Chapter 17. Grand Social Death Award
[[ After Subaru, Emilia, and Roswaal finished their conversation, Subaru finally learned that the clown-like man was actually the owner of the mansion.
"You said the country's situation... is it very bad?"
After discussing the current state of the country, Subaru asked. ]]
...
~Inside of the Theater~
"It is indeed quite bad."
Otto recalled the social turmoil and power struggles following the death of the previous king.
[[ "It's not very pe-aceful. Af~ter all, the Kingdom of Lugnica doesn't have a king right now."
"But, shouldn't the king's descendants inherit the throne in such situations? Wouldn't that solve the problem?"
"That's usually ho~w it goes. Bu~t, the origin of the matter dates back half a year. When the king passed away, a plague appeared in the city that only targeted the royal bloodline.
"Curr~ently, the 'Council of Sages' is managing the country. Although they are all renowned and capable of handling national affairs, the kingdom cannot be without a ruler for a day." ]]
...
~Inside of the Theater~
"Your Highness..."
Watching Roswaal mention the plague on the screen, Ferris once again thought of Fourier Lugunica.
[[ "I see, I'm starting to understand. So, the kingdom not only doesn't have a king, but it's also in turmoil due to the selection of a new ruler, causing chaos. Relations with other countries will gradually deteriorate, leading to a state of isolation. So, at this time, a foreigner of unknown origin appears here... Hmm... I'm super suspicious!" ]]
...
~Inside of the Theater~
"Suspicious...?"
Julius suddenly realized something he should have realized earlier.
That Subaru was indeed very suspicious from the start.
But I and many others didn't realize this, probably because—
"It's Subaru's efforts that dispelled any potential suspicion."
Emilia praises her knight's efforts.
[[ "By the way, why... does the owner of this house call Emilia-tan 'milady'?"
"Isn't it obvious? It's only natural to use honorifics when addressing someone of higher status."
"Uh, so that means Emilia-tan, you are..."
"My current identity is one of the forty-second generation 'Royal Candidates' of the Kingdom of Lugnica, and Roswaal L. Mathers is my backer."
Subaru was shocked:
"My previous disrespect... I wouldn't have enough lives to atone for it." ]]
...
~Inside of the Theater~
"Indeed, it's very like Natsuki."
Anastasia smiled, narrowing her eyes.
Come to think of it, Subaru's attitude towards these royal candidates seems to be quite casual.
"Casual... or rather, arrogant?"
Al joked.
"Hmph, I actually like this little bro's attitude. Ever since Reinhardt took me away, many guys have been overly respectful towards me, making me uncomfortable! It's much easier and more enjoyable to chat with someone like little bro."
Indeed, the others recalled the scene of Subaru and Felt bickering with each other, neither of them putting on any airs.
"I find this kind of person quite refreshing."
Priscilla, who was used to others flattering her, said.
[[ Afterward, Subaru briefly learned about Roswaal and also learned that he was Emilia's supporter.
"So, let's get back to the main topic. I understand that Roswaal is Emilia-tan's supporter. From Emilia-tan's words and actions, I can see her naivety and simplicity, but she's very cute. It must be very rare for her to act alone in the royal capital yesterday, right?"
It seems Subaru was talking about the day the insignia was stolen.
"It was probably the first time. Ram should have been with her." ]]
...
~Inside of the Theater~
"Ehh? Don't say it!"
Emilia, outside the screen, blushed.
However, in the scene, she herself revealed the truth:
[[ "Um, it's not Ram's fault. Yesterday, I... I should say I gave in to curiosity, so I wandered around and got separated from Ram." ]]
...
~Inside of the Theater~
"Ah—"
Outside the screen, Emilia's face was as red as an apple, covering her face with her hands, letting out an embarrassed cry.
"Ah, this..."
Otto and the others from Emilia's camp also felt a little awkward.
"I didn't dare to make a move easily when I saw a pink-haired girl next to her at the time. I didn't expect her to act alone."
Felt's words made Emilia and her camp even more embarrassed.
Al rested his hands behind his head and muttered:
"Half-elf lady, two great spirits, Ferris, and others... Well, how should I put it? it feels like a grand social death award."
"But speaking of which, I've been thinking about it since just now. Since this screen is showing Natsuki's perspective, but Natsuki is also part of Emilia's camp, doesn't that mean... that by watching this screen, we can also learn information about Emilia's camp?"
"...Yes, that's right, there's no way around it."
Otto nodded, and the others in Emilia's camp reluctantly accepted this fact.
If the screen only presents Subaru's perspective, then it is indeed unavoidable.
After people like Elsa and Meili leave, we should quickly come up with countermeasures.
[[ "So—what exactly do you wa~nt to say?"
Roswaal asked Subaru.
"It's simple. It was your negligence that led to the loss of the highly esteemed Emilia-tan, and I'm the bad guy who took advantage of the situation. Now that I've found an opportunity, I'm naturally going to extort a hefty sum." ]]
...
~Inside of the Theater~
"This... isn't how I remember it happening,"
Emilia murmured, her lilac eyes clouded with confusion. In her memory, Subaru had humbly requested to become a servant, not—
"Tch. Finally showing your true colors, Barusu?"
Ram's sharp voice cut through the air, her usual smirk in place.
"Sister!"
Rem protested immediately, her blue eyes flashing with protective fervor. indicated to Ram that Subaru was not that kind of person.
Ram knew; she was just being sarcastic.
"Nah, I get where bro's coming from. Dude's just being practical, Hell, I'd probably pull the same move."
Al chimed in, scratching his helmet.
"How dreadfully mundane,"
Priscilla sighed, her golden fan fluttering dismissively. Her crimson eyes gleamed with unspoken hunger—for drama, for spectacle, for anything but this predictable grasping at wealth.
She wanted something unexpected, not the cliché of extorting a hefty sum—
[[ "What kind of request do you ha~ve for me? Currently, I cannot refuse. To cover up the fact that the insignia was lost, I will spare no expense. We-ll, what do you want?"
"Hehehe, you're truly a great noble, very understanding. A gentleman's word is his bond!"
"You're quite the talker. I see, a gentleman shouldn't make excuses, I will not go back on my word." ]]
...
~Inside of the Theater~
"Hmph, boring."
Priscilla said with some disgust—
[[ "My only request is—hire me to work at this mansion!" ]]
...
~Inside of the Theater~
"Ah... some things never change!"
Then Emilia smiled.
Emilia's lips curled into a warm smile as she watched the screen. That was just like Subaru—always putting others before himself, no matter the world or circumstance.
But...
A small frown flickered across her face. Was that really all right? After everything he'd done, after all the effort he'd poured into helping her... was this all he would ask for himself?
The same thought seemed to occur to others in the theater. Some exchanged glances while others simply sighed—whether in exasperation or admiration, it was hard to say.
"Hoh? Now this has become interesting. I suppose I'll watch a while longer."
Priscilla's fan snapped shut, her crimson eyes gleaming with renewed amusement as she leaned forward, a smirk playing on her lips.
The fool's predictability had bored her, but this? This selflessness was almost entertaining—