Among all the royal candidates, the one with whom Lillian had the closest relationship was undoubtedly Priscilla. Strictly speaking, they could hardly be called friends—in her eyes, Lillian was merely an interesting visitor from another world. Minor matters might be trivial, but once the issue involved one of the Three Great Mabeasts—the White Whale—and the Witch Cult, she could no longer treat it lightly.
"Subjugating the White Whale… for me, that would indeed be a troublesome matter," Priscilla said, resting her slender fingers against her lips as contemplation flickered in her crimson eyes.
In terms of combat ability alone, Priscilla was no weaker than Crusch—indeed, she might even be more adept at battle. Crusch possessed the Blessing of Wind Reading, which allowed her to perceive wind currents invisible to ordinary people and even apply this ability to humans, reading the "flow" of their emotions to determine whether they were lying. Priscilla, on the other hand, possessed the Blessing of the Sun—an overwhelming stroke of fortune that would undoubtedly grant extraordinary advantages in combat.
If she could be recruited as an ally, defeating the White Whale would not be impossible—though relying on her alone would be somewhat difficult. To ensure success, cooperation from other royal candidates would also be necessary.
"It's not just troublesome—it's extremely dangerous," Al interjected. "If you got eaten or crushed, it'd be a miserable end. Princess, with your delicate build, maybe you shouldn't get involved."
Lillian was somewhat surprised to hear this; he had not expected Al to oppose Priscilla's participation.
"If anyone gets eaten, it will be you first," Priscilla retorted, shooting Al an annoyed glance. After watching Lillian for a moment, she suddenly asked, "Leaving aside the matter of the White Whale, I wish to ask you this—why did you go to the eastern plains? Weren't you supposed to be studying curse magic here under me?"
"There are people I know in the eastern villages," Lillian replied. "I encountered the incident while visiting them."
He could not mention Elsa; revealing that would raise serious suspicions about his identity and motives, and Priscilla would likely find it difficult to trust him again. Even now, she maintained a cautious attitude. After pondering for a while, she said, "Even so, if we are to deal with the White Whale…"
"Princess?"
"…our strength alone would not be enough."
After all, it was one of the Three Great Mabeasts. Priscilla was not so arrogantly blind as to lack self-awareness; when faced with such a ferocious existence, she still retained a rational judgment.
"That's why we must also unite with others."
"With others?"
---
Shortly after breakfast, Lillian appeared before a building of clean, efficient design. This was the residence of the Karsten family, home of the candidate Crusch—the woman who sought to sever the nation's covenant with the Divine Dragon.
The reason for coming here was simple: from the very beginning, her support had been essential. Although Priscilla had shown interest, the strength of her faction alone was insufficient. Her condition was that she would only consider participating if Lillian could secure additional forces. In truth, even without her suggestion, Lillian had already planned to visit Crusch.
What surprised him somewhat was Al's attitude. Before Lillian left, Al had deliberately said to him: Don't forget what I told you before. Don't treat yourself as the protagonist of the world.
Lillian had already realized this long ago. Still, once he became entangled in certain matters, he simply could not stand by and ignore them.
"You may enter now," the guard who had gone to report said to Lillian. He stepped into the mansion and was led to a reception room. Crusch was there, along with her two key allies, Ferris and Wilhelm.
The room's furnishings were simple and unadorned—nothing like Priscilla's residence, where she had turned an entire floor into her personal bedroom. Crusch sat upright on one end of a sofa, dressed impeccably, her sharp gaze fixed on him.
"State your purpose for coming to see me."
Crusch remembered Lillian. During the Royal Selection meeting, his public questioning of Emilia as a commoner had drawn considerable attention. Compared with the crude personal attacks made by others, his conduct had at least retained a certain dignity.
"The White Whale has appeared on the eastern plains. I hope to enlist your strength to subjugate it."
"The White Whale."
After Lillian spoke, Wilhelm, who stood behind Crusch, repeated the name in a low voice. His expression grew somewhat frightening, and killing intent rapidly gathered around him, creating a palpable pressure throughout the room. The title "Sword Demon" was not given lightly.
"Yes." Ignoring the oppressive aura, Lillian continued, "Its appearance on the eastern plains is an undeniable fact."
"You speak as though you've seen it with your own eyes, nya~," Ferris remarked from the side.
Lillian glanced at him. "I have indeed seen it myself."
Like Priscilla and Al before them, they were all surprised by the fact that someone could encounter the White Whale and return alive. Most who met the creature never survived. Its immense body granted it an extraordinary attack range—even large merchant caravans rarely escaped with more than a handful of survivors.
"—You are not lying."
Crusch reached this conclusion. Her Divine Protection confirmed it. Even so, she still had many questions. Wilhelm likewise had much he wished to ask, though speaking first would be inappropriate for him.
"If I recall correctly, you are acquainted with Priscilla," Crusch said. "If so, why bring this matter to us? Should Priscilla alone subjugate the White Whale, she would surely gain immense prestige, and the merchants long plagued by the creature would be deeply grateful to her."
"Prestige is valuable, but one must be alive to enjoy it. Everyone knows how powerful the White Whale is. It's not something Priscilla can handle alone—she requires additional assistance."
"So you came to us," Crusch replied. "But what makes you certain we would join? As you said, the White Whale's strength has reached a terrifying level. Whether the subjugation succeeds or fails, a large number of subordinates will likely be sacrificed. Can you give me a reason why I must take part?"
Lillian smiled faintly at her question and looked toward Wilhelm.
"This gentleman… is Mr. Wilhelm Trias, correct?"
"…That is me." Seeing that Lillian did not address him by the name "Astrea" as others often did, Wilhelm felt a slight favor toward the black-haired youth. After all, he had resolved to abandon that name.
"Forgive my bluntness… but the previous Sword Saint died during the campaign to subjugate the White Whale. As the one who loved her most in this world, I imagine you have never let go of that hatred over the years. Otherwise, you would not have reacted with such uncontrollable fury at merely hearing the words 'White Whale' just now…"
Wilhelm sighed softly and bowed slightly. "I was discourteous just now." Straightening, he spoke without evasion, "Day after day, my desire to avenge my beloved has never once faded."
"Mr. Trias' resolve is my reason," Lillian said, turning back to Crusch. "As a leader, I believe you would not disregard the steadfast will of your subordinates."
"Furthermore, I possess intelligence regarding the White Whale—information that can ensure the success of the subjugation. That is what matters most."
"I can confirm that you are not lying," Crusch replied, "but trusting your intelligence and forming an alliance are separate matters. The tremendous risks involved cannot be ignored. Tell me—why are you so devoted to defeating the White Whale?"
This time, Lillian fell silent. He froze momentarily.
That's right… why am I so determined to kill the White Whale? Is it because it attacked me and angered me? No—even if I ignored it, my primary target would still be the Witch Cult, wouldn't it? Or have I unconsciously allowed the storyline itself to bind my actions… The White Whale is certainly a threat, but what does that have to do with me? If…
"What are you thinking?" Crusch asked.
Lillian suddenly stood up. "Nothing. That's all I had to say. I have no reason to give. If you're unwilling to participate, then forget it—there's nothing more to discuss."
"You are not permitted to speak so rudely to Crusch-sama, nya!" Ferris narrowed his eyes in warning.
"Heh… my apologies." Lillian turned to leave, but as he reached the door, Crusch called out to him.
"Please wait."
She rose and walked over to stand before him, meeting his eyes directly.
"You are correct. For us, subjugating the White Whale requires no justification. Too many soldiers have already fallen to it. To avenge them is our undeniable duty…"