Arc 10, Chapter 11 – "The Reason the Dragon Gem Shines"
△▼△▼△▼△
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
???: [Don't you think that Sakura and Tiga are just heartless? If I'd known things would turn out like this, even I… even I…!]
???: [Have you ever thought of saving someone with the Sacrament out of self-preservation befooore?]
???: [I probably would have done it anyway, but the way I'd feel about it would be completely different depending on whether I knew or not!]
Wailing with teary eyes, Filóre glared at Sakura, who sat directly in front of her, and she apparently seemed earnestly aware of her own impulsivity, having completed some proper self-analysis.
Sakura, who had styled herself as a stand-in for her older sister, frowning at that outburst of Filóre's,
Sakura: [Even if you put it like that, the ones inconvenienced would be us all the saaame. Subaru-chan, Beatrice-chan, you two understand me, riiight?]
Subaru: [I don't get why you're dragging me and Beako into this, but I more or less get that the situation was inevitable.]
Beatrice: [Regardless of where responsibility lies, one can imagine from your exchange that Filóre was the one who created such an impetus, I suppose.]
Saying so, Subaru and Beatrice shook their heads incredulously in perfect sync, expressing their opinions on the query from Sakura, who was sitting right beside them.
Incidentally, the seating arrangement on the sofas, which faced each other in the parlor, was currently Emilia and Otto on the host side, with Filóre clinging onto Emilia's arm, and Sakura on the guest side, along with Subaru and Beatrice sitting side-by-side, having changed seats.
In addition to Petra, who had stood by the wall since the beginning, Rem, who had shown Filóre in, joined her, adding to the evergrowing liveliness of the parlor.
Subaru: [That said, the source of the increase in volume is mostly Filóre's fault anyway. To begin with, why are we even sitting on this side? It's a strange pairing.]
Filóre: [My goodness! Emilia, did you hear that? That Subaru, he's trying to tear apart two incomparable friends, myself and Emilia. Don't tell me, are you a spy for the Church…?]
Beatrice: [No matter how you look at it, the only one who is a spy for the Church is you, in fact.]
Beatrice gave a sigh of lament at Filóre, who wore a countenance as if to say she was filled with dread. Emilia, whose arm was still clutched in Filóre's grip, patted her friend's head despite her wry smile,
Emilia: [Geez, don't look at Subaru like that, Filóre. Subaru is reaaally sweet, and he'd never come between us. To begin with, my relationship with Subaru is completely different from my relationship with you, okay?]
Filóre: [O-of course, I agree… By the way, which one is more important to you?]
Emilia: [Eh? Well…]
Filóre: [Actually, it's fine! Don't say it! This too, is in the scriptures! "The Dragon bestows ordeals upon us, out of love. Just as gold scorched by flames shall gain further purity, so too shall the soul, through adversity born of that love, emanate a brilliance worthy of the Dragon's will"!]
With her head bowed and clinging to her scriptures, Filóre no longer seemed like a devout adherent of the Church of the Divine Dragon, but rather was simply covering up that which was inconvenient with the doctrines of the scriptures.
Due to her having cut Emilia off, Subaru's chance to hear where he stood in Emilia's heart from her own mouth was snatched away, leaving him feeling unsettled.
That aside――,
Emilia: [About what we were talking about earlier… you said Filóre will be participating in the Royal Selection, so is she taking Priscilla's place after all?]
Ignoring Filóre, whose face was now cycling between red and blue all by itself, Emilia's question was aimed at Sakura, sitting across from her.
Sakura's drowsy, drooping eyes narrowing slightly,
Sakura: […At the very least, there's no doubt Priscilla-chan's death is part of the reaaason. Otherwise, it would contradict the account of the Dragon History Stooone.]
Otto: [After all, there are to be five Dragon Priestesses, those who qualify as Royal Selection Candidates as recorded upon the Dragon History Stone… according to the policy of the Church of the Divine Dragon, you cannot go against that, can you?]
Sakura: [Of course, since that premise had collapsed, we took it as our chance and brazenly strolled into the Castle… please don't think of it as something like thaaat. Even if, by chance, Priscilla-chan's absence allows a vacancy for the position of Dragon Priestess, the Church's policy is to maintain our distaaance.]
Otto: [However, that did not occur. The reason for that is…]
Otto deliberately left his conclusion unspoken, but the gazes of everyone present gathered upon Filóre, who had given rise to the first ripple that had led to this situation.
Her throat tightened at the discomfort of having those eyes upon her, and then, clinging to Emilia,
Filóre: [Th-that's wrong, Emilia! I never had even the slightest intention to become your enemy! It was just a stroke of bad luck! F-f-f-for the most part!]
As her face turned pale, Filóre's eyes snapping wide as she whipped around to glare at Sakura,
Filóre: [For the most part, I would complain that the Church's predisposition to covering things up is suspicious! All of this, it was wrong to have raised me so sheltered until now! I mean, it's not that I didn't think it was easy-peasy being exempt from the studies the other children had to take, but to think that it would tear me and Emilia apart… it's not my fault!]
Emilia: [There, there, don't cry, Filóre. I'm not angry at all, and I've never thought of the other Royal Selection Candidates as my enemies.]
Filóre: [E-Emiliaaa… hk.]
The way Emilia gently stroked her head soothed Filóre's unruly heart.
Seeing this exchange, Sakura let out an "Oh myyy", and brought her hand to her mouth with an astonished face,
Sakura: [Usually, she'd be rambling on and on from here, but Emilia-chan, you're so good at dealing with Filóre-chan… is there some kind of trick to it, or somethiiing?]
Subaru: [Putting aside the quips about every Filóre being rendered powerless before Emilia-tan's tender tolerance… ultimately, what exactly is Filóre doing here?]
Based on her behavior so far, he knew this was not a proclamation of war against the Royal Selection. He thought there was no way she had seriously run through the Royal Capital just to whine and make excuses.
Beatrice: [Really, I suppose? It would hardly be a surprise if that were the case, in fact.]
Subaru: [I'm with you there, but since that won't advance the conversation…]
Filóre: [Wait just a minute. Do you think I am that witless? Certainly, I often act without thinking, but today is different. I have a proper strategy.]
Subaru: [A strategy?]
Filóre: [Yes, a strategy! I don't wish to partake in the Royal Selection. However, I wish to use the Sacrament and fulfill my duty as a Saintess. Therefore, I'll have my friend Emilia shelter me, and save the people of Pristella in secret! How about it!?]
Subaru: [Is this an evil plan cooked up by a criminal organization from a Sunday morning cartoon?]
It was a plan so sloppy that even a child could poke holes in it. Since her goal was helping others, it was not even an evil plan in the first place, but the most glaring issue was that Sakura had already found out about it.
Ultimately, it was a scheme where she had tripped over her own feet before even reaching the starting line.
Subaru: [Besides, it would look terrible if we were to do something like abducting a Saintess of the Church of the Divine Dragon.]
Petra: [Emilia-neesama has that sort of side too, but having no self-awareness about being a bomb is quite dangerous, isn't it?]
Filóre: [Huh, does that mean Emilia and I are a good match…?]
Beatrice: [That isn't something to be bashful about, I suppose.]
Where was the basis for that confidence, with Filóre's plan having been so tragically rejected?
Moreover, Subaru thought Filóre was taking the whole situation a bit too lightly. For a while now, she had been trying to steer the conversation in the direction of her declining to participate in the Royal Selection, but――,
Emilia: [Qualification as a Royal Selection Candidate isn't something you can just abandon on a whim. Isn't that right?]
Subaru: [Emilia-tan…]
Emilia: [I also study hard everyday. I'm sure I understand the Kingdom much better than I did at the beginning… and also the binding power of what is written upon the Dragon History Stone. I had my reasons for wanting to participate in the Royal Selection, but I'm sure that even without them, I don't think I could have refused.]
Staring at Filóre, who was clinging onto her arm, Emilia's words spilled out earnestly.
It was understandable that the Royal Selection Candidates had no right to refuse. He had spoken with Garfiel and Petra the night before, but the Covenant with the Dragon was solidly and deeply rooted within the Dragon Kingdom.
Actually, Felt had once tried to refuse participation in the Royal Selection. However, she had been forced to participate in exchange for the safety of Rom-jii, who had tried to steal her away.
That meant there was a certain compulsion for the Kingdom to stop at nothing in order to induce the participation of the Dragon Priestesses described by the Dragon History Stone.
Emilia was declaring that the same now applied to Filóre.
Filóre: [But… but, that's not what I wanted, you know?]
Emilia: [Right, I'm sure you didn't. I also think that if you hadn't been able to make the insignia shine, Filóre, then we wouldn't be having this conversation… However, the Dragon Gem shone, and you were selected, Filóre. I'm sure you understand the significance of that better than anyone.]
Filóre: [Uuugh…]
As Emilia spoke to her with a tone that almost felt motherly, Filóre hung her head weakly.
Filóre was a nun of the Church of the Divine Dragon. Needless to say, as one who held such faith, love, and reverence for the Dragon, it put her in the position where she truly felt the binding power of the Dragon History Stone's account stronger than anyone else.
It could even be said that her behavior up to this point had been a childish escape from reality.
However――,
Filóre: [In that case… indeed, in that case, how about this? Emilia and I will form an alliance of friendship. And then, I'll do everything in my power to help Emilia become the Monarch. If we do so, then the Royal Selection…]
Emilia: [Thank you, Filóre. ――But, I would reaaally hate that.]
Quietly, but with unwavering firmness, Emilia clearly made that declaration.
Filóre's throat echoed delicately with a "Hiu" before the nobility of that voice like a silver bell. To make her point clear, Emilia felt around in her pocket, and opened her palm to reveal the insignia she had grabbed.
As soon as she did, the overflowing crimson radiance of the Dragon Gem shone across the parlor of the Royal Residence with a dazzling light.
Emilia: [I said so before, but I had reasons I wanted to participate in the Royal Selection from the very beginning.]
While demonstrating the brilliance of the Dragon Gem, Emilia spoke so that Filóre would listen.
Emilia's initial motivation to join the Royal Selection had been to use the power of the Dragon's Blood kept in the Royal Castle to save her hometown, which had been frozen in ice. But as time went on, as she met others, and as she learned more, Emilia's sentiments regarding the Royal Selection were now beginning to change.
However, that initial desire would neither change nor vanish.
And――,
Emilia: [It's the same for the others as well. Crusch-san had her own, Anastasia-san had her own, Felt-chan had her own… and Priscilla had her own. We all have our own things we wanted to achieve, and so we all joined the Royal Selection. No, that's wrong.]
Filóre: [Wrong? What's wrong about it?]
Emilia: [I'm sure that those who can make the Dragon Gem shine, have reasons to participate in the Royal Selection… they all have something that they can only achieve if they are part of it. If so, what is it for you?]
Filóre: [For… me…?]
Emilia gave Filóre, who was blinking in dumbfounded amazement, a valiant and lovely smile.
She had suggested supporting her friend Emilia's desires should she become a Royal Selection Candidate, but Emilia could not quite accept that was Filóre's own desire.
Emilia would not recognize her inclusion into the Royal Selection of the Kingdom of Lugunica for such a reason.
Emilia: [Please, don't say that you don't want to as soon as it is asked of you, due to feeling overwhelmed. Think about it reaaally carefully. I'm sure you won't be able to refuse joining the Royal Selection anyway. However, I don't want someone who joins just because they feel they have no choice but to take Priscilla's seat.]
――It was a resolute statement, a wish, and also a prayer.
Filóre: [――――]
Filóre blinked at Emilia, who had directly expressed everything within her heart. No one said a thing regarding the tension swelling between the two of them, coming in contact with each other with zero distance between them.
Neither Subaru, nor anyone else, wanted to insert their presence into the silence born between them. ――So as not to introduce any needless impurities into the decision to come.
Filóre: [――Yes.]
It was Emilia, watching Filóre closer than anyone, who created ripples upon the surface of that silence. She narrowed her eyes, framed by her long lashes, and gave the insignia in her hand to Filóre.
Filóre reflexively accepted that which was offered to her. ――Even if it was due to its lack of awareness, the insignia's Dragon Gem chose not when to shine.
Filóre: [――If… If I were to… participate in the Royal Selection…]
As Filóre muttered this, the Dragon Gem illuminated within her hand, just as it had in Emilia's. As it glistened with a light the same color as her own eyes, Filóre made a declaration.
In the face of that unescapable destiny known as the Royal Selection that had been thrust upon her, what sort of principles would she proclaim?
Filóre: [I wish to reform the relationship between the Church and the state that has existed up till now. So that those within the Castle and those of the Church will no longer hesitate to extend a hand to the other due to some strange, stubborn formality.]
Emilia: [――――]
Filóre: [If I were to become the Monarch, I would make this a country where none would hesitate to help others in need.]
It was nothing more than idealism that had been instilled in her, the full details of which were currently quite lacking.
Yet, in Filóre's own way, she wished to break the fetters and frustrations that she had experienced growing up and living as a member of the Church of the Divine Dragon, and make the world a better place.
And, now that she was able to tout such principles, there were none who could laugh at Filóre, deriding her as someone elevated to her high position against her own will by those around her, or calling her begrudging participation in the Royal Selection merely a means to fill a vacancy.
Otto: […As I thought, I ought to have turned away all visits without an appointment.]
Subaru heard Otto mutter that under his breath, in response to the conclusion Filóre had reached.
Dressed lightly without his hat or mantle, as he ran his fingers through his wavy, gray hair absent-mindedly, he appraised the occurrence happening there.
In truth, Subaru could understand why Otto felt like saying that.
Subaru: [After all, a super strong rival has made an appearance just now.]
Otto: [I think this is a laughably self-destructive move on our part, however… the fact that it was none other than our own leader that encouraged it is what's troublesome.]
Subaru: [Relax. The stronger the opponent, the stronger Emilia-tan becomes, so something like this gives me a good feeling.]
Otto: [If you're trying to cheer me up, can't you tell me something less objectionable than that!?]
Beatrice: [Naturally, Betty would like to feel sorry for Otto right now, in fact. However…]
Beatrice trailed off and narrowed her eyes, and gazing toward what shone radiantly before them―― toward Emilia and Filóre, Subaru concurred with that opinion.
Certainly, if one were to limit themselves to only the event that had occurred, it probably ought to have been labelled as a foolish act. An amusing image of Roswaal falling to his knees upon hearing that news afterwards came to mind.
Nevertheless, it was worth it. In exchange for the appearance of a super strong rival, one thing was certain――,
Emilia: [――I absolutely will not lose to Filóre.]
――Because without a doubt, Emilia, who aspired to be the Monarch, had been able to show her true colors.
△▼△▼△▼△
???: [――And so, I respectfully accept your request for my participation in the Royal Selection.]
With one hand placed on her chest, and the other causing the insignia to shine with a sparkle, Filóre made that proclamation with majesty, boldness, and without hesitation.
This was the Royal Castle, but rather than the throne room where they would be summoned if something significant were to occur, it was a conference room that appeared to be used for slightly more compact discussions. In a space about the size of a school classroom, a round table capable of accommodating approximately twenty people around its circumference had been placed there, and traditionally, briefings between the Council of Wise Men and civil officials of the Castle had often been held here.
Emilia: [See, on the day the Royal Selection started, after Subaru was kicked out of the chamber, we all moved to this conference room to discuss things.]
Subaru: [Ah, offstage from me getting thrashed by Julius.]
Emilia: [I still can't remember, but… Subaru, you had a fight with Julius? You must have… made up properly. That's why the two of you are reaaally good friends.]
Subaru: [Setting aside whether he and I are reaaally good friends, it was a necessary event for Emilia-tan and I to become reaaally good friends.]
Subaru responded to Emilia's whispered description with a crooked smile.
In a world where Julius's Name was yet lost, Subaru did not feel like delving deeply into how those involved recollected his disgrace upon that day, even as a form of admonishment.
Fortunately, the conference room had a noticeable amount of empty seats on this occasion, and there were few people here who were involved on that day. ――After all, this was a so-called top-secret meeting, with only a minimum number of those involved from each camp, and for the Emilia Camp, that was limited to only Emilia and Subaru, as well as his partner Beatrice.
Although, one of these extremely limited participants, an elderly man with a distinctive long beard who greeted them, was indeed one of the individuals involved with that day.
That elderly man―― Miklotov McMahon, member of the Council of Wise Men, while watching Filóre reach a rather preferable change of heart,
Miklotov: [Hrrrmm. We are immensely grateful for that response, even though we were the ones to make such demands, but… could you please inform me once more? I did give my permission, but for what reason did you have Emilia-sama and Natsuki-dono join us here?]
Filóre: [I received advice from their counsel this morning before coming to the Castle. Emilia is an irreplaceable friend of mine, and Subaru is her Knight… to be honest, I wanted to bring along everyone from the Emilia Camp who helped support me in declaring my resolve.]
???: [As you can imagine, if you were to do that, the Church, as well as myself, would be in a rather awkward positiiion.]
When Filóre responded to Miklotov's inquiry, the sole individual to accompany her from the Church, Sakura, made a troubled face whilst uttering those words.
Filóre seemed dissatisfied with that answer, but since it would be odd for all the members of the Emilia Camp to be gathered en masse for such a ceremonious event, Sakura's view was likely the appropriate one.
However, compared to the impressions left upon Subaru, Miklotov, stroking his long beard, seemed to have been struck by a different portion of what Filóre had said.
The wise elder's astute eyes narrowed, and as he let out his habitual sigh with a "Hrrrmm"――,
Miklotov: [A friend, you say. Miss Filóre from the Church of the Divine Dragon, and Emilia-sama.]
Subaru: […Is that it? Emilia-tan is a silver-haired half-elf, and Filóre is a nun of the Church of the Divine Dragon, is that what you are trying to get at?]
Emilia: [Hold on, Subaru…]
Picking up on his muttering, Emilia chided Subaru as he instinctively began to act hastily.
Still, there were no dependable comrades from their camp present outside of Subaru and Beatrice. Thus, Subaru must speak to Miklotov impactfully on everyone's behalf.
As the one and only Knight entrusted with Emilia, he must adamantly contend with such absurdity.
Subaru: [Miklotov-san, you must be aware of Emilia's achievements over the past year and a half. We all know of and have taken account of such things, and yet, I wish the higher-ups of this country would stop continuously taking such a prejudiced view of her. Speaking of her as a half-elf, is it not enough already?]
Miklotov: [Saying, "Is it not enough", seems to show a bit of a disregard for public sentiment. From the start, it was obvious that Emilia and the Witch had nothing further in common beyond appearance and race… however, that alone is momentous. You must understand, do you not?]
Subaru: [Ngh…]
Using his experienced artistry when it came to rhetoric, Miklotov caused Subaru, who had been berating him rather assuredly, to waver. The problem here, once more, was the common sense rooted within the inhabitants of this world, that which would never well up from within Subaru as his own true feelings.
And that was not confined to the silver-haired half-elf, Emilia.
Miklotov: [Inevitably, the fact that you, a nun of the Church of the Divine Dragon, will become a Candidate for the Royal Selection will surely come as a great surprise for many people. It will also be a major departure from convention. This was an exceedingly thorny decision to make.]
Filóre: […Yes, I am well aware of that fact. And yet…]
Miklotov: [Hrrrmm. "And yet"… what is it that you wish to ask?]
Filóre: [――. And yet, if that is indeed the case, then just why did you go to such lengths for me to enter the Royal Selection?]
That doubt, weaved from Filóre's lips, was indeed a natural question to ask.
Miklotov's wording just then gave a glimpse into the state of affairs: that the Royal Castle, for its part, was not in any way readily accepting of a Royal Selection Candidate from the Church of the Divine Dragon.
Filóre: [I'm also a nun of the Church of the Divine Dragon… and although I naturally understand rigid adherence to the record of the Dragon History Stone, the fact remains that even with Priscilla Barielle… that even with her passing, five individuals with the qualifications of a Dragon Priestess had been gathered, and the Royal Selection had begun. The record shouldn't have been distorted.]
Beatrice: [Or perhaps, has the account of the Dragon History Stone been updated, I suppose? Are you saying that, when lacking five Priestesses, a replacement Priestess was found and it was rewritten as if to promote her, in fact?]
Miklotov: [No, we have received no such report that the record of the Dragon History Stone has changed. Merely, rather than our intentions regarding this matter, it is more a question of national sentiment.]
Subaru: [National…]
Emilia: [Sentiment?]
Subaru and Emilia tilted their heads, as if question marks were floating above them regarding Miklotov's answer. And then, lowering his voice slightly,
Miklotov: [It shall become public knowledge in due course, but for now, this is confidential. In truth, it appears that rumors are already circulating through the streets. ――That Duchess Karsten was granted salvation by a Saintess of the Church of the Divine Dragon.]
Subaru & Emilia: [――!]
Miklotov: [A gag order was imposed within the Royal Castle regarding this matter. Of course, even if you keep information locked up, it will still seep out like raindrops… however, even rumors that the Saintess in question possesses the same characteristics as the long-since vanished princess of Lugunica have spread substantially.]
Subaru: [Isn't that basically all the information in its entirety being leaked!?]
Miklotov's face clouded over with bitterness, but if it was indeed true, then it meant that the Royal Castle's attempt at information control had ended in a completely ill-prepared failure.
Subaru: [I think there's no way, but Filóre… were you so delighted to have saved Crusch-san that, in your good mood, you spread your own achievement around?]
Beatrice: [Betty has been convinced, I suppose.]
Filóre: [Please don't be! Also, I didn't do any such thing! Even I have common sense! Well, I may have told some people close to me, wanting to use them to persuade the people of the Church. But, they shouldn't have spread it around town!]
Subaru: [Hmmm, Beako?]
Beatrice: [Let's say that it's gray as close to black as it can get, in fact.]
Subaru more or less agreed with Beatrice's scathing evaluation.
He pitied Filóre, stomping her feet in vexation, but no matter how much she insisted that she had not done so, the feeling that she had indeed could not be erased; such was the impression he had of the girl up to now.
In any case, no matter whoever might have been responsible for the dissemination of such rumors――,
Beatrice: [Then, perhaps there might be rumors that Filóre made the insignia shine as well, I suppose? Thus, everyone crowns Filóre, saying that it would be strange should she not be included as a Royal Selection Candidate, in fact?]
Miklotov: [Talk has yet to go that far. However, news of Priscilla-sama's death will soon be announced to the public. If Miss Filóre's existence has become known by that time, naturally the streets will overflow with voices calling for her participation in the Royal Selection.]
Subaru: [So before that happens, you want to finish laying all the groundwork in advance, huh…]
If Filóre's participation was a matter of course anyway, it would keep things more transparent for everyone to quickly advance the conversation. While on one hand, he could understand such arrangements by the adults, but sure enough, he was somewhat bothered by Filóre's lack of a veto.
Had she not been able to discuss this with Emilia beforehand, Filóre would have joined in the worst possible frame of mind, completely lacking the necessary mettle of a Royal Selection Candidate.
Sakura: [Now, now, don't frown like thaaat, Subaru-chan. We successfully came to a conclusion somehow or another, so that means we're fine, riiight?]
Subaru: […Is this fine with you, Sakura-san? Initially, Filóre wasn't supposed to have left the Church, or rather, her participation in the Royal Selection was unforeseen, right?]
Sakura: [――Whether they want it or not, the leaves of the trees are nothing but at the whim of the wind and water.]
Subaru: [――――]
As Sakura's tone of voice suddenly fell, Subaru could not help but look embarrassed.
Those few words were filled with a poignant sense of emptiness―― loaded with vacuous resignation, almost as if it were that of an old tree, agape with a large hollow, withering to naught.
It nearly even felt like, rather than speaking about Filóre, those words were rather about Sakura herself, about her own resignation.
Sakura: [Weeell, that which will happen, will haaappen. To begin with, even if she has the drive to do so, she is a year and a half behind the other children, so she might not be able to compeeete.]
Filóre: [Excuse me, Sakura! Why do you have to put a damper on my enthusiasm like that! If I'm going to do it, I'm going to win… my tenacity is truly that of the Dragon's!]
Subaru: [I've been curious, what does the Church of the Divine Dragon think of the way Filóre carelessly makes light of the Dragon?]
Sakura: [Blasphemy, or something along those liiines.]
Filóre: [Blasphemy!!]
It was more scathing than he had anticipated, but as expected, it seemed that they deemed it as behavior not to be endorsed. Filóre maintained a stance utterly distant from the typical image of a Saintess.
At any rate, with most of his questions answered, Subaru now had a general grasp on the purpose of this top-secret meeting and the rationale behind why the participants had been so tightly restricted. That was to say, this was an informal notice, confirming the intentions and plans of the parties involved, before the proper public announcement.
And, when he thought about it that far, suddenly, Subaru's anxiety spiked.
That was――,
Subaru: [Say, Filóre, if you are also going to become a Royal Selection Candidate, does that mean you will also appoint a Knight like the other Candidates, like Emilia-tan did with me?]
Emilia: [Ah, Subaru, you might have a misunderstanding about that.]
Subaru: [A misunderstanding?]
Emilia: [Umm, it just so happens that all of us Royal Selection Candidates are attended by Knights, but that's not an absolute rule. After all, Anastasia-san and I didn't form a Knight Contract with Julius and you from the start, right?]
Subaru: [That's true for me, but Julius was Anastasia's Knight from the beginning.]
Emilia: [Ah, that's right. I'll have to remember that properly, for Julius's sake.]
While Emilia made a minor correction due to the influence of the missing Name, Subaru, however, was convinced by that explanation. Indeed, at the outset, Roswaal had accompanied Emilia as her backer, but Subaru had been absent as a Knight―― or rather, he had not yet won that trust.
Therefore, perhaps being a Royal Selection Candidate did not necessitate having a Knight.
Subaru: [But, I do think going through the hassle of finding one would bring you more prestige. What are you going to do? The only one close to Filóre that could fulfill the requirements would be… maybe my friend?]
Emilia: ["Mai fhriend"… that's Tiga, right? Still, that might be nice. Filóre also seems to be reaaally close with Tiga…]
Filóre: [Ehhh, my Knight being Tiga? That doesn't feel the least bit special.]
Clasping her hands together in front of her chest, Emilia was in complete agreement with Subaru's nomination, and yet Filóre booed that choice with incredible vigor.
Filóre: [Well, Tiga is skillful, so if appointed as a Knight, he would probably do well and not make any mistakes, but he scolds me a lot and is quick to doubt me whenever something happens, so I suppose he lacks the necessary respect and loyalty for a Knight. Besides, even though he's not a Knight, it won't change that he still accompanies me here and there even now, so there's no point in going out of my way to name him as my Knight. Rejected! I do reject it!]
Subaru: [Well, it is your Knight, so I think you should do as you like… huh? In the first place, how would one usually even go about appointing a Knight?]
For example, in Subaru's case, he was conferred his Knighthood by Emilia, and was immediately installed as her Knight, which was how he acquired his current position; but, what of Reinhard or Julius?
Receiving a Knight should not have been something restricted solely to Royal Selection Candidates, but Subaru only now felt shame at his own ignorance of what such Contracts were like in those sorts of situations.
Miklotov: [Hrrrmm, indeed. In many cases, it is typical for a Knight to seek out a lord and swear fealty in order to be appointed. However, for a Knight of great renown, it is not uncommon for some lords to promise a high salary and favorable treatment, extending an invitation to them and requesting that they serve them.]
Subaru: [Oh, I wasn't expecting Miklotov-san to explain it to me… By the way, do you employ any Knights, Miklotov-san?]
Miklotov: [There have been many, who have long since come and gone, that have placed their trust in our household. The prevailing view is that, as you might expect, those who have had an outstanding Knight dedicate their sword to them command a certain amount of respect.]
Subaru: [That's… well, it's understandable.]
Indeed, the status of having the Sword Saint or the Finest of Knights as their foremost Knights ought to have attached quite a great deal of prestige to the names of Felt and Anastasia.
The notoriety of the foremost Knights was an important barometer for the Royal Selection. ――Sure enough, Subaru wondered if he had actually become Emilia's strength as a Knight. In addition, he wondered if Crusch, who had dismissed Ferris from the role of her one and only Knight, might now acquire a new Knight.
Subaru: [――――]
He did not want that. Indeed, as the individual involved would put it, thinking those thoughts as if clinging to them was a result of Subaru's pridefulness, his desire for everything to go the way he wished.
They might find a different answer to the unavoidable rift that had formed between the two of them, if they took some time to recollect themselves. So, until then, he prayed that she would leave that seat vacant.
Yes, with prideful resolve, Subaru began feeling sentimental.
Filóre: […Just now, Miklotov-sama said this. That for an outstanding Knight to approach me, I should raise my voice and appeal earnestly.]
Beatrice: [――? The passion seems to differ quite a bit from what Betty heard, I suppose.]
Subaru: […Me too, I also felt like the nuance was a bit different, but…]
Clenching her fists tightly and stifling her emotions, Filóre muttered. Beatrice's response to that pulled Subaru back from his sentimentality into reality.
Perhaps having ears that only heard what was convenient for herself, Filóre interpreted Miklotov's statement in her own way, and on top of that, her cheeks were becoming slightly flushed. For some reason, it seemed like something had gotten her emotions riled up to the point of making her cheeks burn, but――,
Emilia: [Maybe you already have an idea of who you want to appoint as your Knight, Filóre?]
Filóre: [――! How did you… was it because of our close friendship?]
Emilia: [Mhm, I think so. So, what sort of person are they?]
Subaru: [Just to get it out of the way, Reinhard's already all sold out.]
Beatrice: [And naturally, Subaru and Betty are under a sales contract in perpetuity to Emilia, in fact.]
With the attention of Subaru, Emilia, Beatrice, Sakura, and Miklotov centered upon herself, Filóre smiled with a somewhat meaningful "Fufufu"; she met all of their gazes, vigorously opening the thick book of scriptures before her.
Filóre: [Please have a listen. This too, is in the scriptures. "The arm of man doth swing the sword, but it be the Dragon's will that deals in life. Under the footprints of a Knight chosen, even the most bloodied of ruts turn to roads of silver"!]
Emilia: [Ummm, that means…?]
Filóre: [Basically, the one most suitable to be my Knight is someone who has been recognized by the Dragon!]
Though it felt a bit like an arbitrary interpretation, ultimately, when it came to a Knight great enough to be recognized by the Dragon, the only person meeting such qualifications whom Subaru could think of was Reinhard.
Taking a more broad interpretation, it was also technically true that Emilia, having cleared the Trial of the first layer at the Pleiades Watchtower, was also someone who fulfilled those conditions.
Subaru: [Though a development where a Royal Candidate ends up becoming another Royal Candidate's Knight would be quite amusing with how it breaks the system, Emilia-tan has me, so that development gets rejected.]
Filóre: [Emilia being my Knight… t-that is certainly an idea that tempts my heart. However, my hopes and aspirations differ from hers. Please do not lead me any further astray.]
Getting the feeling that he could neither say "Don't be shaken over something so trivial" nor "Emilia's the target of comparison, so it can't be helped that you feel shaken", Subaru ultimately said nothing to Filóre.
Taking no notice of Subaru's consideration, Filóre briefly cleared her throat,
Filóre: [Alright? Is it alright? As I have said, if I, a Saintess of the Divine Dragon Church, am to stand as a Royal Candidate, then it must be that my Knight is one that has been recognized by the Dragon. And so, as far as I am aware, there is but one personage who meets that criteria――]
When such a prestigious requirement was raised to the forefront, there was just a single person who came to mind, whether one liked it or not.
As irony would have it, he was an opponent who was destined to contend against Filóre, not only in the battle for the throne, but over the question of who was the true survivor of the Lugunican Royal Family.
None other than the one and only Knight in service to Felt: the Sword Saint, Reinhard van Astrea――,
Filóre: [――Heinkel Astrea-sama.]
――――.
――――――――.
――――――――――――.
Subaru: [Ngh!?]
Feeling as though he had heard a mixed up reply, Subaru's throat unwittingly let out a horrendous squeal. However, Filóre wore a smug look on her face upon making her declaration; beside her, Emilia and Beatrice were visibly as shocked as Subaru, their eyes wide open in surprise.
Even if an Astrea was an Astrea, it was a different Astrea than the one he had envisioned.
Subaru: […Umm, Filóre?]
Filóre: [W-what is the matter? Or rather, aren't everybody's reactions somewhat strange?]
Subaru: [Yeah, they're strange alright. Could I please just ask you to tell us one more time? The one most fit to be the Knight of a Saintess of the Divine Dragon Church, is who exactly?]
Filóre: [Like I said, I would prefer if you did not make me repeat myself however many times, but… Heinkel Astrea-sama.]
However many times he heard it, the name did not take on a different sound, and as she voiced it, Filóre inclined her head.
From her perspective, it seemed like the reactions of Subaru and the rest were far more difficult to understand. That was only natural. After all, in her eyes, the person known as Heinkel Astrea was――,
Filóre: [――One from the lineage of Sword Saints who, upon conquering the Dragon's Blood that washed over his body, was reforged into an immortal knight, Heinkel Astrea-sama: I wish to name him as my Knight.]
Indeed, having risen to the stage as the sixth Royal Candidate, Filóre boasted that in her position as the sixth, the individual most fit to be her one and only Knight was none other than the Backstabber, Heinkel Astrea.
-x-X-x-
Arc 10, Chapter 12 – "Groan"
△▼△▼△▼△
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
――Clear skies graced the day since the early morning, as if it were blessing the triumphant future to come.
Subaru: [Or, is it a bit too optimistic of me to be thinking something like that?]
Beatrice: [Betty does not think so, in fact. In all actuality, if Filóre's Sacrament proves capable of exhibiting the anticipated results, then Subaru's cheerful mood would be nothing more than an advance celebration, I suppose.
Subaru: […If it's just me celebrating in advance all on my own, then I get the feeling that it really was a bit too cheerful.]
Hearing Beatrice's follow-up as they walked together, hand in hand, Subaru scratched his cheek with his unoccupied fingers.
Given the situation, a part of him did want to stick up for those feelings of unavoidable cheerfulness, but considering how little he himself had actually contributed to that, he could not deny that his spirits were too high.
In reality, for their upcoming itinerary―― making for the Watergate City of Pristella, and using the Sacrament of the Church of the Divine Dragon to provide aid to the victims of the Witch Cult, there would arrive no moment in which Subaru would be of any particular use.
Only, as the Knight of Emilia, who would be performing a distinguished role there, and above all, as an individual who had experienced the fierce battle that raged in the city, he wanted to be present to witness the moment in which the abhorrent scars left behind by that struggle were healed once and for all.
Subaru: [So that's why, we'll rely on Reinhard to keep up the hard work for this part, and have him take us along to Pristella as a member of the expedition.]
Beatrice: [Naturally, Betty will be coming with you, in fact. Together with Emilia, who will thaw the residents she had encased in ice, and with Garfiel and Otto, who still have unresolved matters in that town, I suppose.]
Subaru: [Garfiel said something about the father of a family he got along with there being a victim of Lust, and Otto… is going to collect the book he had entrusted to that restorer, huh?]
Beatrice: [Seems like it, in fact… Good grief, what a cunning man, I suppose.]
Puffing out her cheeks, Beatrice grumbled so, and Subaru pondered her complex feelings on the matter.
The book, which Otto had entrusted to the restorer in Pristella, was one of the Tomes of Wisdom considered to have been left behind by the Witch of Greed, Echidna―― however, it was the volume that had been inherited by Roswaal. With the singleminded wish to verify its contents, Otto had retrieved the book after it had been mostly reduced to cinders, and while that persistence of his went without saying, it was also difficult to believe the skill of the restorer who claimed he would be able to reconstruct it.
But, for Beatrice, who had lost her own Tome of Wisdom in a fire, it must have put her in an extremely delicate state of mind.
Beatrice: [Do not worry, in fact, Subaru.]
Subaru: [Beatrice…]
Beatrice: [If it's the matter of Betty's guide for the future, Subaru now fills that role, I suppose. It is shocking to witness Otto's destitute disposition as he attempts to recycle burnt cinders, in fact. But, if he can get the better of Roswaal, it is not a bad feeling, I suppose.]
Subaru: […I see.]
Indifferent to Subaru's worries, Beatrice powerfully puffed out her chest, and finding her to be incredibly lovely, Subaru caressed the head of his adorable Contracted Spirit to his heart's content.
As mentioned previously, the ones travelling to Pristella on the Reinhard Express were, strangely enough, the same members who had gone to Pristella the previous time. If it were possible, Subaru would have liked to mobilize all members of the camp, but he could not put too much strain on Ram, who was currently down on account of overworking.
As for the personnel accompanying them from other camps, there would be Reinhard, tasked with the duty of carrying the dragon carriage, and Felt, who seemed to be responsible for supervising him. ――Then, there would be the central figure of this expedition, Filóre, as a key person, and Sakura, serving as her chaperone.
Subaru: [To be honest, given the congestion of things that need to be done now, it's not like I don't get the feeling that it might be way too dangerous to bring Felt and Filóre together in the same dragon carriage so suddenly.]
Beatrice: [However, as per what is being said, the two of them have already encountered each other face to face, in fact.]
Subaru: [Yeah, it was the day when Filóre first showed up at the Castle, and when she treated Crusch-san. On that day, the two of them met for the first time… it also seems like it was Felt who gave Filóre an insignia, and verified if she held the qualifications to be a Royal Candidate.]
Beatrice: [That girl is far too reckless, I suppose. Usually, the idea of placing one's own position into jeopardy, is something one would think twice about, in fact.]
Subaru: [To begin with, she isn't the type of person who depends on her ancestry. That unwavering part about her really gives off a cool impression.]
Felt's resolute way of living harbored a charisma capable of attracting many people.
In actuality, those who wished to have Felt take the throne were those who had been enchanted by her words, actions, and way of being, perceiving their ideals upon those small shoulders of hers, and choosing to follow her.
If those were the results brought forth by the radiance of Felt's soul, bereft of any other factors, then the current situation was tantamount to an unnecessary plot being thrust upon her.
Subaru: [Felt and Filóre, which one is the real princess, and which is the fake, I wonder?]
Beatrice: [It is a strange premise to begin with, I suppose. Regardless of which of the two is the real one, if they intend on leveraging the possibility, they ought to be proclaiming it more assertively or so it doesn't go to waste, in fact. Get the masses to believe, get the masses to harbor suspicions, that would be the route with the greatest utility, I suppose.]
The more he thought about it, the more unreasonable it seemed to leverage the surviving-princess theory.
As Beatrice said, not only were they failing to capitalize on a rare, powerful advantage, but if it turned out that either Felt or Filóre was indeed the real deal, it could even be said that one of them would incur a negative image as the definite fake.
When it came to that, the first thing that weighed on his mind was――,
Subaru: [――In the end, what in the world was the Church thinking when they decided to keep Filóre's existence a secret.]
According to Filóre, she was abandoned at the doorstep of the Church fifteen years prior, and from there was taken in and raised as an orphan within the children's house of the Church of the Divine Dragon. There, she received a considerably sheltered upbringing, without much knowledge about the outside world, forming her as a monster of ignorant initiative.
Regardless of the fact that her initiative was what gave rise to today's disorder, the Church of the Divine Dragon would have been fully aware of her distinct outward appearance, her age, and her name.
There was absolutely no possibility that they had failed to draw the connection with the Lugunican Royal Family.
Not to mention, if the Sacrament that Filóre wielded had the power to combat the Authorities of the Sin Archbishops of Lust and Gluttony, would it not have been capable of exhibiting its power against the illness that befell the Royal Family?
In that case, why had the Church of the Divine Dragon abandoned the Lugunican Royal Family to perish?
Subaru: [So long as that mystery remains unclear, nobody's going to be satisfied.]
With the holding of the Royal Selection known far and wide all across the Kingdom, the citizens of the nation were all paying attention to who would take the throne in this epoch. In both a positive and negative sense, the people would not turn a blind eye to any conspicuous deeds of the Royal Candidates, nor would they forget them.
Hence, he wanted to know what the Church of the Divine Dragon was thinking, no matter what.
For that purpose――,
Subaru: [――Miklotov-san's invitation was really a godsend.]
Beatrice: [In fact.]
Beside the nodding, taciturn Beatrice, Subaru recalled the matter from the previous day―― when they had accompanied Filóre as she went to assent to participation in the Royal Selection, and, together with Emilia, they had held an exchange with Miklotov in one of the conference rooms of the Castle.
Filóre's bombshell announcement when it came to the selection of her Knight: he had been sent into a great spur of befuddlement when that had been dropped, and the scene had ultimately concluded rather chaotically, but Subaru had also managed to secure a benefit.
An important member of the Council of Wise Men, and likely one of the foremost intellects in the Kingdom of Lugunica, that Miklotov, had agreed to set aside some time to chat with Subaru.
While the clamorous Filóre Theater raged on in the background, given that there was no harm in asking, Subaru had told Miklotov that he wished to speak with him, to which the latter graciously agreed
Miklotov: [Hrrmmmm. In that case, I shall fit you into my schedule, Natsuki-dono. It just so happens there is a matter about which I would like to speak with you in private as well, Natsuki-dono.]
Subaru: [I'm extremely grateful, but… there's something you wanna speak to me about?]
Miklotov: [Indeed. There is a matter I wish to ascertain, a matter about which I wish to inform you, and a matter on which I wish to consult you… I beg your pardon, but it would be a blessing if you could join this old man for a long chat.]
With those words, Miklotov flashed a smile that gave the impression of a good-natured old man, informed Subaru of the location of his residence, and scheduled an appointment for their agreed upon private discussion.
That appointment was today, where he was scheduled to depart for Pristella after the passing of Fire Time.
Before that matter of great importance, as Subaru had promised to Miklotov, he was en route to the specified location by himself―― no, having received permission beforehand, he also brought Beatrice along with him, as their two hearts beat together as one.
Subaru: [As per what Miklotov-san said… setting aside whatever he wanted to ask and tell me, it's kinda scary that he said he wants to consult me on something, though I've also got a whole bunch of questions to unload on him. Ideally, I'd like to get him to show us the actual Dragon History Stone, but…]
Beatrice: [The Dragon History Stone is said to be managed as strictly as the Dragon's Blood, I suppose. However, if Betty were to get a glimpse of it, it should be possible to formulate a hypothesis of what its mechanisms resemble, in fact.]
Subaru: [It's not like I really think the Dragon History Stone is suspicious in and of itself, but the fact that it completely overlooked the annihilation of the Royal Family, and instead completely described the following Royal Selection is, well…]
It made him begin to suspect that there might have been some sort of malice or contrivance behind that. He did not wish to believe that even the deaths of the Royal Family had been orchestrated.
Subaru: [――――]
In the mausoleum, he had laid eyes upon the sarcophagi belonging to those departed members of the Lugunican Royal Family. ――Considering the impact the deaths of the widely beloved Royal Family had borne, especially that which the death of the fourth prince had borne on Crusch and Ferris with whom Subaru was well-aquanted, if there had been somebody's will interfering with that, Subaru would never forgive that person, no matter what.
Then, it happened just when Subaru thought so, and firmly clenched the hand opposite to the one holding Beatrice's.
???: [――Seems like you're thinking of some awfully unsettling things again, my friend.]
As a witty voice suddenly called out to him from the side, Subaru swiveled his head around in surprise. Upon doing so, his eyes caught sight of a stylish young man waving at him from the vertex of a T-junction in the road.
At that friendly greeting, Subaru broke into a broad grin, and,
Subaru: [My friend? You're acting pretty over-familiar all of a sudden…]
Man: [Oi oi oi, you were the one who called me that first! Don't leave me out to dry!]
Subaru: [Just kidding. I'm happy to see you again, Tiga.]
A look of shock upon his face, the young man―― Tiga, glared at Subaru's face with squinting eyes as the latter extended his hand with good graces, and after a shrug of his shoulders, he shook the proffered hand.
With the successful exchange of the handshake, the revalidation of their friendship was completed, though,
Tiga: [It seems that you too are in lovely spirits, Miss Beatrice. It is an honor to meet you again.]
Beatrice: [There are no objections from Betty either, I suppose… However, why are you here, in fact?]
Tiga: [Well then, allow me to return the very same question to the two of you. Albeit it is not as though I was sneaking around, but just in case, this was supposed to be a confidential summons.]
Subaru: [Confidential… no way, don't tell me you were also invited by Miklotov-san?]
Tiga: [――. So that would mean, you as well?]
Subaru and Tiga's eyes widened as they pointed fingers at each other, and Beatrice, standing between them, stood up on her tippy toes to reach up and pull both of their arms down.
Seeing her help out with that cute gesture, Tiga exhaled a soft "Ha", and,
Tiga: [Wow, and I got myself panicked thinking that I was being tailed. No matter how you look at it, you wouldn't bring a child along with you if you were on someone's tail, that's what I thought, but… nevermind, I'll leave it be.]
Subaru: [What, don't call it quits midway through. I won't get mad so spit it out.]
Tiga: [Really? I guess I'll say it then, but, I thought that if it was the famous Lolimancer, Natsuki Subaru, then it might be a piece of cake for you to bring a child along while actively tailing someone…]
Subaru: [Asshole, who're you calling a Lolimancer, you bastard!]
Tiga: [I only said it because you said you wouldn't get mad!]
At the shameful pseudonym that had resurfaced for the first time in a while, the indignant Subaru attempted to lunge at the other party. But, Tiga skillfully evaded both of Subaru's hands before quickly hiding behind Beatrice.
Watching over that refreshing, futile struggle, Beatrice faced Subaru and shrugged her shoulders,
Beatrice: [This matter will not proceed otherwise, so you must reconcile right here, I suppose. Subaru needs to act as an adult, in fact.]
Subaru: [Tsk, fine. I'm an adult, so I don't want to be told this and that by you when you're made to imitate a child. After all, I'm an adult.]
Tiga: [I don't think an adult would need to make such a huge display about how adult-like they're being, for dragon's sake.]
Springing his crouched body back up, Tiga readjusted his hat as he gestured his chin in the direction of their shared destination, at the intersection where they had come to a halt.
Tiga: [We are headed for the same destination. And likely, the appointed time is also the same. Let's go together.]
Subaru: [I'm fine either way, but in that case, he shouldn't have had to make that odd specification about me coming alone. Wouldn't it've been fine if Emilia-tan or Rem came along with me?]
Tiga: [Setting Rem aside, Emilia-sama is your master, correct? Would you truly drag her along for your own errands?]
Subaru: [It wouldn't be dragging her along, I just don't want to leave her side for even a moment if I can help it.]
Tiga: [That's――]
To meet banter with banter. Although Subaru had merely intended to retaliate in the back-and-forth, Tiga's mouth closed as if he was at a loss for words, and for a moment, he avoided eye contact.
Seeing that reaction, Subaru exchanged glances with Beatrice, and tilted his head in confusion.
Subaru: [What's wrong? Did I scare you with my big love towards Emilia-tan and the rest?]
Tiga: [It's not that your big love or whatever you call it was frightening. Merely, that weighty affection of yours, Subaru, it struck a chord in my heart that even I do not fully understand… something like that.]
Subaru: [――. I appreciate the sentiment, but I've already got lots of people whom I've set my heart on, so…]
Tiga: [Pretending to be all devoted, you then go with the declaration of a scumbag!?]
Feeling like their usual rapport had returned, Subaru smiled at Tiga's sentimental riposte. From the beginning, he had thought him to be a person on similar wavelengths to himself, and sure enough, my friend was not just for show.
Tiga was also taken in by Subaru's grin, smiling as he cast aside the unease from a moment prior.
Beatrice: [That is enough merrymaking from both of you, I suppose. It has come into view, in fact.]
At some point, Beatrice had started to walk a bit further ahead of Subaru and Tiga, and now standing at the corner bend in the street, she beckoned them with her hand. With long, fast strides, Subaru and Tiga hurried as quickly as they could without breaking into a sprint, and both arrived at Beatrice's side at roughly the same time.
Then, at the outskirts of the Noble District, finding the designated address and a large mansion with the matching roof color he had been told, he fathomed a guess that this must be Miklotov's residence.
Subaru: [Tiga, what did you have to discuss with Miklotov-san?]
Tiga: [Consulting him about something I'm searching for, I guess. What about you two, Subaru?]
Subaru: [Beako and I are pursuing a grand quest of history, we wanted to ask about various things regarding the dark aspects of the Kingdom, and we also were going to see if we could maybe get just a single glimpse at the Dragon History Stone.]
Tiga: [I see. So that ties back to those unsettling things you were saying earlier. I offer this warning out of consideration, but it would be best if you did not speak of your plans regarding the Dragon History Stone so casually out on the――]
Roadside; right as he attempted to conclude his sentence, Tiga cut off his words there.
Subaru and Beatrice turned around, wondering what the matter was, and as they were about to proceed through the front gate of Miklotov's mansion, Tiga halted in his tracks, glaring at the surrounding stone walls.
Then, with a definite vigilance in his graceful side profile, he muttered.
That was――,
Tiga: [――This is bad, the smell of blood is in the air.]
△▼△▼△▼△
Beatrice in his left hand, Guiltywhip in his right. ――With those two reliable partners firmly equipped in his hands, Subaru stifled his breath and proceeded into the premises thick with the scent of blood.
???: [――Subaru, don't stray from me. We'll cover each other's blind spots.]
The one addressing him in such a hushed voice was Tiga, keeping guard at the front of their formation.
Keeping low to the ground and erasing the sound of his footsteps as he walked, within Tiga's hand was a sword he had drawn in one smooth, soundless motion―― a silver crescent that carved deep, sharp arcs: that which he grasped was a shamshir.
From the air of his demeanor, Subaru could presume he was a ready master of that curved blade, and bore an ill-timed thought that Filóre had quite the poor eye for Knights.
Subaru: [――――]
Through their clasped hands, Beatrice and Subaru's anxieties were transmitted to each other.
Fortunately, thanks to Beatrice, who was far and away more composed than Subaru, they managed to avoid falling down a vicious spiral of their anxieties being reciprocally elevated by the other's, akin to a self-inflicted Authority of Wrath.
――Miklotov's mansion had been transformed into such a hideous scene that it made him want to avert his eyes.
Having entered the mansion from the rear, they had already discovered over ten people, but every last one of them had already breathed their last, hideously slaughtered corpses each slain with but a single stroke.
Whether those blows that had not inflicted suffering ought to have been branded mercy, or the utter dominance that did not permit any show of strength ought to have been appraised as ruthless, he could not think of any parting words to adorn those who had perished.
Merely, with the fresh, vibrant breath of death so close at hand, Subaru's heart pounded as if it was about to burst.
Subaru: [――――]
The situation had already eclipsed Subaru's capacity. Having reached such a judgment, he was convinced that the best course of action would be to immediately leave the mansion and seek aid and reinforcements elsewhere.
But at the same time, there was certainly a chance they could still save lives by proceeding onward now.
That was because――,
Subaru: [All of them were only just killed.]
Beatrice: […We are in agreement, in fact. If there was even just one person still breathing, I suppose…]
They discovered the mark of a slash carved into the corridor's wall, and the remains of yet another person collapsed directly underneath. A large, sweeping stroke had been unleashed, and had obliquely sliced through that person together with the wall behind him.
Sliced open by a diagonal slash, the blood of the regrettable dead body had yet to dry, and the bloody stench tinged with heat possessed the characteristic cloying scent of a corpse, peculiar in how the vitality of that which had been alive but moments ago mingled with death.
Subaru: [It pisses me off that my experiences in the Empire are coming into play at a time like this…]
In the life of Natsuki Subaru, there existed one most atrocious, most hellish sight―― though it troubled him greatly, it was the gruesome massacre upon the Gladiator Island, where a mountain of corpses had been erected from the faces he knew well. The calamity wrought by the accursed Todd Fang, had scorched Subaru's world to ashes across innumerable deaths.
There, he had seen much death. That was why he could recognize it. Approximately how long ago the living had been made into the dead, and approximately how much suffering they had experienced before they passed on.
Subaru: [They… didn't suffer.]
This now brought the number of corpses they had found within the mansion to thirteen, but not a single one of them had suffered. However, he was unable to make out whether that was the result of mercy or skill.
The fact that they had died without suffering would likely only serve as consolation to the hearts of those who were able to ascertain it, such as himself. Prideful; even at a time like this, that malediction from Ferris flashed through his mind.
Why was that? Perhaps it was because he thought the one who had said he hated death more than anything else in this world would be able to understand Subaru, who currently felt utterly helpless in the face of this tragedy.
Subaru: [Shit.]
While burdened with the sense of nausea and loss that he still could not grow accustomed to, despite having borne witness to an incalculable number of deaths, Subaru closed the eyelids of the dead, and moved onward.
The reason he refused to withdraw was because the possibility remained that someone still survived in the midst of this tragedy that had only just begun.
He did not wish to withdraw and allow that possibility of life to be destroyed.
In addition――,
Subaru: [――Miklotov-san, is someone this country still needs.]
Certainly, Subaru had by no means exchanged many words with Miklotov.
The Council of Wise Men: he did not possess a single good memory of those men who stood at the zenith of those possessing acumen within the Kingdom.
Merely, amidst the few points of contact and recollections smeared with negative thoughts that he would rather forget, there was certainly something Subaru remembered.
Miklotov: [At the very least, he has shown that you are not the sort of half-elf so feared by the world. ――You have a fine attendant.]
When Subaru's shameful conduct was laid bare before a great many people by his egotistical outburst, and he was driven from the throne room without a single ally remaining, those were the words that had been spoken.
Until now, this moment, this very instant, he had not recalled it. ――However, that day, in that place, there had been someone who had viewed Subaru's actions through a different perspective to everyone else.
He had failed to realize that. But, why had that been? Whatever the case, Subaru was grateful.
Subaru would repay Miklotov with fortune surpassing this feeling of salvation.
Tiga: [――Subaru, Miss Beatrice.]
Steeling himself with firm resolve and determination, Subaru used that as motivation to keep himself from running away. Calling out to Subaru and Beatrice was Tiga, who had reached a set of enormous doors.
He could not claim to have examined every corner of the mansion, but he had finished checking all of the large chambers. Insofar as the layout of the mansion was concerned, the very room now before his eyes was the one that would serve as a place of refuge in an emergency.
Therefore, this room was the mostly likely location for the master of the mansion to be――,
Subaru: [――Hk!]
With nary a word of warning, immediately following a nod to each other, they plunged in through the opened door with Tiga as the vanguard.
As soon as they entered, the first thing his eyes landed upon was a great and enormous flag of the Kingdom of Lugunica spread out over the white wall within the modest room―― that which depicted a single sword at its center, and two dragons facing each other on either side, had been cleaved in twain diagonally, with one of the halves falling to the floor.
And there, he could see, with the national flag that had slumped down to the floor seeming to wrap around their body, a single individual who seemed to have suffered the same slash, dead with their back against the wall in a pool of their own blood.
Subaru: [――Aah.]
A groan had involuntarily escaped the back of his throat.
A figure was reclined against the wall, their head hung low and their face was not clearly visible. And yet, he knew exactly who it was. Even the distinctive white beard that made it impossible to mistake them for another had been soaked in the vast quantity of blood that had gushed forth, staining it a bright crimson.
It was Miklotov McMahon, never to rise again―― a merciless end that came all too suddenly for the great wise man who had sustained the Kingdom of Lugunica for so long.
However, nevertheless, even that death, even that end, served not as the reason for Subaru's groan.
The reason Subaru had groaned was not because Miklotov had been the victim. ――It was due to the assailant.
In the center of the room, directly in front of the corpse of the departed Miklotov that was seemingly wrapped in the diagonally bisected banner, stood the figure of the assailant, their back turned.
Upon a slender, well-proportioned back, there swayed beautifully captivating long, dark-green hair. The curves of her body, abundant in femininity, could not be fully concealed by her dark blue attire, painting an aesthetic of fallen virtue upon this terrible scene.
And, not a single drop of gore clung to the long, sharp, straight sword clutched by her hand. ――That was only natural. For the strokes of her sword hewed through her opponents not with steel, but with wind.
Subaru: [――――]
Aghast, Subaru and the others stood motionless as she slowly turned her head toward them. With one eye covered by an eyepatch, the beauty in men's clothing captured them in her remaining eye of amber hue――,
Woman: [――Ah, Natsuki Subaru, is it? ――Pray tell, are you truly the "real one" I know?]
――At that query of Crusch Karsten's, amidst the horrid spectacle of rampant blood and death, what escaped from the throat of Natsuki Subaru, was naught more than a pathetic groan.