Early the next morning, after Shendu awoke once more, she roused Felt and Natsuki Subaru, telling them to make a few preparations before setting off.
She also informed Elsa and Meili, instructing them to get ready and accompany her to the royal capital.
This time, their objective was to leave Roswaal's territory and officially enter the domain of the royal capital.
"Phew! We can finally head to the royal capital. I've been stuck here long enough."
Felt let out a breath of relief. The thought of seeing the grandeur of the royal capital made her eyes shine with anticipation.
"I wonder what life in the royal capital will be like for me, Natsuki Subaru-sama?"
Natsuki Subaru slipped a hand into his pocket, feeling the scroll Shendu had given him. His heart brimmed with expectation.
"Hmph. Finally getting rid of you, you troublemaker."
Felt turned her head away arrogantly, too lazy to look at him.
Truth be told, ever since arriving at Roswaal's mansion, Emilia had shown no interest in him. Rem and Ram found him annoying. Even Felt did not particularly want to see him.
Only Shendu had saved him at the very beginning. After that, she had rescued him twice more from Elsa and Meili's hands. Three life-saving acts in total—debts he felt he could never repay.
As a protagonist, possessing a grateful heart, the courage to risk his life, and an optimistic outlook—those traits alone were worthy of admiration.
After packing just two sets of clothes, Felt and Natsuki Subaru stood beside Shendu, quietly waiting as an earth-yellow ground dragon slowly approached, pulling a luxurious carriage behind it.
When the gentle sunlight bathed the garden, the air carried the fragrance of blooming flowers. Bees and butterflies flitted about from time to time, creating a scene brimming with poetic beauty.
Before the dragon carriage fully arrived, Elsa and Meili walked over to Shendu, dressed in maid outfits, and bowed respectfully.
"Master, we're ready as well!"
"The trip to the royal capital will not disappoint you."
With their favor completely won over by Shendu, Elsa and Meili now had only her in their hearts, willing to do anything for her.
"Very good."
Shendu smiled faintly, increasingly satisfied with these two capable assistants.
Not far away, Rem held the reins and brought the ground dragon to a halt. After stepping down from the driver's seat, she bowed respectfully to Shendu and explained,
"Lady Shendu, I will be accompanying you to the royal capital this time. Please take care of me."
"Mm."
After speaking, Rem stood quietly to the side, waiting for Emilia. Yet her gaze occasionally drifted toward Shendu, little stars practically sparkling in her eyes.
Once everything was ready, everyone waited together.
Before long, Roswaal—who had been absent for several days—appeared, walking alongside Emilia as they spoke. Soon, they arrived before the group.
"Emilia, you must work hard in this Royal Selection. If you wish to realize your dream, you must take this step."
"If possible, try to rely more on that person."
Roswaal's words were subtle, but the meaning was obvious. He hoped Emilia would choose to trust others.
"I understand, Roswaal-sama."
After finishing their conversation, Emilia boarded the dragon carriage. Shendu led the three beautiful girls beside her—along with one Natsuki Subaru—into the luxurious cabin.
Fortunately, the space was large enough. Even ten or so people could sit comfortably without worrying about crowding.
"Roar!"
After everyone had boarded, Rem tugged firmly on the reins. The ground dragon let out a loud roar, and the carriage began to move, gradually picking up speed.
Seated within this mode of transportation, Shendu lifted the curtain and admired the scenery outside. It was quite pleasant.
...
"Amazing. It's practically like a car from my previous life—maybe even faster."
Feeling the carriage's speed, Natsuki Subaru could not help but smile.
"Isn't that natural? Different places will always have their differences, won't they?"
Only Shendu could understand the deeper meaning behind his words, so she teased him lightly.
After exchanging a few simple remarks, Shendu fell silent again, continuing to gaze out the window. Meanwhile, Elsa used her curved blade to peel an apple, slicing it into neat pieces before arranging them on a plate and offering it to everyone.
After enjoying the fruit, the group praised Elsa's knife skills. It seemed her years as an assassin had not been wasted.
As evening approached, Emilia suddenly turned her amethyst-like eyes toward Shendu and asked with a hint of confusion,
"Actually, Sister Shendu, I've always had a question. Why did you choose not to stay with us and instead go somewhere else in the royal capital? Do you have other arrangements?"
Emilia was not foolish. She genuinely wanted to know why Shendu intended to leave her.
"Yes, Lady Shendu, what plans do you have?"
Rem, from outside the carriage, could not help but ask as well.
"Well... I established a merchant company. You might remember the servant I mentioned before—I entrusted it to her."
"I casually invested some money and acquired a few properties in the royal capital. With those assets, I'll be able to support you, Emilia."
Shendu explained calmly. Neither Emilia nor Rem realized the deeper implications hidden within her words.
"I see... So you've done quite a lot for me."
Emilia felt embarrassed. Her amethyst-like eyes lingered on Shendu for a long time.
From beginning to end, Shendu had helped her too many times to count on one hand. Emilia had etched every bit of that kindness into her heart.
"Oh, right. This is the address of the inn where we'll be staying. If you finish your business, you can come find me there. I hope you'll attend the Royal Selection as well—even if you only watch from afar."
Reluctantly, Emilia handed over a slip of paper with a neatly written address. It was clear she had prepared it carefully beforehand, afraid Shendu might not be able to find her.
"Of course. I promise that by then, you'll have your own knight."
Shendu's expression was serious as she accepted the address. She gently pinched Emilia's cheek, making her promise.
"Hehe."
Elsa, sitting nearby, revealed a wicked smile.
Having already learned part of Shendu's secrets, the former assassin understood that Shendu's ambitions were far from small. With the power currently at her command, she could easily throw the entire kingdom into chaos.
The only one to be wary of was Reinhard. But seeing Felt by Shendu's side, Elsa knew that Shendu must have calculated everything thoroughly, preparing all the necessary conditions in advance.
If Master is willing to change the world, then I will follow her in doing so.
Elsa's amethyst-like eyes gazed at Shendu's breathtakingly beautiful face, a faintly obsessive smile curving her lips.
The dragon carriage continued forward. As night deepened, Emilia leaned against Shendu's shoulder and closed her eyes to rest. Shendu also shut her eyes, appearing to be meditating quietly.
Yet the constantly writhing shadows beneath her feet proved that she was far from as calm as she seemed.