Chapter 17(212): A Taste Priscilla Has Never Known
As promised, Hikigaya, now Emilia's knight, naturally had the right to enter the Royal Castle with her.
Perhaps because they arrived early, many people hadn't yet gathered.
Even so, Hikigaya spotted Crusch and her knight Felix from the day before.
There was only one reason they would meet here, and only now did Hikigaya realize it.
"Yesterday was rushed. Lady Emilia, Sir Hikigaya Hachiman, it is an honor to see you again."
Emilia nodded gently. Hikigaya spoke calmly.
"If I'm not mistaken… you're also a royal candidate."
Only then did he understand why Crusch, a rival, had been willing to help him.
Emilia must have paid a significant price during negotiations.
"As you say… that is correct."
"Regardless, thank you for your help Felix and Lady Crusch. I will remember this."
Crusch gave him a satisfied look and turned to leave.
After taking two steps, she murmured softly, "It seems my Wind Blessing truly has no effect on you at all…"
…
Facing Emilia again, she now looked like a child waiting to be scolded.
Yet, having already anticipated this outcome, she carried herself with confidence.
Hikigaya sighed helplessly, about to speak, but she beat him to it.
"I know what you want to say! You think it was a bad trade, right? That I paid too high a price. You probably think losing or keeping magic makes no difference to you at all!"
She had hit the nail on the head, leaving Hikigaya momentarily speechless.
"But that's not true at all! Just like how you instinctively saved me and the village, what I did can't even compare! I'm not trying to repay you, I just want you to live 'for yourself', no matter what injuries you suffer!"
Moments ago, she looked like a guilty child.
Now, she spoke like a calm, reasonable mother.
Hikigaya didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
But…
Just as she said, and just as 'they' said, maybe Emilia was right.
And she had only done this because she cared about him.
In that case, how could he possibly blame her?
In the end, he gently patted her head.
No matter what choice she made, as her knight, he would stand by her side.
"Hello there, Hikigaya!"
"Whoa, don't scare me like that!"
"You're the first person who's ever said I'm scary, nya~."
'Even if I don't understand why this world has people with these kinds of tastes… I'll let it slide. He is the great mage treating me, after all.'
Reinhard approached slowly from a distance.
"It's been a while, Hikigaya-kun. Lady Emilia."
"Indeed, It has been a long time. Though I didn't expect you to make such a big deal out of me."
What Hikigaya was referring to, of course, was the fact that Reinhard had told others about how he fought alongside him against the Bowel Hunter.
"I'm truly sorry for using your reputation without permission, Hikigaya-kun. But the mental resolve you showed at that moment is indeed something every member of the Knight Order should learn from."
"No matter how you look at it, you're the one who helped me. If I still accepted your apology after that, I'd really have no face."
While the two were talking, the entrance of the Council of Elders drew the attention of most people present.
Hikigaya was also pulled over to the area where the Knights were standing.
Naturally, from the moment he entered, Hikigaya had already noticed that quite a few people wearing merchant attire, just like those he had seen yesterday, were also present.
These were the very people who, since entering the capital, had intended to monopolize the entire commercial district. And when he saw that all of them were reporting to that purple-haired little girl, he more or less understood what was going on.
'Although it looks like there's been major progress, in reality… Emilia has already wasted far too much time. At this Royal Selection meeting, she's bound to take a heavy hit. On top of that, her appearance was never an advantage to begin with…'
'Looks like this meeting isn't going to be as friendly as I imagined.'
As they waited, the fourth royal candidate finally arrived. When Hikigaya saw her, he felt both disbelief and a sense of inevitability.
'I always knew this woman wasn't ordinary, but… isn't this a bit too coincidental?'
Priscilla was the same as ever, arrogant and unruly, holding her fan as she walked forward under everyone's gaze.
However, the smile she had been wearing vanished the moment she noticed Hikigaya, replaced by an expression of outright disgust.
'Hey, hey. I noticed that, you know. I don't need you to like me, but I didn't do anything to offend you, Princess.'
Being disliked was nothing new to Hikigaya, but this completely unprovoked hostility… Well, even if he wasn't used to it, he'd just have to get used to it.
Compared to her, her knight Al, standing behind her, gave off an innately friendly and approachable vibe. Hikigaya even felt a strange sense of familiarity from him.
Maybe it was that overly friendly nature that reminded him of Zaimokuza.
Once everyone had taken their places, Marcus stepped out from the Knights and formally announced the start of the meeting.
Of course, when it came to once again reciting the legend of the Dragon Maiden, it seemed no one really wanted to hear it anymore. Still, the Council of Elders insisted on preserving tradition.
For Hikigaya, this was naturally a good thing, since his knowledge of this world was extremely limited.
'But really, they mention dragons every three sentences… That just shows how important dragons are in this country.'
And from the four women standing before him, Hikigaya also learned a new title.
Dragon Maiden.
However, according to legend, there were supposed to be five Dragon Maidens. That meant the Royal Selection hadn't officially begun yet. Just as Hikigaya was thinking this, Reinhard stepping forward made him realize.
'This can't really be that convenient, can it?'
Scenes from the past surged back. If, just as Emilia had said, that insignia was proof of qualification… then that meant the final royal candidate was Felt.
[Anastasia: "Looks like this day finally came. I've been waiting far, far too long."]
[Priscilla: "The last opponent… I never thought it'd be someone from the slums. But no matter who it is, I alone am the one."]
[Crusch: "I see… From the very beginning, from the moment he crossed into this world, fate had already begun to turn."]
[Felt: "Huh!? I became a royal candidate? But who wants to be that thing anyway? I'm not interested at all."]
[Hikigaya: "That's not necessarily true… after all…"]
[Felt: "After all what? Say it properly, mister."]
[Hikigaya: "Old Man Rom came with you, didn't he? So deciding so quickly might not be a good idea."]
Under everyone's gaze, Felt walked out wearing a yellow dress. Naturally, her personality was still the same, completely incompatible with elegance.
Just as Hikigaya had predicted, if Old Man Rom had come to the capital together with Reinhard, then he must have already done plenty of persuasion. Even if Felt herself didn't want to become a Dragon Maiden, Rom, who loved her more than anyone, wouldn't want her to return to life in the slums.
So, although utterly lacking in elegance, after exchanging a glance with Reinhard, she took out the insignia without any complaints.
"Wah…"
Voices of disbelief echoed throughout the hall. And naturally, once the insignia acknowledged her, the so-called five Dragon Maidens were finally complete.
Perhaps finally noticing the relatively low-profile Hikigaya, Felt broke into a cheerful smile and jogged over to him, patting him on the shoulder.
"Hey mister, don't you think life's really that strange? The things you said before… they really changed everything at this moment."
"Uh… I didn't expect you to change this much either. The odds are about as low as running into a billionaire falling from the sky and accidentally saving his life."
The elder seated at the center of the Council of Elders looked over the group and stroked his beard.
"Knight Reinhard, could you explain how you found her?"
Without hesitation, Reinhard lightly knelt on one knee.
"I discovered and took Lady Felt under protection in the slums about a month ago."
The moment he said this, murmurs of discontent rose among the officials.
"She was found in the slums?"
Felt bristled immediately.
"So sorry I was a street kid!"
'So even a Dragon Maiden can't escape scrutiny over her origins. In that sense, Priscilla, Anastasia, and Crusch really did have a huge advantage from the start.'
As Hikigaya silently analyzed the situation, he suddenly heard Priscilla mockingly wave her fan and say: "How long are you going to keep rambling? How utterly boring. It's precisely because you only say such boring things that you ended up as a vagabond in the slums!"
Provoked instantly, Felt shot back without backing down.
"Hah? If you want to fight, I'm always ready."
"Insolent fool. Do you know who I am?"
As she spoke, a violent wind began to swirl around her. Fortunately, Reinhard stepped in front of her at the very moment she moved. It seemed she hadn't intended to truly attack anyway, as the assault stopped abruptly.
"My apologies, Lady Priscilla."
Emilia stepped in front of Felt, unable to understand what was happening.
"What are you thinking, doing this in such an important place?!"
"Heh heh. I'm merely teaching an ill-bred mongrel of a mother dog what 'difference in status' means."
"Can't you apologize?!"
"If you insist, then in your case, shouldn't you say 'I'm sorry I was born into this world,' silver-haired half-elf?"
When she heard "silver-haired half-elf," Emilia looked as though she had been struck hard, stumbling back two steps.
"I… I have nothing to do with the Witch."
The atmosphere had deteriorated to the extreme. Priscilla then shot a provocative glance at Hikigaya.
It was obvious. She was deliberately saying all this to get back at him for yesterday's arrow. Hikigaya knew that perfectly well.
'If that's the case, then I should take responsibility. But becoming the center of attention right now isn't a good choice. Not that I like being in the spotlight to begin with.'
'I don't know whether this world has some kind of divine protection that gives her the confidence to say things like "the whole world revolves around me," but since I'm not from this world…'
'It doesn't have to revolve around you, does it?'
Having thought that far, Hikigaya stopped holding back.
"Putting aside the half-elf and the girl from the slums, Lady Priscilla, with your noble status, saying such things truly doesn't match the dignity you should possess."
Hikigaya's words instantly drew the attention of everyone in the hall.
Priscilla's smile disappeared completely.
"Oh? Do you think you can control me? I say what I want, do what I want. It has nothing to do with you."
Al, standing behind her, seemed to sense the danger and poked Hikigaya in the back.
"Brother, stop it. Lady Priscilla is a real handful!"
'Is it really okay to talk about your own master like that? But since the stage is already set…'
Hikigaya let out a cold laugh, followed by a scornful chuckle.
"Of course, I have no right to lecture you. I'm nothing more than an unknown knight. But I want to show you through action that this world doesn't always move in the direction you want."
"Just as Lady Priscilla herself said, she can do whatever she wants. Even destroying this country would be an easy task for her, wouldn't it? So tell me, would you dare entrust the nation to her?"
The Knights fell silent. The officials fell silent. Even the Council of Elders fell silent.
And it was precisely this silence that subjected Priscilla to the most humiliating few seconds she had ever experienced in her life.
Behind him, Al muttered softly, "Brother, you're done for."
'So seriously, is betraying your master like this really okay?'
'But given the situation, there's no way Felt and Emilia would stand on her side. And Anastasia and Crusch, who already know they're rivals, won't say a single word for her either.'
The more she tried to argue or refute, the further she would stray from the image of a princess. From the moment Hikigaya spoke up, he had already seized the initiative firmly.
However, he still underestimated Priscilla's arrogance. Seeing that words wouldn't work, she simply stopped talking and slowly walked toward Hikigaya. He had personally witnessed her strength.
If he got beaten up here, it'd be embarrassing, but at least she might finally understand the disadvantage Emilia and Felt had just endured.
Just as Priscilla was about to reach Hikigaya, Julius stepped in front of her.
"Hikigaya Hachiman is a knight recognized by our Order. Lady Priscilla, even as a Dragon Maiden, you may not act rudely toward a knight."
Seeing things go south, Reinhard quickly moved in as well, blocking her path.
Al scratched his head awkwardly.
"Princess, how about we just let it go this time…"
Seeing the situation worsen, an elder of the Council finally spoke.
"Priscilla, please respect the Royal Selection."
Under pressure from all sides, Priscilla's expression darkened to a frightening degree.
Unable to take her anger out on Hikigaya, she simply stood there, saying nothing more.
Perhaps, just as Hikigaya had guessed, this was the first time in her life she had suffered such a setback.
[Priscilla: "That man… I'll kill him!"]
[Al: "Princess, no matter how you look at it, we're the ones at a disadvantage here… maybe we should stop."]
[Priscilla: "No, no. I want to see him die a hundred times, a thousand times, ten thousand times!"]
[Hikigaya: "What a vicious woman…"]
[Priscilla: "Who are you calling vicious?!"]
[Hikigaya: "She doesn't look Felt's age, but mentally she's probably about the same…"]
[Yuigahama: "Hikki, are you picking up Yukino's way of speaking…?"]
[Hikigaya: "You get influenced when you're around someone long enough. It can't be helped."]
[Yukinoshita: "Yuigahama, don't pin that on me."]
[Al: "Princess, see? No matter how you look at it, this isn't going well for us…"]
[Hikigaya: "Though it seems Crusch and Anastasia aren't fools either. Letting Priscilla run wild like this is just their way of making the competition easier."]
[Crusch felt like laughing a little.]
Silence fell once more. This time, however, no one dared to insult Felt or Emilia again.
That said, as the price for this, Hikigaya had become the focal point of the room.
'See? This is exactly why I didn't want to be the center of attention.'
An elder of the Council spoke.
"Lady Emilia, I've heard that he is your knight. Is that correct?"
Emilia still seemed shaken from earlier.
"Y-Yes."
The elder smiled.
"It seems you have a knight who truly cherishes and protects you."
Emilia covered her face with both hands, but even so, the visible blush spreading across her cheeks couldn't be hidden. She murmured softly to herself: "Cherishes… protects… loves…"
Marcus spoke again.
"Royal candidates, please step forward."
"Lady Priscilla Barielle and her attendant, Al."
Priscilla still hadn't fully calmed down. With lingering resentment, she declared: "The Royal Selection is meaningless. Only a nation ruled by me can be the best nation. I alone am the one most qualified to sit on the throne! You, you, and you!"
She pointed directly at Hikigaya and continued in a commanding tone: "All you need to do is bow your heads, submit, and obey me!"
'Yes, yes…'
"House Karsten, Lady Crusch Karsten and her attendant and knight, Felix Argyle."
Crusch spoke calmly.
"The day I become king, I will make the Dragon forget the covenant that has lasted until now. The Divine Dragon Volcanica does not belong to the Dragon, but to us."
'Wow… what a grand vision.'
"Company Hoshin, Lady Anastasia Hoshin and her attendant and knight."
Anastasia bent slightly at the waist in a polite bow: "I'm greedy. No matter how successful I am in business, it's never enough for me. I want a country of my own."
'Ah, such a cute little one… surely not a shady merchant, right?'
Marcos: "Lady Felt and her attendant and knight, Reinhard van Astrea."
Felt: "Is it finally my turn? What a boring meeting! Ah… I hate nobles! I hate knights too! I even hate the country! I hate everything in this world, so I'm going to destroy it all!"
"Even though it sounds exactly like something a ten-year-old would say, compared to this atmosphere… I admire you, Felt!"
Noble: "Y-You… what are you saying?"
Felt: "If I become king, I'll kick all of you out and run this country properly!"
Elder of the Council of Elders: "Your master is truly a cruel lady."
Reinhard smiled gently. "One day, Lady Felt's golden words will surely reach the hearts of everyone."
Marcos: "Then lastly, Lady Emilia and her attendant and knight, Hikigaya Hachiman."
Emilia tightly held Hikigaya's hand and spoke in a firm voice. "I have only one wish, and that is fairness. To create a country where all people can be treated equally."
Looking at Emilia before him, Hikigaya found himself having a completely different thought at that very moment.
"Although Emilia says this, just as all of you are thinking, this world is unfair. Emilia cannot change the fact that she is a half-elf, and I cannot change the prejudice you hold against her, but…"
"If you think she will stop here, if you think I will turn a blind eye to it, then that would be far too regrettable. Today, I, Hikigaya Hachiman, swear here in the name of a knight…"
"In the future, anyone who dares to insult Emilia will receive the harshest retaliation from me."
As he said this, Hikigaya smiled and shifted his gaze back to Priscilla.
"Now do you understand? This world doesn't revolve around you."
At the same moment, all the knights rendered the highest salute, the sound of metal plates colliding ringing out.
Crusch: "The Blessing of Wind tells me that there is not a single lie in his words."
The members of the Council of Elders fell completely silent. The nobles who had just raised objections against Emilia no longer dared to speak. They understood that insulting Emilia at this moment would be equivalent to challenging the honor and dignity of the knights. Even setting aside whether they could get past Hikigaya, the knights standing behind him valued honor above all else.
Roswaal stood below the platform, wearing a rather satisfied smile: "As expected, you're truly interesting."
Priscilla's expression grew even uglier as she clicked her tongue, her face filled with disgust.
Emilia was completely stunned. She had never imagined that Hikigaya's presence would turn a meeting that had originally been so hostile toward her into something so different.
Her gaze remained fixed on Hikigaya's face, and for a moment, she couldn't pull herself away.
The bearded elder of the Council of Elders also revealed a kindly smile. "This young man… he's quite something."
[Crusch: "It seems he's taken all the spotlight. With his appearance, Emilia's past disadvantages are gradually being overturned."]
[Anastasia: "I've never seen Priscilla suffer such frustration before. For some reason, it feels oddly satisfying."]
[Listening to everyone's words, Priscilla only felt more irritated. This day had brought her far too many things she had never anticipated.]
[Sakayanagi revealed a meaningful smile. "To say something like that really does have that little Hikki style to it…"]
(End of this chapter)