Chapter Text
In this world, world influences are divided between four kingdoms, Gusteko, Kararagi, Vollachia and finally Lugunica, where it all began. Being located in the east of the map, the kingdom is now in peaceful times, young people of the new generation are no longer familiar with the last civil war, where the stage was set for the semi-humans. There isn't much to say about that war, even though there are still remnants lurking not only in Lugunica, but all over the world, the worst of the conflicts have been completely resolved, leaving only the problems involving giant beasts and organizations known as "cults".
There is still an important topic involving the politics of Lugunica, especially after the death of the last heir to the royal family following a strange illness in the palace, but this has been resolved in recent months. People are also trying to deal with the other ills plaguing the kingdom, trying to suppress these problems as much as possible, so we can say that everything will resolve itself "on its own", nothing so critical has happened in recent days to cause such a fuss... apart from today.
Looking out into space, apart from the stars that can be seen with the naked eye and the Moon, everything is still unknown to the outside world. At most concepts such as time, highlighting the hours, months and years, nothing has been fully studied involving space, so everything that comes from there can be categorized as completely unknown, and can even be called "alien" if it shows contact.
So when a being with its wings spread, or rather a giant object that resembled an ordinary white bird, entered the world and began flying over the green fields of Lugunica, it was quickly categorized as alien.
Just above the ancient great Flugel tree, which now only had its stump left, this object flew towards Lugunica's largest city, known as the capital itself. Without showing any hostility to the nearby villages, even if its size seemed rather intimidating, it continued flying until it was above the royal palace, in the most important castle of all the kingdom's domains.
Landing right on the castle, the giant bird masterfully managed not to cause any damage to the structure, but at a glance it made an impression on everyone in the city, causing a general commotion very quickly. It didn't take long for major figures in the kingdom to show up at the palace with the authorities, all confused about what this object was and what its purpose was.
No one knew how to react to this giant object, and there was even some doubt as to whether it wasn't a weapon against Lugunica, where some powerful people were almost preparing to get into a fight with whoever was piloting this large object.
But nothing happened, and there was a reason for that: spells and physical attacks didn't work on that object.
What's more, after a few minutes, a sort of compartment inside the bird opened up, finally showing the real people who had brought this object here.
It didn't take long, but finally the general alert sounded in Lugunica.
??: "...so you're telling me that something came out of the sky?"
With his hand on his chin, the black-haired boy began to question the information he had heard.
His name was Subaru Natsuki, a teenager summoned from another world who is now about a year into this new fantasy world. Raised for most of his life in modern 21st century Japan, the young man from Saitama is still adapting to his new isekai life, and in a good way. His achievements have already earned him a title of honor in the kingdom, being knighted, and also the respect of the people who really know him. Apart from his great achievements, he was still a teenager with average physical fitness, no powers and an average intelligence, making him just a very hard-working boy.
Now he was sitting on the sofa next to a little girl, who was also sitting on his lap, like a real child... even if her age didn't correspond to that. She didn't seem to be very interested in the conversation, and was more focused on relaxing in her position, as well as squeezing the boy's hand tightly, which was on top of hers, intertwining her little fingers with the boy's, showing a real affection between the two of them, like a father and daughter, or an older brother with his younger sister.
Her name was Beatrice, the Great Spiritist now employed by Subaru who, without a termination clause, is forever his companion.
Returning to his question, Subaru was still wondering what this "object" was that had appeared in the sky and was causing a stir in Lugunica. The person who told him this information was a beautiful silver-haired half-elf, who, when asked, put her hand on her chest and answered his question enthusiastically.
Emilia: "That's right, it seems that some people appeared next to this object and caused a lot of fear among the citizens." With her finger over her lips, she continued. "Although nothing bad has happened so far."
Subaru: "So far, you say?" Scratching his head vigorously, Subaru showed his reasoning. "Honestly, even though I don't know who they are, I can't trust these people... besides, they called us to come and see them? Why just us?"
Emilia: "Well, Subaru, that's what we were asked to do." Clasping her hands together, Emilia continued. "Besides, it wasn't just us who were asked. Apparently, the other candidates will be there too. Including Felt-chan, Priscilla-san, Crusch-san and Anastasia-san."
Subaru: "A large-scale summons, all because of a giant object that appeared out of the sky? Wouldn't it be easier to call in Reinhard to deal with all this?"
Thinking of solving this problem in the easiest way, the image of the knight among knights sprang to Subaru's mind. Reinhard van Astrea, also known as the strongest man in the world, was perfect for this kind of situation. Every time Subaru had relied on the knight for help, he had always shown himself to be objective and punctual, while also demonstrating his unparalleled strength, unmatched by anyone Subaru had ever met. If something like this arose in a hostile way in the sky, and right in the palace where all the high-ranking people reside, it was normal to think that Reinhard would show up and solve the problem quickly.
Of course, if he wanted to scare this object away in a brutal way, he was the perfect man to do it.
However, before he could push this idea any further, Emilia shook her head and said:
Emilia: "I can't tell you, I wasn't given that information. But Reinhard seems to be resolving this matter in another way." Hearing this, Subaru twisted his lips, but didn't interrupt. "But the visitors didn't seem hostile, so they only called us to come to the palace."
Subaru: "Ah. Doesn't that smell strange to you? How is everything being resolved peacefully so easily? Of course, it's great that we don't have to cover our swords and attack in full force, but isn't it their plan to counterattack us when our guard is down? It looks like we're going to take a knockout for recklessness..."
Even though Emilia had a more relaxed opinion on the matter, Subaru had already begun to treat it with extreme caution, but that was just his way. These days were quiet, too quiet, so it stood to reason that problems would arise at some point. It seemed a pessimistic thought in such optimistic days, but for Subaru, it was more than normal to act safely, even more so for complete strangers who had forced their way into the royal palace.
If Subaru had at least been there at the exact moment when this object landed in the palace, he might have been able to change his thinking just a little and be more casual. But since he's going there on orders that are sure to be under pressure, it made him anxious.
Emilia: "Subaru..."
Emilia's eyes wavered after hearing her knight's opinion. She knew that what the boy was saying wasn't out of spite, but because he cared, but even so... it left Emilia feeling a little out of sorts. Trying to find some way to change what was happening, the girl stared at the little spirit on Subaru's lap, who didn't seem to care what was going on.
The conversation seemed to be getting a little further away from the two of them, and Subaru realized right away that he had said too much to the half-elf. His mouthy way of always saying everything he thinks ends up bringing a strange atmosphere to the conversation, and he starts to feel bad.
But, appearing as another thinking head, Beatrice intruded on the conversation, showing that she also wanted to talk about the subject. Emilia's gaze probably changed her mind.
However, what seemed to help Emilia ended up turning against her.
Beatrice: "I don't think you should go, Subaru." Leaning her small body against her contractor's chest, the little girl crossed her arms, while wiggling her little legs. "I suppose that's a rather hasty decision, isn't it? Betty wouldn't want her contractor to act recklessly and run into a foreign object, I'd say."
Subaru: "Beako?" Surprised by the girl's comment, Subaru asked. "So you agree with me..."
Beatrice: "But!" Raising a finger after speaking, Beatrice continued. "Betty will be with Subaru, so I don't think there should be any complications at the time."
Subaru: "You drew so much attention to yourself just to say you'll protect me! What a girl! What a cutie! Let me squeeze you!"
Beatrice: "Let me go! ...just squeeze me later."
Putting aside the heavy atmosphere, Subaru hugged Beatrice's small body from behind and stroked her blonde hair. At first, the girl felt a little awkward when she was picked up, but she soon accepted the boy's affection; it seemed that receiving this kind of treatment was also in the spiritist's plans.
Seeing the interaction between the two, Emilia couldn't help but let out a small smile. She was worried about how the conversation would turn out, but it was resolved quite simply, like most conversations she had with her knight. As she let out a weak sigh, she let her hand rest on her chest again, while her snow-white fingers lightly touched the crystal that resided there. It was more or less a way for the half-elf to gain a little strength when she was anxious.
When the interaction between Subaru and Beatrice ended, the boy turned his eyes to Emilia, who raised her ears when she heard his voice.
Subaru: "I'm sorry, Emilia-tan, I think I ended up worrying too much again, didn't I?" Scratching his cheek, he let out a sigh. "These days are so calm that it makes me a little anxious at times."
"For someone who took a long time to finally stop running, it was more than obvious that I couldn't relax whenever I wanted to. I feel bad for having acted that way towards Emilia, but I can't deny that I'm still afraid of it all... but what if something happened precisely because I wasn't there? You idiot, the most reckless person here is actually you..." thought Subaru, narrowing his eyes downwards.
Beatrice: "Your hands are too tense, I'd say. You should be more accepting of Betty's hand at these times, yes? Don't exhaust yourself like that"
Subaru: "Thanks, Beako. I don't know what I'd do if it weren't for you"
Beatrice: "Don't ever think about it, okay? Just... hold my hand."
Acting like an older sister (even though she really was because of her age), Beatrice extended her small hand to Subaru's, where he squeezed it tightly, showing a solemn, peaceful face. These little moments made the young man happy, especially after all the problems he had been through.
This interaction between the two of them made Emilia even happier, as if she knew, just a little, that the boy also needed attention of this kind, and the girl on his lap knew exactly how to handle it.
It wasn't long before the conversation quickly escalated again, bringing up the main subject once more. Emilia again said that she had been called together with the others and that she wanted Subaru's help right now, which made him want to go even more.
Beatrice just kept quiet and made a few comments about what they should take, just in case, and both Subaru and Emilia always agreed, while finding it amusing that the girl always turned red when she got too pensive.
After a few minutes, they finally decided that they would leave soon, quickly preparing for the journey that wouldn't take long. In fact, they weren't going on this trip alone.
Apparently, everyone in the mansion was already aware of what had happened in the royal capital, except Subaru, who was too busy not caring about that sort of thing. So the group going to the royal capital was already formed and they were: Emilia, for being the person requested. Otto Suwen, the main man when it came to diplomatic matters, and also the coachman. Roswaal, because he was the kingdom's official magician. Ram, for being the main employee alongside Emilia to deal with these things. Garfiel Tinzel, who was curious and wanted to take part, but also because he was an excellent bodyguard. And finally, Subaru and Beatrice, who continued to be the support on this trip.
The journey to the royal capital went quite smoothly. As everyone present was used to making this kind of journey, only a few random conversations took place inside the carriage.
Subaru: "If it came from the sky, could it be called a stellar fleet?" began Subaru, while tapping his chin.
Beatrice: "Stellar fleet?" She asked.
The girl was sitting on Subaru's lap, which was quite a habitual action for him. There were times when Subaru was just relaxing when, out of the blue, Beatrice would sit on his lap and stay there, doing nothing.
Subaru: "How can I tell... when something comes from the sky, out of... Earth?" Damn, that wasn't easy to explain, so Subaru just closed his eyes tightly and tried to think of a better way. "Forget it, all you need to know is that when something comes from above, it's called stellar, and since this object comes with several people, it's called a fleet."
Beatrice: "The fleet part Betty had already understood, but stellar? There's no way something like that could come from up there," she said, pointing upwards. "Besides, you'd better be careful about all this, Subaru. We've been called up, but it seems we've had some sort of... special request, for Emilia's plate."
Subaru: "Special request? Emilia's told me something like that before..."
Laying his head on the seat of the carriage, Subaru sighed.
"Everything is going so well that it makes me a little worried. I shouldn't have this kind of feeling, but... after everything that's happened, what I am now is rash." he thought.
After a while, the carriage began to slow down, and the voice of Otto, who was acting as coachman, reverberated inside:
Otto: "We're here! And you need to see this..."
After the man spoke, everyone in the carriage put their heads out to try to see the new landscape. Garfiel was the first to show his emotions, as he too was outside, engaged in a kind of race with the carriage.
With his sharp teeth showing in a big smile, Garfiel shouted:
Garfiel: "Wohaha! That's really huge! My amazing self is impressed!" Clenching his teeth as he spoke, he climbed on top of the carriage and sat down. "Let's go, Captain! I want to see if this thing is any bigger up close!"
The boy's enthusiasm struck a chord with everyone in the carriage, who were also impressed by the object standing in the sky.
Emilia: "How incredible..."
Otto: "I knew it was something big, but I didn't imagine it would be that big."
Subaru had an idea of what it looked like after Emilia's words, but when he got closer, he realized that it had certainly come from outer space. The metal bird was huge enough to cover part of the palace and the city, forming a shadow that prevented the sun, in whatever position it was, from illuminating the city.
While he was impressed by the object's grandeur, Ram's complaints brought Subaru back:
Ram: "Garf, get down from there now, do you want me to kick you like a dog so you can learn?" Completely ignoring the sight in the sky, the maid shouted at Garfiel, who let out a whistle as he slowly descended from atop the carriage. "Immature... Roswaal-sama, what do you think of this object? Do you recognize it?"
Asked by Ram, Roswaal, who had finally made his appearance on the journey, closed one of his eyes and replied:
Roswaal: "Hmm~ unfortunately, this is the first time I've seen something like this. A bird with strange elements on the outside? It's truly fascinaaating..." although he didn't seem to show as much enthusiasm as Garfiel, the flames in Roswaal's eyes showed that he too wanted to know more about the metal bird. "What do you think, Beatrice? Did something of that... caliber, exist in the forbidden archive?"
Seeking a second opinion, Roswaal's heterochromatic eyes moved towards the little spirit girl who had a hairdo in the shape of drills. The girl snorted in derision.
Beatrice: "Betty is as lost as you are, I suppose. I've never seen any description of such a structure in her mother's archives." Curiosity and fascination were planted in Beatrice's voice, which at the same time had a slight tremor, showing her concerns about the giant bird, which made her seem even smaller than she already was. Fortunately, she had the hand of her contractor to hold and calm her down.
In the end she whispered to herself. "The most Betty could compare it to would be her mother's floating island... But still, it's very different and much higher than that..."
Emilia: "Wow, that's so incredible and so scary at the same time. I've never seen anything like it!" Following Beatrice's words, Emilia was still just as glazed, if not more so, than the others. "What do you think, Subaru, incredible, right?!"
The girl excitedly communicated with the boy next to her...
Subaru: "..."
The boy seemed to be in a kind of trance, where his eyes, totally glazed over by that magnificent sight, seemed oblivious to what was going on around him. Emilia found this strange, as the boy always answered her immediately.
Then, not getting an answer after a while, which made even Beatrice curious, Emilia called Subaru's attention:
Emilia: "Subaru? Is everything all right?" Trying to get his attention, Emilia called out to him again, noticing how his rider seemed equally glazed by the sight of the sky. His eyes seemed... not exactly fascinated, but charged with a feeling that Emilia couldn't describe. Concerned, she pulled him by the sleeve to make sure he was listening. "Subaru, are you all right? You've been a bit distracted ever since that thing appeared in our vision..."
Subaru: "Hmm... Emilia?!" Finally awake, Subaru looked at his mistress with surprised eyes. It took him a second to decipher what those beautiful purple eyes meant. "Ah, it's just..."
Still, nothing came out. Emilia raised her eyebrows.
Emilia: "Are you scared, Subaru? I mean, it's a rather intimidating sight. I myself was amazed by such a sight, but... If you're scared, you can always hold my hand, you know?" The girl offered with a beautiful smile that matched her purple eyes. Seeing that expression, Subaru's cheeks took on a rosy hue.
Subaru: "Who can still say amazed these days..." said the boy, looking away slightly before breaking into a smile. "Don't worry, I just found the sight familiar. That's all, and don't worry, Beatrice's hands are already very warm to hold.
Emilia: "Silly... but still, familiar?"
Listening to the conversation between her contractor and Emilia, Beatrice raised an eyebrow with interest.
Beatrice: "Betty's contractor has seen something like this before, I suppose? I don't remember hearing you comment on a giant bird during our story nights about your homeland."
Subaru: "Well, no?" Now looking at his partner, Subaru scratched the back of his head in thought. "I don't remember seeing such a thing, although I can't say for sure?"
Beatrice "That doesn't answer the question, I suppose..." she sighed, seeing that this was going nowhere. Emilia, standing next to Subaru, nodded.
Emilia "Well, still, if you're nervous, Subaru, you can hold my hand. In fact, let me do it!" and with that, Emilia brazenly held his hand. Subaru turned even redder.
Subaru: "Emilia, I'm not with..."
Ram: "Hah! As expected from Barusu. A real coward." Finally making an appearance in the conversation was Ram, with his arms crossed and an indifferent expression on his face. "Forcing Emilia-sama to drag a coward like you along? Aren't you a man?"
Subaru: "Oh, come on, Nee-sama! I'm not afraid! I'm..."
Otto: "That was hard!" Subaru didn't have time to defend himself, because a new person had arrived. This was Otto Suwen. "The whole town is on curfew and there are hardly any services running since that thing settled above the castle!" Frustrated, the green-robed merchant complained as he looked up at the sky in slight awe. "Well, considering the magnitude of that... I still managed to find us an inn! Then we can proceed to the Palace without any problems now." concluded the merchant.
Garfiel: "Finally, Brotto! My amazing man can't wait to go galloping again and see this giant bird up close!" Garfiel jumped up, earning a slap from Ram for being so agitated. The maid then turned to her lady.
Ram: "Emilia-sama, with the matter of the inn settled, I suggest we return to the carriage. And Barusu, try not to get wet on the way."
Subaru: "Sigh... You're not going to let that pass, eh..." he said wearily, earning a mocking snort from the maid. Emilia patted him on the back to encourage him.
Before they all got back into the carriage to continue the journey to the castle. The half elf knight took one last look at the sky.
Subaru: "I wonder... Why do I feel like a kid waiting for his parents at the school board for having done something bad? The feeling of suspense is overwhelming..." he clutched his chest, after closing the carriage door and driving off. Every second that passed as he approached the castle and the ship hovering above it made his heartbeat increase.
The arrival at the palace was... as expected, it was full of knights in readiness. From the entrance, into the corridors and scattered around the various entrances to the rooms, there were armored and very well-armed men. The Emilia camp walked in a line.
Subaru: "Boy, security is beefed up today." Subaru commented quietly as he adjusted the tie around his neck. As it was a political event at the castle, the half elf knight had to (forced by Ram) wear something different from his usual attire. Although it wasn't a knight's outfit, it consisted of dark tailor's pants, pointed shoes, a black vest and a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up underneath. Beatrice thought it was strange at first, but found her contractor rather adorable.
Emilia also had the same opinion, saying that "Subaru looks like a serious man!". If she had a camera, or even knew what one was, she would certainly remember this image.
Subaru liked to vary his own look from time to time, but it was rare. However, considering that he was the only one to make any changes, with even Garfiel still wearing his muscle vest, Subaru found the whole thing very unfair.
"Injustice! This is all a crime against my values!" he thought, with an uncomfortable expression.
Emilia: "Subaru, are you still scared?" Emilia asked beside him, her voice just as low, given the serious atmosphere in the palace corridors. "If you like, we can take a break. Taking a breather helps a lot."
Sighing, Subaru adjusted the position of his back and, with a smile, answered the half-elf:
Subaru: "Again I'll say, I'm not scared, Emilia-tan. It's just... this outfit that's making me itch." Trying to change the subject, Subaru once again fiddled with his collar in obvious discomfort. Seeing this, Emilia just blinked, looking him up and down, placing her finger on his lip in a cute way.
Emilia: "Really? I particularly think you look very good in it." she said, as blatantly and naturally as ever. Subaru's heart squeezed with nervousness.
Subaru: "Well, if Emilia-tan says it looks good on me, then I'll look like this to get more points on the EMT Route!" Subaru was thrilled. Emilia looked at him in confusion.
Emlia: "I'm sorry, but I don't understand what you're talking about."
Beatrice: "You're two idiots, I suppose..." Being the third wheel, Beatrice just snorted indifferently. The usual exchange followed in a row just behind the trio.
Garfiel: "Say, Brotto, do you think this has anything to do with that weird thing above us?" Garfiel approached from the side, whispering to his green-robed colleague.
Otto: "I don't think so, Garf... I'm sure!" Otto grimaced nervously, looking rather tense about the situation. "The whole city is on alert and according to the reports I've seen, magic and physical attacks didn't work on that strange structure. That was enough to reinforce security in the capital."
Garfiel: "Really?! Trying to attack that thing had no effect?" Garfiel asked in surprise. "Hmmm... maybe my amazing self can punch that thing and test its toughness!" he concluded, clenching his fists in excitement.
Ram: "Garf, I'll say it again, don't you dare act like a dog or else I'll force you to behave." Again, lecturing the blond boy, was Ram. Next to her, the wizard in clown make-up put his fingers on his chin thoughtfully:
Roswaal: "So~ not even maaagic had any effect on that unknown structure." Closing one eye and assessing the situation, Roswall understood why the letter addressed to Emilia-sama specifically demanded the presence of the kingdom's greatest magician.
"They probably wanted to test all the options..." was his conclusion in the face of the chaos that had erupted in the capital.
Otto: "That's probably why all the candidates were called to meet today, the situation is a mess." Otto said between sighs. Garfiel blinked at this information.
Garfiel: "Ehh?! Are the princess's rivals here too?"
Otto: "Didn't you recognize the coat of arms of the other carriages when we arrived at the palace?!" Otto was stunned. Subaru decided to intrude on the conversation.
Subaru: "Come on, Otto. Thinking isn't exactly Garfiel's job, so there's no point in stressing about it. Just relax, man! Or you'll just lose more hair and end up bald!" the half elf knight brazenly declared, pointing to his head and making Otto wince.
Garfiel: "Right as always, Captain!" Garfiel obviously nodded with enormous confidence.
Otto: "Don't be proud that you don't use your brain, Garf! And I don't have hair loss either..." Otto became frantic, clutching his head protectively, before flicking an accusing finger at Subaru. "And you, Natsuki-san! Don't talk about relaxing when you've got a girl spooning you on each arm!"
Noticing the shopkeeper's indignation, Subaru just laughed wryly, both hands being held by Emilia and Beatrice respectively. It's been like this ever since the liberation of the shrine and, even if the spirit girl is only now attached to Subaru, her honeyed way with the boy really is too much.
Emilia has changed a lot too, in other people's eyes, she's more enthusiastic about talking about Subaru after all, even more so now that he's her official knight.
After a long walk past several guards, the noisy group entered the main hall, where they were greeted by a bang from the huge double doors opening, announcing to everyone inside, the official arrival of Emilia's slate.
"The time has come," thought Subaru. His body trembled slightly as he was greeted by the flood of stares inside, but Emilia, holding his hand in a gentle manner, calmed the boy's troubled mind.
Beatrice wasn't left behind either and shortened the distance between her and the boy in a very cute way, holding his hand as if to say "it's okay, you don't have to worry, I'm here for you". A very nice girl indeed!
The group entered the hall. Their reception, as expected, was packed with people. The nobles were talking in circles, probably gossiping about the arrival of the new camp. The royal knights and other guards were lined up, standing by and observing the surroundings in silence.
And at the center of it all were the other candidates together with their respective knights, with the exception of Reinhard, gathered on the podium in front of the council of wise men. Everyone seemed ready to start discussing the current situation. Roswall is the first to act.
Roswaal: "Emilia-sama being a candidate and Subaru-kun as her knight, you can go ahead and get up to speed. The rest of you, come with me."
Garfiel: "You're not giving me orders, you clown-"
Ram: "Understood, Roswaal-sama." She replied, interrupting Garfiel with a slap, dragging him along with her.
Otto: "I suppose it's up to you now, Emilla-sama, Natsuki-san. I imagine Beatrice-chan will be accompanying you as well?"
Beatrice: "Obviously, indeed. Betty is Subaru's partner, after all."
Otto: "I know you're going to protect him, but still... be careful..."
Saying goodbye with a short bow, Otto accompanied Ram and Garfiel. Beatrice put more strength into her handshake, wanting to show Subaru that he didn't have to worry about anything, she would be there for him.
"I'm here again. I hope I don't mess up like last time." He whispered to himself, following Emilia. Some murmurs arose because of the presence of Beatrice, who was by his side, but it was no news that a great spirit was with the boy.
As soon as they reached the other candidates, Emilia puffed out her chest and took the lead. Subaru was supposed to stay with the other knights, but as the candidates always had a companion by their side, Subaru decided to stay with Emilia, with Beatrice holding his hand by his side.
Emilia: "I apologize if we delayed the discussion. It took a while to find a decent inn due to the current situation in the capital." Although it was a sincere apology, the way Emilia phrased it sounded more like a formal courtesy than guilt. It was something Otto had taught her over the last year and Subaru couldn't help but praise her inwardly.
Crusch: "Not at all, Emilia-sama, Natsuki-dono. Most of us have just arrived." The first to greet them was Duchess Karsten. Although her personality was no longer as fearless after her state of amnesia, she still wore her masculine military uniform.
Subaru didn't know exactly what Crusch motivations were for wearing this kind of outfit, especially after suffering from amnesia, but he decided to just accept it. Not only that, but the contrast between Crusch and his feline knight, who was wearing a blue dress, was quite clear: to draw attention to his knight.
However, Subaru felt that this request to wear military and masculine clothes was from Felix, Duchess Karsten knight.
Crusch: "It's good to see you in good health," continued the woman, smiling at Subaru afterwards.
Emilia: "Thank you, Crusch-san. It's also good to see you healthy and well." Emilia smiled shyly, happy to have someone outside her plate who seemed to think favorably of her
Felix: "Nyaa~~ Looks like Subaru-kyun is wearing a proper outfit this time, unlike that strange outfit of yours." Felix, standing next to his lady, joked mockingly. "It looks kind of cute."
Subaru: "It's nice to see you as feminine as ever, Felix." Subaru rolled his eyes at the jokes as he waved to Crusch in the middle of the exchange, the woman shyly waving back. "Crusch seems pretty calm, too."
Hearing the boy's opinion, the Duchess nodded, while touching her own chest.
Crusch: "I'm still getting used to all this, but Felix is helping me as much as he can so that I don't get tense. But I can see that you're not very relaxed about the whole situation. Have there been any setbacks, Subaru-dono?"
Subaru: "Well, I still can't stay calm when a spaceship appears in the middle of a city, especially when all of us are suddenly required." Showing a confident smile, he continued. "If those people up there try to do anything against us, I'm sure we'd take care of them."
Crusch: "...Spaceship... That really is a harsh opinion." Laughing and a little confused by the boy's use of words, the duchess showed some more feminine features, Crusch finished. "I hope to talk to you more after this. At the moment, it's best to concentrate on what comes next."
Then more people joined the conversation, starting with a woman in Russian dress who, apart from her appearance, was a mature woman.
Anastasia: "Emilia-san, Natsuki-kun, it seems that time flies."
Julius: "Indeed, my Lady. The last year seems to have been kind to you. I see that Emilia-sama's beauty continues to shine. And it seems that your knight, Subaru, is improving with his etiquette."
Anastasia Hoshin followed with an ever-present business smile, while next to her, Julius Juukulius, saluted elegantly. Subaru still had a sort of feud with the knight, but it was much lighter and more casual than before; it was almost like a joke that the two acted this way.
Emilia: "I say the same, Anastasia-san. It doesn't seem like it's been almost a year since we met."
Subaru: "I feel your compliment was only appropriate for Emilia-tan, damn Julius. Improving etiquette but not appearance? That's the end of me."
Emilia smiled in agreement at the shopkeeper, while Subaru grimaced at the rival knight's comments. Beatrice also made a cute face in support of her contractor.
The conversation between the sheets was very quiet, even though they were all rivals in that place. However, it was Julius' call that left Subaru confused:
Julius: "Subaru."
Subaru: "Oh? What?" That was strange, calling the boy's name out of the blue.
Julius: "You've gotten stronger, I can tell." As he spoke, Julius turned his eyes to the girl next to Subaru. "And you've also got some incredible companions."
Subaru: "Huh?" Exchanging glances between Julius and Beatrice, he continued. "It's true, I never told you about Beako. I heard that you control spirits, something like that - is it okay for me to be around her?"
Julius: "No, not at all, in fact it's even comforting to have another knight who controls spirits... I just didn't imagine you'd have someone like that by your side so soon." Bowing in the middle of the conversation, Julius, with complete courtesy, introduced himself. "Julius Juukulius, knight of Anastasia Hoshin, a spirit controller. It's a pleasure to meet a great spirit like you."
Beatrice: "Humph, Betty is Subaru's hired spiritist, I'd say." she replied, snorting.
Subaru: "Beako doesn't like you very much, apparently, hehe." laughed the boy, giving the spiritist a thumbs-up. "You've learned well!"
Julius didn't mind too much, in fact, he even gave a little smile at the interaction.
Julius: "Apparently you take very good care of her, like a real family. That makes me happy, Subaru. Spirits you have in your possession are like a family, where you have to take care of them." Nodding a few times, Julius finished. "You really have become someone strong, Subaru, congratulations."
Subaru: "Ah! Uh, yes, t-thank you..." the boy hadn't expected to receive this compliment again, which ended up with a blush appearing on his face.
Cutting off the interaction between Julius and Subaru, Emilia said:
Emilia: "Felt-chan and Priscilla-san. It's good to see you again too!"
Felt: "Hey, Big Sis and Big Bro! You haven't changed a bit. Ugh, is Big Bro actually wearing a more formal outfit? That's weird, haha!" Laughing with a mischievous grin, Felt pointed at Subaru. "Don't be silly like last time, see!"
Subaru: "Very funny, Felt... I see you've changed your wardrobe too, very cute." Subaru sighed, although he threw in the last part playfully, earning a blush and a pout from Felt, who hated wearing frilly dresses like the yellow one now. The boy then turned his eyes to Priscilla beside him.
Unlike Felt, who was still frustrated with her dress, the red-robed woman just huffed and rolled her eyes, as if she wanted to ignore Emilia's greeting, if she could, she probably wanted to ignore the existence of everyone present.
Priscilla: "..."
A little ways away, Aldebaran stood, still wearing a gladiator's helmet and looking a little guilty about his mistress's treatment of basically everyone present.
Aldebaran: "Sorry, Miss and Bro. The princess is in a bad mood because that sudden call ruined her plans." Scratching his neck, he continued. "Honestly, that was sudden too."
Emilia: "I guess Priscila-san is just shy?"
Subaru: "Shy? I'd say she's more willing to rip someone's head off than sound like a cute tsundere, Emilia-tan..." Subaru joked, to which Al agreed with a "You have no idea". Continuing, the boy asked, "It may be a bit sudden, but are you okay, Al? I still can't get used to seeing you act so calmly without..."
Aldebaran: "An arm? Ah, that's already part of me. I remember when we had a conversation like that a long time ago. Although... that day, you made quite a fuss, Bro."
Subaru: "I don't want to remember that, I don't want to remember that! Sorry to talk about your arm, Bro."
Aldebaran: "Relax, I'm just making fun of you." Putting his hand on his chin... or on the underside of his helmet, he continued. "Although, if I got angry with that opinion of yours, I'd probably cut off your arms and show you what it's like to live without them."
Subaru: "Both of them? Can't you at least leave one for me to hold Beako hand?" he joked, which earned a little pinch from Beatrice.
Beatrice: "While Betty is happy that her contractor takes into account the importance of her pats on the head, I suggest not playing with something so morbid! And you!" She pointed at Al in a threatening way, although it was more cute than scary. "Know that if it happens that my contractor loses one of his arms because of you, Betty will make a point of ripping off his remaining limbs and making him become a stump, in fact."
Subaru: "And then I'm the morbid one..." Subaru scratched his cheek, nervous about his spirit's comments. While Al waved his arm to appease Beatrice with a "that's bad, that's bad". The black-haired boy turned his attention to the smaller blonde. "By the way, Felt. Has Reinhard arrived yet? I imagine this situation requires his presence."
The girl in the yellow dress simply crossed her arms before grimacing with boredom.
Felt: "Rein arrived about an hour ago. He's with one of the old bags of bones, talking to who knows who..."
Emilia: "Felt-chan, calling one of the council members an old bag of bones is a bit..."
Before Emilia could reprimand Felt for his remarks, the arrival of one of the council members made everyone look forward. Thus, a man with giant eyebrows started the new conversation:
Bordeaux: "I suppose you've all caught up, royal candidates."
That speech caused the side conversations around the palace to cease completely. The man himself looked stressed.
Crusch: "Sage Bordeaux, what's this whole situation about, anyway?" As the first to take the lead, Crusch assumed a serious posture. The other candidates imitated his posture, to which the old man could only sigh.
Bordeaux: "I'll get straight to the point. We are currently dealing with a foreign force from the stars. The strange bird you saw in the palace sky is basically how they moved and got to us." This caused many to raise an eyebrow, and the candidates alone seemed intrigued.
Subaru already had a certain idea that something like this, of this magnitude, would come directly from space. However, when he heard the word "stars" come out of Bordeaux's mouth, he looked a little stiffer than usual, and Beatrice was the first to notice.
Beatrice: "Subaru?" asked the girl.
Subaru: "I-It's okay, Beako, I just ended up being startled by the revelation."
"A foreign force..." next door, Emilia whispered. Subaru could hear some people whispering, but his tension was such that he couldn't pay attention.
Priscilla: "Coming from the stars?" Priscilla raised her eyebrow slightly in intrigue. This piqued her interest, which made her look at Al. The latter nodded with a defeated countenance.
Anastasia: "Oooh... So that's some kind of flying vehicle?" Anastasia looked starry-eyed. "If the design didn't look so much like a white bird, I think it could be a great way to get around. Although it is kind of cute."
Felt: "If it weren't for the view from the sky, it would all seem a bit silly to me." Felt crossed her arms again, somewhat lost. "A giant bird that's controlled by people? What a nonsense story..."
Bordeaux: "Indeed. A civilization that is apparently beyond the great waterfall has come to make some demands of us." The word "demand" made the atmosphere warm up slightly. "It hasn't been made clear yet, but they're looking for one of their own. Who, according to them, has been here with us for some time."
Now that was something that took them by surprise.
Crusch: "And who would that be?" he asked, to which Sage sighed in frustration.
Bordeaux: "They didn't say who it was. Only that it would be discussed with the leader of this nation. And as you know, we don't have anyone on the throne yet, so I suspected that they would want to talk to the five of you."
Emilia: "So that's why there was a call for all of us." she concluded, still amazed by it all.
Anastasia: "Hmm... Now that's interesting. Suddenly, another civilization surprises us with its overwhelming presence by claiming that we have one of their own in our ranks?" she considered, giving a contemplative look to everyone present. "At the very least, they've certainly shown that they're powerful."
Priscilla: "Now that! It seems to be the entertainment of this goddess. I suppose this meeting won't be as boring as I thought it would be." The crimson baroness finally gave her two cents on the conversation.
Her eyes went back and forth to everyone around her. She glanced at Al for a second, but her intuition told her that this clown was not the star of the show.
Felt: "Heh, so there's one of those weirdos among us?" Felt shrugged, a little puzzled by the prospect.
With all this said, everyone in the room looked at each other. As if they were trying to guess who this supposed infiltrator from another civilization was. They looked at each other with a certain suspicion.
For some reason, Subaru felt more and more trapped, making him loosen his collar even more to breathe better. "Is there a suspect? Has this become Among Us?" thought Subaru, looking around discreetly.
Crusch: "So, Sage Bordeaux, are you telling us that this nation from the stars has come in peace? Or are they doing this precisely because they are powerful and want to threaten us?"
The Duchess opinion was quite heavy, which made the murmurs behind grow even louder. If there is an unknown nation that has come to make contact with Lugunica, and they are powerful enough to make any request of us, it means that everyone there is at the mercy of that nation.
Subaru felt a chill run down his spine, afraid of what might happen if the candidates showed their faces to that nation. Are they really peaceful? Or are they just waiting for the right moment to strike when they see who their leaders are? Before he could think any further, Bordeaux continued:
Bordeaux: "At the moment, the knight Reinhard, the captain of the knights, Marcos, and the High Councillor Miklotov are talking to the representatives of that nation, and will probably return soon—"
The huge gates of the hall opened, interrupting the Wise Old Man's words. There was a huge silence in the room as the new figures appeared.
The first was Miklotov, walking softly with a serene expression. A stern Marcos was right behind him, escorting him as he should. Although intriguing, what caught the public's attention was what came next. Reinhard, equally serious, escorting an unusual group.
"What's that?"
"Wait, those are..."
"What are those costumes?"
Murmurs and whispers began to echo through the royal hall. The attention that Reinhard van Astrea's always imposing figure brought was overshadowed by the group he was leading. An unusual group, initially made up of only female figures.
Then some soldiers, probably from the same nation, appeared. These were dressed identically, using a kind of visor to cover their faces, while wearing a completely black outfit, very reminiscent of a private military army. Instead of swords, this small army carried strange metallic objects, and most surprisingly of all, their entire figure had small details of orange lights, looking quite sophisticated.
"What's that?! Am I getting Tron Legacy vibes?!" At that moment, Subaru felt a squeeze in his heart. Apart from the fact that the appearance of these soldiers was not a common sight in this fantasy world, he felt a little... nostalgic, seeing these outfits.
Right behind Reinhard, there were the seven women, who, unlike the army that had gathered, all had different outfits. Everyone in the hall couldn't open their mouths to say anything, it's not for nothing that even the murmurs that had been heard before had stopped, and there was a specific reason for this: The black-haired woman, who seemed to be the leader of the line of women behind Reinhard, had a stern face, capable of killing with just a look.
In fact, she had an eye patch over her left eye, further emphasizing her serious and hard face, which seemed to be quite irritated by everything and everyone. At her waist was a medium-sized sword, but it seemed to be pulsating inside the scabbard, as if it had a life of its own, but given the material they carried, it was certainly a special sword. Her outfit was the most commander-like, being the only one of them with a black overcoat, gold shoulder pads and a special coat of arms on her right breast, which was a little deformed due to her... large body. However, one thing was striking about her face, and that was the pupil of her eye: she looked serious, but her black eyes gave off a feeling of mental fatigue.
Reinhard was walking with his eyes downcast, as if to show that he had already tried to appease the situation, but it seemed to have failed.
The women following the one-eyed woman were diverse in appearance:
A blonde, yellow-eyed woman with a large build, always with a smile on her face, she seemed the eldest in terms of maturity, like a mother, even her clothes matched this type of category, with a long white dress, reminiscent of a priestess or nun, covering much of her legs. Subaru even thought she was the leader because her dress had so many sophisticated details, but her quiet manner wouldn't allow her to control a military fleet of this magnitude.
A woman with short white hair and blue eyes, she had rectangular glasses that emphasized her serious beauty. She was also dressed like a butler, totally masculine, with a rather indifferent face, as if she only showed her feelings when ordered to. She stood with her hands on her stomach, walking with the most class and formality of the seven.
A woman with purple hair and eyes, who had a tired face and walked slowly and could fall asleep at any moment, she also carried a kind of white clipboard and a lab coat that was very reminiscent of laboratory scientists. If Subaru could deduce, she was certainly in charge of the technology part of this fleet, given the giant dark circles under her eyes.
A woman with green hair in a ponytail, a rather imposing face, a rather revealing outfit on her arms, but one that retained an explorer's charm, as if she had taken Indiana Jones out and turned him into a woman - but still following the same military pattern as the other women, wearing boots and a pair of tights that, unlike the greenish clothes, were black. The moment Subaru laid eyes on her, he already knew that she came from some pompous race, and that perhaps he shouldn't talk nonsense around her. What's more, she was the only one who carried a kind of weapon with her, looking like a giant hammer which, resting on her shoulder, showed that even though she was one of the shortest in the group, she had great strength.
A woman with red hair and a very mischievous face, as if she were a teenager in the body of an adult. Her yellow eyes scanned the entire hall so quickly that she seemed to know every corner at that very moment. She was dressed more like a lady, in a black-white dress, where most of the dark color was on her arms and legs, where she had a large skirt, with a slit up the legs to highlight her beautiful body, which let her white tights slip down for milliseconds. She carried a kind of umbrella, which was now closed, and a handbag.
And at the end, a beast-woman, who had black wolf ears and tail, with eyes of the same color, as well as different clothing from the others, which seemed to be part of her own skin. Her body was quite large, and this seemed to be by choice, where a kind of fire-like coloration was seen in her wolf ears and tail. She kept a serious face, but let out a big smile, with two teeth sticking out over her lips, like a wolf.
Leading them, the woman with long black hair and an eye patch kept walking until she stopped just as Miklotov, who was leading the whole convoy, stopped.
It seemed that the announcement about these women was finally going to begin, so everyone present prostrated themselves erectly. Subaru in particular was sweating profusely, worried that Beatrice would even notice his tension.
He had never seen anyone like this in his life, but it seemed that a feeling of nostalgia ran through his heart when he saw the faces of these women. Yes, they were all particularly beautiful and had their good points, but that wasn't why his heart was pounding so much, there was something special about them...
"Your outfits are not unfamiliar to me. It reminds me a lot of my old world... and that makes me tense" thought Subaru, touching his chest.
Then Miklotov's voice announced:
Miklotov: "I'm sorry about the confusion over the last few hours, but I'm afraid everything's fine." Scratching his large white beard, the old man continued. "I'm here now to introduce you all to our special guests."
Bowing slowly, Marcos and Reinhard made way for the woman with the eye patch, who, on being introduced by Miklotov, looked around the room as if searching for something.
"She's quite pretty" murmured Emilia, standing next to Subaru.
Miklotov: "This is Miss Alcyone, the representative leader of this nation who has humbly come to make a request of us." Although he acted courteously, it was clear in his voice that he was also afraid of something happening. "I ask you to cooperate with them.
The woman, called Alcyone, stepped forward and put her hands behind her, taking the most serious position possible, just as a military man would do in the army.
Alcyone: "I must say I'm surprised by the level of this nation." Her eyes wandered and stopped on Reinhard, who just kept his eyes closed. "I'm here in search of someone, but I think you already know that."
??: "I hope it doesn't take too long, I'm about to collapse here." muttered the purple-haired woman, yawning.
??: "Come on, you don't have to try so hard to stand up, Merope. Here, you can have my shoulder as a pillow" said the blonde-haired woman, smiling.
??: "You spoil her too much, Maia. We should have left her inside the ship" said the green-haired woman, slightly annoyed.
??: "Quiet, please. The captain is speaking" warned the white-haired woman, adjusting her glasses in a professional manner.
The only ones who didn't say anything were the red-haired woman, who seemed to be concentrating on observing the events with a mysterious smile, and the beast-woman, who didn't even seem to be paying attention to the conversation.
Ignoring the conversation between her companions behind her, Alcyone continued:
Alcyone: "We are looking for a person that perhaps the leader of this nation knows." So saying, she began to stare at everyone present. "We've been looking for this person for a long time, about a year to be exact, until we finally found him. His name… Ah—..."
Her lifeless black eyes roamed over the real candidates, until she froze at the same moment as she fixed her attention on one person in particular.
Those previously black and lifeless pupils brightened the instant she saw Subaru. Along with a flush on her cheeks, as if she were seeing someone she longed for.
Alcyone: "..."
Everyone was at a loss, and even Subaru looked away when Alcyone stared at him. Beatrice by his side squeezed his hand even tighter, and Emilia exchanged glances between the woman and Subaru.
Emilia: "Subaru?" commented the half-elf.
Alcyone: "Prince!"
As soon as the woman said that, all her companions dropped to their knees, leaving everyone impressed by the speed of the movement.
It took a while for Alcyone to do the same thing, as if she had a problem with her legs, but soon she was on her knees and lowered her head slightly, only to turn her beautiful black eyes to Subaru, who, feeling a palpitation almost explode in his chest, heard her say:
Alcyone: "We've finally found you, Subaru-sama. My... our prince."
The admiration and fascination in those words and the way all the strange woman's followers bowed before Subaru, made the boy blink, once... twice... even three times before his expression made an "O" and....
"Heeeeeeeehhhh?!"
An idiotic cry rang out through the palace halls, overtaking the castle walls and causing the birds to flap their wings to the sky.
Now began the saga of discovering Subaru Natsuki's true past. Could it be that all he remembers so far were his correct memories?