The legend of the Crimson Demon clan started from Suqing.

Chapter 241 I am going the lustful route, is this true or not!?

After the selection ceremony was officially announced to begin, Zun Zun snorted heavily.

Before leaving, he wanted to ravage Priscilla's unusually plump slime again, but he didn't expect that the other party had already given a warning, and glared at him as if to say, "If you dare to make a move in public, I will grind you to ashes." He smacked his lips with regret and let the matter go.

Firut left the palace lobby with a gloating look on his face. However, before Zun Zun and the others could get far, they were stopped by the Knight Commander Marcus.

"I am extremely sorry, Your Excellency."

The sturdy middle-aged man bowed slightly, showing full respect, and then slowly said: "Next, I have something to ask you. Please move to the side hall."

"……Um?"

Zun Zun tilted his head in confusion and looked at Reinhard beside him, but received an equally unclear shrug. He wanted to refuse, but it seemed there was no room for maneuver now.

“I understand. Felt…”

"Only you this time."

“…Wait for me outside the royal city. Reinhardt, please come with me. Anyway, he should be okay, right? I feel a little uneasy without the protection of a knight.”

"of course."

Marcus nodded.

Reinhard followed Zun Zun silently. Although he was Firut's knight, it seemed that he was more obedient to Zun Zun.

With the Sword Saint by his side, Zun Zun felt quite at ease. So he came to the side hall without hesitation, which was the room where Felt had waited for the call and where they had rested for a while.

As soon as I came in, I saw someone familiar.

The old man who was the head of the Society of Sages, and the two civil servants who had just started the argument over whether Zun Zun could become a candidate for the king's selection, were standing respectfully behind the old man, and when they saw Zun Zun come in, they bowed respectfully.

Zun Zun was stunned for a moment after seeing the two of them like this, but he quickly reacted.

"Dirty, really dirty! You politicians are so dirty! The whole venue seems to be noisy and everyone has expressed their personal opinions, but in fact, everything is under your control. No wonder Anastasia said that."

He cursed without mercy.

Reinhard said from behind: "Sir, please restrain yourself. Even if you are a candidate for the King's Choice, the Lord Miklotov in front of you is a representative of the Council of Sages."

The Council of Sages is a group that manages the kingdom on behalf of the king. The actual operation of the kingdom now also relies on the Council of Sages, and the old man in front of him is the representative of this organization.

"Haha, it doesn't matter, it doesn't matter. Your Excellency is right."

Miklotov doesn't seem like an old stubborn person, nor does he have an arrogant attitude. In private, he is more like a kind old man.

At least he's not a bad guy.

Because Reinhard respected him very much.

Zun Zun and Miklotov sat on the sofa, with the two civil servants sitting on either side, while Reinhard, who nominally had the lowest position, could only stand and serve them.

After taking a sip of the black tea brewed by the Sword Saint, Zun Zun didn't want to waste time and went straight to the point.

"...Old man, what do you want me to do?"

“Well, first of all, I have to apologize to you and Felt-sama. I am truly sorry for rudely involving you two in the royal selection ceremony, and in such a way.”

“That is to say, I am very difficult.”

Zun Zun couldn't help but complain.

But it was just a complaint. After all, he was the one who agreed to participate in the heat of the moment, so he couldn't blame others. Who made him unable to resist Priscilla's provocation?
"But it doesn't matter. After all, I'm just participating in the royal election. It doesn't mean I have to become the next king."

Promise ≠ Do.

Inequality seconds.

“Hahahaha, this is exactly why I asked you, Your Excellency, to come to meet me.”

Miklotov combed his graying beard and said, "Your Excellency, you don't seem to have the determination to become the next king, which makes me and others feel very embarrassed."

"…difficult?"

Zun Zun raised an eyebrow.

"To be honest, your presence has really disrupted the plan, sir. The Council of Sages has no idea how to accommodate you. After all, the dragon did not tell us the criteria for becoming a king and how to choose. We only went to find the five dragon priestesses because of the records."

Miklotov spoke slowly.

This is something that the entire kingdom knows, and they also mentioned in the meeting just now that they don’t know what to do.

This is obviously something that requires a lot of discussion, but because the Witch Cult is currently causing chaos in the country and there are other kingdoms abroad who are eyeing it covetously, under the pressure of internal and external troubles, we have to quickly start the King Selection Ceremony to stabilize the people's hearts.

"But after seeing you, my Lord, I know one thing clearly."

"what's up?"

"You are most likely the next king appointed by Long."

"hiss----"

Hearing what he said, Zun Zun couldn't help but retreat tactically.

Then he waved his hands quickly.

"No, no, no, old man, are you getting senile? The one who can talk to dragons is the Dragon Priestess. You know what a Priestess is, right? I am a man."

"…Well, maybe the dragon has changed its taste or something?"

"Hey!"

“Hahahaha, after all, it’s a dragon. Without a priestess to talk to, we have no way of knowing what it’s thinking. We can only guess.”

Miklotov said this with a slightly bitter tone.

It seems that he is from the Shenlong Sect.

Although there is no distinction at present, Zun Zun divides the kingdom into two factions. One is the Dragon Faction represented by Miklotov, which is also the faction of most people; the other is the Autonomous Faction represented by Kurushu, which has a weak voice but is showing signs of improvement.

"How can I abandon a dragon when I'm protected by one?"

The old man said this. It was a surprise. I didn't expect the Sages Council to disagree with the King's Choice's top seed, Crusch. No wonder everyone was silent when the Duchess spoke.

"So, sir, do you understand?"

"…You mean to say that I seem to be the chosen one, and you also want to announce it in public, but due to the rules of the royal election, you must summon five dragon priestesses, so you have no choice but to drag me into the royal election as well?"

"That's right, you are really smart."

Zun Zun only then realized that the old man’s apology was not because he involved himself in the king election, but because he did not let him become the next king directly.

"I say, why do you insist on having me participate in the royal election? Wouldn't it be nice to just choose a suitable king from the five dragon priestesses according to other people's ideas?"

"Everything is for the prosperity of the kingdom."

The old man shook his head.

There are many ways for a kingdom to prosper. One can take destiny into his own hands like Crusch did, or become a trading kingdom to drive economic development like Anastasia did, or use other methods... and the old man hopes to continue to fulfill his contract with the dragon.

This is the safest and moderate method that will not cause severe turmoil in the kingdom.

Conservative? Old fogey?
Zun Zun looked at the old man in surprise.

From the conversation just now, I feel that he doesn't seem like a person who would stick to the rules. If he didn't have the courage, how could he cut the Gordian knot and start the king selection ceremony?
“…Hehe, I said that the respected lord is smart.” Microtov sighed, “I admit that Crusch and the others are very courageous, but the kingdom is in tatters now and can’t stand the turmoil.”

Perhaps in the old man's view, the lofty ideals of Crusch and others are good, but they are not in line with the current situation of the kingdom.

Even though the royal family had just died collectively half a year ago, the kingdom had already declined before that, and it was only thanks to Reinhard, Julius, and Ferris that they signed a treaty with the Empire that they were able to hold on.

I found him to be quite contradictory.

On the one hand, we seek change, but on the other hand, we have to choose stability.

...No, maybe he had not made a decision yet, so he let the two civil servants behind him act as his mouthpiece to confirm other people's thoughts.

“But there is another way.”

“Would one thing be different?”

Zun Zun was surprised, but he quickly reacted and pointed at himself.

"The method you mentioned won't be related to me, right?"

"Exactly."

The old man's mouth curled up slightly.

However, seeing his expression, Zun Zun felt a strong sense of uneasiness in his heart.

"I think this method is very suitable and reliable. As long as it is successfully implemented, any problem will be solved. This method is only suitable for you (male) and other dragon priestesses (female)..."

“S-Surely…!?”

"That's right, you just need to marry one of the five Dragon Priestesses."

As expected! ?

I knew it would be like this!

What is this, The Quintessential Quintuplets "Re:Zero Version"!?

I am taking the lustful route, is that true or false?
Zun Zun opened his mouth wide.

The old man said to himself: "You are the one chosen by the dragon, and you are a man. The five dragon priestesses have all been found. The dragon's intention is very clear. That's right, how can a king not have his own spouse? The dragon is more thoughtful!"

"That's right, you are worthy of being called Lord Shenlong!"

"Lord Shenlong is thinking about the abyss, which is far beyond our reach."

The two civil servants spoke one after another.

Wait, didn’t you just say something disrespectful to the dragon? Why did you suddenly change your words?
Zun Zun glared at one of the civil servants.

And don't be disloyal at this time, Shenlong doesn't mean that! ...right?

"My Lord, do you like the one that Lady Priscilla wears?"

"……what?"

"You were just in the hall..."

At this time, Miklotov also performed Tai Chi movements with an obscene smile on his face, which was truly disrespectful to his elders.

This guy is also playing with contrast! ?

Zun Zun rolled his eyes in annoyance.

“——No, it’s not.”

“That’s the type of person that Felt-sama is. You two live under the same roof, and I heard from Knight Reinhard that you two are close friends. You are also often frank with each other. You must have developed feelings for each other, right?”

"No!"

The more he spoke, the more obscene the old man became.

To be honest, this style really doesn't suit him and it makes his image collapse.

"Let me make it clear in advance that I don't like any of those five people."

"I have also taken this situation into consideration, so I have allowed you, Your Excellency, to become a candidate for the King's Choice."

"...You seem to have decided on me?"

"Yes."

Miklotov restrained his expression and slowly stood up, saying very seriously and earnestly: "Whether or not you will become the next king in the end, from now on, the Sages will be your most loyal backer."

Zun Zun knew that the old man in front of him chose the dragon.

(End of this chapter)