Following Reinhard’s statement, the chitchat receded like the tide as if to prove him right. Roswaal had advanced to stand by Emilia’s side.
Seeing Roswaal next to Emilia, Marcus, the master of ceremonies, bowed his head with a weighty look.
“Then, Lady Emilia, and Lord Roswaal L. Mathers, if you please…”
Roswaal’s tone was casual even now.
“Yes, yeees. Myyy, following in the footsteps of all these knights, I feel so teeerribly out of place.”
He prodded Emilia with an “Am I?” Of course, he earned no reaction. A normal response may have been too much to hope for given her tension from moments before. Roswaal’s insensitivity rubbed Subaru’s nerves even rawer.
But he instantly set even those strong feelings aside a moment later. After all—
“Members of the Council of Elders, it is my pleasure to meet you for the first time. My name is Emilia. I have no family name. Please, simply call me Emilia.”
Her name, spoken with a voice clear as a bell, seemed to engrave itself upon the very hearts of all present. Her voice did not quaver, and she gazed forward, steady and strong.
Subaru had to wonder where all that anxiety from a moment ago had gone. Emilia, stating her name before the Council of Elders, was not to be outmatched by the other candidates whatsoever.
Roswaal followed, “And I am the humble man nominating Lady Emilia, Roswaal L. Mathers, bearing the rank of Marquis. We are grateful for the Council of Elders’ valuable time.”
Miklotov stroked his beard while directing where the conversation should proceed.
“Mmmm. So she is nominated, not by the Knights of the Royal Guard, but by the Court Magician. I would very much like to hear the details of why this is so.”
Miklotov gave Emilia a penetrating once-over.
To Roswaal, he continued, “Please provide us details about the candidate Lady Emilia, including her lineage.”
“Understood. First, though I believe all present are well aware, I shall begin with the circumstances of Lady Emilia’s biiirth. As you can see from her lovely silver hair, her skin so pale one can nearly see through her, violet eyes that seem to capture the very soul, and her voice, like a silver bell, one echoing unforgettably in the ears, even in one’s dreams. As you well know, these enchanting qualities are proof that elven blood flows through Lady Emilia’s veins.”
A bald old man sitting among the Council of Elders interrupted Roswaal’s explanation.
“And the other half of her blood is human—in other words, she is a half-elf?”
A vein bulged on the large-framed old man’s forehead, hatred in his eyes shooting through Emilia as he spat out, “How dare you. Have you no shame, bringing this silver-haired half-demon filth before the royal throne?”
Miklotov countered, “Mr. Bordeaux, your words go too far.”
“Mr. Miklotov, do you not understand? A silver-haired half-demon with an appearance matching the Witch of Jealousy as handed down by the old tales! She once consumed half of the world; she leads all living things to despair, chaos, and annihilation! Do not claim ignorance!”
“—”
“How much do you think your appearance and lineage alone makes others tremble? You ask us to place such a being on the royal throne? Inconceivable. Even the commoners of other nations would call us a collection of madmen, to say nothing of the people of the Dragonfriend Kingdom of Lugunica—the nation where the Witch sleeps!”
Bordeaux stomped his foot, his arms wide as he shouted, his tone and manner frayed. Even this act brought no reaction from Emilia. The atmosphere in the hall chilled at once. And then, Roswaal replied, “Master Bordeaux, are quiiite finished?”
“If you ask whether that is all I have to say, then I have not said nearly enough. Do you even comprehend what you have done, High Sorcerer of the Court?”
Bordeaux seemed like he was trying to cow Roswaal into submission.
“I understand veeery much. Master Bordeaux, speaking on behalf of the Council of Elders, expresses that the reaction of the populace upon seeing Lady Emilia would be of conceeern, yes?”
Roswaal raised a finger.
“Howeeever, perhaps you have forgotten, Master Bordeaux? The issue of which you speak has no beaaaring upon the royal selection whatsoever.”
“…What do you mean?”
Roswaal lowered his voice as he looked up at the Council of Elders.
“If I may, it is preciiisely as Lady Priscilla stated at the beginning. Even if as a mere formality, there are five candidates, so the royal selection may begin. And if it begins, one need merely see it through, yes?”
Miklotov’s eyes narrowed.
“Mmmm. In other words, you are saying that what is important is that the Dragon Jewel chose Lady Emilia, and that her actual suitability to succeed as monarch is…irrelevant?”
“Though it might be a cruuude way to put it, think of her as a stalking horse. Lady Emilia’s appearance is very particular. Virtually no human being can look at her and not think of the Witch of Jealousy. She is easily employed as a pawn upon our chessboard.”
And just like that, Roswaal denied all possibility of Emilia actually succeeding to the throne.
The sheer shock of it was enough to make Subaru completely forget his anger at Roswaal’s earlier intemperate remarks.
He was Emilia’s sponsor and backer, who knew just how hard Emilia was striving to be king, and yet he said that.
Bordeaux asked, “So the royal selection between five candidates would in actuality be between four?”
“Do you not think that reducing the options reduces the possibility of dissolution? The current lack of a king invites other nations to intervene in our internal affairs. Should we not prepare countermeasures to dimiiinish this threat?”
Roswaal’s suggestion sent Bordeaux into deep thought. The other members of the Council of Elders appeared ready to say, Well, if it’s like that…
To decide to abandon all of Emilia’s hard work by the roadside to use her as the stalking horse of the race.
An angry shout reverberated throughout the chamber.
“Don’t give me that crap—!!”
As the echoes died, the hall was silent once again.
The only sound left in the hushed chamber was the ragged breathing of the boy who had called out—Subaru.
With his face red with anger, the back of Subaru’s mind announced, Now you’ve done it.
But it was too late to back out now. He could not retreat.
Now that Subaru had walked forward out of the blue, Roswaal turned his head and gave him a cold look.
“I did not think you were this obtuse. This is not a place for the likes of yooou to speak. Apologize and leave.”
“Don’t give me that crap. I said what I meant. And I’ll add this. You all should be apologizing.”
Gone was Roswaal’s aloofness. In its place was an overwhelming, bloodcurdling aura; just looking at him chilled one to the bone. Perhaps the wavering of the air around him was from a vast quantity of mana.
“I am all the more surprised—at your disregard for your own life.”
Subaru clenched his teeth. The back of his mind knew what to expect—overwhelming power, a vortex of great flame. He recalled the sight of the Urugarum demon beasts in the forest, burned away without mercy or pity.
“If you grovel on your knees this instant, I shall permit you to simply leave. But if you insist on being stubborn…”
The royal selection was the gravest issue for the entire nation. For disgracing it with individual feelings, Roswaal would sentence Subaru to the flame on behalf of the dignity of the kingdom.
The vast danger made Subaru’s knees cry out for mercy. The shaking spread from his fingertips; had he not clenched his teeth, everyone would be hearing them rattle by then.
But—
“I-I said, it’s not me who should apologize, it’s all of you!”
His shrill voice quivered. But even so, Subaru would not
kneel. He couldn’t kneel, for Emilia had not done a single thing wrong.
“Veeery well. One can do nothing without power. I shall drill this lesson into you. Though it cannot serve you in this world, perhaps it shall in the next.”
With his final ultimatum ignored, the power flowing from Roswaal manifested in the form of a flaming sphere, so bright that its light dazzled the entire chamber. The mass of fire on top of Roswaal’s hand burned with intensity like a miniature sun, enough that Subaru, standing at a distance, felt his skin start to burn.
“Behold, fire mana of the greatest power.—Algoa.”
With one cruel, final word, Roswaal turned his hand toward Subaru. The fireball launched from his palm, with the heat slowly approaching Subaru to burn him to a crisp.
Subaru immediately tried to dodge, but his body simply wouldn’t move. Perhaps it was because his legs were shaking, or perhaps it was because the knowledge of impending death had spread from his eyes to the rest of his body.
No.
It was because Emilia was standing behind Subaru.
That was why, that very moment, he could not move from that place…
“—!”
Instantaneously, everyone held their breath at what followed.
The instant the fireball collided with Subaru, it was wiped out by a pale blue glow that covered his entire body. The powers of red and white jostled with each other—and vanished into nothing more than white steam.
And as the onlookers gaped, a voice, clear as a bell, spoke with the same frigid tone.
“—That is enough. I shall permit no further violence in my presence. If you wish to continue this—”
Emilia’s resolute voice was followed by a more neutral one.
“—Then I am prepared to wield my power as my beloved daughter demands.”
Dubious eyebrows rose at the source of the voice, but the next moment, everyone noticed it—the biting cold spreading throughout the chamber manifesting the Great Spirit’s frigid anger.
The little gray cat folded his arms, making a small snort with his pink nose as he slowly floated down. His black eyes were frozen in an expression of unprecedented coldness.
“You lowly humans are saying quite some things in front of my daughter.”
“—”
As Puck’s emotionless gaze swept the area, the strongest reactions came from the knights. Their swords were already drawn as they raised their guard toward the small cat floating above their heads.
Subaru, left behind by the shift in events, hadn’t entirely grasped what was going on.
“—Ah? Er, what?”
It was a moment after he was certain Roswaal would really burn him to death. He had thought he was shielding Emilia, but she stood in front of him, and everyone was warily eying Puck, poised in a position to defend her.
And their wary gazes also contained something that looked like fear.
Miklotov’s hoarse murmur struck the silent gallery like a thunderbolt.
“—The Apocalypse Beast of Eternal Frost.”
Upon hearing these words, Puck’s ears twitched as he answered the old man.
“Ah, that’s right, some people have called me that. Seems you’re informed for a youngin.”
Though everyone else was tense, Miklotov’s razor-sharp wit permitted him to maintain his cool in Puck’s presence.
“To be treated like a youngster at my age is an experience I ought to treasure deeply.”
Puck responded to the old man’s attitude with a pompous flick of his tail.
“You are free to call me whatever you like. But if you want details about who and what I am, you should ask him over there, not me.”
At Puck’s suggestion, Miklotov called out to Roswaal.
“I suppose so… Lord Roswaal?”
Accepting the call, Roswaal solemnly lowered his head before motioning to Puck and Emilia with one hand each.
“As you have surmised, Lord Miklotov… This is a supernatural being, one of the Great Spirits of yore, known to our forefathers as the Apocalypse Beast of the Eternal Frost. And currently, he is Lady Emilia’s contracted spirit.”
Bordeaux’s fixed Puck with a stare, his voice hoarse from the extent of his shock.
“It can’t be! One of the Four Great Spirits in someone’s service…and that of a half-demon at that!”
But not even the old man could summon the courage to point at a being capable of turning him into an ice sculpture.
“That youngin included, the lot of you should all be grateful to Lia that I’m not turning this place into a glacier right now. My cute, beloved daughter pleaded to me, so I will behave.—If she wasn’t stopping me, you’d all be icicles right now.”
The casual way he said it only made the threat seem that much frostier, chilling all those in the chamber to the bone. Faced with his presence, it was all too clear that he was making no boast.
When the lives of everyone present were at the mercy his supremely powerful paw—the sudden sound of an inhalation sounded awfully loud.
“—Ho, ho, ho!”
The sight of Miklotov jubilantly slapping his thighs seemed enormously out of place.
“Even my heart skipped a beat. Allow me to call this a most amusing presentation.”
Miklotov’s words caused Puck to drop his expression and shrug his shoulders.
“Mm, we’re busted. See, Roswaal? I told you it wasn’t good to overdo things.”
That instant, the cold enveloping the chamber vanished. Amid the bewildered onlookers, Roswaal lightly smacked his own forehead.
“Oh myyy, and I had such confidence… It is so dispiiiriting.”
“W-wait…! What in the world are you talking about?”
It seemed only Puck, Roswaal, and Miklotov were in on this elaborate joke. Roswaal finally shifted his gaze to the bewildered Bordeaux and said, “To put it simply—this exchange was the speech from Lady Emilia’s camp. I understand that the format somewhat differs from that of the other candidates, but…”
Under Miklotov’s gaze, Roswaal raised both hands in a show of surrender.
Subaru stomped on the floor, glaring at Roswaal as the latter adopted his familiar, clownish expression once more.
“So you’re saying this was all a performance to show everyone Puck’s power and pound into them that he can do more than this?! Is that it?!”
As Subaru shouted the explanation, it was Bordeaux who had the strongest sense of being had.
“That was acting… Acting, you say?! Then all this was a farce from start to finish! Roswaal! Damn you, what do you think this place is?!”
Puck began with an apology.
“Yes, yes, of course you’re upset. I apologize. I deeply apologize. Forgive me. Sorry. My bad.—But everything I said was the truth.”
The last part, though, made Bordeaux’s heart beat louder. The little cat circled around the old man and added, “—The reason I’m not freezing you right now is Emilia’s benevolence. Don’t forget that.”
Puck’s voice was tranquil, yet somehow threatening. Bordeaux rebutted with an old man’s stubbornness.
“A-and now you make threats. These words and this show of force convey, ‘Do as I say or you shall be an icicle.’ If this is not blackmail, what is…?!”
Then, Emilia wholeheartedly affirmed his suspicions.
“—Yes, I am threatening you.” She continued, “I shall make my case to the esteemed members of the Council of Elders once more. My name is Emilia. I spent a long time in the Great Forest of Elioor, the World of Eternal Frost, and am served by Puck, the Great Spirit that governs fire mana. I am a silver-haired half-elf. The people of the nearby villages called me…”
Emilia paused, surveying the faces of the Council of Elders on the dais.
“…the Freezing Witch, born in the Frozen Forest.”
Witch. At that word, the atmosphere in the chamber shifted. Everyone’s mouths snapped shut, unable to speak; all save one, Miklotov, who was apparently made of st
erner stuff than the rest.
“You displayed your power, and now you state your demands. Truly this is the way of a witch.—Then, what does the Freezing Witch seek in threatening us so?”
“I have but a single demand.—I simply want fair treatment.”
“…Fair?”
“I understand I am regarded with prejudice, both for being a half-elf and a witch. But even so, I completely reject that this should rob me of this possibility.”
“And so you desire to be treated fairly as a candidate for the royal selection?”
No doubt her memories were filled with the inexpressible malice she had experienced on a daily basis. Surely being persecuted because of the circumstances of her birth had not occurred only once or twice.
“Fairness is an exceedingly valuable thing to me. That is the only thing I demand of you: to be treated impartially. In turn, I shall do nothing unjust, such as use my contracted spirit as a shield with which to usurp the royal throne.”
That was surely one option available to Emilia. But she did not choose it, instead opting for a situation that, if anything, put her at a handicap. After all, as she explained, “Compared to the other candidates, I am inexperienced and lacking in too many areas. There is a mountain of things I do not know and that I must study. Even so, I believe my effort to reach my goal is no less than that of any other.”
Subaru had seen for himself how Emilia took her studies at the mansion very seriously. That was why he knew the truth behind her assertion more than anyone else present.
He couldn’t hide his shaking. It was strange how his throat was so dry, yet his eyes stung, ready to shed tears. He desperately held back from bawling his eyes out.
Emilia continued, “I do not know if my efforts are worthy of the throne. But my desire to make my efforts equal to the task is genuine. I believe these feelings are not unequal to those of the other candidates. Therefore, please look at me with unbiased eyes. Look at me as Emilia, of no family name, and see not the Freezing Witch, nor a silver-haired half-elf. Look at me.”
The final murmur echoed like a solemn plea. But the strength of the will behind it did not diminish the power of her request.
Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-, Vol. 4 Page 17