Chapter 35 - 035 : Emergence of The Apocalypse Beast

With small interlude the conference is resume.

Marcus calling the candidates with their knight to talk about what they want to do after become a monarch.

And this time is Emilia turn.

"Members of the Council of Elders, it is my pŀėȧsurė to meet you for the first time. My name is Emilia. I have no family name. Please, simply call me Emilia."

Her name, spoken with a voice clear as a bell, seemed to engrave itself upon the very hearts of all present. Her voice did not quaver, and she gazed forward, steady and strong.

Arthur followed " and my name is Arthur Spencer, you don't need to searching where is my origin, it's because i also trying to find it, but if tou have a clue please share it with me"

"Mmmm. So she is nominated, not by the Knights of the Royal Guard, but by the Court Magician. I would very much like to hear the details of why this is so."

Miklotov gave Emilia a penetrating once-over. To Roswaal who is standing in the front row he continued, "Please provide us details about the candidate Emilia-sama, including her lineage."

"Understood. First, though I believe all present are well aware, I shall begin with the circumstances of Emilia-sama's biiirth. As you can see from her lovely silver hair, her skin so pale one can nearly see through her, violet eyes that seem to capture the very soul, and her voice, like a silver bell, one echoing unforgettably in the ears, even in one's dreams. As you well know, these enchanting qualities are proof that elven blood flows through Lady Emilia's veins."

A bald old man sitting among the Council of Elders interrupted Roswaal's explanation.

"And the other half of her blood is human—in other words, she is a half-elf?"

A vein bulged on the large-framed old man's forehead, hatred in his eyes shooting through Emilia as he spat out, "How dare you. Have you no shame, bringing this silver-haired half-demon filth before the royal throne?"

Miklotov countered, "Mr. Bordeaux, your words go too far."

"Mr. Miklotov, do you not understand? A silver-haired half-demon with an appearance matching the Witch of Envy as handed down by the old tales! She once consumed half of the world; she leads all living things to despair, chaos, and annihilation! Do not claim ignorance!"

"—"

"How much do you think your appearance and lineage alone makes others tremble? You ask us to place such a being on the royal throne? Inconceivable. Even the commoners of other nations would call us a collection of madmen, to say nothing of the people of the Dragon friend Kingdom of Lugunica—the nation where the Witch sleeps!"

"Are you finish with your bulshit?" Arthur glared to Bordeaux with cold eyes but a tug to his hand is remind him to not act like before "you mustn't worry about any other thing, but you kust worry when Emilia not hold my hand, at that time maybe i will wondering to skinning you alive before kill you, or skinning you alive then pouring honey on top of your skinless body and thrown you to ant nest before watching you died in agony -Ow!"

Arthur stop his threatening speach because of Emilia stomp his foot hardly.

But Bordeaux seemed like won't back down

"I understand veeery much. Master Bordeaux, speaking on behalf of the Council of Elders, expresses that the reaction of the populace upon seeing Lady Emilia would be of conceeern, yes?"

Roswaal raised a finger.

"Howeeever, perhaps you have forgotten, Master Bordeaux? The issue of which you speak has no beaaaring upon the royal selection whatsoever."

"…What do you mean?"

Roswaal lowered his voice as he looked up at the Council of Elders.

"If I may, it is preciiisely as Lady Priscilla stated at the beginning. Even if as a mere formality, there are five candidates, so the royal selection may begin. And if it begins, one need merely see it through, yes?"

Miklotov's eyes narrowed.

"Mmmm. In other words, you are saying that what is important is that the Dragon Jewel chose Lady Emilia, and that her actual suitability to succeed as monarch is…irrelevant?"

"Though it might be a cruuude way to put it, think of her as a stalking horse. Lady Emilia's appearance is very particular. Virtually no human being can look at her and not think of the Witch of Envy. She is easily employed as a pawn upon our chessboard."

And just like that, Roswaal denied all possibility of Emilia actually succeeding to the throne.

The sheer shock of it was enough to make Subaru completely forget his anger at Roswaal's earlier intemperate remarks.

He was Emilia's sponsor and backer, who knew just how hard Emilia was striving to be king, and yet he said that.

And he is also feel very angry to Arthur who didn't make a response to the talk between Roswaal and Bordeaux. Because of his personality he didn't remember Arthur said he was held back by Emilia to not interfere.

Bordeaux asked, "So the royal selection between five candidates would in actuality be between four?"

"Do you not think that reducing the options reduces the possibility of

dissolution? The current lack of a king invites other nations to intervene in our

internal affairs. Should we not prepare countermeasures to dimiiinish this

threat?"

Roswaal's suggestion sent Bordeaux into deep thought. The other members

of the Council of Elders appeared ready to say, Well, if it's like that…

To decide to abandon all of Emilia's hard work by the roadside to use her

as the stalking horse of the race.

An angry shout reverberated throughout the chamber.

"Don't give me that crap—!!"

As the echoes died, the hall was silent once again.

The only sound left in the hushed chamber was the ragged breathing of the

boy who had called out—Subaru.

With his face red with anger, the back of Subaru's mind announced, Now

you've done it.

But it was too late to back out now. He could not retreat.

Now that Subaru had walked forward out of the blue, Roswaal turned his head and gave him a cold look.

"I did not think you were this obtuse. This is not a place for the likes of yooou to speak. Apologize and leave."

"Don't give me that crap. I said what I meant. And I'll add this. You all should be apologizing"

"If you really think the best for Emilia you must shut up your mouth now" Arthur decide to interfere because after this time there will be show need to do.

"And who do you think you're?! You said you're her knight but look at what you do now! You just stood there and did nothing! What about knight! In my eyes knight is nothing!"

Before Subaru can speak any other word Arthur appear in front of him and grab his face

Subaru want to revolt but a cold sensation is spreading from his feat upward to his body, and in blink of an eye Subaru turn into a human ice sculpture.

"Leave"

"Arthur"

And as the onlookers gaped, a voice, clear as a bell, spoke with the same frigid tone.

"—That is enough. I shall permit no further violence in my presence. If you wish to continue this—"

Emilia's resolute voice was followed by a more neutral one.

"—Then I am prepared to wield my power as my beloved daughter demands."

Dubious eyebrows rose at the source of the voice, but the next moment, everyone noticed it—the biting cold spreading throughout the chamber manifesting the Great Spirit's frigid anger.

The little gray cat folded his arms, making a small snort with his pink nose as he slowly floated down. His black eyes were frozen in an expression of

unprecedented coldness.

"You lowly humans are saying quite some things in front of my daughter."

"—"

As Puck's emotionless gaze swept the area, the strongest reactions came from the knights. Their swords were already drawn as they raised their guard toward the small cat floating above their heads And their wary gazes also contained something that looked like fear.

Miklotov's hoarse murmur struck the silent gallery like a thunderbolt.

"—The Apocalypse Beast of Eternal Frost."

Upon hearing these words, Puck's ears twitched as he answered the old man.

"Ah, that's right, some people have called me that. Seems you're informed for a youngin."

Though everyone else was tense, Miklotov's razor-sharp wit permitted him to maintain his cool in Puck's presence.

"To be treated like a youngster at my age is an experience I ought to treasure deeply."

Puck responded to the old man's attitude with a pompous flick of his tail.

"You are free to call me whatever you like. But if you want details about who and what I am, you should ask him over there, not me."

At Puck's suggestion, Miklotov called out to Roswaal.

"I suppose so… Lord Roswaal?"

Accepting the call, Roswaal solemnly lowered his head before motioning to Puck and Emilia with one hand each.

"As you have surmised, Lord Miklotov… This is a supernatural being, one of the Great Spirits of yore, known to our forefathers as the Apocalypse Beast of the Eternal Frost. And currently, he is Lady Emilia's contracted spirit."

Bordeaux's fixed Puck with a stare, his voice hoarse from the extent of his shock.

"It can't be! One of the Four Great Spirits in someone's service…and that of a half-demon at that!"

But not even the old man could summon the courage to point at a being capable of turning him into an ice sculpture.

"That youngin included, the lot of you should all be grateful to Lia that I'm not turning this place into a glacier right now. My cute, beloved daughter pleaded to me, so I will behave.—If she wasn't stopping me, you'd all be icicles right now."

The casual way he said it only made the threat seem that much frostier, chilling all those in the chamber to the bone. Faced with his presence, it was all too clear that he was making no boast.