Chapter 36 - 036 : The Closing of Conference

When the lives of everyone present were at the mercy his supremely powerful paw—the sudden sound of an inhalation sounded awfully loud.

"—Ho, ho, ho!"

The sight of Miklotov jubilantly slapping his thɨġhs seemed enormously out of place.

"Even my heart skipped a beat. Allow me to call this a most amusing presentation."

Miklotov's words caused Puck to drop his expression and shrug his shoulders.

"Mm, we're busted. See, Roswaal? I told you it wasn't good to overdo things."

That instant, the cold enveloping the chamber vanished. Amid the bewildered onlookers, Roswaal lightly smacked his own forehead.

"Oh myyy, and I had such confidence… It is so dispiiiriting."

"W-wait…! What in the world are you talking about?"

It seemed only Puck, Roswaal, and Miklotov were in on this elaborate joke. Roswaal finally shifted his gaze to the bewildered Bordeaux and said, "To put it simply—this exchange was the speech from Lady Emilia's camp. I understand that the format somewhat differs from that of the other candidates, but…"

Under Miklotov's gaze, Roswaal raised both hands in a show of surrender. it was Bordeaux who had the strongest sense of being had.

"That was acting… Acting, you say?! Then all this was a farce from start to finish! Roswaal! Damn you, what do you think this place is?!"

Puck began with an apology.

"Yes, yes, of course you're upset. I apologize. I deeply apologize. Forgive me. Sorry. My bad.—But everything I said was the truth."

The last part, though, made Bordeaux's heart beat louder. The little cat circled around the old man and added, "—The reason I'm not freezing you right now is Emilia's benevolence. Don't forget that."

Puck's voice was tranquil, yet somehow threatening. Bordeaux rebutted with an old man's stubbornness.

"A-and now you make threats. These words and this show of force convey, 'Do as I say or you shall be an icicle.' If this is not blackmail, what is…?!"

Then, Emilia wholeheartedly affirmed his suspicions.

"—Yes, I am threatening you." She continued, "I shall make my case to the esteemed members of the Council of Elders once more. My name is Emilia. I spent a long time in the Great Forest of Elior, the World of Eternal Frost, and am served by Puck, the Great Spirit that governs fire mana. I am a silver-haired half-elf. The people of the nearby villages called me…" Emilia paused, surveying the faces of the Council of Elders on the dais.

"…the Freezing Witch, born in the Frozen Forest."

Witch. At that word, the atmosphere in the chamber shifted. Everyone's mouths snapped shut, unable to speak; all save one, Miklotov, who was apparently made of sterner stuff than the rest.

"You displayed your power, and now you state your demands. Truly this is the way of a witch.—Then, what does the Freezing Witch seek in threatening us so?"

"I have but a single demand.—I simply want fair treatment."

"…Fair?"

"I understand I am regarded with prejudice, both for being a half-elf and a witch. But even so, I completely reject that this should rob me of this possibility."

"And so you dėsɨrė to be treated fairly as a candidate for the royal selection?"

No doubt her memories were filled with the inexpressible malice she had experienced on a daily basis. Surely being persecuted because of the circumstances of her birth had not occurred only once or twice.

"Fairness is an exceedingly valuable thing to me. That is the only thing I demand of you: to be treated impartially. In turn, I shall do nothing unjust, such as use my contracted spirit as a shield with which to usurp the royal throne."

That was surely one option available to Emilia. But she did not choose it, instead opting for a situation that, if anything, put her at a handicap. After all, as she explained, "Compared to the other candidates, I am inexperienced and lacking in too many areas. There is a mountain of things I do not know and that I must study. Even so, I believe my effort to reach my goal is no less than that of any other. And i also believe there is someone who will support me, he doing everything to support me in this royal selection, he even didn't tell me a single thing about it, but i believe in him. I believe in my effort and i believe in him"

Emilia continued, "I do not know if my efforts are worthy of the throne. But my dėsɨrė to make my efforts equal to the task is genuine. I believe these feelings are not unequal to those of the other candidates. Therefore, please look at me with unbiased eyes. Look at me as Emilia, of no family name, and see not the Freezing Witch, nor a silver-haired half-elf. Look at me."

The chamber fell into silence for a time. It was not that they were at a loss

for words. They were waiting.

Finally, Bordeaux, bathed in the gazes of all ȧssembled, sighed at great length.

"My view shall not change. It is unmistakable that your appearance, reminiscent of the Witch of Envy, will have ill effects upon the populace. It would place the royal selection in a precarious state."

His low voice had, to that point, argued against Emilia's position. A faint shadow formed around Emilia's violet eyes. But Bordeaux continued.

"However—sentiment is an area where none may intrude. Furthermore, it is something no one can do anything about, no matter what he may think. Even so, I apologize for my earlier rudeness.—No, I deeply apologize for my rudeness, Emilia-sama."

Bordeaux knelt then and there, displaying the greatest respect he could.

"You could freeze me where I stand if I do not submit to your will. Yet, even so, you have not, asking only for fair treatment.—This is an act worthy of respect."

Now that he was speaking calmly, Bordeaux's face was gentle and intellectual; now everyone could understand why he was on a Council of Elders.

His reply drove the shadow from Emilia's eyes, replaced by a brighter, more natural expression of joy at being accepted.

Her lips curled in a pleasant, flowery smile.

Bordeaux, under the full force of her gaze, lost his breath and turned red in the face.

Miklotov redirected the conversation.

"Though that was a rather stormy digression, enough has been said, I believe. Emilia-sama , Marquis Roswaal, and for the knight over there, you have anything left to say?"

"Well, i want just to add, from all of prospective Emilia is lacking in nearly everything fields but all of you didn't need to worry, the barren land beside Elior forest is now under Emilia name and we will make a grand city there, with this move we will bring a lrage amount of people from slum, so we can make capital city turn into a place free of slum, make a security in capital improve and many other benefit, we from Emilia camp already established an alliance with Anastasia camp to introduce many new product that not just improve the living standards of the people in this kingdom, we can also solve a problem of unemployment and make our economy improving" Arthur said all of this with place emphasis on the economy and slum "there will be many thing we will do, there is also a plan to start a negotiation with Crusch-sama to improve education in this kingdom so please wait for more good news from our camp"

Arthur end his speech and return to Emilia side but he see Emilia want to ask him something so he put his finger on top of her lip to stop her asking him.

"We will talk about it in the home, you can't make my speech gone to waste, if you ask me now they will found out everything is nothing to do with you"

Except for Arthur there is just another person who know part of his plan

"Really, if he can bought him i will paid for it no matter how much i need to spend.. grand city, economic development, education development, it's seems like it's not his limit, for the profit and finding interesting things, i need to continue our alliance"

And just like that Emilia turn is over and it's time for Felt turn, and just like in original, there is another commotion with Rom intentions to bring Felt out of castle and how Felt make a grand announcement about how she hate all of thing in this kingdom and stir the whole room.

Miklotov dipped his head as he gazed at the radiant row of royal candidates.

"Finally, all the candidates have been ȧssembled. I ask the Council of Elders, do we have a consensus?"

As Miklotov closed his eyes, the atmosphere around him shifted. The old man's voice carried the power of a strong will.

"—My brethren, I ask for your consent to announce that this royal selection shall begin with the five candidates ȧssembled to date."

"—By the authority of the Council of Elders, I ȧssent."

"And I."

"I ȧssent as well."

One by one, the members of the Council of Elders agreed to Miklotov's proposal with solemn nods. Listening to them until the end, Miklotov finally rose from his seat, walking beside the empty throne before opening his eyes.

"—Then, I shall announce the rules for the royal selection!"

Crusch's foremost knight, the Blue Knight, Felix Argyle.

"The candidates are Crusch Karsten, Priscilla Bariel, Anastasia Hoshin, Emilia, and Felt. All of these five bear the qualifications to be Dragon Maidens!"

Priscilla Bariel, the Bloody Bride.

The mercenary Al, one-armed wanderer from another world.

"The day shall be one month prior to the Dragonfriend Ceremony in three years, renewing the pact with the Dragon!"

The young company president from a foreign nation, Anastasia Hoshin.

Anastasia's foremost knight, the Finest of Knights, Julius Juukulius.

"The selection shall be made according to the guidance of the Dragon via the radiance of the Dragon Jewels and the combined will of the nation's people!"

Felt, of the lost royal bloodline (unconfirmed).

Felt's foremost knight, Reinhard van Astrea, the Sword Saint.

"Until the appointed day, all candidates for the throne shall work to uphold their own lands and the kingdom to the greatest possible extent!"

The silver-haired half-elf, Emilia, the Freezing Witch.

Emilia's foremost Knight, Arthur Spencer, The White Tiger.

"With the minimum conditions fulfilled, I hereby announce the royal selection has begun—!"

Miklotov's great shout filled the chamber with an incredible fervor. No one spoke, but they all were unable to contain their heartfelt cries.

Miklotov, feeling the waves of excitement rolling against him, straightened from his stoop and declared—

"Let the royal selection—commence!!"