benefit her."
Her concern was replaced by confidence, and she agreed. "That sounds like a great idea! Thanks, Baru-tan."
Some freshly brewed iced tea arrived, and Subaru and Emilia began working on how they planned to convince Crusch to form an alliance with her.
Thank you everyone so much for bearing with me. I lost my creative energy for a little while, and then had a huge burst of creativity a few nights ago. Thus, here is the Royal Selection!
I'd like to thank the wonderful beta readers who helped me refine this chapter and make it more enjoyable. I also want to thank all the people who continue to support me and the series and leave friendly and constructive reviews! I appreciate you all from the bottom of my heart.
Now, a note for the future of this series: This world has accounted for Subaru's changes, and this story is not going to quite how you might think it will. I hope you all will like the changes, because what is a Re:Zero fanfiction without finding new ways to make Subaru and his friends suffer?