The best moment ruined in the worst way.

The actions of the red-haired man were, so to speak, a kind of evil—no, grotesque.

The red-faced man, with a hint of alcohol on him, rubbed his stubbled cheeks with a lewd smile. He looked to be in his forties.

The mere sight of his trivial gestures and disheveled appearance evoked unnecessary disgust, despite the fact that the raw materials of the man himself could be considered decent.

Something beautiful was being tainted by a form that was anything but desirable.

For some reason, the tall man’s figure stirred a primal sense of loathing.

“…Who the hell are you?”

“Ah?”

Amidst the startled silence of the room, it was none other than Natsuki Subaru who first voiced a question. Wrapping his hand around the handle tucked at his waist, Subaru felt a rush of violent impulse.

He was filled with rage at having the awkward connection he had just reconciled interrupted.

Why was Subaru so furious? No one else could comprehend.

It was not just a friend’s reconciliation.

It was a family reconciliation. At that very moment, the family had finally sought to connect with one another.

“Answer me. Who the hell are you?”

“…You’ve got some seriously hostile eyes there, kid. You even know who you’re picking a fight with at such a tender age?”

“Quit trying to make me laugh, old man. You’re the one picking a fight here. We’re the ones buying at your asking price.”

Just when Subaru was nearing his limits, he stood up from his seat.

He sensed Beatrice, seated beside him, ready to reach for his hand at a moment’s notice, aware of the fury bubbling within Subaru’s heart.

Seeing this side of Subaru, the man scratched his head roughly with an annoyed expression.

“Ugh, such an annoying kid. Hey. Whether it be the Sword Saint or the Eucliwood, even that Argyle fellow will do. —Slice this rude brat in half.”

“――――!”

Pointing at Subaru with the same hand he scratched his head, the man carelessly ordered Reinhardt and the others present in the room.

This insult against his comrades—at least those he could call comrades—only fueled Subaru’s anger as he bared his teeth, prepared to strike the man across the face.

“Excuse me,”

However, his movement was interrupted at the last moment by Julius’s voice.

Having stood up without Subaru noticing, Julius lightly clasped Subaru’s shoulder from behind. Face to face with the man, he turned to him with a resolute gaze.

“Currently, Felis, Reinhardt, and I are operating under special orders and have temporarily stepped away from our original duties. Therefore, even as the Vice Captain, you should not have the authority to give us commands.”

“Right. Felis here is now officially in service to Lady Crusch. Hence, we can’t follow your orders.”

Bouncing off Julius’s words, Felis responded lightheartedly while snuggling up to Crusch. Taken aback, Crusch shot a fierce glare at the red-haired man, her eyes brimming with determination.

Glancing at the expressions of others in the room, they all mirrored the same sentiment, openly displaying hostility toward the man. Of course. The mood of the room was one they all shared, which this man had so blatantly crushed.

Yet,

“Oooh, what are you afraid of? I’m just joking, you know. Even if I’m a mere Vice Captain, I’ve got a grip on the rules of the squad.”

“The ‘merely Vice Captain’…?”

The man, who reeked of alcohol, burst into laughter, slapping his knees as he found joy in Julius and the others’ responses. Picking up on a word he can’t overlook, Subaru furrowed his brows and voiced his doubts.

Receiving this, the man shot Subaru a derisive gaze yet again,

“That’s right, I’m the ‘Dead Weight’. The hated Vice Captain of the Royal Guard of the Lugnica Kingdom. ‘Wasteful Eater’ Heinkel, that’s me.”

“We don’t need your labels of ‘Dead Weight’ or ‘Hated’—don’t act so nonchalantly about it.”

“Ha-ha! That hurts, kid! It pains me, it really does…And I’m about to shove that mouth of yours closed, you brat!”

“――――!”

A chill ran down Subaru’s spine, filled with the dark aura glinting in the man’s narrowed eyes.

It was different from the feeling of facing a powerful presence or one like the White Whale or the ‘Witch.’ It was something else altogether, a sensation he could hardly name.

Subaru felt he might have recognized this transient sense before. However, in that instant, he couldn’t recall what it was.

Only the insufferable disgust held him captive, ringing as if in a sort of tinnitus.

“Calm down, Subaru. You can’t let the Vice Captain’s air overwhelm you.”

Julius spoke, trying to stabilize the quaking Subaru.

Hearing that, the man—Heinkel smirked at Julius.

“Hmph. As expected of the illustrious one. Such a model answer filled with decorum. If you had some martial skill as well, you would surely garner respect as a true noble knight.”

“I shall take that as a compliment, Vice Captain Heinkel. …By the way, what brings you here today? It’s my understanding as the Vice Captain, your duty lies in guarding the Royal Capital Castle?”

“Don’t get snarky with me. What influence would my absence have on the security of the castle? Captain Marcos will surely handle things effectively. In fact, we don’t have to worry about the royal family getting harmed anymore…oh wait, they aren’t even here anymore.”

“Heinkel!”

It was a statement utterly laden with disrespect given his standing.

Hearing that, it was Wilhelm who raised his voice, furious at Heinkel using his name.

The Sword Demon glared furiously at Heinkel, who stood unmoved. As Wilhelm quaked his lips in anger, Heinkel merely shrugged his shoulders.

“Heinkel…”

“If I call, you’ll understand. It’s not like I’m old enough to be deaf. Well, just take it as a drunken fool’s ramblings. —More importantly,”

With a bitter voice, Wilhelm addressed Heinkel, who was idly cleaning his ear with his fingers and closing one of his striking blue eyes. Then, with the remaining eye, he looked at Wilhelm and continued.

“It’s rather heartless, you know. I wanted to extend my congratulations for the ‘White Whale’ subjugation as well, yet you just brushed past me. It was a monumental achievement taking fourteen years. I deserve to share in the joy of this occasion, don’t you agree, old man?”

“Heinkel, I…”

“Reinhardt! You feel the same, right?”

“――――”

With an expression painted in malice, Heinkel dug deep into Wilhelm’s heart.

Though the pain from such a verbal dagger seeped into the old man’s expression, Heinkel did not care. Cutting off any rebuttal before it could take form, he redirected his malice towards Reinhardt.

Reinhardt, who had been silently observing the situation, slowly lifted his gaze to meet Heinkel’s.

“Wouldn’t you feel relieved by your father’s demise? The great grandfather taking revenge for his wife, mother, and grandmother. You must have offered a word of gratitude for that—particularly since…”

“――――”

“——since you put to rest the predecessor responsible for your death, doesn’t that give me the right to celebrate?”

—Let me retract my previous statement.

To describe Heinkel’s expression as one dripping with malice was misrepresentation.

【Malice】 itself.

Heinkel’s words, demeanor, attitude, voice, gestures, gaze, and the entirety of his being could merely be described as pure 【malice】.

Only pure malice embedded itself into everything Heinkel did.

“The predecessor you caused to die…?”

Subaru could only murmur those words that stuck hauntingly in his ear.

There were plenty of other fragments that lingered in his consciousness. However, in the immediate moment, he lacked the leisure to select things rationally.

Yet, the chance His malice opened was not missed.

“Yes indeed, the predecessor you caused to die. I don’t know how ignorant you are, but you surely must have heard the title ‘Sword Saint’ at the least, right? The current ‘Sword Saint’ is famed as the strongest throughout the ages, but such a title was gained through the death of the predecessor—your own grandmother. They keep it concealed, but…”

“Stop, Heinkel! Who do you think you—what are you doing…?”

“Please stop with these pretty words, old man. You of all people shouldn’t accuse me. You were the one who first drove Reinhardt to blame for killing the predecessor.”

“――――!”

In Heinkel’s words, there was a cruel wickedness twisted to encompass the entirety of the world’s hatred and curses.

And that very theme became unbearable slander against the ears.

Reinhardt killed the predecessor. Impossible.

Wilhelm bitterly cursed Reinhardt. Unthinkable.

For Reinhardt, the predecessor was.

And for Wilhelm, Reinhardt was.

So then, there was simply no way that such a thing could be true.

“――――”

Reinhardt and Wilhelm both sealed their lips, refusing to deny the allegations.

Why? If only one of them would just utter a word of denial. If they would merely dismiss it as rubbish, Subaru could believe them without a second thought.

A companion and a mentor he respected. A drunken scoundrel. He wouldn’t have to ponder on which to believe.

Thus, what Subaru wished was simply for them to speak a word of faith in him.

“If things become inconvenient, you go silent. You’ve pulled that for fourteen years. You haven’t changed at all, nor have you, old man. And if you haven’t changed, then the reconciliation could never occur. A luxury like that, Tereshia van Astraea wouldn’t allow.”

In the silent room, only Heinkel’s profanities echoed.

Named here was the predecessor Sword Saint—Wilhelm’s wife, Reinhardt’s grandmother. And she would likely be,

“Mother who died, curses us. All three generations together, we shall never be forgiven.”

Reinhardt’s father and Wilhelm’s son.

From Heinkel’s conduct thus far, Subaru was correctly piecing together the man’s identity.

“Heinkel van Astraea…”

Once he put the name to voice, he felt it fit just right.

Without a doubt, the man before him belonged to the lineage of Astraea. How his personality strayed far from the uprightness he knew of the Astraea family was another matter altogether.

“Don’t put the ‘van’ on me, brat. Unfortunately, I’m not worthy of such honor. When introducing myself, it’s Heinkel Astraea.”

“…?”

Hearing Subaru muttering bitterly, Heinkel clicked his tongue.

The fleeting pain that flashed across Heinkel’s profile was perhaps the first time it was seen in this space. His eyes, which had previously glimmered only with malevolence when disparaging his family, now held a glint of pain for the first time.

—What is this? Subaru instantly dismissed the thought.

“And so… what brings you here?”

“Emilia?”

Amid his unbearable actions, everyone trembled in shock.

However, it was Emilia who stood first, condemning his behavior.

Standing before Subaru, her silver hair flowing behind her, there was a whisper of anger in her voice.

This was Emilia, who wouldn’t be angered about the ruined air or Heinkel’s rude behavior.

When she got truly angry, it was always for others’ feelings.

She understood that Reinhardt and Wilhelm were hurt.

“We were just enjoying our meal. What did you hope to accomplish by ruining it like this?”

“…Well, well, well. You must be Lady Emilia. I’ve heard all about you. The poor half-demon princess leading a battle she can’t possibly win.”

“I’d like to talk about how you see me someday, but that’s not what I’m after right now. What I want to know is simple: Why are you here?”

“――――”

Heinkel visibly faltered when trying to provoke Emilia, most likely due to being caught off guard. Observing Emilia’s calm demeanor within the space, others were equally shocked.

A stark contrast to the pure, innocent image Emilia had shown the day before, naturally, their astonishment was warranted. She was deliberately acting naïve; that was a ruse. No, it was her true nature.

“The reason we gathered here was something Lady Anastasia orchestrated. It was pure coincidence that we were all able to come together. I don’t even believe you would target such a moment. Even if you were an important officer of the Royal Guard, can you explain yourself?”

“Damn it. This isn’t what I heard…”

“Answer me!”

Frustrated, Heinkel scratched his head roughly, overwhelmed by Emilia’s presence.

Feeling anger rising at being so disrespected, Heinkel’s arrogance seemed unprecedented, something he couldn’t back down from.

“Don’t come here all confident, only to shrink back when a woman glares at you, old man. You’re looking awfully pathetic, you know?”

“Is that so? I expected to hear something amusing, but if it’s this, watching the songstress will undoubtedly be more entertaining.”

“Well, is that so? Then please do leave gracefully, and allow us to enjoy the company of the rumored songstress.”

“――――”

Emilia was joined by Felt, Anastasia, and Crusch, with their support all directed toward Heinkel; they faced him with the same fierce spirit, causing him to flinch just a little.

There was a sense of being different. One could say their stakes were entirely different given their titles and positions.

“Have you satisfed yourself, Vice Captain? If indeed you have no other business, I believe it would be best for us if you take your leave.”

Having noticed Heinkel’s pale face and the ladies’ reactions in the room, Julius extended a helping hand.

Subaru thought to break Heinkel’s spirit here, but the sight of both Reinhardt and Wilhelm, who appeared to be unwell, made him reconsider.

Recognizing that he was hastily leaning on a decision without understanding the situation entirely, he chastised himself.

“Ugh…”

“Vice Captain. Make a decision. If possible, it would be best if nothing else was said between us…”

“—There’s no need for that, you commoner.”

That voice exuded a strangely charming arrogance, filled with arrogance that looked down on everyone.

With a chilling tone that incited shivers in the listeners, the heavy voice forcefully imposed an air of absolute superiority.

The common sense of all present was overshadowed by sheer force of personality—the kind of behavior that could only happen thanks to such a remarkable presence that didn’t allow for any backlash.

Everyone lifted their heads, focusing on what was happening behind the sliding door where Heinkel stood.

The sound of someone approaching in the hallway sent a ripple of awareness through the room. Already, no one could even think about Heinkel anymore.

Only a sense of trepidation toward the heat of the sun that emerged from the hallway lingered.

“You lowly peasants, all gathered here. You mercilessly prepared the stage for me to show myself. For that, I must commend you for your efforts.”

With the hem of her dress, as red as blood, flamboyantly swaying, the woman dramatically fanned her mouth with a fan, emanating a true queen’s wickedness. Arms raised, flaunting her overly voluptuous physique while shamelessly parading her pale skin.

With crimson eyes licking everything with fire, the charming aura of her being was a manifestation of captivating intent that could enthrall all around her.

One glimpse of her, and you’d never forget that violent beauty.

When beauty exceeds a line, it becomes violent. Her very existence taught that lesson.

The girl’s name was Priscilla Barielle.

Originally, she wasn’t invited to this banquet; she was the fifth candidate for the royal selection.

※※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※

“However, what’s this? Today, it seems yet again that somber faces are stagnating in this gloomy air. Do you lot fancy this stagnant atmosphere? Or is it that whenever you lot gather, this sort of air wafts through like a guarantee? If that’s the case, how pitiful.”

Glancing over the room and distorting her face, Priscilla remarked, waving the fan before her while teasingly provoking those gathered.

With such an abrupt entrance, Subaru and the others could only passively endure the outright disdain thrown at them.

“You’re all quite the poor audience. Since I’ve graciously come here, it’s expected that you lower your foreheads to the floor and praise me repeatedly.”

“…Who the hell do you think you are? Even if you became king someday, that kind of display will never happen.”

“Hm?”

At Priscilla’s selfish proclamations, Subaru couldn’t help but chime in. Upon catching his whispered words, Priscilla tilted her head, ensnaring Subaru with her crimson eyes.

“What do you want?”

“…Who are you? I was told this is a room where the arrogant fools compete for the throne. Aside from those contenders, you should just have those ignorant ones worshipping you. Why the hell are you here, a commoner like you, amongst us?”

“Seriously, what the hell?”

Feeling genuine hostility without a hint of jest cast toward him, Subaru sighed in exhaustion.

There wasn’t a shred of mockery nor a hint of misunderstanding in her demeanor. Simply put, it was real. Priscilla had genuinely forgotten about him, even after they had shared quite the memorable meetings and encounters throughout the last year.

It felt distinctly like her normal attitude, making it all the more unpleasant given the current circumstances.

“Miss, that’s a little harsh, don’t you think? Sure, you might think me trivial, but this relatively charming brother here is quite the entertaining rival!”

Breaking the air, a careless voice jumped in.

With a voice muffled and accompanied by a metallic clang, a rather boisterous man stomped into the room beside Priscilla.

His head was covered in a pitch-black helm obscuring his face, dressed bizarrely like a bandit, such a reckless-looking man. He was Priscilla’s attendant, Al, someone who had also been summoned from another world like Subaru.

Of course, he joined his master and interjected between Priscilla and Subaru,

“Remember, man? You might have forgotten, but there was a big ruckus when I made a fool of myself in front of a crowd during the castle’s declaration ceremony. I was that guy; you laughed your ass off at me!”

“No memory of that. In fact, Al, how could I ever collapse into laughter at something so trivial? Don’t belittle your existence, as you shouldn’t spout that in front of me. Even you should know, next time, you’d lose your head for such an offense.”

“Sorry about that, bro! My bad for not having the strength to measure up. Just keep on trying to get along!”

“Seriously, spend the next year building up your cred!”

Throwing away the chance to reform his owner’s thinking, Al expressed his remorse to Subaru. There remained no evidence of change from the last year, leaving Subaru with nothing else but a heavy sigh.

Perhaps for Al, who had casually welcomed middle age, it was unreasonable to expect him to change significantly in just a year.

“Why are you so late, Miss Priscilla? How long were you planning on leaving me to do everything alone? I heard you’d be here soon…”

“Shut up, commoner. If I order you to dance, you must persist until death unless I tell you to stop. Misunderstanding and attempting to correct me would be a mistake punishable by death.”

“Guh…!”

On the other side, sensing the shift in the room’s air, Heinkel lashed out toward Priscilla standing just behind him. However, he was like a stone against her.

Heinkel struggled against the unyielding Priscilla, yet Subaru couldn’t help but smirk at their exchanges.

“Priscilla. Did you bring that guy along?”

“Hey, you commoner. Who gave you the right to speak my name? Though I might be indulgent like a kind mother, even I have limits to my patience before one such as yourself.”

“Miss!”

As he witnessed Priscilla’s cruel glare directed toward Subaru, Al called her name, and Priscilla blinked, releasing a small sigh.

“Though for inexplicable reasons, you seem to have taken a liking to my attendant. Your life may hang by a thread depending on your decorum with Al…No, there’s no need to thank him. Just worship me, and we’ll call it even.”

“…Thanks for the generous sentiment. So, the answer to my question—”

“Whether I brought this fool here? If that’s what you’re asking, then yes, that suspicion is correct. He’s someone I summoned and sent.”

“For what purpose?”

Validating Priscilla’s response, Subaru immediately pressed for the purpose.

Bringing this uninvited guest, along with another uninvited one of a higher caliber, demanded some clarity in intent—he needed to discern that much at the very least.

Yet, at Subaru’s issue, Priscilla merely tilted her head.

“If I must say, it’s because it seemed interesting,”

“…Interesting?”

“Indeed. The grotesque comedies and tragedies thrown by a distorted family situation and human relationships. A truly repulsive performance. In fact, didn’t you see? It’s not every day that the Sword Saint and the Sword Demon unveil their human sides.”

“Priscilla!”

Seething with fury towards her malicious words, Subaru almost exploded.

It was true that the struggle between Reinhardt and the others was more than uncommon. And originally, it was an ordeal they should never have had to witness.

If not for Heinkel’s interruptions, they could have returned easily to their beautiful grandfather-grandson relationship.

Yet—

“Quit it, bro. If we argue here, it won’t benefit any of us. Missy’s character is as is, and it’s just bad luck…consider this an ill-starred encounter.”

“If you know about the bad temperament of your master, then you should be firmly in the reins. Leaving a wild horse to roam freely would be profoundly irresponsible.”

Restraining Subaru with one arm, Al shook his head slowly. Since he was carrying Subaru with just one arm, it was almost too obvious the boy wouldn’t draw a weapon in a confrontation.

Meaning, with this action, he made it clear that he had no intention of fighting.

Recognizing that reality, as he exhaled slowly, Subaru began to realize that in this room, he appeared to be the only one prepared for battle.

Of course, none of the candidates, nor Julius or Felis, showed signs of escalating the issue.

Naturally. The gathered individuals here were the stars possessing the potential to sit one day on the throne that would bear the weight of the kingdom; none of them wanted to mar their chances through sheer rage.

“Yet, if that’s so, then what is it that allows them to harm their hearts so endlessly?!”

“Subaru…”

Unable to contain his boiling anger, Subaru exclaimed, calling for Emilia, whose eyes flickered with sorrow. As he felt a tug on his sleeve, he realized Beatrice was also gripping his hand gently.

Touched by their concern, Subaru’s resolve faltered, causing his head to droop.

“Seems like the howling of the mutt has ended. I’m purely here today because I wanted to see how horrid you all look. Now that I’ve accomplished that, I have no further business here.”

“Such a noble attitude. …If I recall correctly, I hadn’t intended to have any discourse with you, so how did you come to hear about this gathering?”

Stirring chaos and swiftly preparing to exit the scene, Priscilla was stopped by Anastasia’s forward inquiry.

Although Anastasia’s tone was soft, it unmistakably resonated with caution.

“I assumed I wouldn’t let a careless child roam free of my sight.”

“Don’t speak to me in polite terms; it makes my ears rot. Here’s a word of advice for the clever and cunning vixen—that’s common sense.”

“Oh? So, you aren’t going to mock me for being a commoner?”

“If you’re foolish enough not to spot anything worthy, I’d lump you in with the lowborn. There’s no way I’d believe you, a candidate against me, would end up such a foolish creature either.”

The two of them exchanged barbs at one another—though it was apparent that Priscilla attacked as usual, there wasn’t a notable effort on her side to embellish words against Anastasia.

Anastasia idly stroked her fluff-necked collar,

“I had thought characters in your position had some savvy about them…”

“Whatever is said, you know well that if something reaches a certain ear, it’s only a matter of time before it spills. The greater the number of those who know, the more leaks are inevitable. It’s clear that your side isn’t the only one keeping an ear turned to intercept information.”

“You’re not one to do that sort of laborious espionage to keep tracking our movements—I’d thought that distinguished of you.”

“Flies buzzing around the ear are to be shooed away. Even so, if I don’t know your position, it’s never going to work out, is it? I’ll follow your every move with as much diligence.”

Comparing her opponents as flies, Priscilla made it clear she would not waste efforts.

Subaru, too, felt that he shared Anastasia’s sentiments. He would never have anticipated that Priscilla would so precisely plot against rival factions.

That carelessness had become the catalyst for today’s disastrous summoning.

“That man, he’s Reinhardt’s dad, right?”

Ignoring the previous input, an impudent voice shouted out, transitioning into another topic.

All eyes fell on her, as the girl, Felt—devouring the Tian-Shirakiyaki—interjected fiercely. With sauce smeared across her mouth, she separated Priscilla’s stare from the others and glared back.

“I’ve felt him get too familiar in the castle and figured from our earlier chat. Not that I care about family relations, but it matters that he’s with you.”

“…Interesting. A lowly street urchin noticed something.”

“Honestly, it’s hard to ignore. Control of the Astraea family is a lifeline to us; after all, it hasn’t yet been passed on to Reinhardt. The family authority still rests in that man’s hands.”

At Felt’s words, Reinhardt’s cheek twitched slightly.

And they correctly understood the implications of Felt’s concerns.

Raised as an orphan, owning nothing, Felt’s activations were based around the lands belonging to Reinhardt’s family—the Astraea family—and she’s steadily built her own results.

However, those lands would never belong to Felt; they belonged to Astraea and were merely on loan from Reinhardt.

But what if the land, originally belonging to Reinhardt, was simply borrowed?

“Ha. So, child, you finally caught wind of the gravity of the situation.”

Inserting himself into the conversation was Heinkel, who laughed contemptuously, seemingly relishing in the moment. He had clearly awaited this topic to arise, rolling his tongue in anticipation as his gaze shifted between Felt and Reinhardt.

“That’s the fact. The authority of the Astraea family rests in my hands. I have no intention of handing it down to Reinhardt. I mean, the Sword Saint has too much on his plate handling kingdom affairs to be burdened with that tedious task!”

“Is a titular Lord even valid? When we returned to the Astraea territory, it was an absolute disaster. A scant number of officials and servants were running around like mad trying to fix things. How could that man, after neglecting it for so long, suddenly claim to be a lord?”

“Be it titular or irresponsible, the title is still crowning my head. Just because it’s on the verge of collapse doesn’t mean it’s broken, right? The subjects and servants worked endlessly to support me. Ha! The affection of the people for their lord brings tears to my eyes!”

Heinkel continuously mocked Felis, who spoke almost emotionlessly, his derisive words piling up.

The sheer disdain made Subaru perceive a sensation of rage bubbling up, filling the room with overwhelming hostility.

In the midst of this tempest filled with ire and disgust, Heinkel belted out laughter as if he were facing thunderous applause.

Subaru processed the moment in crystal-clear recognition—this man was fundamentally deranged.

“Your sense of crisis is spot on, Lord Reinhardt. The Astraea territories belong to me. And I will not support you. Do note who I choose to support when the time arises!”

Claiming the disdain and contempt was akin to applause, Heinkel dramatically chests pumped, showcasing Priscilla before him to announce his intentions to endorse someone entirely different, neither child nor father, to the throne.

“Your results have reached my ears over this past year. Acting on my behalf to revitalize the Astraea territories has been quite the task, and I’ll gladly recognize that success. However—”

“You, commoner…”

“—huh? What are you saying, Priscilla? I’m in the middle of something serious here!”

“Quiet.”

Shocking brutality suddenly filled the room as everyone gasped collectively.

With a swift dismissal, Priscilla drew her fan and executed an impressive strike, sending it crashing down to the top of Heinkel’s head and slamming him into the floor with astonishing intensity.

Heinkel’s eyes rolled back from impact as he was knocked unconscious in an instant, but Priscilla’s actions didn’t stop there.

Standing tall above the flat Heinkel on the floor, Priscilla lifted him up brutally with a sharp kick meant for elevating him then waved her arm as if to—

“Miss, you’re taking it too far. If you go any harder, he’ll die.”

“――――”

Priscilla’s hand was halted mid-air, gripped firmly at the wrist. That was Al—who had anticipated Priscilla’s wild violence—stopping her.

Upon stopping her, a blade adorned as crimson as fresh blood appeared in Al’s hand.

Though it was a lengthy, Western-style sword, it bore an exquisite wavy flame-like blade pattern, immediately indicating its exceptional craftsmanship and acute detail within the split second it appeared and vanished in Priscilla’s possession.

Having seen this, Al slowly loosened his grip on Priscilla’s wrist.

“Give me a break here; drawing a sun sword like that is bad for my heart…!”

“Such insolence, Al. Who gave you permission to touch this exquisite skin of mine? While your idle lust is your doing, trying to stain me is an affront that could cost you your life.”

“Damn! If you keep that rhetoric up, it seems awful, so cut it out!”

While being smacked in the stomach by Priscilla’s released arm, Al tried to protest desperately, but Priscilla dismissed him altogether.

She peered down at Heinkel, who languished on the floor, contemplating whether to toss him or not, and then clapped her hands.

“Schult. Get that commoner out of here. He’s slow, but there may be some uses left in him. Considering the trouble it took to have him brought here, I suppose it’d be a waste to toss him aside.”

“Yes, Lady Priscilla.”

In response to her summons, yet another figure stepped into the room.

It appeared he had been waiting quietly in the hallway; this individual was a young boy, not fully grown.

With fluffy pink hair that curled and a lean figure resembling a young girl, his delicate features and still high-pitched voice indicated he hadn’t yet undergone puberty, wearing butler attire so well that it carried hints of inappropriate indulgence.

Schult, the boy who was referred to, appeared to be merely in his early teens—roughly around the age of Beatrice.

“Excuse me, Vice Captain Heinkel!”

While Heinkel lay unconscious, Schult greeted him respectfully, grabbing hold of the tall man’s legs and haphazardly dragging him off, exerting all of his strength. Given his small stature, dragging Heinkel clearly posed a challenge. Yet Schult did so without a murmur of complaint, displaying an attitude that implied it was only natural to obey Priscilla’s orders.

“Schult’s always so dutiful. You should give him praise later, Lady.”

“Of course. He serves me wholeheartedly; I’m hardly one to be cruel to loyal subjects. I suppose I shall let Schult lick my feet later as a reward.”

“Please don’t imply I’d enjoy that; it sounds like a misunderstanding!”

As Schult and Heinkel exited, Priscilla and Al exchanged more relaxed banter.

In time, the royal selection candidates finally faced one another, excluding the interlopers.

“So, what will happen regarding the old man’s chatter? Are you really planning to kick us from the Astraea territories and attempt to undermine us?”

“Don’t take a commoner’s words seriously. You’re the ones who actually executed the revitalization of the territory, right? So even if a titular lord were to return and attempt to displace you, they’d have no followers to heed them. While the masses may seem dimwitted, they’re not emotionless pawns devoid of feelings or gratitude. To win the game, it takes waves to rouse them. That man cannot stir any waves.”

“…Then why bring that guy here?”

“I’ve already said why. Because I thought it might turn interesting. Eventually, you’ll all belong in my grasp. Therefore, the path I take is purely dictative based on how enjoyable it might be. That was my determination. Bringing him along was merely as a toy to play with.”

How utterly self-serving, free from any deviations in its course.

The absolute confidence that Priscilla held surpassed all norms, imposing her unreasonable beliefs upon them. Their only responses were either to yield and submit or to oppose with equal resolve

And—

“――――”

The candidates standing in confrontation with her were unafraid to engage on the latter side.

Receiving the waves of determined looks, Priscilla smiled as though genuinely pleased.

“That’s right. The success that will come is guaranteed. Therefore, the more enjoyable the path, the better. Bring forth your best, all you less-than-average individuals. The more you all thickened up until you’re my enemies… the moment you do, I’ll welcome you with all my power.”

Even failing to acknowledge them as enemies, she had claimed her stance on this.

No, she had already stated it; she regarded Emilia and the others as mere flies, not even recognizing them as foes.

“If so, I’ll be the one to make you regret this arrogance and make you weep.”

The words that cut into the atmosphere became the collective sentiment of everyone present.

“`

 

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