Castle, Royal Capital Assembly Hall.
After encountering Reinhard, Shendu, in her capacity as Emilia's knight, began chatting idly with the others to pass the time.
"By the way, Ferris, becoming Crusch's knight—you're not that simple, are you?"
Shendu looked at Ferris, a certain guess forming in her mind.
"That's right. Ferris' magical attainments are extraordinary. He's ranked number one on the entire continent in water magic."
Before Ferris could respond, Julius offered a brief introduction, which made Ferris look slightly embarrassed.
From his explanation, Shendu learned that Ferris possessed the Divine Protection of Water, which enhanced the strength and potency of water magic. His level of control and proficiency ranked first as well.
After demonstrating his strength, Ferris had earned the title of "Blue," signifying that he stood at the pinnacle of that attribute's combat power.
As a member of the Karsten family and the knight most trusted by Crusch, he also handled diplomatic duties in daily affairs.
In many respects, Crusch's current achievements were largely due to Ferris' efforts.
"Ferris, it seems I underestimated you. You're truly impressive."
Shendu could not help offering praise, gaining a deeper understanding of him.
"Ferris is a gentle and powerful knight. That is precisely why Lady Crusch chose him as her knight."
"Being selected alone is enough to prove his ability."
Julius offered a simple evaluation, which made Ferris even more bashful.
"Meow, please don't praise me like that. I'll get conceited. You're all outstanding as well, aren't you? Meow."
Ferris scratched his head. Two faint blushes appeared on his face, and his feminine aura was unmistakable.
Shendu found herself speechless. It was as though some artist had deliberately drawn a girl and declared her to be a man. Certain things in this world were simply inexplicable.
"Alright, everyone, it's about time. Let's move over."
Reinhard spoke softly. Shendu and the others did not refuse. They slowly walked toward the area where the knights stood, maintaining some distance from the five candidates.
Ahead were the five elders of the Council of Wise Men. Though slightly farther away, they remained near the center of the assembly.
Miklotov, the Second Seat of the Council of Wise Men, glanced toward Akane and the others standing at the edge. After pondering briefly, he cleared his throat and chose to speak.
"Miss Akane, as Vice President of the Divine Dragon Merchant Guild, you and your attendants may stand together with the knights as well."
"As an emerging power, you possess the right to speak."
Miklotov's tone was serious. Everyone's gaze shifted toward the red-clad, red-eyed woman, accompanied by a servant dressed in black, observing them carefully.
"Very well."
Akane did not refuse. Leading Elsa at her side, she walked forward, unconcerned with the surrounding stares.
She stopped not far from Shendu. Casting her a deep look, Akane smiled faintly. Shendu returned the smile in kind.
Seeing this newly arrived woman, Reinhard glanced at her companion and his pupils contracted slightly.
He had heard plenty of rumors beforehand. Upon seeing Elsa, a possibility immediately came to mind.
"Miss Shendu, I have seen the servant beside that woman before. What is her relationship to you?"
Reinhard had already realized that the woman was the infamous Bowel Hunter. Her appearance at the Royal Selection venue was deeply perplexing.
"Hehe, I won't answer that question. You'll find out soon enough."
Shendu shook her head, refusing to respond. There was no need to answer now—the moment of revelation was close at hand.
"Sigh... very well."
Knowing Shendu would not utter another word, Reinhard could only respond helplessly and say nothing further.
...
"I've heard the Divine Dragon Merchant Guild is quite formidable now—ample funds and vast connections, meow. That's why the council invited them to participate in this Royal Selection. They say they'll choose one candidate to support, meow."
Ferris was well-informed about the guild. Since its emergence, he had attempted to make contact, but every effort had failed.
As for whether the guild would support the half-elf Emilia as rumored, Ferris could not be certain. He could only wait and see.
"I'm rather curious who they'll choose."
Shendu looked toward Emilia, a smile tugging at her lips, anticipation flickering in her eyes.
"What turbulent times."
Hearing their exchange, Julius could not help but sigh in exasperation.
When it came to interacting with the guild, Julius had firsthand experience. He had attempted to build a relationship with Akane, hoping the guild would not suppress them too harshly.
The result, however, was a complete failure. He had been thoroughly beaten by Akane and thrown out of the guild's premises—an utter stroke of misfortune.
Once the relevant personnel had gathered, a middle-aged knight stepped forward onto the platform. He surveyed the participants of the Royal Selection and began to speak clearly.
"Due to the absence of royal blood among the candidates, I, Marcos, Captain of the Royal Guard, will preside over this Royal Selection assembly."
"We entrust this to you."
Miklotov looked toward the middle-aged knight and nodded in agreement.
Seeing this, the knight bowed deeply and began officiating the Royal Selection.
"As everyone knows, today's assembly has been convened to elect a new monarch. Everything began half a year ago. Starting with the late king, the royal bloodline has gradually come to an end. Now stands the crucial moment that will determine the kingdom's survival."
His words drew widespread agreement from the audience.
Only Shendu remained calm. In her eyes, the so-called Council of Wise Men were the true powers above the throne, holding the authority to designate the queen.
Fortunately, she had already completed her infiltration of the council. The game had only just begun.
"A nation cannot stand without a ruler—not least because of our covenant with the Divine Dragon. Without a Dragon Priestess capable of communicating with the dragon, once the allotted time passes, the Divine Dragon will depart from the Great Waterfall, and the kingdom will fall into peril. After all, we are surrounded by powerful enemies on every side."
The middle-aged knight elaborated passionately. Most of those present understood the gravity of the situation.
Compared to the kingdom, the surrounding nations surpassed them in strength, economy, and overall development. A direct confrontation would almost certainly lead to national ruin.
Without the protection of the Divine Dragon, they would lose their greatest trump card and be forced to face those enemies head-on.
Thus, preserving that protection was their intention. The majority of the kingdom's conservative faction believed the same. Only by maintaining the Divine Dragon's guardianship could the kingdom continue to endure.
It was precisely because of this reasoning that the Royal Selection had officially begun. Only once a queen was chosen would this matter finally come to an end.