Chapter 52: Princess Freya "Felt" Lugnica
Roswaal A. Mathers was currently sitting in his office, doing some paperwork, when he heard a knock on his door. He already knew who was behind that door. "Come in."
In comes Subaru, who looked to be in a determined mood. Roswaal raised an eyebrow at this, "Subaru, what can I do for you?"
"I've got some questions for you."
Straight to the point, as usual. "Such as?"
"Back when you tossed that insignia to Emilia, you said something about there supposedly being four other Candidates?" the nasty-eyed Undead asked.
"Indeed. There are supposed to be five candidates meant to compete for the throne."
"But so far, only four have been found. Meaning one's still out there."
Ah. So, that's what this was about. "True. Until she is found, the Royal Selection cannot begin."
"Groovy," Subaru said, immediately doing a one-righty. "See you soon, then."
"...You're going to look for her, aren't you?"
"Yep," he said, stretching out his open hand. I'll need an insignia, please.
Roswaal tosses an insignia to Subaru, who catches it with ease. "Have fun."
Subaru nodded, as he walked out the door.
Now, who to take with me...?
Emilia had too much on her mind with Geuse and Fortuna right now. The others were still dealing with all the other shit from the last few days. Patches would definitely agree to go, same with Garfiel. Should he really bring anyone else…?
Oh yeah, Otto. He arrived not long after the incident with Geuse and Sirius. Suwen's grandson came here to fulfill his grandfather's debt. They were trying to find something for him to do, but he seemed to be getting along well with the others, especially Frederica.
Subaru chuckled a bit. Alright so, we've got my pink Megamind, a cat with anger issues, and a cowardly and possibly horny merchant. Yeah, I can definitely work with this.
Wouldn't be the first time he whipped a ragtag band into shape.
Twenty minutes later, Subaru had brought the three of them outside.
"Alright, who's ready for a field trip?"
Otto raised his hand. "Uh, I have multiple questions?"
"Yes?"
"So… if I understood the briefing correctly… the Witch of Envy isn't a monster, the gods aren't all benevolent, the World Eater has gone mad, and the only people who might be able to save us are you, the Great Sage, a Dragonborn that looks like Satella, and a ragtag group of people most of society would deem as mentally-challenged psychopaths."
"That about sums it up."
"…What the fuck."
Subaru just nodded. "Yep."
"...Is the pay at least good?" the gray-haired merchant asked.
"Me and Roswaal are filthy rich."
Otto narrowed his eyes. "How rich, exactly?"
"Rich enough to buy two whole countries."
"Where do I sign up?" Well, he sure changed his turn fast.
"Later. Right now, we have a mission."
"Sweet!" Garfiel pumped his fists. "Who're we killing?"
"No one. This is a search mission."
"Who are we hunting down?" Patches asked.
"A princess," Subaru said, as he further explained, "Only four of the Royal Candidates have been found, including Emilia, but this selection ain't gonna kick off until the last one is found."
Garfiel nodded along to that. "Th' last Candidate, got it."
"Okay... but how are we gonna find her?" Otto asked.
"Oh, I have a good guess of where she is," the Japanese man said, with a sly smile. "But what you three are gonna do is bring her knight in shining armor."
"Her knight?" the blond teenager repeated.
"If my theory is correct, unlike the rest of the Royal Candidates, she'll need a sponsor, along with a knight. I happen to know a guy who can play both roles."
Patches thought about it for a second, before saying, "Oh, you mean him."
Otto have the bald Undead a funny look. "Who's him?"
Before any of them could ask any more questions, Subaru had already called for an "Al Shamak," and warped them away.
Subaru grinned at them. "Now, there is where the fun begins."
With the exception of Subaru and Patches, the other two boys on this journey were already experiencing sensory deprivation from passing through a more powered version of Shamak. Sure, Garfiel had experienced it before, but not to this degree.
But before they could even scream into the silent void, they opened their eyes to find themselves in a plaza full of vendors and shoppers, human and demi-human alike.
Otto was trying to recover from what just happened. It felt like his insides became his outsides for a second. "Wha… what… did we just…?"
"Yep," Patches said, as Subaru looked over to his youngest companion.
"Garfiel, since this is your first time… welcome to the Capital of Lugnica."
Garfiel stared at the city around him with wide eyes. This was more people in one place than he had ever seen, and all the colors were just so bright. "Holy... shit…"
As the blond was still looking at all the sights, Subaru looked to the others. "Alright, boys, here's the plan; I'm gonna go find our princess, while you guys follow Patches and get her knight."
"Should I go with the usual method?" Patches asked, smiling mischievously.
Subaru thought about it for a second before nodding. "May as well, it is the most surefire way to get his attention."
"By pissing him off!" Garfiel instantly picked up what they were putting down.
Patches chuckled. "You have much to learn, young Padawan."
Otto gulped. "I already don't like where this is going…"
As Subaru left Otto to suffer at the hands of Patches and Garfiel, the black-haired man went to the one place most sane folk wouldn't go: The Slums.
Subaru noticed some of the thugs looking at him, but he paid them no mind. Compared to everything he experienced, this place was child's play.
Eventually, he reached his destination: A small warehouse for stolen goods.
Subaru knocked on the door, waiting for someone to answer.
"For a rat?"
"Poison," the nasty-eyed man answered calmly.
"For the White Whale?"
"Harpoon."
"To the High Dragon Lord, we're…"
"Shitbags."
The door opened, revealing a tanned giant with bushy white eyebrows and tattoos all over his body. In all honesty, he looked worse than last time Subaru saw him, but that's what time does.
Subaru smirked a bit as he saw another old friend. "Been a while, Valga."
The old giant sighed. "Subaru Natsuki, as I live and breathe"
"How are things going nowadays?"
"I'm still piss poor and living in the Slums. How do you think things are?"
Subaru nodded in response. "Shitty, got it. Mind if I come in?"
Rom stepped aside to let Subaru in. "Sure thing.'
Subaru walked in and sat down. The Loot House looked about as sad as usual, and Valga, or Rom as he was going by nowadays, didn't seem to have the same fiery spirit Subaru had seen in him over a decade prior, much less during their time together in the Demi-Human War.
But no time for reminiscing. Right now, the Chosen Undead had work to do.
"Felt on a job or something?" Subaru asked.
Rom gave him a look. "Keeping tabs on her, huh?"
Subaru just looked around in response. "More of an observation given that she's not here."
"Fourteen years of not seeing you, and you still seem to know everything."
Subaru sighed. No point in beating around the bush. "Sorry to drop in so suddenly, but this isn't a social visit. I'm here on very important business."
Rom raised an eyebrow. "Oh, yeah? What kind of business?"
"The royal kind."
Before Cromwell could even have a chance to say anything, the door opened.
Subaru turned around to see a blond teenage girl, her eyes crimson red, while her golden hair was tied in some kind of makeshift bun, or something like that. Barely any clothing, with only a measly top and coat with a scarf to cover her upper body, shorts, and half a legging. Yeah, she was desperately in need of a wardrobe change, in Subaru's opinion.
"Yo, Old Man Rom, who's this?"
"An old friend of mine," the elderly giant answered.
The blonde girl looked surprised at that. "Is that so, huh?"
Subaru stood up and addressed the teenage girl. "You must be Felt. I'm Subaru Natsuki."
"Okay…" Felt gave him a funny look. "What do you want with me?
Subaru decided to go ahead and really get her attention. "What if I told you that you may have an opportunity to leave the Slums for good? To have a better life than you ever would here?"
"I'd say that you're lying."
"Wanna bet on that?"
Felt turned to look at her surrogate grandfather. "Rom… who is this guy?"
"I think it's best if he explains that," the giant said.
"You ever wondered where you came from? Who your parents really were?" Those questions threw Felt through a loop.
"My... parents?"
Subaru nodded. "Ever wanted to find out?"
"I... haven't really thought about it."
"Would you like to?"
Felt was silent for a few moments and could only nod.
Subaru smiled, as he fished into his pocket. "Catch."
Subaru tossed something to Felt, who reflexively caught it. The little jewel in the middle of the insignia began to grow brightly the moment her fingers touched the metal.
"What…? A… glowing badge…?"
"That is a Royal Insignia, which recognizes those who are chosen to be a Royal Candidate."
Felt had to process that for a few moments. "A Royal… WHAT?!"
"You have a chance to win the Throne of Lugunica."
Felt was in complete shock at this. "Me…? Is this some kind of joke?!"
"Far from it," Subaru said, his voice lacking any of his usual goofiness.
"…Who am I? Really? No more cryptic bullshit."
"Your real name is Freya Lugunica, youngest child of Ford Luganica, niece of the last king, Randohal Lugnica, and one of the last living members of the Royal Family."
No words could describe the shock Felt was experiencing. "I'm… this country's princess?"
Subaru just gave a single worded response. "Yes."
"Then why am I here?" Felt asked, her tone growing icy, before she continued, now with more rage in her voice. "Why am I in the Slums?! WHY DID THEY ABANDON ME?!"
"So you could survive."
Felt was thrown off by that answer. "What…?!"
"The Sin Archbishop of Lust created and unleashed an incurable virus specifically tied to the Royal bloodline. You were brought here so you could survive."
Felt then connected the dots with his words. "Wait… you kidnapped me?!"
"Your father orchestrated it to make sure you made it out alive and could have a future."
"You call this a future?!" Felt shouted, looking around the sad room. "Really?!"
"Would you rather have been infected and died as a baby?"
"I… I… ugh." Felt couldn't argue with that. "Fine, you win. Now what?"
"Now, we get you a knight and someone to sponsor you," Subaru said, as he walked to Felt, and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Luckily, I know someone who can do both."
"Oh, yeah? Who?"
"You'll meet him soon enough. I got some friends that are fetching him as we speak."
Felt tilted her head a bit. "Alright…?"
"In the meantime, feel free to ask me whatever."
For the next twenty minutes or so, Subaru answered any questions Felt had, from what her family was like, to how she knew Old Man Rom. But eventually, Subaru stood up from where he was regaling his tales, before heading out of the Loot House's door.
"Where are you going?" Felt was about to chase after him.
"Home. I've got my own shit to deal with," Subaru said, as he walked into the middle of the street. "Don't worry, your knight in shining armor should be arriving soon enough."
"Okay…?" Felt looked at him funnily, but decided not to question it.
Subaru looked over the horizon, seeing his three buddies running towards him, as if the Devil himself was chasing after them. And given by that massive dust cloud right behind them, he already knew who was chasing them, and could understand their fear.
"I guess it worked?" he casually asked.
"SUBARU! WARP US OUT!" Patches was actually worried? That was a new one.
Subaru rolled his eyes and opened a portal which allowed them to run through. As he was about to enter as the last one in, he noticed the knight stopping, and his dust cloud dispersing.
"Get back here you… hooligans…?" The Sword Saint stopped in his tracks before he saw someone familiar to him.
"Yo, Rein! Good to see you!" Subbaru waved at him, jumping into the portal.
Before Reinhard van Astrea even got a chance to say anything, Subaru had caused the Al Shamak portal to disappear behind him, leaving the redhead alone with a confused Felt.
Felt just looked over to Reinhard. "...Umm, so... I guess you're the guy?"
Author's Note: Otto's here? (We all know where this is going…) Insert Frederica x Otto ship here. We all stan Frederica x Otto in this house. NO EXCEPTIONS!
In all seriousness, another lore drop hinting at Subaru's criminal tendencies! Let's see… he fought Theresia van Astrea and he's friendly with Valga Cromwell… hmm… Gee, I wonder what that could possibly mean? Also, Ford knew what was coming with Capella's shenanigans, and having Suabru orchestrate the Royal Kidnapping was a pretty obvious thing to do. But how does Subaru know Reinhard? You'll find out next time! (Let's just say things may look a little… backwards.) And now, for the comments!
5queso: A friendly reminder that both games and this anime are all very depressing, and that's something that you will be reminded of in every chapter that has such an ending. And yes, the prank was mean, but given everything that canon Patches has done to the player, this is clearly the nicer alternative. Will Geuse and Fortuna be cured of their madness? I don't know, we haven't planned that far ahead!
Kifhjoofff: No entendí la mitad de tu primera frase, pero entendí lo suficiente como para saber que te encantó el chiste de Patches. Que la gente ame a Geuse y Fortuna es algo bastante popular en el fandom, y que Subaru los salve es casi tan popular. Y Emilia es una chica emocional, ¡claro que le costará ver así a sus padres!
Anyways, back to the regular old shilling…
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Thanks for reading, and once again, see you next time!
- Ernalore & Infinite the Celestian