Chapter 650 — Arc 10, Chapter 1 – “Friends”

?: [――Well ain’t that just like that princess? She stuck to doing things her own way until the very end.]

Emilia’s eyes softened toward Felt, who uttered so as she sipped her cup of black tea.

On a sofa used for receiving guests, with one knee tucked under her arm, Felt sat across from Emilia, listening to her story in its entirety without interruption, before paying her respects for Priscilla in her own way.

Emilia did not think it heartless that great grief or loss had not flashed across Felt’s eyes, being only a slightly different shade of red from Priscilla’s. However, she did think it was strong of her.

This included the fact that she had visited this place of her own volition, in order to glean the details of Priscilla’s death.

Right now, Emilia and Felt were facing each other in a room of the Royal Residence in the Royal Capital of Lugunica. In a reception room of the residence where those of great importance were assigned to stay, Emilia greeted Felt.

It was not something that they had pre-arranged. Felt, who had happened to be staying in the Royal Capital, had heard that Emilia had brought news to the Royal Castle, and thus had come to see her.

In all honesty, she was awfully delighted that Felt had paid her a visit like this.

To begin with, the Emilia Camp owed Felt a great deal―― she had taken great care of Meili while they had been absent from the Kingdom; so Emilia heard from Annerose.

Annerose, a relative of Roswaal and a supporter of Emilia, had been tasked with handling the discussions regarding the various matters surrounding the Pleiades Watchtower and Meili. Apparently, Felt and those aligned with her had greatly assisted in reaching an arrangement in those talks.

For that reason, Emilia had planned to make time to convey her gratitude to Felt herself, so she was really grateful for the chance to see her like this.

However, if anything, she wished she could have brought back a more pleasant tale, and yet――,

Felt: [――That’s what the look on your face seems to be saying, Emilia-neechan.]

Emilia: [Eh, w-was I making such an obvious face?]

Felt: [Pretty much. If you keep frowning and looking down like that, anyone could pick up on it, y’know?]

Imitating Felt’s motion of tapping her brow with her finger, Emilia also rubbed between her eyebrows.

People often said she tended to show what she was thinking upon her face, but she amazed herself at how much had been unintentionally shown. And it also worried her. ――She had completely regained her footing already, and thus was unflappable now. No one needed to worry about her; she was fine: these were the feelings she had tried to portray.

Emilia: [Despite all of that, I’m still no good. Subaru and the others would be angry with me.]

Felt: [It’d make that guy upset with you, Emilia-neechan? I can’t imagine that happening though.]

Emilia: [Of course it would. Even Subaru would be annoyed if I couldn’t be strong. That’s why he diligently tells me where I’m lacking.]

Felt: [Heh, that so?]

With a smile, Felt rested her chin on her raised knee as her fang peeked out.

Pouting at Felt’s vaguely mischievous and teasing smile, Emilia continued with a “However,”

Emilia: [Seems like you could see right through my thoughts, but… Felt-chan, you don’t agree?]

Felt: [It’s a bit complicated, but if I’m getting you right, you’re thinking something like how it’s been a while since we’ve met like this, and you’re sorry that the topic’s the princess’s death, or something along those lines?]

Emilia: [Umm, yeah… that’s right. Yep, that’s it.]

Felt: [Regarding that, I’m actually glad I heard it from you, Emilia-neechan.]

Emilia: [From me?]

Having said something unexpected, Felt nodded back to Emilia’s question with a “Yeah.” While scratching her head in front of the surprised Emilia, she continued,

Felt: [Honestly, when I heard that the princess had died, I thought it must’ve been a joke. She was the embodiment of a woman who would never die even if you killed her. If things had continued as-is, I would’ve been filled with nothing but pointless doubts, and the truth of the matter would’ve been buried.]

Emilia: [――――]

Felt: [So when I heard the story from you, Emilia-neechan, I was able to make up my mind since you were actually there… No, I was able to prepare to make up my mind? Tch, my wording’s also become complicated. My bad.]

Emilia: [――. No, I feel like I understand what you’re saying, Felt-chan.]

Being unable to explain it well, Felt made a bitter face, but those feelings were able to be conveyed to Emilia.

If the situation were reversed, and Emilia were to hear that someone she knew had lost their life somewhere far away without her knowledge, she would probably overthink the circumstances surrounding that death.

With those various imaginings, regardless of their validity, her head would become filled with things that could not be verified, and she would become unable to grasp the truth.

That’s why, even if it was incredibly painful, having that room for doubt erased, could be salvation.

Emilia: [If it’s someone you trust confirming it, that’s even better, I think.]

Felt: […I guess that means I trust you, Emilia-neechan?]

Emilia: [Yeah, I also believe in you, Felt-chan, and… aren’t you the same? Isn’t that why you came to see me like this?]

Felt: [Technically, we’re both rival candidates, so it’d be weird if I said yes!]

Having lowered her foot from the seat, Felt had a dumbfounded look upon her face as she rested it on her knee. Still, since Felt did not disagree, Emilia smiled with a sense of relief.

Thinking of Priscilla still made Emilia’s heart weep in pain. However, she was glad that she had not left Felt’s murky answers buried.

???: [――――]

Then, a faint exhalation interrupted the exchange between them. As soon as Felt’s sharp ears picked up on it, she let out an “Oi,” with a sullen voice, and then,

Felt: [Hey you, what the hell are you laughing about?]

???: [――Nothing, my apologies. Just now, it was simply quite unusual to see Emilia-sama so thoroughly get the better of you, Felt-sama.]

Felt: [Better of me, my ass. What kind of Knight smirks and watches as his master is defeated?]

???: [I beg your forgiveness. I hesitated to interject into the conversation between the two of you.]

Saying this, while placing his hand on his chest and bowing, was Felt’s Knight, with his distinctive red hair and blue eyes: Reinhard.

Naturally, Felt would not have come to visit Emilia alone, so he had been listening to their conversation up until that point alongside them. At the chummy exchange between Reinhard and Felt, Emilia prefaced her proceeding comment with a “Geez,”

Emilia: [You don’t need to be so considerate. Even our Otto-kun has been chatting with us since earlier… huh? He hasn’t?]

Otto: [That is right. Thank you for noticing. Even I have common sense enough to not cut into a conversation between two of such exalted status, as a matter of fact.]

Next to Emilia, who had raised her eyebrows in surprise, was Otto, wearing a wry smile typical of him.

Since Otto was the only one who had accompanied Emilia to the Royal Capital, inevitably, he was the one attending her wherever she went, be it by giving her report at the Royal Castle or meeting at the Royal Residence. Since Otto was someone who made her feel at ease just by being there, she had been unintentionally put at ease with nary a word from him.

Emilia: [I’m sorry, I didn’t realize. You love to chat, Otto-kun, so it must have been reaaally hard to keep quiet.]

Otto: [Let me just say, I only chat about what is necessary, when it is necessary; it really is not the case that I love chatting, okay!?]

Felt: [Yeah yeah, that ain’t very convincing. I don’t think you can say that a guy who can chat with bugs, water dragons, and so on in addition to humans isn’t a talkative guy.]

Otto: [I would appreciate it if you did not confuse the subject of Divine Protections with human nature.]

Pressing down on the green hat upon his head, Otto gave a casual response to Felt.

Given that Otto was able to speak with all sorts of creatures with the power of his Divine Protection of the Soul of Language, Emilia thought that Felt’s point just now was spot-on. She suddenly realized: everywhere they went, whether it was with animals or bugs, Otto was talking to every living thing around and expanding his circle of friends.

Emilia: [Otto-kun, you reaaally do have so many friends. I don’t have too many friends, so I admire that you can get along with anyone.]

Otto: [I would not exactly call them friends, truth be told. From time to time, what I offer to others is something like a negotiation or transaction, which requires a bit of a different know-how than making friends. Now that I think about it, I suppose I cannot say I am someone who has a lot of friends either.]

Felt: [The definition of a pal isn’t something you should just keep pondering over. If anything, why don’t you become friends with our Reinhard? He’s also the kinda guy who doesn’t have many friends.]

Emilia: [Eh, is that so? That’s reaaally unexpected.]

As Felt shut one eye and pointed towards Reinhard, who was standing behind the sofa, her words made Emilia instinctively look up at the red-haired Knight.

Reinhard had a good personality, was very famous, would surely be known by anyone in the Kingdom if asked, and was someone who could be relied upon. For Emilia too, since the first time they had met, he had been so consistently considerate of her that she thought that he was more or less friends with everyone in the Kingdom.

Seeing the astonishment in Emilia’s eyes, Reinhard said, “It is unfortunate,” before continuing to speak,

Reinhard: [Putting aside my own views, it seems I often intimidate others. For that reason, outside of the Knights and my companions from our camp… excluding Subaru and Ferris, perhaps I have quite few friends.]

Emilia: [Is that so? Even you have those sorts of worries too, huh Reinhard…? Hey, Otto-kun, if you’d like, would you become friends with Reinhard?]

Otto: [I am being asked to do something incredibly outrageous here, but would it not be a disgrace as far as Reinhard-san is concerned!?]

Reinhard: [Of course not. In fact, I would greatly welcome it. Would you be my friend?]

Otto: [Is this some kind of pincer attack or ambush?]

Caught between Emilia’s gaze and Reinhard’s smile, Otto grumbled in frustration.

Only Felt looked on with a smirk, but after agonizing over it for a long moment, Otto took a long, deep breath, and said,

Otto: [As Felt-sama brought up earlier, right now, we are affiliated with opposing camps. Until the Royal Selection is over, we should avoid becoming excessively close to one another.]

Reinhard: [I see. A shame, but if that is your intention, I shall respect it. Not that we are friends, though.]

Otto: [Yes, please do. Since we are not friends.]

With such sad words, Otto’s shoulders slumped, and towards that, Reinhard gave a smile that oddly enough seemed neither hurt nor disappointed. Unfortunately, the two of them did not become friends, but in Emilia’s eyes, they somehow gave off the air of proper friends.

In addition――,

Otto: [Good grief, the tea has grown completely cold. I will go brew a new pot. Emilia-sama, you and the rest keep having a pleasant chat. I will――]

Reinhard: [――. In that case, I shall accompany you. We may not have become friends, but how about I show you the power of the Divine Protection of Tea Ceremonies?]

Otto: [It might surprise you to know that I am someone who holds grudges, but having the Sword Saint hold a grudge against me is truly unsettling.]

While carrying on such a conversation, the two of them left the room.

Emilia watched as their backs were obstructed by the closed door, and then turned back toward Felt.

Emilia: [For some reason, it feels like they are reaaally good friends, you know?]

Felt: [Heh heh, yeah, I thought so too. I’m always so pissed off at the attitude of that damn Reinhard, but when it’s someone else on the receiving end, it’s super funny.]

Emilia: [Ah, that’s a naughty face. But to make Otto hold off on being Reinhard’s friend until after our Royal Selection, that’s…]

Felt: [Hmm, that dude just used what I said as a convenient excuse, right? Can’t say I know why he did, but… don’t take what he said about not being able to get along ‘cause of the Royal Selection so seriously.]

Emilia: [I don’t need to, take it so seriously…?]

It seemed like Felt was quite satisfied, and she was in such a good mood to the point she was almost humming. After thinking for a moment, Emilia let out an “Okay,” and stood up.

Thinking of the Royal Selection, Otto had given up on becoming friends with Reinhard. She felt guilty over that decision and consideration on Otto’s part, but Emilia had made up her mind.

After what had happened with Priscilla, she did not want to have any more regrets.

Emilia: [Hey, Felt-chan, can I say something?]

Felt: [Oh? What’s up?]

Briskly walking up to Felt, who had looked up at her, Emilia sat herself next to her. At a distance where their shoulders brushed against each other, Emilia turned to face her directly. Felt’s red eyes blinked as Emilia readily approached her with such momentum.

Looking back on it, Emilia had first met Felt when she had stolen the insignia that qualified Emilia to join the Royal Selection. At the time, she had panicked and had wanted to take her anger out on Puck, who had not been flustered in the least by such a situation. In any case, her encounter with Felt had definitely not been off to a great start.

Even so, right now, regarding Felt, who was likewise a candidate for the Royal Selection, Emilia felt thus.

Emilia: [I want to be friends with you, Felt-chan. And not just ordinary friends, like reaaally good friends.]

Felt: […Huh?]

Emilia: [Actually, I promised Anastasia-san that when the Royal Selection ends, we will be friends. We talked a lot as we traveled together… well, it wasn’t entirely Anastasia-san the whole time, but we talked a bunch and then we made that promise.]

Emilia promptly pressed Felt, whose wide eyes were flashing with confusion.

The promise she had exchanged with Anastasia was one she would surely keep, as part of her strong identity as a merchant. It was not like with Subaru, so she could be assured that the promise would be kept.

Emilia: [I worry when it comes to Subaru, since he breaks his promises so easily, but when it comes to Anastasia-san, I feel assured. But even besides promises, I feel like I couldn’t be Subaru’s friend, and I don’t feel like I would want to be friends with Subaru… huh? What was I saying again?]

Felt: [That you and Subaru-niichan can’t be friends, Emilia-neechan?]

Emilia: [Yeah, that’s right… No it’s not, I was talking about you and myself, Felt-chan!]

Emilia felt a tinge of anxiety over having nearly lost sight of her main point. In front of Emilia, who had narrowly avoided that perilous situation, Felt suddenly looked up. Following that movement, Emilia also looked toward the ceiling. She did not see anything in particular.

Emilia: [Felt-chan?]

Felt: [I ain’t looking at the ceiling. I was just wondering what the hell I should do.]

Emilia: [Umm, yeah. Subaru and Petra-chan often tell me that they feel reaaally invigorated when they see my face. How about that?]

Felt: [Would you happen to be trying to show off your good points?]

Emilia: [That’s right, because I want to be friends with you, Felt-chan.]

Over the past year or so, Emilia had been getting used to seeing herself in mirrors.

Subaru, Petra, and sometimes even Ram would compliment Emilia’s face, so if there was perhaps a chance it would also have an effect on Felt, she figured there was no harm in suggesting it.

Felt kept looking upwards in response to that desperate approach of Emilia’s, and then,

Felt: [Why do you wanna be friends with me so badly? It’s fine the way it is now…]

Emilia: [You see, I had wanted to become friends with Priscilla.]

Felt: [――――]

Emilia: [But, I put off telling her that. I’m… no good. I should have known I might have to suddenly say goodbye to someone important to me who was fine just the day before, and yet…]

Emilia murmured as she placed her hand on her aching chest and touched the Magic Crystal hanging from her neck.

The same had happened with Puck, who continued to slumber, as well as Emilia’s cherished family who had been frozen in ice in the Great Forest of Elior. Farewells could be sudden, and could come for even the most precious people in one’s life.

Her farewell with Priscilla had reminded the forgetful Emilia of such a sorrowful truth.

Emilia: [I don’t want to forget that anymore. So, I decided I won’t hold back. Tell those you like that you like them, and tell those you want to be friends with that too.]

Felt: [――Shit, that princess, she really went all the way ‘til the very end, didn’t she?]

Emilia: [――?]

Emilia had put her feelings into words as honestly as she could. While still looking up and listening, Felt slowly lowered her gaze.

The expression on Felt’s face was a smile that was neither frustrated nor bitter.

Felt: [Gotcha, no problem. I’ll be friends with you, Emilia-neechan.]

Emilia: [Really!? You mean, after the Royal Selection is over…]

Felt: [It doesn’t have to be. If I’m gonna do it either way, Emilia-neechan, I’ll become friends with you before Anastasia-neechan and make her regret it.]

Emilia: [Oh, don’t say that. Anastasia-san is going to be my friend too.]

Felt: [Aren’t I, someone who is already your friend, more important to you, Emilia-neechan, than someone who isn’t your friend yet like Anastasia-neechan?]

Emilia: [Geez, don’t put me on the spot!]

Felt laughed gleefully, her fang on display, with Emilia also instinctively breaking out into a smile.

Felt had given a delightful response to her offer. At the experience of becoming friends with Felt, Emilia’s heart slowly filled with warmth.

Then, whilst smiling together with Felt, Emilia thought to herself. ――She thought about Al, still unable to fully accept Priscilla’s death, and of Subaru and the others, who were all accompanying him.

Emilia: [With Al too――]

One day. It did not need to be right away, but one day.

From the very bottom of her heart, she wanted to pray for the coming day upon which she would be able to discuss Priscilla, someone with whom she had wished to become friends, without tears flooding her eyes.

Indeed, while nestling shoulders together with her friend, Emilia thought so.

△▼△▼△▼△

Reinhard: [――Well then, you went so far as signaling me with a glance. You have something to tell me, do you not?]

Having left Emilia and Felt behind in the reception room, upon walking down the hall for a bit, Reinhard deliberately broke the ice.

Carrying the silver tray with the tea set in his hands, Otto, without looking back, nodded an “Indeed”.

Otto: [Your understanding is much appreciated. It appears that Felt-sama’s visit has allowed Emilia-sama to finally smile naturally again, so I did not wish to tear down that atmosphere.]

Reinhard: [As expected, the matter of Priscilla-sama seems to have affected her quite a bit.]

Otto: [In all honesty, there was likely nobody participating in that battle who remained unaffected. Even I, who lacked much of any contact with her, felt a sense of helplessness.]

Of course, the impact it had borne on Otto was nothing compared to that of Emilia, who had harbored affection for Priscilla, nor to that of Subaru and Al, who had watched her fade away before their very eyes.

Even so, as Otto had been working to ensure that as many of the allies fighting alongside him against the Great Disaster would make it out alive, the death of an individual involved with the Kingdom―― of a Royal Candidate, was something that deeply affected him. On the other hand, there was also a part of himself calmly analyzing the dropout of a rival candidate who possessed an irrational charisma.

Reinhard: […How surprising.]

As if having listened in on Otto’s inner thoughts, Reinhard muttered those words. And glancing back at him, Reinhard’s eyebrows were, in line with his words, raised in surprise.

Having garnered such a reaction, Otto slightly loosened the corners of his mouth with a hint of self-deprecation,

Otto: [That reaction, were you surprised that I was pained by the death of Priscilla-sama? Certainly, I would be lying if I said I did not welcome the dropping out of a rival candidate…]

Reinhard: [No, I found it surprising that you admitted to your weakness so openly. You do not need to go out of your way to feign such callousness, no?]

Otto: [――――]

Reinhard: [Or maybe expressing your true feelings was a sign that you had let your guard down… perhaps even a sign that we could become friends?]

Otto: [It seems as though I have chosen my words poorly.]

Being teased in such a manner, Otto squared his shoulders, putting his feelings in check as he resumed his steps.

It appeared as though he was in a worse mental state than he had realized. And having picked up on that, Reinhard had allowed that blunder to slide as a moment of levity.

Otto: [Get a hold of yourself, Otto Suwen.]

This will not do; he reigned himself back in.

Regardless of how little Felt regarded Emilia with enmity, they were unmistakably rival candidates. The best course of action was always to abstain from displaying weakness to one’s opponents. A situation in which one had lost the balance of their mental state was among the highest tier of appearances that must never be shown.

Reaffirming that in his mind, Otto would fulfill the purpose for which he had brought Reinhard out.

That was――,

Otto: [――I shall now divulge information pertaining to Heinkel Astrea.]

Reinhard: [――――]

At the raising of the topic, it was apparent that the atmosphere in the corridor had distinctly shifted.

Drier or damper, the humidity had changed. Higher or lower, the temperature had changed. The only thing that could be said for certain, was that the one who had brought about those changes was the very Sword Saint walking right by his side.

Otto: [Heinkel-san participated in the battle in the Empire as a member of Priscilla-sama’s Camp, and he did survive. However, in the wake of Priscilla-sama’s death, after being sighted in a state of extreme discomposure, his whereabouts became unknown.]

Reinhard: […Was he taken captive in the Empire?]

Otto: [No, likely not. While it is a country that can be exceedingly ruthless in order to benefit itself, in its current state of exhaustion following that battle, they are not individuals who fail to grasp the situation to such an extent that they would make an enemy of the Kingdom―― of the Sword Saint, Reinhard van Astrea.]

Reinhard: [So then, he disappeared of his own volition, did he?]

With his eyes slightly downcast, Reinhard feebly muttered those words for Otto to hear.

He had not intended on getting revenge, but the result ended up being a situation much like Otto’s earlier blunder, in which the other party had lost the balance of his mental state. Be that as it may, he was not currently in the mood to take advantage of the situation and probe into the other party’s weakness.

In all honesty, he thought himself ill-suited to it, but――,

Otto: [Heinkel-san… your father, are you worried about him?]

That was a question voiced out of genuine concern for the other party.

In reality, it would have likely been a difficult question for Reinhard to answer. Otto was not deeply familiar with the relationship between Reinhard and Heinkel, but it was already common knowledge that this was a parent-child relationship that had fractured and broken down.

Not to mention, in Pristella, Otto had happened upon a scene of Heinkel raising his sword against Felt in an attempt to prevent Reinhard’s movements.

On that note, the very fact that the three generations of this family were all backing different Royal Candidates spoke volumes about the dysfunctionality of House Astrea.

In any case――,

Otto: [Regardless of whether it serves any consolation, according to Garfiel, your father seems to have managed to withstand even a Dragon’s blow. Hence, I surmise that there is little fear of his life being in danger even if assailed.]

While relaying that information, Otto intentionally concealed the possibility of Heinkel committing suicide.

From what he had heard, Heinkel had lost his composure after Priscilla’s death, to the point that he had tried to shift his allegiance over to Emilia, begging her to take him on as a subordinate. With Emilia turning him down, it could not be definitively stated that there was no possibility of him, whereabouts unknown, finding himself at a loss for what to――,

Reinhard: [――That will not happen, Otto. My father would never do anything akin to ending his own life.]

Otto: […Did I show it on my face like Emilia-sama?]

With his inner thoughts completely seen through, Otto massaged his brow with one of his hands. Upon doing so, Reinhard forced a smile and said “No”,

Reinhard: [You purposely refrained from mentioning the worst possibility, so I presumed it was out of consideration. Only, it is a needless worry. My father has a goal he wishes to fulfill no matter what. Something like him choosing death whilst leaving it unfulfilled, is an impossibility.]

Otto: [On the one hand, that is a relief, but on the other, it does bolster my apprehensions. With his back up against the wall, just what might that person do… would he not then attempt to make contact with Felt-sama next?]

To begin with, from Heinkel’s perspective, it would be a choice with much more merit than pleading to Emilia.

Of course, that choice would eliminate the sole and absolute advantage in Heinkel’s possession―― his ability to exert some sort of coercion upon Reinhard, the Sword Saint. But, setting that aside, it was a highly probable option for him to be recruited there.

Now that he had lost Priscilla and had been rejected by Emilia, it seemed entirely possible to Otto that Heinkel would choose Felt as the next target for his parasitism.

However――,

Reinhard: [――Likely not.]

With an even greater conviction than before, Reinhard shut down Otto’s follow up.

Otto: [――――]

Those eyes that captured the essence of a perfectly clear blue sky were entwined with a hue resembling nightfall. Reinhard, the glimpse of a smile that had been previously strewn upon his lips having faded, walked alongside Otto as the latter fell silent.

Two steps, three steps; with not a word said, the pair gradually closed the distance to the kitchen. And just like that, Otto assumed that the conversation had met its end amidst the silence; however,

Reinhard: [My father wishes to have me resign from being the Sword Saint. Hence, within the Royal Selection which he must win no matter the cost, it is unthinkable that he would assist Felt-sama, who holds my endorsement.]

Otto: […He wants to win the Royal Selection. However, he does not wish to let you win, Reinhard-san?]

Reinhard: [That would be so. On that point, my father and I are incompatible. Regardless of my father’s wishes, I am the Sword Saint. ――I have to be… the Sword Saint.]

Everyone had their own unique circumstances.

Because he fully understood that, Otto would not attempt to interject this and that about another household’s situation. Without a doubt, while it seemed like a distorted relationship between father and son, that final comment sounded as if he was reinforcing it to himself.

Ergo, the only thing Otto could do was to make his own stance clear.

Otto: [――. Good grief, this has been quite the outrageous scene. I never thought that my life would include a moment of engaging the Sword Saint in small talk like this.]

Shrugging his shoulders, Otto displayed an unwillingness to pry into Reinhard’s circumstances.

It was some of his worldly wisdom as a peddler who had encountered people in a wide variety of positions across many different regions. No matter what circumstances might reach his ears, he would show his harmlessness by exaggerating about how he would not exploit them.

In the majority of cases, he would be able to leave the post town without incident.

Otto: [Though, sometimes the flow of alcohol would cause me to blurt out information that I absolutely should not, and there were some outrageous people who would then hear that and try to silence me…]

Hence, even at the most optimal taverns for gathering information while traveling, it was necessary for him to have measures in place to avoid accidentally acquiring any more serious information than necessary. The fact that his peddler’s knowledge was proving to be so useful now that he was involved with the Royal Selection was a testament to how one never knew just what life had in store for them.

In any case――,

Reinhard: [Thank you for sharing this information about my father. I will keep it in mind.]

Once again, Reinhard nodded upon receiving Otto’s intent. And ascertaining that, Otto shrugged his shoulders and continued with a “Pardon me”.

Otto: [Perhaps I have needlessly added to your troubles? With a position like the Sword Saint, you must always have many things troubling you.]

Reinhard: [It was of my own will that I acquired this position and Divine Protection. I suppose it ought to be called my responsibility.]

Divine Protections were endowed articles.

It seemed a bit strange to phrase it as if something acquired through one’s volition, but Otto immediately recalled that the Divine Protection of the Sword Saint alone was something inherited by a worthy successor a posteriori.

As such, following the death of the previous Sword Saint, Reinhard was in the position to inherit it.

Reinhard: [For people with Divine Protections, there are unending troubles that come with dealing with them. From what I can see, Otto, you have quite the mastery over your own, is that not so?]

Otto: [It is outrageous to say that I have mastered it. Ever since I was born, this Divine Protection has always been far too much for me to handle. If I could give it away to someone else, I would gladly do so.]

Reinhard: [Haha, you mustn’t say such thoughtless things. There is no shortage of people who envy those bearing Divine Protections. Of course, I think that goes without saying for you.]

Otto: [In reality, I do not think it is anything worth being envied for.]

As Reinhard had said, the troubles that came alongside Divine Protections were unending.

Not only could they not be shared with people who lacked any Divine Protection, they could not even be shared with people who possessed differing Divine Protections; it was something akin to continuing to answer a difficult problem with no example solution.

Unmistakably, Otto’s response to Reinhard’s flattery was his true feelings. ――Not once had he ever been so conceited to think that he had achieved mastery over the Divine Protection of the Soul of Language. Likely, he never would.

Otto: [Unlike your Divine Protection of the Sword Saint, Reinhard-san, mine is not something that would leave its name down in history.]

Reinhard: [Sword Saint this, Sword Saint that; I wish you would not put so much emphasis on that title. After all, I still find myself inexperienced for this position, under the weight of such a title. I do not intend to act any more important because of it.]

Otto: [It is said that the position makes the person. It could just be that you are not aware of it, Reinhard-san, and your Sword Saint-ness actually overpowers those in your surroundings.]

Reinhard: [Overpowering with my Sword Saint-ness… maybe you could tell me more about it? Perhaps it is the cause of why Felt-sama, Rachins, and the others are always telling me all sorts of things.]

Otto: [Though, it is troubling how eagerly you are responding to what was just a joke!]

Unexpectedly finding his remark latched onto, Otto cried out at Reinhard’s assertive questions.

As their exchange shifted to a lighter tone, Otto slightly cut back on his wariness towards Reinhard, granting his own heart some leeway.

At the very least, Otto currently did not have any reason to damage his reputation by hastening into political strife against Felt and Reinhard. He was by no means in the best condition, either.

Above all, Subaru was right in the middle of exerting every effort for the sake of Al in far-distant lands.

Otto: [Even I would feel guilty about scheming behind the scenes while Natsuki-san and the others are off trying to save someone’s heart. ――The same cannot be said for the Margrave Mathers.]

Unlike Subaru and the rest, who had set off for the Pleiades Watchtower alongside Al, Roswaal had taken Schult, formerly a servant of Priscilla, back to her territory of the Barielle Domain. Beneath that concern and consideration, there was no doubt that his objective lay in taking the opportunity to meddle with the Barielle Domain.

As one involved with the Royal Selection, such conduct was correct, diligent, and worthy of contempt. ――At the same time, even if it meant he was naive for not stooping to such cold-heartedness, Otto felt like it was better this way.

Reinhard: [Well then, shall we brew some tea? Allow me to show you what I am capable of.]

Otto: [By all means, let me see what you can do.]

Upon arriving at the kitchen, Reinhard took the tray with the tea set, and began making preparations. Watching over him, Otto took a small breather as he considered the developments yet to come.

Only, he had a premonition. Soon, there would be some sort of movement in the situation: that sort of premonition.

Otto: […Going so far as postponing Emilia-sama and Felt-sama’s audience, some discussion is being given priority at the castle. What in the world might it be about?]

Beside Otto as he muttered, a tiny silhouette lurked in the shadows of a pillar. ――It was the Zodda bug he had made a deal with, to make a report if there were any developments in the castle.

――In two ways, Otto’s premonition had been right on the mark.

The first was the report from the Zodda bug, informing him that the discussion in the castle which had gone out of its way to keep the Royal Candidates away had come to some sort of conclusion, and the second was the report from a girl of the Felt Camp during their visit to the Royal Residence―― Grassis.

That was a complicated, turbulent report, news of some trouble having occurred with Subaru’s side over at the Pleiades Watchtower, and the tidings that upon having taken Al captive, Subaru and the others would be heading for the Royal Capital.