...
{3rd Pov}
"Lord Miklotov, if I may speak freely... Forgive me if this sounds discourteous, but are we truly certain that it was he who accomplished all these feats? And not the Sword Saint herself?"
The silence that followed was deafening.
All eyes were once again on Zero—and this time, the weight of the entire kingdom's judgment pressed down on him.
Others in the hall quickly added their own doubts.
"Yes, what he's saying is utterly preposterous."
"While I can believe the claim about the White Whale—I've seen its corpse with my own eyes—the rest is simply too far-fetched."
"It's hard to accept that he alone was responsible for such deeds."
As the murmurs turned to open discord, Marcus raised his voice and bellowed, "Silence! Compose yourselves! You stand in the presence of the Wise Men!"
The room immediately fell quiet, though tension still hung in the air. Miklotov chuckled softly before speaking.
"Indeed, I understand how incredible these claims sound. But… the Knights have independently verified the reports—through testimonies provided by the women who were held captive by the Sin Archbishop. In fact, more than sixty of these women have confirmed the details of his actions."
A noble scoffed and interjected, "But Lord Miklotov, can the words of mere commoners truly be trusted? Even if there are sixty of them—what is that to us? He could have bribed them for all we know."
To this noble, and to many others present, the word of a single noble outweighed that of a hundred commoners. Even Crusch, despite her otherwise just disposition, shared such sentiments to a degree.
Suddenly, laughter echoed through the hall. Surprisingly, it wasn't Zero's.
It was Priscilla.
"Haha! What a delightful façade!" she declared with amusement, her voice dripping with disdain.
"Indeed, Lady Priscilla," one noble responded eagerly, misinterpreting her words. "This is a façade. How could a mere commoner possibly accomplish all this? Surely, it must have been the Sword Saint. He's merely basking in someone else's glory!"
The next moment, a sharp crack rang out as the noble's face was struck—by Priscilla's boot.
She had kicked him without the slightest hesitation.
"I am calling you all a joke," she said coldly, eyes blazing. "Not one among you possesses even half the courage that this man has!" She gestured with her fan toward Zero.
"He has achieved feats you lot can only dream of. The evidence is overwhelming, yet you refuse to accept it simply because of his birth? If one of your own had accomplished the same, you'd be hailing him as a legendary hero without question. You people are truly disgusting—leeches who cling to status and pride, blind to merit."
She swayed her ornate fan with a smirk that sent chills down several spines.
"Lady Priscilla! This behavior is outrageous!" the slapped noble barked back, his face red with anger and shame. "I am a noble, and you insult me for the sake of a mere commoner?!"
The room echoed with murmurs of agreement from other nobles, their expressions twisted in fury.
Priscilla rolled her eyes in disdain. "Commoner? In name only. His deeds are nobler than any of yours could ever hope to be. Of course," she added with a flourish and a proud grin, "that excludes me. I am beyond such trivial comparisons, after all."
Her statement left the room momentarily speechless. Even those who wanted to argue had nothing to counter.
Subaru, watching the entire scene unfold, was quietly stunned by Priscilla's unexpected support—though her final remark made him inwardly roll his eyes. 'Of course,' he thought wryly, 'if she doesn't praise herself and declare herself divine, then she wouldn't be Priscilla.'
"Indeed, Lady Priscilla's words are well worth heeding," Miklotov said firmly, seizing the momentum.
"I implore all present to refrain from further disrespect. You speak against a hero who has rid our world of not one, but three great threats. Despite all the evidence placed before you, you choose to sneer at his achievements?"
"Quite so," Lord Bordeaux added, nodding. "This young man has rendered a tremendous service not just to our nation, but to the entire world. His actions have saved countless lives, and it is shameful that we would cast doubt upon them so lightly."
Subaru, still standing quietly, understood the reason for their sudden support. It was not simply admiration.
Currently, Reina—otherwise known as the Sword Saint—was under his authority.
As the primary military power of Lugunica, the Sword Saint represented nearly the entirety of the kingdom's martial might. They couldn't afford to antagonize her, or him by extension, in such precarious times.
(A/N: That meme with 100% power as everyone, and then 99.99% power with only Reinhardt is quite funny)
And Subaru himself had become a formidable figure—more useful and influential than the arrogant nobles present. For the high-ranking officials, it was an easy choice: better to alienate a few lesser nobles than risk conflict with someone who held real power.
'This,' Subaru mused, 'is what politics really looks like.'
The noble who had been silenced earlier now returned to the crowd, still fuming but silent. Though arrogant, he wasn't foolish enough to challenge the political current.
"Very well," Miklotov declared, regaining the hall's attention. "Let us proceed with the coronation. For slaying the White Whale, which had terrorized the world for four hundred years… for defeating not one, but two Sin Archbishops… we have decided to confer upon him the title of Viscount, and grant him governance over the territories surrounding the City of Costuul—including the villages of…"
As he continued listing the names, the faces of many nobles soured.
Subaru was being granted authority over a small city near the Mather's Mansion, as well as a collection of villages and towns—many of which were previously under the control of several minor noble houses. Though the annual combined revenue from those areas barely exceeded 100 Royal Gold Coins, it was still a loss of power and prestige for them.
Yet none dared protest.
Apart from the small city—undeveloped and stagnant for over a century—the rest of the lands weren't especially valuable. And more importantly, what could they say in opposition? The man being honored was the slayer of the White Whale itself.
"Sir Miklotov, I have an additional announcement to make," Reina suddenly spoke, raising her hand with calm grace as Miklotov concluded his statement.
"My Liege has recently slain the Sin Archbishop of Lust, Capella Esmeralda Lugunica. In addition, he has eradicated the legendary Great Rabbit. As proof, I can present the corpse of the Sin Archbishop and guide the Knights to the location where the tens of thousands of Great Rabbits he slew lie in death."
Her words echoed into a stunned silence that filled the entire hall.
Everyone stood in stunned silence as Reina made yet another seemingly impossible declaration.
"Yes, it is indeed true," Subaru said firmly, stepping forward. "I have also defeated the Sin Archbishop of Lust, who launched an assault on the Mather's Mansion shortly after the coordinated attack by three other Sin Archbishops. I also eradicated the Great Rabbit alongside Reina, the Great Spirit of Yin Beatrice, the Spirit of Yang Gloria, and my other contracted spirits."
His voice was calm and resolute, yet the weight of his words caused Crusch to stagger back in disbelief. Her usually composed demeanor faltered.
She stared at them with wide, unblinking eyes, her expression blank. 'There's no deception in their voices… just what kind of monsters are they?' she wondered, stunned.
"T-This is absurd!" another noble stammered, clearly shaken. "To even suggest that a Sin Archbishop bore the name of the Royal Family—surely that alone discredits this tale—"
"It is not false," Bordeaux interrupted flatly, his voice cutting through the air like a blade. "Our investigations have verified this detail. The Sin Archbishop of Lust was indeed named Capella Esmeralda Lugunica. The claim stands."
The room fell into a deeper, heavier silence.
"Of course, I do not expect everyone to immediately comprehend the full extent of My Liege's strength," Reina continued, stepping forward with unwavering pride.
"Allow me to clarify. He wields the Great Sword of Yin. He is a swordsman who surpasses Julius in martial prowess. He is also a master magician of both Yin and Earth elements. He has contracted the Great Spirit of Yin and five other True Spirits. As someone who stands among the strongest, I can say with full confidence: in terms of sheer versatility, My Liege far exceeds even myself."
Gasps rippled through the crowd like a wave crashing over a shore.
Crusch inhaled sharply, eyes wide. Even she, someone not easily swayed, could not deny the truth in Reina's words.
As if to punctuate the point, Subaru extended his hand, and five spirits emerged from his body, materializing into visible forms that began to swirl around him in an elegant, ethereal dance.
"Hmph! These mongrels are staring like wide-eyed fools!" Gloria huffed disdainfully. "Behold the majesty of this noble concubine—and her father!"
"Umu, their expressions are amusing," Agni said with a chuckle, floating lazily around the air.
The other spirits joined in, giggling, their presence radiant and undeniable.
"I believe the fact that we can speak for ourselves should be sufficient proof of our elevated hierarchy," Sylphy declared, hovering directly in front of the Wise Men, her voice crystalline. "Or perhaps we should command the lesser spirits to make it clearer?"
The Wise Men audibly gulped, their authority shaken.
"N-No need… this is more than enough to verify his claims," one of them said hurriedly, nervously wiping the sweat from his brow.
Satisfied, the spirits returned to Subaru's body, disappearing into his core. Beatrice, however, remained behind, pouting with arms crossed.
"Just so you all know!" she exclaimed indignantly. "Betty is the Great Spirit of Yin, I suppose! That's not something to take lightly!"
Her defiant stance and puffed cheeks drew a soft chuckle from Emilia, who watched the scene with a warm smile.
"H-He's a monster…" a trembling knight muttered under his breath, barely able to stand still.
Indeed, just one of Subaru's abilities would be enough to place him among the most elite individuals in the world.
Better swordsmanship than Julius? With the former "Finest Knight" defeated by him, that claim could not be denied.
A master magician of Yin and Earth? Perhaps he did not quite reach Roswaal's level, but he was close enough to be considered worthy of the title "Royal Magician," just a step below Roswaal's unique genius.
A contract with six spirits—five of which were confirmed True Spirits?
Julius, with his contract to six quasi-spirits, is considered one of the most versatile and powerful figures in the kingdom. Subaru had not only matched but thoroughly surpassed that, and had even bonded with a Great Spirit.
And if that were not enough, he wielded one of the Ten Great Swords of Power, a mark of extreme distinction that only a select few in history had ever claimed.
In truth, Zero and his allies had intentionally chosen to reveal only a portion of his true abilities today—enough to secure recognition, reputation, and respect.
Subaru still kept several trump cards in reserve: his access to Sin Authorities, his formidable psychic abilities, his refined aura and ki manipulation, and his ultimate weapon—the Life Sword—remained closely guarded secrets.
According to Reina, if not for the fact that she could unleash the Dragon Sword due to his worthiness, Subaru would already be the strongest being in existence. As it stood, in her eyes, he was second strongest overall—but far more versatile than she could ever hope to become.
"No wonder Sir Zero was able to slay enemies who could threaten the fate of entire nations," one of the Wise Men murmured, voice laced with awe.
"I see," Miklotov spoke after a moment of contemplation.
"It appears we must reconsider the magnitude of our reward. In recognition of his unprecedented feats, I propose we bestow upon Lord Zero the honorary title of Marquis. Unfortunately, our current lands are limited, and we have no new territory to grant at present. However, should more lands be conquered in the future, Sir Zero shall be given first priority in all such acquisitions."
"Indeed, that would be most fitting," Bordeaux agreed, with other Wise Men nodding in solemn agreement.
The coronation resumed, with Miklotov officially bestowing Subaru the title of Honorary Marquis, while also confirming his lordship over lands equal in value to that of a Viscount. Furthermore, the crown awarded him 5,000 Royal Gold Coins from the national treasury and granted him primary rights to any future territories acquired through conquest or reclamation.
The hall stirred once more—this time with quiet shock—when, immediately following the coronation, Reina publicly swore fealty to Zero.
The impact of this gesture was enormous.
It would have been understandable, even expected, had she pledged her loyalty to Emilia, a Royal Candidate, someone with a real claim to the throne. That would have been a declaration in line with national politics and personal ambition.
But Reina, the Sword Saint herself—someone in direct line to inherit the prestigious title of Duchess—had sworn herself to Zero. A man who now held a Marquis title—one rank beneath her own.
The implications shook the foundations of noble society.
As the ceremony concluded and the hall gradually emptied, those who had witnessed the events departed in hushed, thoughtful silence.
Many would later describe the events of this day as madness—a political, magical, and spiritual upheaval the likes of which they had never seen. They had witnessed things that, had they not seen with their own eyes, they would have dismissed as wild fantasy.
But reality had proven otherwise.
With the confirmed slaying of two of the world's greatest Witch Beasts and three Sin Archbishops, Zero had firmly established himself as one of the most powerful individuals alive.
Second only to the Sword Saint.
And even that ranking… felt increasingly uncertain.
...
(A/N: Who will win in a fight between Reinhardt from original series timeline and our Great Sage Candidate Subaru?
He isn't a fully fledged Great Sage as per se... He still is lacking Wrath, Gluttony and Pride Authorities.
So what do you think I should make them?
I have an idea about Gluttony and Wrath.
But Pride? None, I am just curious to see what will happen if I give him Vector Manipulation.
Or worse...
Still tell me who will win between Reinhardt and this Subaru.
For basics.
Subaru has 24 Mach running and even faster reaction speed, he has 1000 tons of strength after getting dragon blood, he is durable enough to tank Missile blasts, his injuries heal pretty quick as well.
This is Subaru without using Magic to strengthen himself, Psychic to increase his durability, or Aura and Ki.
He can even use High level Yin Spells, has Six spirits and two great Swords.
So yeah he is pretty much busted...
However Reinhardt's Reid will consider him an worthy opponent, because he is simply too strong.
His base abilities already surpass base Reinhardt.
Anyway, just you know Pandora here is also twice as strong as Reinhardt.
In original timeline she can manipulate phenomena and memories.
But here?
She can manipulate reality itself, she can change reality, phenomena and memories.
She can stomp Reinhardt... She can simply will it that no Divine Protections exist in a certain area, and sword Reid is made out of dirt with no actual power, and then can bitchslap him to death, while destroying his OD completely.
And Witch of Envy can take ten of her(This version) and come out victorious.
Our Witch of Envy is worthy to be called a true calamity.
Od Laguna is like shit in front of her.
Anyway, I hope you are enjoying this skewered sense of power system.
Also give me powerstones... why the heck all of you stopped giving?
Bro I uploaded a 14k word chap this week, excluding other 1.5 k to 3k words chap
What the hell is wrong with you all?)