On the main street of the Royal Capital, a dragon carriage sped along like it was insane.
"Green-kun, this is too fast, it's dangerous!"
"Shut up, this is what you call drifting!"
"Green-kun, we can't go that way! Driving against traffic is strictly forbidden on this road!"
"Clearly the road was built backward..."
"Oh my god, Guards are chasing us!"
"Don't panic, they're just cosplaying."
"Ah! The road ahead is under maintenance, there's no way through!"
"What are you screaming about? The road will refresh in a moment!"
Bang!
The Earth Dragon smashed through the guardrail and plunged into the unfinished road, leaving two deep ruts behind it like a plow horse... "Hahaha, arrived right on time!"
Green stopped the dragon carriage by the roadside and hopped down excitedly.
Otto climbed out of the carriage dizzy, immediately collapsing on the ground to vomit.
"Ugh~ That was insane. I'm a merchant who travels constantly, yet I get carsick."
The Earth Dragon was also panting heavily, but judging by its eyes, the big fellow was quite excited.
Hoo-hoo.
A squad of Guards came running unsteadily, clearly exhausted themselves.
"You... audacious... driving against traffic, damaging public property... come with us, oof, I'm exhausted..."
Fortunately, these were all crimes that could be solved with Gold Coins.
Green patted Otto's shoulder, "Good brother, you handle this. I have an urgent matter and need to leave first."
"Huh?"
Otto turned around in confusion; his dear friend Green had already run far ahead.
Slowly turning back, Otto Felt the unfriendly gazes of the Guards and lightly raised his right finger to point at the Earth Dragon beside him.
"Hehe, honored sirs of the Guard, it was this Earth Dragon that went berserk."
"Moo~ Moo~" (Damn it, this beast! Are there any Guards who speak Earth Dragon? I need legal aid!)
The Earth Dragon stomped the ground, roaring loudly... Inside the Royal Selection venue, Knights and Nobles were divided into two factions. While it wasn't deafeningly noisy, many people were still whispering.
Dozens of massive marble pillars, requiring two people to encircle them, supported the dome. The pillars were inscribed with Dragon Language runes, emitting faint magical fluctuations in the air.
In the very center was a high platform supported by seven tiers of steps, the surface covered in silver-patterned brocade symbolizing royalty.
Ten seats for the Sages, each carved with a different crest, were arranged on either side of the throne, radiating an inviolable majesty.
Before the throne, the four candidates for the Royal Selection were already in position.
Emilia nervously fiddled with her hands, finally letting out a sigh of relief when she saw Green.
That guy had actually made it without being late.
If Green hadn't shown up, she would have thought he got scared off after hearing the rumors about the Half-Demon circulating in town.
Green quietly waved a hand toward Emilia, then walked straight toward the Knights' formation.
Reinhard looked slightly surprised to see Green.
"Green-kun, it's truly been a long time. I originally intended to recruit you to my faction, but I didn't expect you to end up serving under Lady Emilia."
Green rolled his eyes at Reinhard.
"Huh? Didn't you arrest me? That's what got me exiled to the Mathers Territory."
"I sincerely apologize, Green-kun, but you did violate the Kingdom's laws."
As the two were chatting, the cross-dressing Knight Felix also arrived.
However, upon seeing Green, he flinched and quietly hid at the very back of the queue.
Reinhard's expression was momentarily puzzled, then immediately shifted to a smile of understanding.
"This is Felix, the Kingdom's most outstanding Healer. It seems you two are already friends."
The Cat-eared Knight glared playfully at Reinhard.
"Don't expose Felix's existence, nya, or Green-kun will come to bother me!"
"Hm?"
Green frowned and gave Felix a fierce look, which immediately scared him into shrinking back into the ranks.
"Silence!"
Bang!
The sound of a greatsword striking the floor rang out, and the voices of the five or six hundred people in the assembly instantly vanished.
Everyone focused their attention on the tall Knight standing before them, awaiting his address.
"Mhm, everyone invited is present, with the exception of one Baron named Balen."
"Therefore, please allow me—Marchosias, Captain of the Royal Guard—to take the liberty of presiding over this meeting."
"The incident occurred about half a year ago; the Royal Family, led by the late King, passed away one after another..."
Before the Captain could continue, Anastasia Hoshin, one of the four Royal Selection candidates, interrupted him.
"I understand the Captain wishes to deliver his speech smoothly, but I am also very busy.
There is a saying in Kararagi: 'Time is money.' Rather than repeating things everyone already knows, it would be better to state the core reason why we have been gathered here."
"That makes sense. Everyone present should already be aware of that secret, whether openly or implicitly."
Crusch, with long dark green hair and dressed in a formal ladies' knight uniform, expressed her agreement.
The Captain of the Guard, Marchosias, naturally dared not object to the demands of the two Royal candidates.
"Since Lady Crusch—the head of the Karsten Family—has spoken, I shall naturally obey the command."
"Then, the reason for gathering those who possess the qualification of Dragons Miko here is based on a new prophecy inscribed on the Dragon Calendar Stone."
"It is inscribed: [Five individuals who may become the nation's new leader; choose one Miko from among them to form a covenant with the Dragon]."
"Knight Reinhard van Astrea, step forward!"
"Yes, sir!"
The crimson-haired Knight strode forward and performed a standard knight's salute toward the platform.
"Honorable members of Sage Council, subordinate of the Royal Guard, Reinhard van Astrea, reporting mission completion."
"The Dragons Miko, the King's candidate, the final fifth person, has been found."
Clang!
The main doors slowly opened, as if complementing Reinhard's speech.
Everyone showed expressions of surprise and looked toward the main entrance of the assembly hall.
A young girl wearing a voluminous golden dress gracefully held up the hem of her skirt and entered the venue like a queen.
Reinhard immediately bowed toward the girl and declared:
"I nominate her as Queen; she is Lady Felt!"
Seeing this, Green subtly moved to hide behind a certain Purple-haired Knight nearby.
Felt looked at the Knights and Nobles in the hall with suppressed disgust.
Finally, she walked past Reinhard, who was bowing to her, and went straight to where Green was hiding.
"Stop hiding, Green, I see you."
"Hehe, Felt, you look really beautiful in that outfit today."
Green gave a sheepish smile and awkwardly stepped out from behind the Purple-haired Knight.
Bang!
Felt jumped up and kicked out.
Green reacted quickly, using his superior physical skills to catch the small, delicate foot.
"Big Sis, shouldn't you be kicking that guy Reinhard instead?"
"Hah?"
Felt angrily revealed a small canine tooth, looking like a small, fierce orange cat.
"You traitor, don't think I don't know you sold me out!"
"I came to participate in this stupid Royal Selection just to save you, wearing these ridiculous clothes to be gawked at by a bunch of disgusting nobles!"
"And you're just standing there watching the show like nothing happened! Damn it, do you know how many times I sprained my ankle practicing this walk?!"