Everyone was tense as they stood in the Throne Room. Today was the final day of the Royal Selection, and the victor would be chosen. The tension was almost visible in the air. Everyone looked nervous.
Miklatov: [We have all gathered here today to see the end of the Royal Selection. To see who will renew the Contract with the Divine Dragon Volcanica.]
Crusch stood there with the help of Felix, as she didn't seem confident.
Crusch: (The only thing I have to my name is the defeat of the White Whale and some minor accomplishment at Pristella, but in truth... that achievement was tarnished by the fact that I was rendered bedridden. I... don't expect to win this unless the Nobles have pulled some strings, but I... wouldn't want to win that way.)
Anastasia stood with Julius as she was sweating.
Anastasia: (Now ain't this a tense situation fer a gal to be thrown inta.)
She thought this self-deprecatingly as she tried to hold her composure.
Anastasia: (Felt-chan really put up quite a fight. She's got some of the reputation for the defeat of Greed from Reinhard, even if Natsuki-kun had most of it. She also managed to make use of the people from the slums. I heard they're contributing a lot nowadays. Even I'd hire them at this point if I could. Then there's the fact that the remaining members of Emilia's camp joined her... that could just be the worst part of it. It puts her in a good light as someone who was the best candidate to respect Natsuki-kun's wishes. Not to mention... that guy)
Anastasia looked to Otto.
Anastasia: (I might just lose this one.)
Felt stood there next to Reinhard as she looked calm, as if she knew she'd already won.
Felt: (Yap yap yap. Let me sign the contract already so we'llbe ready to help Big Bro and Big Sis.)
Miloktov: [It seems it's been decided.]
Berstetz: [The winner of the Royal Selection is... Felt.]
The more prude nobles looked disgusted at the news as Anastasia and Crusch sighed.
Anastasia: (Well, this gal knows when to admit defeat.)
Crusch: (It's a pity.)
Felt: [Hell yeah! I mean... thank you all for your support.]
Felt: (I hate this fancy talk shit.)
Julius: (I failed my lady...)
Anastasia patted his back.
Anastasia: [It wasn't yer fault, Julius. You did yer best. I'm the one at fault. That Otto guy sure is a trickser. If I had thought about it properly, I could've avoided the issues, and we might have stood a better chance.]
Felix also looked downcast.
Crusch: (I feel as if we didn't stand a chance in the end. Too many things just... went wrong.)
Crusch looked down regrettably.
Felix: (I failed Crusch-sama at every turn.)
Crusch: [It's alright, Felix. It wasn't your fault. It never was.]
Reinhard smiled as Felt walked over and sat on the throne.
Felt: (Now to call the dragon and get its blood.)
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
Emilia was a girl hated by the world due to her very existence. People feared her due to her resemblance to the Witch of Envy. It was only natural to be terrified of such a visage. Even the people who knew her understood this, however unfair it was, however spewing hate-filled words towards her was something that would never be considered "understandable" or "natural". The world feared her, but now... things were different.
Demihuman: [It's a good thing she's gone. She was probably a Witch.]
A fruit splatted onto the back of the man's face.
Demihuman: [Huh?]
Woman: [She was fighting for people like you.]
Man: [Yeah. Don't be ungrateful!]
Woman: [If she were a witch, why would she jump into the geyser to save Natsuki Subaru?]
Demihuman: [Well, um... that could just be a lie.]
Man: [Enough of your propaganda. Get out of here.]
Demihuman Woman: [Honestly. Brings shame to our whole race.]
Kadoman looked at the woman.
Kadoman: [You gotta pay for the Appa you threw.]
Woman: [Oh, um. I'm so sorry.]
Kadoman: [I'll give you a good discount, though.]
Kadoman smirked.
Kadoman: (Those two kids really came a long way since when I first met them. I hope they're doing alright.)
Public opinion had shifted, though admittedly it would have shifted in the opposite direction if Emilia hadn't also been Isekai'd. In that case, she would have been defamed as incompetent or "not willing to do what it takes", but the situation was not that. She had risked her life for her loved one, throwing herself into a danger no one could know the consequences of, and no one could deny it. Of course, there were still naysayers and people who believed in strange propaganda from certain nobles about them disappearing being a ruse which, upon use of critical thinking skills, could be dismissed as completely baseless and idiotic, but the vast majority already understood the truth.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
Otto sat in his seat as he held a baby in his arms.
Otto: [There there.]
He wasn't sure how to handle this, but who is when they first have a kid?
Otto: (Hearing that demihumans give birth faster was not easy on my heart. Only 7 months to prepare?)
Otto sighed as he held his daughter in his arms.
Otto: [I'd waited so long to meet you, Clara, but it feels like you didn't inherit anything from me at all!]
Otto said this in an exasperated tone as he held up his daughter, who had small tufts of blond hair and sharp teeth. Her eyes were the same green colour as her mother's. Otto sighed.
Otto: [But you're so cute.]
Otto put her on the table as he began poking her cheek. That's when Clara bit him.
Otto: [Ooowww!!!!]
The entire mansion could hear his yelp of pain, but as he looked down, he saw Clara with tears in her eyes as she began to cry, seemingly out of remorse.
Otto: [Eh? Um. Hey, it's okay. Daddy is okay. I'm fine.]
Otto began swaying her as she seemed to calm down, and Otto breathed a sigh of relief, wiping his forehead. That's when Felt entered the room.
Felt: [Otto!]
Otto shivered.
Otto: [Yes?]
Felt: [I won! You're the minister of internal affairs for an entire country now.]
Otto looked up at the sky.
Otto: (Od Laguna, why do you hate me?)
Felt began laughing as Otto thought of Subaru.
Otto: (I miss Natsuki-san.)
Felt then left as Otto sagged.
Otto: (Financial advisor for and enitre country. Ugh... I'll barely have any free time.)
He looked to Clara.
Otto: (I just want to be a good father and husband. The only other thing I ask for is the chance to see Natsuki-san again.)
Frederica walked into the room.
Frederica: [Are you alright? I heard you yelping in pain.]
Otto: [I'm fine. Clara bit me by accident.]
Frederica frowned as she checked Otto's hand.
Frederica: [You're lucky her teeth aren't strong enough to draw blood yet.]
Otto: [I guess I am lucky.]
Frederica held Clara in her hands as Otto looked to her and blushed.
Frederica: [Dear.]
Otto: [Um, yes?!]
Frederica: [Could it be that you want another one?]
Otto: [Huh?!!]
Otto's blush deepened.
Otto: [Well, um uh...]
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
Felt stood in front of a statue as she smiled.
Felt: [Hope you're doing well over there. Big Bro. Big Sis.]
Rem stood next to her.
Rem: [Your majesty, thank you for honouring Rem's Hero and Emilia-sama.]
Felt cringed at the title as they were standing before a statue of Subaru and Emilia.
Felt: [Come on. You've been in my camp for just as long as Big Sis's camp. You don't gotta be so formal.]
Rem: [But you're the queen and...]
Felt: [I'd prefer it if you weren't formal. I have enough people calling me "Your Majesty" or "My Liege".]
Rem: [I understand. Thank you for everything, Felt-chan.]
Felt: [I don't get why you wanted him to be standing like that, though.]
Subaru was in his signature Victory Stance.
Rem: [I think it looks charming.]
Felt: [It makes him look stupid.]
Rem: [Any luck with the Divine Dragon?]
Felt sighed.
Felt: (There wasn't any Dragon's Blood left in the castle. It makes sense, though. Otherwise, the Royal Family would have been able to use it to save themselves. We just gotta make some more.)
Felt: [Nope. That senile dragon hasn't shown up even when it was summoned. Looks like I'll have to travel to the Pleiades Watchtower to talk to him. Ugh, after all the trouble he caused, he just goes and plants his ass back at that damn tower.]
Rem: [Then it seems like we need to make sure Meili is ready to go with you.]
Felt: [Yeah, that would be a big help.]
Rem: [Rem will inform her quickly then.]
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
Felt stood before Volcanica.
Volcanica: [Farsale?]
Felt sighed.
Felt: [I ain't Farsale. I'm here to renew the contract.]
Volcanica: [Contract...]
Felt: [Well, let's do it already.]
Volcanica: [Contract...]
Felt sighed.
Felt: (Still a senile old coot.)
Felt: [Are ya gonna keep helping out our kingdom or not?]
Volcanica: [The Contract shall... be renewed.]
Felt sighed as she held out her hand an a golden light expelled from her hand.
Fetl: (These contract conditions...)
She could instinctively feel the conditions.
Felt: (The contract has a side effect of the Dragon's power leaking into the bloodline slowly. After enough generations, it can cause symptoms that can be mistaken for something lethal. Drinking the Dragon's blood to avert it just makes it lethal.)
Felt went cold from the realisation.
Felt: (They tried to save themselves and died.)
Volcanica: [It was unfortunate what occurred to Farsale's legacy.]
Felt: [!!!]
Volcanica: [My power leaking into them was the only way to maintain the contract and allow me to always know when my assistance is needed. It would never have become lethal. Just painful. It would get worse with each new generation under the same contractdue to lingering power from each generation and new power seeping into the children as well. In the end, the plan was always to renew the contract after a few centuries. I suppose Farsale didn't pass along that information properly.]
Felt: [Are you seriously telling me that they all died cause of something that stupid?!!]
Volcanica: [Unfortunately so. Thankfully, your father seemed to see the issue and separated himself and you from the rest of the family. He broke your side of the contract through force, sacrificing his own life to secure yours.]
Felt bit her lip.
Felt: (Rein was right then... but...)
Felt's face scrunched up in pain.
Felt: [Are you seriously telling me that he... actually cared about me?]
Volcanica: [You are his child. Why would he not care?]
Felt sighed.
Felt: [Lend me your blood. I need it.]
Felt held out two vials.
Volcanica: [Very well.]
Volcanica used its claw to cut its wrist as blood flowed from it into the vials.
Volcanica: [Place it on the ground and step back.]
Felt did as he said, as he purified the blood with his divine flames.
Volcanica: [They should be suited to the task you require them for now.]
Felt: [I can bring back Big Bro and Big Sis with this.]
Felt smiled.
Volcanica: [Natsuki Subaru... I do recall such a name. The one loved by Satella.]
Felt froze up at this.
Felt: [What?]
Volcanica: [It seems that many of his accomplishments have been lost to history or misinterpreted. We knew the world would never forgive Satella for her actions, but he still wished to try. He formed a group to spread the truth, though it seems many became corrupted. Many unfortunate things have caused the current circumstances.]
Felt: [Big bro... formed the Witch Cult?]
Volcanica: [Witch Cult. That is not the name they went by.]
Felt: [Why do you talk about The... Witch Of Envy like that? She was...]
Volcanica: [An old friend. She took in a power that wasn't compatible with her. It changed her. Even Reid and I couldn't have sealed her on our own.]
Felt: [Wait, you're acting as if Big Bro is the Sage!]
Volcanica: [He is. I have no clue as to how he's managed to live this long. Perhaps... Satella sent him forward in time, but such a thing would likely cause issues with his memories. Perhaps... that is for the best.]
Felt held her head in her hands, trying to process everything.
Felt: [Big Bro is Big Bro. I don't really care about anything else. If The Witch is really a victim, then... I get by Big Bro might have felt that way back then.]
Felt sighed.
Volcanica: [It is no use to try to change the world's opinion of Satella. I told him that, and it's been proven true by the results of his efforts. People will always use her as a justification. It is long past the time that the age of the Hero's party should have ended.]
Felt turned around.
Felt: [Thanks for the blood. I'll make sure those mistakes don't repeat themselves.]
Volcanica: [No. Thank you, Filore, for not rejecting my words.]
Felt sighed.
Felt: [It's Felt. Not Filore.]
Volcanica: [Perhaps you are right.]
Felt left the Pleiades Watchtower with the Dragon's blood as she headed back to the Capital.
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To Be Continued
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Rating Out Of 10 For This Part:
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