Subaru Natsuki, who returned from the new Three Kingdoms

That bewilderment lasted only two breaths before he forcibly suppressed it again, but everyone present could see that he didn't have much time left in a conscious state.

"Prepare for the ceremony immediately!"

McCrotov gripped the edge of the table, and while he still remembered what he was supposed to do, he quickly gave the order.

"Immediately summon the five candidates and the nobles of the capital to hold a ceremony today to officially begin the royal selection."

After the order was issued, the entire palace bustled with activity once again.

The dilapidated hall could not be fully repaired in time, so the knights could only move the collapsed stone pillars, sweep away the rubble on the ground, and rearrange the positions of the five candidates next to the still-dry bloodstains.

Julius was ordered to fetch Priscilla, while Reinhard was tasked with bringing Felt back to the palace. The remaining knights went off to the noble residences to inform those who were still able to attend to come to the palace immediately.

Time was of the essence, and no one dared to linger on formalities.

As long as the five candidates stand together again, the prophecy on the Dragonstone can continue;

If this task is not completed before McCrotoff goes insane again, the recently quelled conflict could reignite at any moment.

Priscilla was the first to arrive at the palace.

As one of the five candidates, she was the only one who was not involved in the chaos during this period at all.

He spent his days simply eating fruit and yawning at the Balier mansion, living a very pleasant life.

Now that she has been summoned, she is naturally the first one to enter the venue.

Al followed cautiously behind her. His rugged figure and clothing should have given off a wild feeling, but now he looked as if he had been ravaged by something, and he even seemed a little... fragile?

Dressed in an elegant and luxurious gown, Priscilla, with a folding fan obscuring half her face, seemed completely oblivious to the horrific scene around her.

Her skirt swept through the broken corridor without hesitation, passing cracks and bloodstains, as if the ruins before her were merely a temporary backdrop erected to welcome her.

As she stepped into the main hall, she immediately saw Subaru Natsuki.

She had no interest in the somber atmosphere around her, nor did she care why Natsuki Subaru was standing there with a group of people of unknown origin. With a gentle snap of her folding fan, she walked straight up to the black-haired youth.

"Joker, it's interesting to see you here!"

Natsuki Subaru turned to look at her.

Priscilla slightly raised her chin and asked matter-of-factly:

"How have you been thinking about it these past couple of days?"

"Have you decided to join my camp? If you agree now, I can temporarily forgive you for keeping me bored these past two days."

As soon as he finished speaking, three astonished gazes appeared in the hall.

Priscilla wasn't the only one who wanted to invite Subaru Natsuki to join her side.

Crusch had just apologized to Subaru Natsuki and was still considering whether she was qualified to extend an invitation;

Emilia tried to get closer several times, but was held back by her identity.

Anastasia hadn't even decided whether to address him as Subaru Natsuki or Flügel.

Each of the three had their own concerns, and none of them expected that someone else would beat them to it.

Priscilla had no intention of giving a second thought.

She didn't even know what had happened in the main hall before she came up and took the person.

Natsuki Subaru was stunned for a moment, then threw his head back and burst into laughter.

"Hahahahaha!"

The loud laughter silenced the entire hall.

"Excellent! Lady Priscilla is quick-witted and straightforward; she truly has the air of a wise ruler!"

He stopped laughing and solemnly clasped his hands in a fist salute to Priscilla.

"We are deeply grateful for your kind regard!"

Priscilla was quite pleased with this tactful gesture, and unfolded her fan again to cover the corners of her slightly upturned mouth.

“There is no need to hide the person I have taken a liking to.”

Subaru Natsuki was even happier to hear this.

Anastasia's fingers, gripping her sleeve, tightened subtly.

Faced with Priscilla's blatant invitation, he not only didn't refuse, but laughed heartily...

Freugel, do you really...?

Before she could speak, a furious shout, tinged with tears, came from outside the hall.

"Nana! Tsuki! Subaru!"

Natsuki Subaru turned his head at the sound.

A petite figure flew through the broken palace gate, almost skimming the ground. Her skirt and short golden hair billowed up, followed by a shoe sole that slammed into his stomach.

It was Felt who arrived, and behind her stood a somewhat embarrassed Reinhard...

"boom!"

Subaru Natsuki, struck hard, slid back several steps.

Felt appeared before him wearing a gold dress that was completely different from her usual attire. Her red eyes were filled with anger, but there was still a layer of tears in the corners of her eyes.

Before that kick landed, Subaru Natsuki had plenty of time to dodge.

But once he could see those reddened eyes, he stood still.

Even as his internal organs churned and a trickle of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth, he simply wiped it away as if nothing had happened.

A mere fatal wound.

The pain was negligible.

Felt was not appeased. She rushed up to Subaru Natsuki, clenched her fists, and started punching him repeatedly in the back.

"asshole!"

"You bastard Subaru!"

The fists landed on his body with one dull thud after another. Natsuki Subaru's eyes twitched in pain, but he didn't flinch.

Where have you been these past few days?

Ferut's voice grew hoarseer and hoarse, and the strength in her fists became erratic.

Do you know how worried we are about you?

"Rem cries every day, and it makes me want to cry too!"

“That bastard Reinhard goes out to look for you every day! I have to bring him home every day, otherwise he won’t even come home.”

"Where did you run off to?!"

Natsuki Subaru originally wanted to put on a heroic act and tough it out, but when he heard Rem's name, his straight shoulders slumped a bit.

Hearing Reinhardt's actions, he subconsciously looked up at the red-haired man.

Reinhard met that gaze, gave a smile, and then turned away somewhat embarrassedly.

Natsuki Subaru felt somewhat guilty.

He simply wanted to use Anastasia's wine to regain his senses and then obtain a sufficiently substantial pledge of allegiance for Emilia.

Unexpectedly, while he was busy choosing a lord, serving the king, and establishing a new court, Rem was shedding tears for his disappearance, and Felt and Reinhard were searching for him in the capital day after day.

The plan he had taken for granted suddenly lost its original weight.

"So... our family has caused so much worry."

Natsuki Subaru lowered his head, letting Felt punch him in the back again.

What have we done for just the sake of a little wine aroma...?

"Feel sorry..."

"Felt, stop hitting him."

Upon hearing Subaru's apology, Reinhard quickly stopped Felt's attack.

Her turquoise eyes trembled incessantly, and her voice carried an undisguised urgency.

"These things are not Subaru's fault. If anyone should apologize, it should be me."

Reinhard paused for a moment before finally speaking the words that had been weighing on his mind for days.

"it's all my fault."

"It was because I sent Subaru to prison that those people had the opportunity to take him away."

"If I had been willing to believe him back then, none of what happened would have happened."

Ferut suddenly looked up.

"So it was you!"

She kicked Reinhard in the shin.

Reinhardt didn't dodge; his body swayed from the kick, and it hurt!

But he still tried his best to maintain a decent enough smile.

Ferut glared at his tense expression, growing even angrier. She was about to deliver another kick when a flurry of footsteps echoed from the other end of the corridor.

One by one, nobles who had received the orders were being led into the palace by knights. Their gazes passed over the dilapidated hall and quickly fell on the beaten swordsman.

Reinhard straightened his back instantly.

He withdrew his hand from Ferut's side and once again revealed his impeccable knightly smile.

Then, more and more nobles entered the hall one after another.

Roswaal, who was walking unsteadily, was also among them.

His injuries hadn't healed yet, but upon hearing that the selection process had begun, he had no choice but to endure the pain and rush over.

As soon as he scanned the crowd, he spotted Natsuki Subaru standing in the middle of the crowd.

I felt a surge of excitement.

He wanted to go up and talk to him, but seeing the others surrounding Subaru, he wisely decided to wait...

With the last group of nobles entering the hall, all five candidates for the royal selection were finally present.

In the center of the ravaged royal palace, the royal election, interrupted by a purge, is about to begin again.

At Subaru Natsuki's signal, the Aikos evacuated outside the hall first, and Rokumaru and Wilhelm, who were not directly involved, also evacuated.

Next, the nobles stood on the right, and the knights and those brought by the chosen ones stood on the left.

Natsuki Subaru also temporarily stood with the knights.

In front of him was Felix, who didn't even want to look at him.

Behind them are Reinhard and Julius.

Al is on the side.

Natsuki Subaru glared at Al with displeasure; he hadn't forgotten how this masked bastard had tried to trick him by pretending to be a time traveler.

Al felt uneasy under that gaze.

Although he didn't know why Natsuki Subaru had become so wicked, almost comparable to the Sword Saint Red, he knew how terrifying Natsuki Subaru's true abilities were, so he didn't dare to antagonize him and thought it best to take the opportunity to get closer to him.

However, before speaking, Al habitually made a save file in case of need.

"Brother~" Al whispered.

Natsuki Subaru looked over with a slightly scrutinizing gaze:

"What?"

"Don't be so wary, I just want to get along with you..." Al rubbed his hands together, feeling that he was being so humble that it was almost sleazy.

That way, I hope I won't anger the unpredictable Subaru Natsuki.

Natsuki Subaru frowned, remembering that this person was, after all, Priscilla's subordinate.

Priscilla treated him with the second highest courtesy after Emilia, although he could not be her lord.