“Why, I wonder?”
“It is very simple.—One should be attired in the manner that makes one’s soul shine the brightest. Ferris’s current attire suits him far better than knightly armor, just as I wear my own outfit because it suits me better than any dress.”
Crusch pushed out her chest in a display of personal pride as she spoke. As Ferris stood beside her, she—or rather, he—smiled at the sight of his gallant master.
The sight of Crusch so poised made Rickert lose all stomach for an argument. As he kept his silence, Subaru too could not help but feel his chest stir in the face of Crusch’s composure.
Reinhard remarked, in a voice that seemed rather loud considering the circumstances, “That is Lady Crusch for you… Among the candidates, she is the first to voice her opinion but also the one with the strongest support. Whatever she says, she speaks with a different sense of confidence than the others.”
“What do you mean?” Subaru asked Reinhard from the side.
“The House of Karsten that Lady Crusch heads is a family of dukes and duchesses that have supported the Kingdom of Lugunica since early in its history. The house has proven its loyalty to the nation through many deeds. And the wisdom with which Lady Crusch herself leads as such a young duchess makes her the favorite of the royal selection.”
“So she’s… I see, the favorite based on early scoring.”
Even Subaru, lacking detailed knowledge of ranks and titles, knew that she was only a few steps removed from the top of the pyramid. With the royal family wiped out, public opinion probably favored someone close to the late king.
The faint murmur spread through the hall as people all around nodded to each other about Crusch’s superiority. Apparently, her being the favorite in the royal selection was something to accept as fact.
However, it was Crusch herself who interrupted the murmurs.
“It would seem many here harbor a minor misconception.”
As calm returned to the hall, she nodded with a composed look.
“I strive to be fully aware of what everyone expects by having me take the throne. The House of Karsten is a house that has carried great authority and political influence for many years. Should I succeed as monarch, politics and national policy are guaranteed to continue without so much as a ripple… Correct?”
Several people in the chamber nodded as they listened to Crusch’s eloquent speech.
“I regret to dash your expectations, but I can guarantee no such thing.”
At Crusch’s statement, the throne room briefly fell silent, only to erupt in an earthquake several seconds later.
“What’s the meaning of this?!” several of those assembled exclaimed as Crusch looked up at the dais, her expression unchanged. She shook her deep green hair as her gallant gaze looked past them to a mural etched on the wall behind the royal throne.
“The Dragonfriend Kingdom of Lugunica… This nation has remained prosperous by honoring the Covenant made with the Dragon long ago. Thanks to the Dragon, various crises have been averted, from war, to plague, to famine. The word Dragon has never vanished from the kingdom at any point through its long history.”
All of this was according to Marcus’s tale of “The Covenant with the Dragon” at the start of the meeting.
Upholding the Covenant between the Kingdom of Lugunica and the Dragon had brought fame and prosperity throughout history. As everyone mulled over the meaning of her words, Crusch folded her arms and scanned the gathering.
“For the most part, prosperity brought by reaching the Covenant with the Dragon has been a good thing. If war arises, the Dragon breathes and burns our enemies away. If there is plague, it employs its mana to heal people. If there is famine, soaking the soil with Dragon’s Blood grants the blessing of bounty. And so, the guidance of the Dragon has saved us from hardship and guaranteed our glory—” In spite of the glowing details on Crusch’s lips, her face did not brighten. Under the silent attention of the entire assembly, she remarked, “Let me ask you.—Do you not think it is shameful?”
The chamber returned to silence with an even greater sense of tension than before. But if one were to compare the emotions of its occupants, the most heated, raw anger was without doubt coming from Crusch, standing before the throne.
“The Covenant guarantees we will be protected from any crisis and any hardship so long as we uphold it. And so, we have descended into softness and depravity, relying now upon a change of leadership for its continuation. To think that you take this for granted.”
Crusch’s stern lecture spurred one among the Council of Elders to rise, his voice shaking with anger.
“—You go too far, Lady Crusch! I cannot permit anyone to make light of the Covenant! Do you have any conception of the sacrifices the kingdom has been spared since the Covenant with the Dragon long ago…? Are you denying the weight of history itself?!”
“I have already stated that this past prosperity is mostly a good thing. No words have passed my lips claiming that I myself have not been a beneficiary of its blessing. The House of Karsten was born with the kingdom and has shared in its glory. Had a crisis destroyed the kingdom, my house would have shared its fate. Whenever the Dragon has saved the nation, it has saved my house as well.” Crusch paused briefly. “However, the future is a different matter. Do you think nothing of the pathetic sight you make at this moment? Have you not ceased to use your minds because you cling to the Dragon and the Covenant? When war, plague, and famine assail the kingdom anew, is there nothing we can do but sing the Dragon’s praises?”
“That is—”
“This nation has relied upon the writings of the Dragon Tablet for too long, becoming so soft and weak that it cannot stand on its own power. The nation takes for granted that the Dragon and prophecy will aid it whenever it is shaken. But can you argue that we have strived to avoid such matters from occurring to begin with? A number of calamities in recent years, including the failure of the Great Subjugation fourteen years ago, are things we courted through that weakness.”
Everyone held their breath in shock, eyes wide at Crusch’s declaration.
Bathed in gazes of shock and anger, she raised a fist and nobly declared, “If the kingdom is to crumble without the Dragon’s protection, then crumble it should. A nation too blessed stagnates, that stagnation courts corruption, and corruption brings about its demise. That is what I think.”
“Are you… Are you saying you will destroy the nation?!”
“No. If the nation is to crumble without the Dragon, we should become the Dragon ourselves. Everything that the kingdom has relied upon the Dragon for until now should be borne by king, minister, and people. Furthermore…”
Crusch took a deep breath.
“When I become king, I will make us forget about the Covenant with the Dragon until now, come what may. The Dragonfriend Kingdom of Lugunica belongs not to the Dragon, but to us.”
“—”
“Hard times await us. Perhaps they will be disasters we averted in the past due to the Dragon’s power, or perhaps even greater calamities. But I do not wish to live in a manner that shames my very soul.”
Crusch’s voice dropped. She shook her head and lowered her gaze.
“I have long harbored doubts about the state of the kingdom. I believe that this course of events is a Heaven-sent opportunity to set it right.”
In terms of loyalty to the late king, or lack thereof, it was a blasphemous statement for which one could be cut down on the spot.
Subaru took in all of Crusch’s words.
“The nobles are right in theory, but…”
A lot of what she said is hard to deny, he thought to himself. Looking around, he saw he wasn’t the only one; no one was willing to raise a voice against the girl’s boldly voiced argument. Here was a girl willing to smash the history of the kingdom—the very essence of what it took to be a monarch.
Miklotov, having listened to Crusch’s claims to the very end, passed matters along to Ferris, s
tanding beside her.
“Mmmm. We understand Lady Crusch’s point of view. Now then, Sir Felix Argyle, is there anything you wish to add?”
Apparently, it was the place of the vassal to advocate for the master.
“Thank you for asking, but I have nothing further to add. Lady Crusch’s thoughts are exactly as she says. And history will prove that Lady Crusch’s actions are correct.—I have no doubt whatsoever that it is my master who shall become king.”
Ferris solemnly bowed at his slender hips as he expressed his immense trust. Then his face returned to its usual fawning expression as he smiled at Crusch.
“Lady Crusch, you’re just as incredible as ever. Ferri’s swooning—”
“From time to time, I fail to understand what you are saying, Ferris.—But I forgive you. You would never do anything that costs me.”
The warm regard for Ferris in Crusch’s eyes made the strength of their relationship plain.
With the conclusion of that expression of trust in Crusch, Miklotov briefly set things in order.
“Mmmm, we have finally heard from one person… Mmm, though it seems her opinions have created quite a stir.”
To the Council of Elders and the civil officials, the plans of the candidate with the strongest backing were a thunderbolt out of the blue. It was evident the entire exchange had alienated many would-be supporters. But anyone hearing that speech would harbor no doubt that those who supported her held the highest trust in her possible.
Subaru remarked to himself, “I still don’t know how they’re actually gonna pick someone, though…”
The whole point of this display was to determine how they would go about it. The lack of hard-and-fast rules meant that all he could do was keep watching the debate, mixed feelings notwithstanding.
Marcus, having apparently regained his composure, proceeded.
“Then, let us continue, following with the next in line beside Lady Crusch.”
The orange-haired girl stepped forward with an arrogant look on her face.
“Hmph, finally. It’s Hyper Priscilla Time, then.”
Subaru was in complete shock at the strange combination of words.
“Just now, did she say, Hyper Priscilla Time…?”
Al walked over and stood at Priscilla’s side, giving her a thumbs-up like he was taking credit.
“It would seem that the riffraff’s eyes are all upon my gorgeous self.”
“You used that pretty nicely, Princess. Totally nailed ’em with a big uppercut.”
Ignoring the fact that the looks regarded her less as “amazing” than “bizarre,” Priscilla thrust her shoulders back in pride at Al’s off-the-mark flattery.
“Very well, Lady Priscilla Bariel, if you please…”
“Though it pains me, I shall humor you. I need only demonstrate my majesty to the old fossils and establish that they should simply choose to obey me, yes? A simple matter.”
As she spoke, she pulled a fan out of the yawning gap of her cleavage, loudly snapping it open and using it to conceal her mouth as she giggled. Her adorable looks clashed with her evil, sadistic laugh.
“—The Bloody Bride. What gall.”
Such words of deep, seething resentment ran across the entire chamber.
Thanks to Crusch’s explosive declaration, the atmosphere in the hall was far from warm. The murmurs chilled the air frostier still.
And the prologue of the royal selection had barely begun.
3
Without hesitation, Priscilla cut through the disquiet governing the chamber with a thoroughly wearied voice.
“Such boring, insignificant jeers. I am so accustomed to them that they do not even serve as a lullaby.”
She was no doubt referring to the reaction around her moments earlier, including boisterous jeers that called her the Bloody Bride. Priscilla did not let it bother her, nor did she make any attempt to refute them.
Following Priscilla’s statement, Miklotov interrupted inquisitively.
“This has been on my mind since well before. Bariel… As in, Mr. Lyp Bariel? Mmm. Now that I think of it, I have not seen any sign of Mr. Lyp. Where is he…?”
“That lewd old man suddenly went senile half a year ago. He remained unable to tell the difference between dream and reality, and passed away but a few days later.”
“What, Mr. Lyp has…? Mmmm. Lady Priscilla, what does that make your relationship to Mr. Lyp?”
With Miklotov expressing surprise, Priscilla dully commented on the death of her partner.
“I suppose it makes me his widow. He had not touched me with so much of a fingertip, so our relationship is, quite literally, in name alone.”
Al promptly stated, “Princess, isn’t it just a little too harsh to put it that way?”
Priscilla paid him no heed, sweeping her gaze across the crowd as if daring anyone else to complain.
“A meaningless death to end a worthless life. If the life of that old man had any meaning whatsoever, it is in the fact he transferred his entire estate to me. Accordingly, the House of Bariel is mine.”
Her stare only increased the discontent in the hall, but no one actually lodged an objection. Even Rickert, having protested against Crusch with such vehemence, apparently lacked the courage to enter a war of words with an opponent immune to logic. And so, Miklotov replied, “Mmm. I understand, then. As Mr. Lyp was an acquaintance of many years, I regret to hear of his passing… But I see that your claim is on firm ground, Lady Priscilla.”
“But of course.”
As Priscilla arrogantly nodded, Miklotov now shifted the conversation to the vassal at her side.
“Though I would like to press for further details, does the knight beside you have anything to add?”
“Aahhh… Ah, me?”
Al’s yawning reply did a splendid job of drawing the antagonism all around him. It was as if the servant was cooling off the heat that his master had brough to the hall.
“Yes, you. Your attire is highly unusual. I have not seen you among the Knights of the Royal Guard…and your helm?”
“Oh, can you tell? This was made in Volakia down south. It was a lot of trouble getting it out of there. It’s tough, so it’s held up for a long while. Also, it looks cool, so it’s pretty important.”
“A Volakia Empire…? Then, you are not assigned to the Knights of the Royal Guard.”
“I’ve cut all my connections to Volakia. Now I’m a wanderer who goes with the flow… So please, just call me Al. Also, you seem a little upset that I’m not showing you my face… Can you gimme a break on that?”
Al’s profusion of rude statements drew even sharper glares. Under so much attention, Al deftly slipped his one hand under the chin of his helmet and began to lift it up.
“Urk—!”
Out of the blue, someone let out a pained cry as the helm rose to about mouth level. It was hard to blame him for that. After all, the visible part of Al’s face was blanketed with old scars from burns, cuts, and perhaps other sources still.
It was no exaggeration to say his scars were ten times as bad as Subaru’s.
“So y’see, my face is a sorry sight. That’s why I hope you permit me the discourtesy of keeping my face covered in front of everyone.”
Marcus interrupted.
“This may be an even greater discourtesy… If you hail from Volakia with such wounds, were you a Sword Slave by any chance?”
“Hehhh, that’s the captain of the knights for you. That Empire likes to keep its secrets, but apparently you know a thing or two about the darker parts of it. Yes, I was a Sword Slave, a ten-odd-years vet at that.”
Murmurs spread across the chamber once again as the term Sword Slave was repeated on the lips of many a knight. From the words forming the compound, it seemed to mean “a sword-wielding slave.”
“I take it you were in a battle or two, then?”
“That’s the size of it, bro. I messed up when I was young and lost an arm that way, y’see.”
Al, ever playing the fool, didn’t flinch from discussing the gruesome experience. For their part, those who had gazed upon him with such hostility moments before were now dumbstruck.
But Subaru was shaken by the impact even more than the rest.
Back in the dragon carriage, Al hadn’t said much about his own body. He downplayed the cause of losing his other arm and dodged the subject of his helmet altogether. But Subaru had been subconsciously avoiding that subject, too. After all, just like him, Al had been summoned there from another world—in other words, his experiences hit Subaru very close to home. Losing an arm, having his face scarred up to the point he couldn’t show it to anyone else—that was a future Subaru, with countless scars already carved into his body, could easily have encountered for himself.
If the icy chill running up his spine was any indication, Subaru would never have been able to endure it.
Miklotov spoke again.
“Mmmm. Hailing from the Empire of Volakia… Is that why you came to stand at Lady Priscilla’s side?”
Priscilla replied, “Not at all. It is the result of a little game of mine. From the beginning, my becoming king was as good as divine providence. The result will be the same regardless of my vassal. And so, I am free to select the vassal that I like. As a showpiece, this man is sufficiently amusing and then some.”
“How did you come to select him, then?”
“What, you want to know?—I caught sight of him in a bodybuilding contest I held on my estate, with the winner to be offered the job of my vassal. It was an amusing sight.”
Priscilla gave Al a glance rich in meaning as she replied to Miklotov.
“Mmmm, I see. So he was the winner of that contest, I ta…”
Al corrected him, “Nah, I didn’t win it. Life’s not kind enough for a one-armed guy to beat a pack of beefy bodybuilders. I was lucky to round out the top five at the victory ceremony.”
Miklotov’s face registered surprise that Al would interrupt even him.
“My word. Then how did you become Lady Priscilla’s vassal…?”
Priscilla straightened with pride as she gave Al’s back a hard slap.
Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-, Vol. 4 Page 15
