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Chapter 355: Emilia, the Enemy of an Overprotective Sister
🕑 Added 2024-10-28 11:01:01 +0000 UTC"If I'm not mistaken, the Royal Selection is decided by the Dragonstone, isn't it?"
"Honestly, it sounds ridiculous to leave the fate of the kingdom to a mere rock. But regardless, the choice of the Dragon Priestesses is something that you nobles and ministers have no right to interfere with, do you?"
"Half-elves are evil? That notion is fundamentally flawed and idiotic.
"If you examine the continent's history, countless villains have arisen from among humans—far more than just the Witch of Envy, Satella.
"If you, as a human, share the blood of past criminals, does that make you guilty by association?"
Wood's words left the nobles speechless. But in a room full of scheming individuals, it didn't take long for someone to retort.
"If this half-elf truly has no connection to Satella, then why does she look so much like her?"
"So, just because someone looks similar, it must mean they're connected? What if this was Satella's very plan?
"Perhaps she wanted to disguise a savior as an agent of destruction, so that some foolish people might bring ruin upon themselves."
Wood's speech didn't contain a single crude word, but it was evident whom he was targeting. Those who feared Emilia were indeed the "foolish ones" he spoke of.
"Hmph, those are just your biased assumptions. Who's to say any of it is true?"
Wood knew his arguments wouldn't sway the stubborn nobles. Even if Satella did have such intentions, the nobles' prideful nature would never let them admit it.
"Why prove anything? According to the Dragon Kingdom's law, Emilia has been recognized by the Dragonstone. That makes her a legitimate candidate, and that's all there is to it.
"As for your concerns about her being related to the Witch of Envy—Satella—it only shows that you're all just cowards, scarred by past defeats.
"The Three Heroes defeated Satella in the past, so if she comes back, we simply need to defeat her again."
"Only those clinging to the past fear a once-strong enemy. True visionaries think about surpassing the past!
"No wonder the Dragon Kingdom of Lugnica has grown weak under your rule. It's hardly surprising, given that it's governed by cowards like you."
Wood's high-spirited speech stirred many in the audience. But it was also clear that the nobles he'd called cowards were enraged.
If not for the presence of the Royal Guard—knights trained in combat—they might have lunged at Wood right then.
"This knight named Wood, is he new to the Royal Guard? I must say, his words resonate well with me," Crusch remarked, her gaze full of appreciation. As a noble raised to be a knight, Crusch found herself agreeing with Wood's sentiments.
If Lugnica truly wished to grow stronger, relying on others—even dragons—wouldn't suffice. More enemies like the Witch of Envy were sure to come in the future.
Stagnation, driven by fear of the past, would do nothing to strengthen the kingdom.
Crusch had grand ambitions—she wanted not only to restore Lugnica's former glory but also to lead it to surpass its past.
And so, despite the nobles' protests, Emilia's position as a candidate for the throne remained intact.
According to Lugnica's traditions, since Emilia had been acknowledged by the Dragonstone and had a knight sworn to serve her, she had every right to vie for the throne.
But now, there was a problem. There were five "Dragon Priestesses" this time, and since the Dragonstone had recognized all five, who should inherit the throne?
The Council of Sages conferred with the Dragonstone for some time, ultimately reaching a conclusion.
The decision was that each of the candidates would be given a period of time to contribute to Lugnica. Whoever made the most significant contribution would become the kingdom's new ruler.
How the elderly council members communicated with the ever-glowing stone was anyone's guess, but since the Council of Sages was an authority even the royal family had to heed, there were no objections.
The Selection ceremony had ended, and now the true competition had begun.
"Sir Wood, thank you so much for your help. Without you, I really wouldn't have known what to do back there."
As they left the palace, Emilia bowed deeply to Wood, expressing her gratitude.
She was genuinely moved by Wood's support and by what he had said in the grand hall. As a half-elf who resembled Satella, Emilia had always felt insecure. But after hearing Wood's words, she decided to embrace her identity.
Wood was right. Satella was Satella, and she was herself. No matter the connection between them, all she needed to do was be true to herself and prove her worth.
"This isn't the place to talk. I've rented a mansion in the capital. Let's head there.
"I'll also have Ram and Rem prepare a feast to celebrate Lady Emilia finding such a strong and reliable knight."
The man who spoke from behind was pale, with long blue hair and makeup reminiscent of a clown. He was none other than Roswaal L. Mathers, the Margrave and one of Emilia's supporters.
Wood was well aware of Roswaal's identity—the royal court magician of Lugnica, bearing the "Red," "Green," and "Yellow" titles, signifying mastery in multiple elemental magics.
It was rare to achieve even one such title, and Roswaal had three. This alone spoke volumes about his prowess.
But no matter how powerful Roswaal was, he and Wood had no direct connection, so Wood hadn't bothered to investigate him further.
What truly drew Wood's attention to Roswaal was something he had discovered in the aftermath of killing the "Mother." In her journals, Wood found out that the one who had hired Elsa to attack Emilia was Roswaal himself.
Strange, wasn't it? Roswaal was supposed to support Emilia, yet he had hired Elsa to stop her.
Being both Emilia's supporter and her saboteur seemed contradictory. Despite keeping Emilia at his mansion, Roswaal hadn't harmed her. Instead, he had engaged in a series of baffling actions.
Did Roswaal change his mind midway, or did he have some other plan? Wood didn't know.
One thing, however, was clear—Roswaal was no simple character. He was cunning, likely on par with "Human God" from the Mushoku Tensei world. If possible, Wood would prefer not to cross paths with him.
"Regarding the knightly duty, I'm afraid I must apologize. I spoke out earlier because we were acquainted, and I wanted to help. For now, I'm not inclined to formally join any faction, so I may not be able to fulfill the 'knight' role.
"However, as an apology, if there's something within my ability to help with, don't hesitate to ask. If it's something I can manage, I'll assist."
Hearing this, Emilia's face fell visibly, but she quickly forced a smile, showing her understanding.
Though she hadn't met Wood often, he had helped her more than once. On the other hand, she had never done anything for him, so she knew she couldn't ask for more from him. The fact that Wood agreed to help if she needed it was enough for Emilia.
After explaining himself, Wood was ready to return to the knights' quarters. However, upon seeing a determined figure approaching, he quickly changed his demeanor and spoke to Emilia again.
"Emilia, actually, I think being your knight wouldn't be so bad...
"But there's one condition: you must provide food and shelter and help me deal with some... personal troubles."
Emilia was baffled by Wood's sudden change of heart.
Food, lodging, and solving personal problems—what kind of conditions were those?
Subaru, who stood nearby, nearly bit through his molars upon hearing Wood's demands.
Food, lodging, and solving private issues—in Subaru's modern otaku mind, this translated into dining together, sharing a bed, and attending to private needs...
Damn it, Emilia was his angel, and now Wood was going to defile her!
Then again, wasn't a knight's duty to guard a princess closely? Why was Subaru's cheat so worthless that he couldn't become the "Half-Elf Knight" himself?
While Subaru indulged in his frustrated fantasies, Emilia and the others finally realized what Wood meant by "personal trouble."
The rules of the Selection had been set, and Crusch and Priscilla had already returned to their respective factions to make arrangements.
But someone had waited outside the palace for Emilia's group. That person was Anastasia Hoshin, the head of the Hoshin Trading Company.
More accurately, Anastasia had been waiting for Wood.
Since Wood had snuck away from the company and wandered for two years, Anastasia hadn't seen her brother during that time.
Missing her brother dearly but also worrying for his safety, Anastasia now wanted nothing more than to take him back to Kararagi.
In Anastasia's eyes, Wood's dream of becoming a knight was naive. Being a knight might seem glamorous, but it was far from a safe profession.
They were no longer the siblings struggling in the slums. The Hoshin Trading Company was now the largest in Kararagi, and Anastasia had a strong demi-human mercenary force. There was no need for Wood to take on such dangerous work.
And even if Wood insisted on becoming a knight, Anastasia wanted him to be hers, just like when they were young.
Anastasia couldn't bear for Wood to be away from her, much less see him as someone else's knight.
"Wood, stop being foolish, or else you'll make your sister angry.
"I'll even promise not to force you into managing the business or demand that you stay by my side every day."
Anastasia thought Wood was just in his rebellious phase. A bit of distance was something she could tolerate.
However, the rebellious phase was also when a young man was most easily deceived, especially by a certain half-elf!
"Anastasia, I've grown up. I don't need that much care anymore. I can live on my own.
"I've decided to be Emilia's knight, and I'll do my duty, helping her ascend the throne.
"Even if you are my sister, because we're in opposing factions now, that makes you one of my rivals. So be prepared."
Upon hearing Wood's resolve, the seemingly innocent Anastasia exuded an oppressive aura, and she began muttering as if in a trance.
"Wood sees me as a rival... He used to be such an adorable child..."
After a brief moment of this dazed behavior, Anastasia returned to normal and looked at Wood seriously.
"I understand your decision."
As Emilia and the others breathed a sigh of relief, expecting a touching reconciliation between the siblings, Anastasia turned her anger and resentment toward Emilia.
"So, you're the one who stole my rebellious little brother!
"Originally, I planned to target Crusch, the strongest faction, but now I've changed my mind. I'll crush Emilia's camp first.
"Only then will my foolish brother realize that his sister's side is the safest place to be!"
