4.9

Rom's plaintive cry about how he had raised the girl resounded in the hall. Miklotov, perhaps moved by the lament, cleared his throat, seeking to clear the air in the process.

"Well, then, Lady Felt, Sir Reinhard, may I conclude that you both intend to participate in the royal selection?"

"Sure, go ahead."

"Yes, as my Lady wills it."

Felt's behavior was insolent to the end, with Reinhard following her. The lenient sage let the incongruity pass without comment, quietly replying, "Understood," as he nodded. He continued, "Though there have been some minor uproars, I judge that all the preliminaries have concluded. Lady Felt, do you have anything else to add?"

Surely he thought it proper to give Felt the same chance to give a speech that the other candidates had received.

She answered the prompt with a, "Hmm," and thought about it a bit. "One thing, then."

Landing on a proposal, Felt raised a finger and looked up, bathed in gazes from the dais. Her red eyes flared as they surveyed the faces of those assembled. Finally, she took a deep breath and smiled buoyantly as she swept one hand toward the Council of Elders.

"—I hate nobles."

She kept that smile on her face as she pointed at the Knights of the Royal Guard with her other hand.

"—I hate knights."

Then, with both arms still spread wide, she said, with a spectacular smile and maximum venom…

"—I hate this kingdom!"

She continued.

"—I hate all of you in this room, I hate the structure you built, I hate every little thing here. That's why I think I'll break it all. How 'bout it?"

Felt inclined her head. For a single moment, her behavior brought time itself to a halt. Then, the chamber exploded.

"Wh-what is she saying?!"

"This is where the king is selected, and she says she'll destroy the nation?!"

"What have we spent all this time for!!"

Felt blew off the vociferous, angry shouts of the onlookers all at once.

"Ohh, where's all your high-and-mighty talk now? What about that proud history? Now look, when I become king, I'm breaking all of it. I'm smacking down the lot of you knuckleheads who still can't see the floor crumbling underneath. You all need a breath of fresh air."

The speech of the bright-faced girl threw the hall into chaos like never before.

Miklotov, listening to the proclamation that was reckless without precedent, nodded generously, his expression unchanged as he glanced at the knight standing beside the girl.

"Your lord is quite a feisty one. Having heard her words, what do you think of them?"

"—Truth be told, I believe Lady Felt's wishes are, unfortunately, still in the realm of fantasy."

"Hey, you!"

"However, someday, Lady Felt's words will reach everyone. It is my duty to give her my full support until that day comes."

Miklotov countered, "But Lady Felt counts you among those things she intends to destroy, does she not?"

Reinhard bowed deeply on one knee toward Miklotov, showing no sign of relenting.

"Surely after destruction, there will be renewal. If she will have me, I have no greater desire than to be at her side during that time."

Felt furiously scratched at her hair as she watched his chivalrous profile.

"So in the end, which one are you, my ally or my enemy here?"

"Your ally. Yours, and yours alone."

"…Fine, then. I'll put you to good use."

With her acceptance, the final candidate for the royal selection declared them lord and vassal.

Miklotov dipped his head as he gazed at the radiant row of royal candidates.

"Finally, all the candidates have been assembled. I ask the Council of Elders, do we have a consensus?"

As Miklotov closed his eyes, the atmosphere around him shifted. The old man's voice carried the power of a strong will.

"—My brethren, I ask for your consent to announce that this royal selection shall begin with the five candidates assembled to date."

"—By the authority of the Council of Elders, I assent."

"And I."

"I assent as well."

One by one, the members of the Council of Elders agreed to Miklotov's proposal with solemn nods. Listening to them until the end, Miklotov finally rose from his seat, walking beside the empty throne before opening his eyes.

"—Then, I shall announce the rules for the royal selection!"

Crusch Karsten, lord of the House of Karsten.

Crusch's foremost knight, the Blue Knight, Felix Argyle.

"The candidates are Crusch Karsten, Priscilla Bariel, Anastasia Hoshin, Emilia, and Felt. All of these five bear the qualifications to be Dragon Maidens!"

Priscilla Bariel, the Bloody Bride.

The mercenary Al, one-armed wanderer from another world.

"The day shall be one month prior to the Dragonfriend Ceremony in three years, renewing the pact with the Dragon!"

The young company president from a foreign nation, Anastasia Hoshin.

Anastasia's foremost knight, the Finest of Knights, Julius Juukulius.

"The selection shall be made according to the guidance of the Dragon via the radiance of the Dragon Jewels and the combined will of the nation's people!"

Felt, of the lost royal bloodline (unconfirmed).

Felt's foremost knight, Reinhard van Astrea, the Sword Saint.

"Until the appointed day, all candidates for the throne shall work to uphold their own lands and the kingdom to the greatest possible extent!"

The silver-haired half-elf, Emilia, the Freezing Witch.

And absent from that place, her self-declared knight, Subaru Natsuki.

"With the minimum conditions fulfilled, I hereby announce the royal selection has begun—!"

Miklotov's great shout filled the chamber with an incredible fervor. No one spoke, but they all were unable to contain their heartfelt cries.

Miklotov, feeling the waves of excitement rolling against him, straightened from his stoop and declared—

"Let the royal selection—commence!!"