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“Oh, first time you’ve heard it, bro? Apparently they all talk like that in the Kararagi area to the west. I mean, I’ve never seen the place myself, but the way they talk sure stands out.”

To him, hailing from the same homeland as Subaru, Kansai dialect should have been familiar to him. The way he phrased things put Subaru off a little, but he suddenly became very curious about what this Kararagi land to the west was like.

The next girl over said, with a clear voice that echoed across the surprised occupants of the throne room, “She has a point.”

As the violet-haired girl crossed her arms and tucked in her chin, the green-haired girl offered her agreement. Marcus appealed to her, “Lady Crusch, the head of the House of Karsten should not be…”

“Formalities may be important, but we don’t have all the time in the world. We should touch upon the reason for our being gathered as quickly as possible. In fact, I have largely guessed already.”

The girl Marcus addressed as Crusch closed one eye, surveying the Council of Elders with the others. Miklotov let out a sigh of admiration.

“As expected of the Duchess of Karsten. So you already understand the meaning of this gathering?”

“Yes, Lord Miklotov.—A banquet, yes? We shall eventually be rivals, but there is still much we do not know about each other. By sitting us at the same table to exchange toasts, we may gain some understanding of the character of our competitors…”

Crusch had decided the occasion was a particularly formal banquet when Miklotov interrupted.

“No, that is not the case.”

The girl raised her eyebrows at his reply and slowly turned toward Subaru and the others.

“Ferris, this is not what you told me.”

“Oh no. All Ferri said was that they’re bringing lots of food and wine into the castle so maybe they’re going to have a banquet. Oopsie.”

“I see, I assumed too much. I’m sorry for doubting you.”

It was an odd kind of master-servant banter, without much affection.

Crusch faced the front again, letting out a small sigh as she put that brief conversation behind her.

“And so, with some embarrassment, I take back my previous statement.”

“Oh my, Lady Crusch, you’re being way too manly…!”

The girl named Ferris put a hand to her cheek with an air of concern. Apparently, she wasn’t particularly bothered that she’d leaked false information to her master. Given her current reaction, Subaru felt she’d done it on purpose.

The girl speaking in Kansai dialect clapped her hands in search of agreement from the other candidates.

“Hey now. Just because Crusch backed off doesn’t mean my opinion’s changed. Everyone knows the gist of this royal selection thing by now, right?”

Crusch nodded in reply to the question, but Priscilla rudely blew it off with a small snort. Then, Emilia raised her hand a little.

“I think th-that we should listen to the full story.”

But the girl’s treatment of Emilia was altogether too cruel.

“Sorry, but I’m not asking your opinion here.”

As if she had been struck by the hostility, pain ran across Emilia’s profile. Subaru couldn’t bear to watch.

“Why, you, what’s with that attit—”

As Subaru bellowed angrily, Al stepped in front of him from the side, raising his arm up high.

“Yeah! I don’t know about this royal selection business, so I want to hear the rest and stuff!”

As all eyes gathered on Al’s buffoonish behavior, he comically waved his hand to further establish his harmlessness.

“Hey, don’t look at me like that, I’m gonna blush. I know I’m really out of place, so don’t treat me like some suspicious intruder or something. You’re gonna drive a middle-aged man to tears.”

Marcus seemed to be the only one keeping his complete cool.

“Lady Priscilla, your knight has requested it, but…would you like to hear the explanation about the royal selection?”

Priscilla fanned the flames in a grandiose tone.

“Whether I desire it or not, you love your long-winded stories all on your own. It is a waste of time to me. Repeated words are no different than nonsense. I do not even speak nonsense in my sleep.”

In contrast to the selfish bearings of the others assembled, Emilia’s good character stood out. But it was clear from the earlier exchange she was not being treated fairly.

Al said to him, “—That’s one you owe me. No, two now?”

With Al holding up two fingers and tilting his head toward the younger boy, Subaru was grateful on the inside. It was scary to even think about what would’ve happened if he’d continued and blown a gasket. Al had taken all the blame on himself in Subaru’s place.

Priscilla continued, “By my grace, we shall follow the commoner’s view. Rejoice and dance upon my palm. Continue, Marcus. Tell my knight how I shall become monarch.”

The violet-haired girl slumped her shoulders and threw in the towel at Priscilla’s demeanor.

“It’s really somethin’ how you pass the buck onto everyone else. I’m just gonna keep my mouth shut.”

With a consensus seemingly forming, Marcus looked at Emilia and Crusch, with both nodding as well.

“Very well, with that brief digression finished, I shall return to the topic.—You who are qualified to become Dragon Maidens are assembled here because of the prophecy carved into the Dragon Tablet. This prophecy states, ‘Should the Covenant of Lugunica lapse, the nation shall be guided by she who forms a bond with the Dragon anew.’”

Miklotov replied, “Mmmm. The words on the tablet are providence itself. The Dragon Tablet, with a history at least as long as that of the Covenant, contains the words by which the fate of the kingdom shall be decided. Considering the impact of these details upon subsequent history, surely it is our duty to obey them.”

The other members of the Council of Elders solemnly nodded in response to Miklotov’s words. Marcus continued, “The Dragon Tablet, handed down by Holy Dragon Volcanica, has guided our kingdom’s path since the days of yore. They have provided the land with advance warning of various crises, from the Great Cuedegra Famine and the Nightmare of Blight Dragon Balgren, to the onslaught of the Black Serpent in recent years, enabling us to minimize the damage incurred.”

“Mmmm. There is no need to continue listing these achievements. They are known to all present.”

The aforementioned achievements were likely major affairs in the kingdom’s history, but they didn’t ring a bell with Subaru, ignorant as he was. He thought that a prophecy letting you plan for upcoming events was a pretty nice thing to have.

Either way, apparently Emilia and the other candidates, or rather, maidens able to communicate with the Dragon, had been gathered in accordance with this prophecy.

In a quiet voice, Subaru raised a doubt he’d been harboring with Reinhard beside him.

“I just thought of this, but if the problem’s just the Covenant with the Dragon, the Dragon Maiden doesn’t actually have to become queen, right? Can’t you have the ruler and the maiden be separate?”

The corners of Reinhard’s lips rose in a strained smile.

“I think you have a valid point, Subaru. But it can’t be done.”

“Mind if I ask why not?”

“Because the Covenant for the prosperity of the kingdom is formed between the Dragon and the king. The Dragon isn’t simply choosing someone able to communicate with. The pact is formed because that person is carrying a kingdom on his shoulders. In other words, the Dragon is very particular about his partners.”

“But if that’s the case, won’t rushing a maiden into a monarch just annoy the Dragon more? It’s, like, I close my eyes for one moment and poof, the king is gone, and here’s a maiden to take the place of the king. Would the Dragon go for that?”

“That’s a fairly strong argument. But in the end, the Dragon Tablet upon which the fate of the kingdom is engraved takes precedence. That is what the Council of Elders has decided, and they have commanded us knights accordingly. I want to think that it was the right thing to do.”

Even if he had doubts, the higher-ups had settled the issue. The only one who knew how the Dragon would judge was the Dragon himself. It was truly as Ram had said: Only the Dragon knows.

With one issue having been settled, Marcus’s voice echoed across the quieted gathering.

“The prophecy continues thus: ‘There shall be five able to lead a new nation. Of these, one shall be selected as the maiden to form a new Covenant with the Dragon.’”

Hearing that sentence from the prophecy, something tugged at Subaru’s mind and made him frown.

“Five…?”

“Yes, five. Currently there are only four candidates—so the royal selection has not even begun yet. It is our shame that we have been unable to find a fifth.”

“Your population’s, like, fifty million people, right? Finding four in half a year sounds downright speedy.”

They had to search for people on a world without any national transportation networks. Those were pretty harsh conditions. Subaru thought finding four candidates in such a short time was worthy of serious praise.

Marcus finished his explanation, apologizing to the girl who’d raised the initial objection to his carrying on.

“That summarizes the present circumstances. Lady Anastasia, please forgive my great rudeness.”

“Don’t, don’t. This mess isn’t my fault. Happy now, Princess?”

“I wonder. Al, has your little head gained any new insights?”

“Yeah, I’ve got it. Sorry for makin’ ya go through the trouble. Sorry to the lil’ lady from Kararagi, too.”

As Al flippantly waved with his one arm, Priscilla replied, “There you have it.” The girl—Anastasia—rubbed her forehead at the irresponsible master and servant and looked back up to the Council of Elders.

“Anyway, if there’s still more, can we get on with it? I don’t have forever, and I got a lot to do later. You old men with the purse strings get what I’m sayin’, right?”

The rudeness of Anastasia’s statement stirred the room up, and Subaru stiffened. But Anastasia seemed to have a very good read on her position, and the Council of Elders showed no sign of irritation.

Abruptly, Miklotov lowered his voice.

“It pains me to take so much of your busy time, Lady Anastasia, but I must ask you to remain with the conference a little longer. After all…this day shall be marked in the history of the kingdom.”

Though the room had gradually lost its original tension, the statement triggered an ambiance that compelled everyone to stand a little straighter.

And moving the proceedings forward was Priscilla, pushing out her chest without a single ounce of shame.

“So history shall move, you say, old fossils? In other words, you mean that, yes?”

Miklotov replied to Priscilla’s quiet question with a small nod from his perch. Then, the eyes under his thick eyebrows sought Marcus. The look was some kind of signal, as Marcus saluted and suddenly bellowed across the chamber.

“—Knight Reinhard Astrea! Come!”

Subaru’s shoulders trembled out of the blue as Reinhard, seemingly having waited for the call, replied, “Yes, sir!”

He advanced straight forward, saluting the four candidates before standing to attention before Marcus and the Council of Elders.

“Very well, Reinhard. Report!”

“Sir!”

Marcus took a step back and yielded the center of the platform. With all eyes upon him, Reinhard stepped forward and faced the Council of Elders without a single trace of timidity.

“Esteemed members of the Council of Elders, I am Reinhard van Astrea of the Knights of the Royal Guard, here to report that my mission is complete.”

Miklotov instructed, “Mmmm. Say it so that all may hear.”

Reinhard turned around, looking over everyone in the room.

“—We have finally found the fifth candidate to become Dragon Maiden, and monarch.”

The ranks of knights stirred and formed a space between them. The expressions of the candidates changed, registering strong emotions: determination, delight, tedium, and bewilderment.

“Bring her in,” Reinhard curtly called.

Receiving his command, two guards before the entrance saluted and slowly opened the doors. Beyond them a girl, accompanied by ladies-in-waiting, was led into the throne room.

When Subaru laid eyes upon her, his jaw instinctively dropped in absolute shock.

The hem of her light yellow dress fluttered as her high-heeled shoes stepped upon the carpet. Her scrupulously arranged blond hair practically sparkled. The girl was remarkable for the strong determination in her red eyes and the impish appearance of her snaggletooth smile.

She looked so different that he almost doubted what he was seeing. He couldn’t help but be lost for words.

With Subaru paralyzed by surprise, the announcement seemed to echo against his eardrums several times over.

“This young lady who seeks the crown is called…Lady Felt.”

—And so, the royal selection that would determine the fate of the Kingdom of Lugunica began.