As Anastasia Hoshin and her knight, Julius Juukulius, retreated back to the candidate line, the third candidate's presentation concluded. Following the order, the next one was...
"Now then, please welcome the next candidate—Emilia-sama."
After a moment of silence, Marcos called out that name which had remained quiet throughout.
The silver-haired half-elf girl raised her head. On her beautiful profile, anxiety and a gradually hardening resolve were intertwined.
"Yes."
Emilia stepped forward. Her moment in the Royal Selection had finally arrived.
As she walked towards the center of the hall, she seemed to notice her movements were a bit uncoordinated and quietly adjusted her pace.
Thus, bearing the gaze of the Council of Wise Men, she stood firmly in place.
However, the whispers in the hall did not stop. The word 'half-demon' repeatedly reached everyone's ears.
Looking at Emilia and Roswaal standing side by side, Marcos, who was in charge of the agenda, nodded with a serious expression.
"Then, Emilia-sama, and Roswaal-dono, please."
"Veeeery well, then."
Roswaal replied in his usual flighty tone, "Speaking after so many candidates supported by knights, I really geeeet a strong sense of having stumbled oooonto the wrong set, don't I? Hoooow troublesome."
He turned to look at Emilia. "Right?"
"Yes."
Emilia's voice rang out clearly, her earlier tension seemingly dissipated. "Greetings to the members of the Council of Wise Men for the first time. My name is Emilia, I have no surname. Please just call me Emilia."
Her self-introduction was concise and frank, and her poise was in no way inferior to any of the previous candidates. This caused Tsukasa's evaluation of her to rise slightly in his mind.
'However...'
His thoughts drifted for a moment. 'Called a half-demon just because of her appearance... Then shouldn't I, who also have white hair and outstanding looks, be honored as the "Strongest, Most Charming, Overbearing, High-Class Demon"?'
This self-indulgent thought made him feel quite pleased.
"Furthermore, Emilia-sama's recommender is none other than myself—Margrave Roswaal L. Mathers."
Roswaal continued. "I am most grateful to the members of the Council of Wise Men for taking the time to be here."
"Hmm. So the recommender is not a Royal Guard, but you, the Head Court Mage?"
Miklotov stroked his beard, his gaze turning to Emilia with a sharp, scrutinizing look. "Please explain the reason for this."
He looked Emilia up and down and said, "Candidate Emilia-sama, please introduce yourself along with your background."
"Understood."
Roswaal took over, his voice drawing out, "First, let's begin by explaining Emilia-sama's well-known background. Her silver hair and blue-purple eyes... This enchanting appearance is the proof of her inherited elf blood."
A voice rudely interjected. "Half of her blood comes from humans, which means, she's a half-elf, right?"
The one who interrupted was a bald, burly old man on the Council of Wise Men—Bordeaux. Veins bulged on his forehead as he glared at Emilia with a look full of loathing.
"Filthy and foul. To let a silver-haired half-demon step into the Throne Room. What an outrage. Why did no one stop this beforehand?"
Miklotov said in a low voice, "Bordeaux-dono, you go too far."
"It is you who should understand, Miklotov-sama!"
Bordeaux slapped the armrest. "A silver-haired half-demon... isn't that exactly the appearance left behind by that Witch of Envy?! The incarnation of destruction who once devoured half the world and dragged all living things into despair! Do you dare say you don't know?!"
"Just her appearance and background alone are enough to make so many people tremble with fear! To let such a being sit on the throne? I cannot imagine it! It's one thing to be mocked by foreign nations and our own citizens as being mad, but don't forget, this is the Dragon Kingdom of Lugunica! The land where the Witch slumbers!"
Bordeaux spread his hands, stomped his foot, his words heated and his attitude crude.
Emilia had no reaction to his accusations, but the air in the hall instantly dropped to freezing point.
"Bordeaux-dono."
Roswaal's voice rang out slowly, yet with a hint of coldness. "Have you said enough?"
"If you mean words, they will never be finished!"
Bordeaux glared at him. "Your actions are equally absurd! You should know very well, shouldn't you, the preeminent Head Court Mage?"
"Even if I knoooow, I don't understaaaand."
Roswaal raised a finger, his tone still flighty in the face of Bordeaux's intimidation.
"The thoughts of the Council of Wise Men members you represent, Bordeaux-dono, and the emotional reactions of the people upon seeing Emilia-sama—I don't understand any of thoooose."
He changed his tone, his voice gaining a sharp edge. "However, haven't you forgotten? All the 'problems' you just raised, Bordeaux-dono, have absolutely noooo meaning for the Royal Selection itseeeelf, do they?"
On the stage, the verbal sparring between Roswaal and Bordeaux continued.
And below the stage, waves of suppressed yet clear whispers poured into Subaru's ears like a tide.
"It's truly nauseating. How is that half-demon fit to stand here?"
"Exactly, just looking at that face makes me uncomfortable."
"A monster... she's simply a monster."
Although Roswaal had warned her about the possible hostility before the meeting, when these malicious words actually rang out, a burning anger still surged uncontrollably in Subaru's chest.
Her nails dug deep into her palms as she tried her best to endure.
However, those words seemed to turn into a key, coldly probing into the deepest part of her heart, quietly unlocking a heavy door that she herself had not fully noticed—a door leading to pure darkness.
Her vision suddenly blurred and distorted.
When Subaru opened her eyes again, she found she was no longer in that suffocating hall.
Beneath her feet were soft yet solid layers of clouds, stretching out endlessly. Above her head was an incredibly clear sky, with the morning sun spilling its warm light over the entire world.
It was peaceful, empty, and unrealistically beautiful.
"Where... is this?" Subaru looked around blankly, subconsciously calling out in her heart, "Tsukasa?"
There was no response.
It was as if the unbreakable bond between her and Tsukasa had been completely severed.
"You really came again, didn't you?" A familiar yet strange voice sounded from not far behind her.
Subaru turned around abruptly. She saw another "Subaru" standing there, with a calm and profound smile she had never seen before, quietly watching her.
"You..."
Subaru's throat felt a bit dry, her voice trembling, "...who are you?"