Anastasia, her faintly purple wavy hair cascading down her back.
At her side stood Julius, her knight — a man with meticulously slicked-back dark purple hair and an exquisitely pretentious air about him.
The two of them were quite the picture of refined elegance, a true master-and-attendant pairing of the upper crust. But after such a string of colorful personalities, Subaru couldn't help but worry that the next entrants would turn out to be more of the same bizarre ilk.
His concern seemed shared by everyone else present. The gazes directed at the pair as they stepped forward carried heavy doses of anxiety and tension from the very start, a fact the atmosphere made painfully clear.
In the grand hall where that unpleasant tension had settled thickly, Anastasia drew all eyes and spoke first: "If you're expecting the same kind of overwhelming personality as the last two, I'm afraid that's a bit much for me. I'm not exactly welcomed for being too distinctive — being ordinary is my selling point, you see."
She clapped her hands together twice, deliberately rattling everyone's attention, then flashed a gentle smile so all could see.
That smile of hers loosened the strange unease that had gripped the hall. A few coughs rang out, and across the observation seats, Subaru could sense more than one person embarrassed to still be carrying the atmosphere from before.
Surveying those reactions with evident satisfaction, Anastasia nodded once and continued: "Well then, I —
She pressed her palms together and tilted her head ever so slightly, sprinkling charm with practiced ease.
That opening line, just like the last — a villainess's gesture that took the opponent's reactions and played them like a puppet with a single motion.
Then: "I am Anastasia-sama's first knight, Julius Euclius. Please leave her support to me. Elegantly, I shall prove myself worthy."
He lightly brushed back his bangs, drawing attention to his own presence with unnecessarily refined movements.
And just like that, the claim of "being ordinary is my setting" was instantly exposed as pure misinformation.
Setting aside Julius's grandiloquent splendor, what truly caught Subaru's attention was, as always, Anastasia's speech pattern — an unrelenting explosion of otherworldly cultural dissonance.
Subaru, a Kanto-born Kanto native through and through, didn't find it particularly relatable, but it was still the kind of dialect you'd hear at least once a day if you turned on the TV. Her intonation patterns were something else — he couldn't quite tell how high-quality the otherworld translation function actually was, but you had to admit she was doing a remarkable job.
Subaru sent a mental nod of praise toward that invisible function. Meanwhile, proceedings continued solemnly. Having heard her introduction, Miklotov touched his long beard from the podium: "That unique manner of speaking — are you from
"That's right. I hail from the very bottom rung of Kararagi's Free Trade Cities."
"Hmm, the lowest district — so what brings you to Lugnica?"
When Anastasia revealed her origins, Miklotov's eyes narrowed ever so slightly.
If "lower district" meant the same thing here as it did in Lugnica, then Anastasia's status would make her a commoner. Or perhaps, true to the implication of "lowest rung," something even lower still.
If that were the case, her lavish current attire must have been purchased by Julius. Yet despite that, she wore her clothes with the ease of someone who'd been doing it her whole life — and above all, her composure before the nation's most powerful figures, including the Council of Wise Men, defied easy explanation.
While Subaru harbored these internal questions, Anastasia maintained a cool expression in the face of those sharp gazes and gave a small shrug: "I'm from the lowest district, yes, but I've built myself a proper mansion in the city now. I also have shops set up in a few other cities. Lugnica was one of those — that's what brought me here."
"The Hoshin Company, of which she serves as chairwoman, is a rapidly growing enterprise," Julius added, supplementing her words. "As its expansion in Kararagi progressed, the proposal to open a branch in Lugnica was brought forward. My initial connection with Anastasia-sama stemmed from that very matter."
Hearing this, Miklotov nodded in understanding with a hum of comprehension.
"So a young merchant who rose from the lowest district through sheer business acumen."
"Even a little girl like me gets opportunities — that's the beauty of Kararagi. It seems I have a talent for sniffing out the scent of money."
Anastasia touched her elegantly shaped nose with unmistakable pride.
Around her — particularly among the civil officials — Subaru could see ripples of unease spreading through the crowd. Subaru had vaguely chalked it up to some kind of alchemical windfall, a rags-to-riches tale on par with the Jizou-merchant parable. But to them, it was clearly not so simple.
He didn't know much about the height of the wall between commoners and nobles, but Anastasia had apparently vaulted over it with a casual hop — an accomplishment that was nothing short of extraordinary in their eyes.
In the murmuring throne room, Anastasia quietly recounted her accomplishments — modestly, yet unmistakably. To further bolster her image, Julius stepped forward and pressed the advantage against the still-rippling crowd of officials: "In Lugnica as well, Anastasia-sama's Hoshin Company has expanded with the support of the Euclius family. What is truly remarkable is that this enterprise, which has surged forward across two nations, was built by Anastasia-sama in a mere matter of years."
Anastasia's age, if her appearance was anything to go by, couldn't be far from Subaru's own — probably around twenty.
He didn't know when she'd first realized her talent, but juxtaposed against that fact, it became abundantly clear that she was a monster of the economic world.
"Anastasia-sama is a genius of commerce... no, prodigy would be more fitting. Her business acumen is as unaffected by the superficiality of appearance... pardon, by age as anything. Her eye for opportunity, her ability to move people — each is a quality that surpasses my own humble abilities by far."
"Well, well. When the Finest Knight himself speaks that highly of someone, it must truly be something."
At Julius's self-deprecating words piled atop self-deprecation, Miklotov nodded magnanimously. But the one who couldn't quite buy it from the sidelines was Subaru.
Just now, Subaru cocked his head at what Miklotov had said: "Wait, if I heard that right, didn't he just call him the Finest Knight?"
With each knight stationed beside their respective candidate, the only person who could answer Subaru's question was Reinhard, who still stood in the same line.
Reinhard turned his gaze toward Subaru and replied: "He was called that, yes. Within the Lugnica Kingdom's Royal Guard, Captain Marcos aside, Julius holds the highest rank. There is a vice-captain as well, but it's essentially a ceremonial title — an honorary position, so you can consider it effectively vacant."
He glanced toward Marcos at the center, then let his eyes drift to Julius's back as the knight basked in attention with elegant poise: "His swordsmanship, his handling of mana. His lineage, his track record — Julius's qualifications as a knight are impeccable. He is, without question, deserving of the title Finest Knight."
"But down in the city's streets, 'the knight among knights' was supposed to be you, wasn't it? Even the riffraff knew about it, and you never denied it."
"That title and his actual qualifications are two different things. That said, purely in terms of swordsmanship, I would surpass Julius. I have never encountered anyone stronger than me."
The strongest declaration came out so casually it made Subaru's nose wrinkle. Yet Reinhard, having just dropped that bombshell, continued with a cool expression, neither boasting nor dwelling on it: "But the world doesn't run on swordsmanship alone. When you look at overall capability, I fall well short of Julius... In that regard, I probably don't even measure up to
"I honestly can't tell if your self-assessment is high or low..."
"I believe I'm neither overestimating nor underestimating myself. It's simply that my particular aptitudes limit what I can do. Those who can reach beyond those limits — they deserve my respect. And of course, that includes you."
"Self-assessment aside, you are definitely overestimating everyone else."
At the very least, Subaru didn't think he'd demonstrated any feats that warranted Reinhard's earnest enthusiasm on his behalf. He was painfully aware of his own mediocrity, and he judged everything he'd done so far as the middling results of a middling person living a middling life.
So conversations with Reinhard — who looked him dead in the eye and declared "You're really something" — were unbearably uncomfortable. It was like having an itch on some invisible organ, in a spot you could never quite reach.
"You're over here looking people dead in the eye and saying stuff like that with a straight face, you handsome bastard. You're dangerously close to getting me to join your route, you know. Watch yourself."
"I'm not sure I understand a lot of those words, but if it's with you, then — yes."
"I don't have any interest in pleasing the aristocratic leisure class."
Muttering a verbal shortcut that would be hard to catch by ear alone, Subaru cut the conversation with Reinhard short. During that exchange, the dialogue between the Finest Knight and the head of the Wise Men continued: "Good, I understand the positive relationship between the Euclius family and Anastasia-sama. Hmm — then I have a question for Anastasia-sama."
"Finally, it's my turn. Julius hogging the spotlight like that left me in the shadows. Ask away, I'll answer whatever you need."
Having yielded the floor to the eloquent Julius, Anastasia smiled. Miklotov returned the smile with a grandfatherly warmth and nodded.
Then, without warning, his gaze sharpened ever so slightly: "Then I shall ask — as a citizen of Kararagi, what purpose does Anastasia-sama have in pursuing the throne of this Lugnica Kingdom?"
"Oh — so you're curious about where I come from after all."
Anastasia looked troubled as she fiddled with the tips of her purple hair.
It was then that Subaru finally caught on to the intent behind Miklotov's question. In short, he was raising the issue of how there would be all manner of problems with welcoming Anastasia — whose domicile lay elsewhere — as their nation's ruler.
It was an obvious point, obvious as obvious could be. But where nations existed, so too did the barriers between countries and peoples in this world. He didn't know how tall those walls were, but even in an emergency, simply handing over the seat at the nation's apex to a visitor from another country was inconceivable.
Even if she claimed to be qualified, realistically, a Japanese person becoming President of the United States was impossible — qualifications aside, the citizens who made up the nation would never accept it.
Her qualifications had been verified. Her background, too. So the next question became: why did she aspire to the throne? Just as Crusch and Priscilla had been made to explain, so too was Anastasia now being asked.
The entire hall held its breath, waiting for her opening words. In response to the mounting tension, Anastasia smiled faintly: "It's nerve-racking, getting expectations piled on me like this. Unfortunately, I don't have the admirable convictions that Crusch-san has, nor the grand confidence that Priscilla-san possesses — that she was chosen by destiny to rule."
"Then surely you wouldn't say it was simply because the Dragon Inscription reacted to you, and things just... went from there?"
"Ahaha, if that were the case, I wouldn't be able to set foot in a place like this so easily. Of course, I have my own reasons."
She laughed ruefully at Miklotov's words, then took a breath before continuing: "— The truth is, I'm a bit greedier than most."
With the casualness of someone sticking out her tongue, Anastasia dropped that declaration.
The statement carried a markedly different tone from what most had anticipated, and the majority of those present looked like they couldn't believe their ears. Seeming pleased by that reaction, Anastasia nodded: "After all, that's where I started. I think I was unusually greedy for things from a young age. The fact that I managed to build myself up as a notable merchant — I think that owed less to my nose for money and more to my sheer tenacity of desire."
She'd said she was from the lowest district. If that was true, then her childhood must have been like
Felt, standing in the candidates' line looking sullen and uncomfortable, sensed Subaru's warm gaze and turned toward him. Subaru quickly sidestepped behind Reinhard. When Felt caught Reinhard's eye, her face twisted with undisguised disgust. Reinhard, for his part, returned a dazzlingly wholesome smile.
"Desire is a frightening thing. Once you start looking upward, there's no end to it. First it's enough money for today's meals, then tomorrow's, then a week's. Then you want a safe place with a roof overhead, a bed, a softer bed..."
She counted off her wishes on her fingers, each demand rising incrementally higher.
"At first, I was just a shopgirl at a small trading company. I tried butting in on how the owner did things, and it was a hit. After doing that a few times, I was trusted with bigger deals, and life got so comfortable I nearly forgot what it was like living in the lowest district. But even though it got easier, I wasn't free. No — I'd become even more constrained."
"Hmm. How so?"
"That's the terror of desire, you see. Simply put, the more my reach expanded, the more things I wanted to get my hands on. I wanted that, I wanted this, that wasn't enough, this wasn't enough either — and before I knew it, here I am."
She smiled sweetly and pointed at her own feet.
That it wasn't merely a check of her footing, but a gesture toward the royal castle, was unmistakable. Then she gestured toward the candidates: "I'm greedy, so I want everything. But I've never been satisfied. I don't know what true fulfillment feels like. That's why — I want a kingdom of my own."
"You speak of placing a kingdom on the scales of desire?"
"If putting it there would break my scales, then I'd welcome that. If my vessel can't contain it, that means I've been fulfilled."
To Miklotov's gently admonishing words, Anastasia returned a defiant smile.
She had declared that her reason for seeking the throne was her own "greed," and then: "But if even after obtaining a kingdom, I still wasn't satisfied... then I'd have to aim even higher, wouldn't I — with the kingdom included."
"What if what you obtained proved worthless?"
Even placed on the scales, what would become of the things that couldn't match her passion? Or even the kingdom itself — at Miklotov's question, she waved her hand dismissively and said: "Did I not say? I'm greedy. So once I've acquired something, it's mine no matter what. And everything that becomes mine will serve to fuel my even greater greed. The life I had in Kararagi, the Hoshin Company, the employees who work there — all of it is a part of my passion that satisfies me. I would never throw it away."
And so she paused, looked out over every face in the hall, and said: "— So don't worry. Once you become mine, you'll be just fine."
She smiled warmly, just as she had when they first met in this very hall. Beneath that gentleness, she carried with her a longing bordering on madness.
The philosophy was, in origin, a vulgar thing — but that was precisely what made her argument so simple.
She desired the throne driven by her own greed, and the moment she obtained it, she pledged to devote everything to the kingdom's prosperity.
Once she had something, she would never discard it. And once she had it, she was the kind of person who couldn't help but push it to greater heights. That was what her speech had conveyed to them.
And then: "I see. Anastasia-sama's position is quite clear. Then — is there anything you'd like to add, Knight Julius?"
When the master's speech concluded, it was time for the attendant's customary appeal.
The previous two had spoken purely of their masters' spiritual fortitude, but Julius stepped forward with a "Yes, indeed" and said: "Anastasia-sama described it with the humble word 'greed,' but viewed from the other side, that very desire is a manifestation of her ambition and deep emotional investment. At the same time, as a business operator, she possesses the capacity to make choices不受 by sentiment. For a ruler, that quality is indispensable."
"Hmm, yes. Quite right."
"Furthermore, as I mentioned earlier, Anastasia-sama's business acumen — this prodigious talent — is something the current kingdom desperately needs. Between the previous king and his predecessor, war expenditures and waste have left the Lugnica Kingdom's finances in dire straits."
The sudden invocation of national embarrassment startled the room. One of the old Wise Men grimaced and looked down at the young knight: "I don't believe this is something to be spoken of lightly in a public setting, Knight Julius."
"The fact that financial reconstruction has been a national priority for decades is well known. I see no need to hide it from the people gathered here. When national projects are stalled, and everyone simply looks away — isn't that precisely how the financial crisis came about?"
"A mere knight, sticking his nose into matters of state..."
"However—"
Julius cut off the elderly man, who was about to object with bulging veins, and wagged his finger: "My Euclius family has not been greatly affected. Had we continued to look the other way and pretend nothing was wrong, the problem might have gone unnoticed in my generation. But even if my house remains prosperous, if the royal family we serve is in hardship, we cannot turn a blind eye."
And so, Julius turned his attention toward Anastasia standing beside him: "That was why we made contact with the Hoshin Company, which had reached the pinnacle of prosperity in Kararagi, seeking to bring new winds to Lugnica. And along the way, we saw in Anastasia-sama the qualities of a king. If that isn't fate, then what else could we call it?"
His tone began to rise as passion took hold, his speech growing more sonorous and rapid. With gestures and flourishes, he became almost theatrical, as though performing on a stage: "If the will of heaven has chosen, then it could be none other than Anastasia-sama. I swear upon my loyalty to the royal family, my devotion to the kingdom — Anastasia-sama is the one fit to be king. — Thank you for your kind attention."
Seeing that the audience had been captivated by his speech, he concluded with those final words and offered a bow.
In the hall where time itself seemed to have stopped, air began to flow once more, and everyone returned to their senses, reprocessing the third pair's argument.
Even so, Captain Marcos alone remained unmoved: "Knight Julius. I believe we've heard enough."
He received that fiery oration with flat equanimity and let it pass.
Julius seemed accustomed to such a dispassionate superior. "Yes, thank you," he replied with elegance and returned to Anastasia's side.
"That was splendid, Anastasia-sama. A flower like you truly blooms most beautifully on a stage such as this."
"In the end, it feels like Julius stole my whole spotlight. I can't exactly be mad about it since he was heaping praise the whole time."
Laughing together, the master and retainer returned to the candidates' line.
And so the third camp's presentation concluded — and the next in order would be— "Then, the next candidate —
After a brief silence, the name of the silver-haired girl who had maintained her composure throughout was finally called.
The only candidate in the line who had not brought a knight.
She raised her head, and upon that beautiful white profile mingled fear and an ironclad resolve: "Yes."
Emilia stepped forward.
Her royal selection was about to begin.
— At that moment,