The next morning, inside the inn in the Royal Capital.
Natsuki Subaru, Emilia, Rem, and Roswaal were gathered in the living room.
"Emilia, are you planning to head back?" Natsuki Subaru put down his teacup, asking Emilia in a casual tone.
"Mm... The Royal Selection opening ceremony is over, so there's no reason to stay in the Royal Capital anymore, right?" Emilia tucked a strand of silver hair behind her ear, a thoughtful look in her crystal-purple eyes. "I think it's time to go back and prepare for the next steps."
"..." Natsuki Subaru nodded slightly, but his lips tightened a fraction.
Although the Royal Selection ceremony had seemingly concluded for now, and Emilia had received the acknowledgment of the Dragon Stones, Natsuki Subaru knew very well this was far from the end.
According to the traditions of the Kingdom of Lugnica, Royal Candidates only needed to sign the covenant with the Divine Dragon and weren't required to immediately stay in the Royal Capital to participate in governmental affairs.
However, as a transmigrator, he knew what would happen if Emilia returned to Roswaal's mansion. In the original work, after Emilia returned to the mansion, she encountered a meticulously planned attack by the Sin Archbishop of Sloth of the Witch Cult. In multiple loops, the mansion was destroyed, and Ram, Rem, Emilia, and even he himself did not escape.
But things are different now. I am no longer that powerless Natsuki Subaru. With the system in hand, plus my knowledge of the plot, I will absolutely not let that kind of thing happen again.
Thinking this, Natsuki Subaru nonchalantly picked up his teacup, using the rising steam to conceal the sharp glint in his eyes. However, letting Emilia return directly to the mansion now is still too risky. I must find a suitable reason for Emilia to stay.
"What's wrong, Subaru?" Emilia noticed Subaru's unusual behavior and asked with concern.
"Ah, it's nothing." Natsuki Subaru quickly adjusted his expression, showing a gentle smile, and continued speaking to Emilia, "I was just thinking, Emilia-tan, as a newly selected Royal Candidate, shouldn't we stay in the Royal Capital a bit longer?"
"After all, the kingdom's top resources and information are gathered here, and there are many things worth learning."
It's known that if Emilia stays in the Royal Capital, she'll have the protection of Sword Saint Reinhard and the elite Knightly Order, which is far safer than returning to Roswaal's mansion.
And if she returns to Roswaal's mansion, even with Puck, the Great Spirit, assisting, they might be able to withstand a large-scale attack from the Witch Cult, but what about the ordinary villagers in the domain?
Not to mention, once casualties occur in the domain, the reputation Emilia painstakingly built up at the Royal Selection meeting will undoubtedly be severely affected.
"After all, the Witch Cult is targeting Emilia alone..." Natsuki Subaru thought to himself. So, Emilia is like a living target. As long as she appears near the mansion, not only herself but the entire domain will be in danger.
And that so-called strongest magician, Roswaal, is unreliable at critical moments.
"That guy Roswaal usually plays dumb, then disappears at critical moments. Counting on him to protect Emilia? Protect the villagers? You'd have better luck hoping the Witch Cult suddenly turns over a new leaf." Natsuki Subaru recalled Roswaal's vanishing acts during various crises in the original work and couldn't help but roll his eyes internally.
"But..." Hearing Natsuki Subaru's analysis, Emilia looked a bit hesitant, pursing her thin lips. "There are still many things to handle in the domain..."
Just then, Roswaal, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke, his mismatched eyes glancing meaningfully at Natsuki Subaru. "I think~ Subaru-kun is right~"
"Eh?" Emilia looked up in surprise, her silver hair swaying gently with her movement.
"What I've seen and heard in the Royal Capital these past few days~ has made me realize that Lady Emilia is not yet familiar enough~ with the atmosphere here~" Roswaal said in his characteristic tone, an inscrutable smile on his lips.
"Since the Selection has officially begun, then~ before the upcoming busy governmental affairs, spending more time familiarizing oneself with the Royal Capital's environment and rules will be greatly beneficial~ for future development~"
Then, Roswaal gave Natsuki Subaru another meaningful look. "Besides, the Royal Capital's social circles~ also need Lady Emilia to make more appearances~"
"..." Natsuki Subaru's mouth twitched slightly. He fought hard to keep a sarcastic expression from showing, cursing inwardly: Heh, Roswaal, that old fox. His words are pretty, but he just doesn't do anything useful.
He pretends to be considerate of Emilia, but who knows what schemes he's plotting behind her back. When the Witch Cult attacks, he'll definitely be hiding somewhere again.
"Forget it, at least his suggestion is somewhat useful this time..." Natsuki Subaru let out a light sigh, muttering to himself. The most important thing right now is to ensure Emilia's safety. As for Roswaal's little schemes, there will be plenty of time to settle scores later.
"Roswaal, do you also think Subaru's arrangement is appropriate?" Emilia tilted her head slightly, her silver hair swaying with her movement.
"Of course~ of course~" Roswaal nodded, his trademark clown smile on his face, the patterns at the corners of his eyes slightly contorting with his expression. "I fully support~ Subaru-kun's suggestion~ After all~ the Royal Capital is indeed an interesting place~"
Natsuki Subaru almost choked on his tea, quickly covering his gaffe with a cough, retorting wildly in his mind: Interesting? More like advantageous for your plans, right! It'll be good enough if this old fox doesn't stab us in the back. Why is he pretending to be a good guy now?
He knew Roswaal's true colors all too well. This magician, who had lived for over four hundred years, had only one goal: to resurrect his teacher, the Witch of Greed, Echidna.
For this, he wouldn't even hesitate to slay a dragon for its blood, but his current strength was far from sufficient. That's why he needed to gather various pawns, and he, Subaru, was an important part of that plan.
"This madman acts entirely according to that damned Book of Wisdom." Natsuki Subaru recalled Roswaal's actions in the original work. To verify the Gospel's prophecies, he didn't hesitate to hire the Bowel Hunter to attack Emilia, allowed Mabeasts to attack the village, and even deliberately lured Witch Cultists.
And every time a crisis struck, this bastard would coincidentally have business elsewhere, leaving the mess for others to clean up.
"Subaru-kun~ seems to have something more to say~?" Roswaal's mismatched eyes stared intently at Natsuki Subaru, as if trying to see through his thoughts.
"Nothing, it's just that our thoughts are surprisingly aligned," Natsuki Subaru forced a smile and said evasively.
"Oh~ indeed just like Subaru-kun~" Roswaal narrowed his mismatched eyes, drawing out his tone. "It's all for~ Lady Emilia's sake~"
What a pretentious fellow! Natsuki Subaru couldn't help but roll his eyes internally, discreetly glancing at the perverted clown.
He thought of this pitiful yet hateful man from the original work. For four hundred years, he had acted like a puppet according to the Book of Wisdom's instructions. Even if he ultimately achieved his goal, in that Witch's eyes, he was merely a disposable tool.
However, speaking of which, Roswaal likely understood this from the very beginning, yet still resolutely walked down this path of no return.
"So, staying here is also a form of learning?" Emilia asked Roswaal thoughtfully.
"Precisely so~ The interpersonal relationships in the Royal Capital, the political games~ these are all valuable experiences~" Roswaal's voice suddenly lowered, carrying a hint of enticement. "After all~ Lady Emilia, to become a qualified ruler, a kind heart alone is not enough~"
"But..." Emilia bit her lower lip, a little worried in her amethyst eyes. "I'm worried I won't be able to handle the social occasions in the Royal Capital..."
"It's alright, Emilia-tan!" Natsuki Subaru stepped forward, patting his chest in assurance. "As your knight, I'll always be by your side."
He knew Roswaal had other plans, but for now, he could only go along with this guy's intentions. At least keeping Emilia in the Royal Capital was much safer than returning to that perilous mansion.
"Ara~ It seems Subaru-kun has already thought things through quite thoroughly~" A strange light flickered in Roswaal's mismatched pupils.
"Speaking of which, Emilia-tan can also take this opportunity to interact more with the other candidates and nobles currently staying in the Royal Capital." Natsuki Subaru paused for a moment, then continued speaking to Emilia, "This is not only a compulsory course for a Royal Selection candidate but also important preparation for future governance."
"So it is~" Roswaal chimed in, drawing out his tone, a playful glint in his mismatched pupils. "After all~ politics is a game between people~"
"That may be true..." Emilia gently bit her lower lip. "But there are still many unfinished matters at the mansion, and those are equally important..."
"Lady Emilia, Subaru is right. And also..." Rem spoke up at the opportune moment, saying to Emilia, "You've been working too hard recently for the Royal Selection, often staying up late. Resting a bit in the Royal Capital is also necessary for your health."
"Since everyone is being so considerate of me..." Emilia looked around at Natsuki Subaru and the others, her gaze lingering on each face for a moment. Finally, she revealed a gentle smile. "Then let's decide on that. But we'll stay for a week at most. After that, we must go back."
"That's great!" Natsuki Subaru almost jumped up, then, realizing he had overreacted, quickly added, "I mean... this arrangement is very reasonable."
"Don't be so boisterous. I'm not staying for fun, you know..." Emilia put her hands on her hips, pretending to be angry with a cute pout, but her eyes held a warm smile. "This week, I need to properly visit various nobles and exchange more experiences."
"Naturally..." Smiling as he spoke, Natsuki Subaru couldn't help but sigh in relief internally, his gaze unconsciously drifting towards the Knightly Order headquarters outside the window.
With Sword Saint Reinhard stationed in the Royal Capital, and the Royal Guard Knights patrolling day and night, I doubt those Witch Cultists and Sin Archbishops would dare to act rashly.
"Then~ since we've reached a consensus, I shall return to the mansion first~" Roswaal rose gracefully, his cloak drawing a magnificent arc in the air. He then turned to Rem at his side and instructed, "Rem, I'll leave things here to you~"
"Please leave it to Rem with peace of mind." Rem bowed respectfully, her blue hair swaying gently with the movement. "Roswaal-sama, please be careful on your journey. And please give my regards to my sister."
"No problem~" Roswaal replied in a sing-song tone, striding towards the door. Just as he was about to leave, Roswaal suddenly turned back and gave Natsuki Subaru a meaningful smile. "I look forward to Subaru-kun's... splendid performance~"
"Rest assured, as Lady Emilia's chief knight, I will certainly perform well." Natsuki Subaru showed a bright smile, pretending not to understand the deeper meaning in Roswaal's words. "Protecting Emilia's safety is my duty."
Then, watching Roswaal's retreating figure until the sound of his footsteps completely faded down the corridor, Natsuki Subaru finally let out a long sigh of relief, his shoulders visibly relaxing.
Finally got rid of that troublesome guy. Now, only myself, Rem, and Emilia are left in the Royal Capital. This gives Natsuki Subaru an unprecedented sense of security.
At least I don't have to constantly be on guard against Roswaal pulling some tricks behind my back. In a way, this guy is even harder to deal with than the Witch Cult.
Natsuki Subaru rubbed his temples, feeling his constantly tense nerves finally able to relax a bit.
And, given the modus operandi of those Witch Cult lunatics, while crazy, they're not entirely irrational. To launch an attack in the core area of the kingdom's Royal Capital, right under the noses of Sword Saint Reinhard and numerous high-ranking experts of the kingdom—they shouldn't be foolish enough to attempt such a suicidal act.
"In the Royal Capital, Emilia's safety shouldn't be an issue in the short term." Natsuki Subaru walked to the window, looking at the bustling streets below, and began to plan his next move.
Next, the key was to find reliable allies. Although with his current strength, plus Emilia, Rem, and Puck, they should theoretically be enough to deal with the threat of the Witch Cult.
But the problem was, Puck, that "god-tier beast of friendly fire," was fundamentally unreliable, and Roswaal could stab them in the back at any moment. And, more importantly, they were currently severely lacking intelligence about the Witch Cult.
With just himself, Emilia, Rem, and Ram, they were still too weak to confront the entire Witch Cult and the Sin Archbishops.
"Finding reliable allies in the Royal Capital is undoubtedly the safest choice." Natsuki Subaru clenched his fists, feeling the surging power within him.
The current him was countless times stronger than his counterpart in the original work at the same point in time. However, this realization didn't make him blindly confident in the slightest.
Natsuki Subaru knew better than anyone that personal strength, no matter how great, ultimately had its limits. Just like Sword Saint Reinhard, who stood at the pinnacle of the world; even someone that strong couldn't possibly handle everything personally. Power, no matter how immense, was ultimately limited by a single body.
"To thoroughly solve these problems, I must establish my own network of influence." This thought became increasingly clear in Natsuki Subaru's mind.
He suddenly recalled a certain IF route from the original work. In that timeline, he had successfully subdued the strongest ninja wolf-man, Halibel, and even brought the legendary warrior of the Vollachian Empire, Cecilus Segmunt, under his command.
Relying on modern knowledge and Return by Death, he rapidly expanded his forces. Although it ultimately led to the destruction of Aram Village, Roswaal's breakdown, and even a joint crusade by the Four Great Nations, it had to be admitted that that route did achieve astonishing success.
"Since the original work's IF line could achieve that much, perhaps I should also try to walk this path... but it absolutely cannot be that extreme." Natsuki Subaru mused internally, then forcefully shook his head, temporarily shelving this tempting yet dangerous idea.
What he needed was not that kind of extreme, at-all-costs expansion, but a more stable, more sustainable path of development.
_
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