"Haha! Reality often presents us with a different outcome, Mueller my boy. You have no option but to face this.", Prince Olivert was the first to break the silence after I presented that revelation to everyone. "Still, does that make us cousins now? I'll have to look into our records to see if I can find anything else about House Phoenix."
Hearing that, I smacked my head.
"As if. My blood is already thin as it is. We've two entirely different families.", I retorted, causing a wave of laughter to spread around the room.
"Ufufu. Be that as it may, you are still in this palace, Naoto. The twins already grew attached to you when you met them earlier, did they not?", Empress Priscilla responded with a smile. She then shifted toward Emperor Eugent. "Dear, after things settle down, why don't we arrange some play dates once Alfin and Cedric can move around? It won't happen immediately, but it doesn't hurt to plan things out.", Empress Priscilla suggested, causing Emperor Eugent to raise his eyes at her.
"I don't think there's a problem with that. We can make some arrangements at a later time.", Emperor Eugent responded, nodding his head in agreement. Playdates huh? I already have some schedule with Elie, but it looks like that will grow once the twins grow older? Perhaps in a couple years when I'm around five years old? It will still be before the Hundred Days War breaks out and I go off-grid, so there's definitely some time to enjoy there. I'm not against it. While I considered this, Emperor Eugent continued speaking.
"Either way, we can save this discussion for later, Priscilla.", Emperor Eugent said, glancing at her for a moment, only to look back at me. "As to what happened, how else would Valflame Palace react if you weren't one of us? Considering the severity of the matter, I will urge you all to not let this matter leave this room, as Priscilla had just stated earlier. What we will be talking about next solely is tied to our Imperial Family and the military.", Emperor Eugent continued to say. His eyes turned serious as they swept across the room. I could feel a hidden pressure escape from his body. One that wasn't suffocating, but one that made their presence known.
"My lips are sealed. I am merely here due to my field studies. What is spoken here clearly doesn't relate to that.", Aurelia said, nodding with a serious look.
"As will I, Your Majesty.", Mueller responded. He saw the matter at hand. We were not joking around here. He simply nodded his head. I could still see shock in his eyes, but he now tried playing it cool.
"Good. And as for you...", Emperor Eugent began, only to shift his eyes toward Roselia next. She was still in her adult form. At a first glance, she's unrecognizable to those who have previously seen how she looks. "Why does it feel like we've met before?"
"Umu. 'Tis not a first for me. I am merely a guide lost in time.", Roselia responded, feigning ignorance to the fact she was the very same girl who rode on top of Emperor Eugent's personal car during the morning. As much as I wanted to smack her for saying that, I kept to myself.
"Does that mean you are watching over Naoto?", Emperor Eugent asked.
"You can treat it as such. Naoto is the one you should save the questions for.", Roselia responded, nodding her head. She then looked my way. "For what was presented earlier, is there a time limit?"
"Not quite. But there is a sense of urgency. The sooner we tackle this, the sooner Dreichel's Plaza will return to normal.", I replied before Emperor Eugent could answer.
"Hmm. Shall we put the talk of the Divine Knights on hold for the time being? If it truly is an urgent matter, we should tackle it post-haste. I will confirm one thing now, it is that one of the Divine Knights rests beneath our Valflame Palace. The Vermillion Knight, Testa-Rossa. It has been quite some time since a Divine Knight was brought into existence here. When they appear, it is a sign of turmoil, or change. I only fear what is to come in this country...", Emperor Eugent answered, letting out a sigh.
"Our family houses such a thing?", Prince Olivert asked, musing at the matter.
"Indeed. It is up to the Divine Knights to choose who they want to bond with. It cannot be forced or undermined. As long as they meet the criteria, one can challenge its trials.", Emperor Eugent said, glancing back my way. "And I take it that the time has come."
"You could say that. But it is as Father said at the beginning. What you see now is merely a prelude. The official trials will not take place for quite some time I'm afraid.", I replied, also sighing. "But I will say one thing. I do not have to face this alone. I mentioned it before but I cannot go into the details. I am allowed to take people in with me.", I stated, drawing shock once again from everyone present in the room.
"You...can take people into the trial?", Emperor Eugent asked, sucking in a cold breath of air.
"That's right, Your Majesty. Myself included, I can take in five other people with me.", I answered.
"Hahaha! So that is the case after all. I had initially thought there was an Artifact at play here, but this is somewhat out of the Church's expertise. It is good that the Church allowed me to remain behind to see the outcome of this.", A determined voice reached our ears, only to see a new figure arrive near the doorway. I did not expect to hear this voice again so soon.
Sure enough, it was a girl. Ein Selnate strutted in. Despite being so young, she was already in charge of the Septian Church's Gralsritter. It was never shown, but I'm guessing her Stigma has already manifested. That was the one requirement to actually join the Gralsritter.
"I was beginning to wonder where you were, Miss Ein. I hope you keep such information that was relayed here to yourself. I thought most of the Septian Church retired for the evening and departed the country. But it looks like they allowed you to remain behind.", Emperor Eugent said, smiling at the girl.
"They did, and boy am I glad I chose to. Such an interesting turn of events, isn't it?", Ein replied while smiling. "And what is this talk about forming a combat party? Whatever those things are out in the Plaza, are you going to fight them?"
"That's the plan. I'm equally surprised as His Majesty is to see you still here, Miss Ein.", I said, happily greeting her.
"Perhaps this is the will of Aidios that brought me here. Would you allow me to fight alongside you? Those beings outside should be Magic Knights of the Dark Ages. I have yet to see one personally, but it ought to serve a good challenge.", Ein asked, causing another wave of surprise.
[Ding! The Leader of the Septian Church's subdivision of the Congregation of the Sacraments, the Gralsritter, has expressed a desire to form a Party with Gamer Naoto. Would you like to form a Party?]
"Hahaha!", I replied, letting out a laugh, not accepting the prompt right away. "I won't turn down a member of the Septian Church.", I continued. Mueller just stared at us. He didn't expect the conversation to go in such a way.
"Now I'm really starting to hear things I shouldn't be hearing...", Mueller retorted, uttering in disbelief. Just hearing that alone caused Prince Olivert to smile.
"If we're to talk of the incoming battle, I must say, I do have some experience in using an orbal pistol. I have already started taking self-defense lessons. I know my way around it. I could watch your rears.", Prince Olivert said, smirking.
[Ding! The new Crown Prince of the Erebonian Empire, Olivert Reise Arnor, has expressed his desire to form a Party with Gamer Naoto. Would you like to form a Party?]
Again a similar Gamer Notification prompted before me. First Aurelia, now Prince Olivert. Forming a Party is really shaping itself now, isn't it?
Sadly, I couldn't even say yes or no before I heard Mueller retort. His initial shock was replaced with worry.