Subaru Natsuki, who returned from the new Three Kingdoms

"Look at yourself! Silver hair, half-elf, and you look exactly like the Witch of Envy! And you dare to talk such nonsense about equality for all?"

"To make someone like you a candidate for the election is an insult to Lugnica!"

"The bloodline of the late king, the dignity of the kingdom—all of this has been trampled underfoot by someone like you. Every moment you stand here is a disgrace to the palace!"

With each word she spoke, Emilia tightened her grip on her skirt.

She opened her mouth, but the sound got stuck in her throat.

The nobles did not stop.

"You want to be king? If a monster like you were to wear a crown, Lugnica would be dragged into disaster sooner or later!"

"Who knows if, once you sit on the throne, you'll end up like that witch, swallowing the entire world whole!"

"Lord Roswaal, what are you thinking? Recommending a half-elf to run for king? Do you want the world to think that the Kingdom of Dulugnica is a country that respects Satella as much as the Witch Cult?"

Every word is precious...

Emilia's shoulders slumped completely.

"This is indeed a bit troublesome~ yeah~"

Roswaal simply smiled and waved his hand. If this nobleman hadn't diverted the war to him, he wouldn't have even noticed Emilia taking the stage.

After all, his attention was entirely focused on Subaru Natsuki.

Of course, even if he noticed, he wouldn't care.

Anyway, he didn't expect Emilia to actually become the king; to him, Emilia was just bait to lure Subaru.

However, this bait doesn't seem to be very attractive to the fish.

Roswaal turned his gaze to Subaru Natsuki beside him.

Natsuki Subaru looked around aimlessly, seemingly not taking what had just happened to heart.

until...

He bent down and picked up a stone from the ground.

I weighed it in my hand.

The nobleman was still recklessly accusing Emilia.

The stone had already flown out of Subaru Natsuki's hand.

Snapped!

The stone hit the other person squarely in the face.

The nobleman's voice abruptly stopped.

He covered his nose and took two steps back, blood flowing down between his fingers.

A collective gasp filled the hall, punctuated by the nobleman's pitiful wails.

Emilia raised her eyes in surprise.

Subaru Natsuki was also looking at Emilia, his expression serious as if he were celebrating for her.

"Amelia, were you very sad just now?"

Emilia nodded subconsciously.

Natsuki Subaru shook his head:

Why don't you think about it the other way around?

"You should thank him."

"Huh?" Emilia was taken aback.

Natsuki Subaru pointed at the nobleman who was covering his face and burst into laughter.

"He praises you so highly, as if you were a witch capable of devouring the world. Isn't that just encouraging you and making you stronger?"

Emilia was completely stunned.

All eyes in the hall fell on Natsuki Subaru, and they looked surprised.

No one expected that this strangely dressed man would be so unconventional and disrespectful.

Nobles held a high status in Lugnica!

How dare this person do such a thing in public?

At this point, it's no wonder that Julius, who came from a common background, had his eyes light up.

Even Priscilla, who had been pampered since childhood, had a smile on her lips, as if she had seen something that interested her.

Al, standing behind her, remained expressionless beneath his helmet.

That's nothing.

In the last time he was in the game, Subaru Natsuki chased after him at the selection event with his sword.

It's just a pebble, why are you making such a fuss!

The nobleman's bloodied face turned bright red.

Having just been summoned, he had no idea what kind of bloody storm Natsuki Subaru had just stirred up in the palace.

In his eyes, Subaru Natsuki is now just an arrogant brat!

"You madman!"

The nobleman roared at the knights of the Royal Guard:

"Knights! What are you all standing there for? Take him down now!"

Knight Commander Marcus placed his hand on the hilt of his sword, glanced at Subaru Natsuki, and recalled the humiliating feeling of being overwhelmed by the kid's bizarre swordsmanship.

He certainly wanted to get his revenge...

But...

He turned his gaze to McCrotoff, who was sitting in the chief seat.

Without Lord Myrotov's orders, Marcus would not dare to act rashly.

After all, based on the information he had previously gathered...

Subaru Natsuki has reached some kind of deal with McCrotoff.

But the nobleman was unaware of this; he thought Subaru Natsuki was about to be punished.

They continued their aggressive tactics, even escalating to personal attacks against Subaru.

McCrotoff stood up, leaning on his cane.

The elderly body swayed slightly, but the voice fell heavily into everyone's ears.

"enough."

The nobleman froze, not expecting Mycroft to interrupt at this moment.

McCrotov looked up at him, his tone cold and hard.

"Today is the occasion for candidates to state their goals."

"As a nobleman, you have already lost your manners by publicly insulting the candidate in the name of a witch. Now you even want to order knights to arrest people without authorization in the palace. Is this how Lugnica taught you noble etiquette?"

"Your Excellency, how can you slander someone without cause? I reprimanded her for being like a witch, all for the good of the kingdom!"

"You're not unaware that allowing a silver-haired half-elf to participate in the selection would lead to..."

The nobleman covered his wound with his hand, still refusing to bow his head.

"Besides... it was this madman of unknown origin who attacked me first—"

"Shut up."

McCrotov interrupted him.

“You insulted the candidate first, so Natsuki Subaru retaliated.”

The old man turned his head and looked at the black-haired youth standing next to Emilia, his face even showing a hint of humility.

Alas, the old prime minister is suffering. Not only is he in his seventies or eighties afflicted with madness, but now he has no choice but to bow his head to a child decades younger than himself...

She even prayed in her heart that the other party wouldn't get angry and turn against her because of her anger.

It's all tears when I talk about it...

"Mao, are you satisfied with this solution?" the prime minister asked tentatively.

He hoped that Subaru Natsuki could take the opportunity to back down and move on from the matter.

Unfortunately, Subaru Natsuki's dictionary doesn't contain any words.

Natsuki Subaru raised his chin and looked at the nobleman.

"That nobleman insulted me."

His voice, though not angry, carried an imposing authority. He raised his hand, pointed, and roared:

"Guards! Throw him out and give him twenty strokes of the military rod!"

The knights standing nearby exchanged glances, unsure whether they should listen.

Mycroft, however, did not hesitate at all. He had already made so many concessions, how could he possibly anger Subaru Natsuki over such a trivial matter?

"Do as you say!"

The knight by the door immediately stepped forward.

Seeing that Mycroft was actually taking this kid of unknown origin seriously.

The nobleman then truly panicked, struggling to grab the sleeve of his companion beside him.

Several nobles who had originally intended to speak up for him met Myrotov's cold gaze, and swallowed their words back when they reached the tip of their tongues.

Two knights grabbed the nobleman's arms and dragged him out of the hall.

His pleas for mercy faded into the distance along the dilapidated corridor.

Emilia remained standing in the same spot.

This is the second time today that Natsuki Subaru has stood up for her...

What makes her even happier is that even though Subaru has now become a famous hero in the capital, he still doesn't care about revealing his relationship with her in front of others.

Does that mean... I can actually...

Emilia looked down at the hem of her skirt, her fingers clenched so tightly they turned white.

After a long while, she finally raised her face and looked at the young man beside her who had just knocked over a nobleman with a stone.

Natsuki Subaru withdrew his gaze and calmly dusted off his hands.

It's as if I just dealt with a trivial matter.

The hall fell silent once more.

It was even a little too quiet.

All the nobles stared blankly at the young man who had attacked them with just a few words, feeling a chill run down their spines.

Emilia mustered her courage and spoke:

Subaru, thank you.

"It's nothing," Natsuki Subaru waved his hand, speaking as if no one else was around.

"Keep talking and ignore those who only talk."

"Let me tell you, people can't be brought down by insults. Those who are praised all over the world are often also ruined by the world."

Emilia nodded gently, her eyes filled with even deeper emotion...

Emilia's affection level +5

Julius's favorability +10

She turned back around and finished explaining her target.

This time, no one dared to interrupt.