Halfway through my meal, a stray thought hit me. Wait… I still don't actually know what changed. I should've been brought to Roswaal's estate with Emilia, right? That's how it went in the anime. So what happened differently?
I set my fork down for a second, glancing at Reinhard. "Hey, Reinhard. Mind filling me in on what exactly happened after I passed out?"
He took a moment to finish chewing before answering. "Ah, of course. After you lost consciousness, Miss Emilia did her best to close most of your wounds, but I decided it would be safer to bring you to someone I trust, someone who could properly tend to you."
"I see," I murmured, cutting into another bite of food, idly playing with it on my plate as I spoke. "And what about Emilia? I'm guessing she's not here."
Reinhard gave a small nod. "Correct. She wished to bring you along, but I… reasoned it was better if I handled it. You were in far worse shape than anyone realised. I feared that if we waited even an hour longer without proper care, your internal injuries might have taken your life."
He paused, then added gently, "If you're worried about her, there's no need. Emilia-sama was unharmed through the entire ordeal. She mentioned she'd come by to check on you soon."
I sat quietly for a moment, letting the words settle. "I see. Well… sounds like everything worked out, then." I gave a small shake of my head, brushing a stray lock of hair from my face, and met Reinhard's gaze. "Thanks, though. For bringing me here. From what you're saying, sounds like I'd be dead if you hadn't."
Reinhard gave a small, modest smile at that, lowering his gaze for a moment. "There's no need to thank me. I simply did what any friend would."
He paused a moment, expression softening. "I couldn't turn my back after everything. Not when you'd risked so much for others… and not when I could still do something about it. Titles and duties aside, you're a friend, and that's all the reason I needed. Perhaps if I'd been fast enough, you wouldn't have been injured at al-"
However, during this entire conversation, a certain blonde-headed girl grew more and more restless, irritation flickering in her expression, with her foot tapping under the table until she finally snapped.
Felt shot up from her seat, slamming her palms onto the table with a sharp thud. "Don't just pretend like I'm not here! Nothing you're saying explains why I have to be here too!" she shouted, glaring between the two of us like we'd just forgotten she existed.
Reinhard, ever calm, turned toward her, but his expression shifted. That easygoing warmth faded, replaced with something firmer, quieter, and serious. "Before I give you an explanation, I would like to reconfirm something." Then, he quickly rose from his chair and stepped over to her, reaching into his pocket. His hand opened, palm up, revealing a small, familiar red-jewelled insignia.
Felt's eyes widened. "Wait… you had one of those things too?!"
Reinhard nodded. "Miss Felt, if you would… hold this for a moment."
She scowled, eyeing it like it might bite, but hesitantly took it. Last time she'd touched one of those, she got bombarded with questions and then knocked out. Still, hoping to get this over with faster, she complied.
The second it settled in her palm, the gem glowed faintly.
Felt blinked down at it. "Huh? Wait… it always does that, right?"
Reinhard's gaze didn't waver. "No. It only reacts this way to priestesses chosen by the Dragon."
A beat of silence passed before he returned to his seat, leaving Felt holding the insignia, her face stuck somewhere between confusion and irritation.
"There's no mistaking it," Reinhard said, voice steady. "The Dragon's Insignia has acknowledged you, Miss Felt."
"Eh?!" Felt's head whipped towards him, her finger jabbing in his direction in an accusatory manner. "Hold up! What the hell does that even mean?! What are you even talking about!?"
Reinhard folded his hands neatly. "In Lugnica, during times when the royal bloodline fails and no heir remains, we entrust the choice of our next ruler to the Divine Dragon. By ancient decree, five priestesses are chosen by fate and marked by the Dragon's Insignia. Those five will contest in what's known as the Royal Selection - a trial to decide who out of the five is worthy of becoming the next ruler of this kingdom. The people of Lugunica decide the winner."
I kept eating through all of it, not feeling the need to get involved.... but even if I had no reason to. It's not like it won't be funny to tease. "Is that so? Then doesn't that mean she's a princess? What an amusing turn of events. Who would have thought?" I then continued to eat, as Felt's gaze snapped to me, before she shouted again.
Felt's head snapped toward me, eyes blazing. "Wait a goddamn minute! There's no way in hell I'm some kind of princess!" she snapped right back to Reinhard.
Reinhard, patient as ever, replied smoothly. "In this case, whether you wish to be or not is irrelevant. The Divine Dragon has recognised you as a priestess and candidate for the throne. There's no undoing that. However, I would be honoured to assist you in any way, Lady Felt."
"Well, I never asked to be ruler of this stupid country!" Felt barked back, slamming her palm against the table again.
Reinhard visibly faltered, a hint of confusion breaking through his calm. "So… you don't wish to participate in the Royal Selection?"
"HELL NO!" Felt shot back without hesitation. "I get to choose what I want to do with my life, not some dumb ancient lizard or some damn glowing red rock!"
Reinhard brought a hand to his chin in thought, frowning faintly. "I… hadn't anticipated this reaction. But yes, if you truly wish it, you have the right to withdraw."
"I can decline? Then why the hell am I still here!?" Felt snapped, her temper flaring. True to form, she bolted forward and aimed a kick at him, which Reinhard effortlessly caught midair and gently lowered without so much as a blink.
"Please don't worry, Lady Felt," he replied smoothly. "There's still a reason you're needed here."
"Stop keeping me in the damn dark already! Just tell me what I gotta do so I can get outta this mess!" she barked, crossing her arms, glaring daggers at him.
Reinhard gave a calm nod. "Once the Royal Selection is formally announced, you'll have the opportunity to officially withdraw."
"That's it, right? No other dumb crap you're hiding from me?" she demanded.
He paused briefly at the language, but ultimately nodded. "As far as I'm aware, that's how it stands."
Felt let out a long, frustrated sigh and slumped back in her chair. "Fine, fine. When's this thing even happening?"
Reinhard considered for a moment. "Unfortunately, I can't give you a precise date. There are too many variables - political tensions, preparations, and the readiness of the other candidates. It could take a while. Perhaps a month, if fortune favours us."
Felt shot up from her seat again, scowling. "A month!? You're telling me I'm stuck here for a goddamn month!?"
"If all proceeds smoothly, then yes," he confirmed with a sharp nod, unfazed by her rising agitation.
She growled, visibly restraining herself, then slumped back in her seat with an irritated sigh. "You really are good at pissing me off. It's like a goddamn talent." A second later, she jabbed a finger at Reinhard. "Fine, but things better go smooth, or I'll kick your ass so hard you'll forget what peace even means!"
The knight let out a light laugh at the threat. "Then I'll be sure to work twice as hard, Miss Felt."
An awkward silence briefly hung in the air before I decided to speak up. "How informative, but I must ask. Am I free to leave?"
"Oh, Shiro—um, well," Reinhard started, glancing over, "I'd like to be certain your injuries are fully healed before that, but I don't see any probl-"
"Like hell you are! If I'm stuck in this mess, then you're staying in it with me till the end! You got that?!" Felt cut in sharply, pointing straight at me.
I blinked, then snorted in amusement. Huh. Unexpected, but cute. I wonder why she's this attached, though?
"Oh, no, no. You're mistaken," I said, grinning. "I don't plan on leaving. If Rein is willing to let me stay, I'll stick around. Besides, I can't just leave you here, especially knowing how alone you'd be~" I teased.
Then I stepped closer and reached up to ruffle her hair. "I've got nowhere else to go anyway, so might as well stay put."
Felt flinched at the contact, clearly not expecting it. Her expression shifted rapidly, from enjoyment, to annoyance, to anger, and something unfamiliar, before she finally exploded, pushing my hand away. "H-HEY QUIT IT! It's just fair, ok! B-but don't touch me out of nowhere, like that!" She stepped out of the head pat range while pushing my hand.
Now, if I were a brainless idiot (cough cough, lolimance, cough cough), I would've evaded her boundaries and kept ruffling, but I am not. I knew that this was enough for her comfort levels.
"Alright alright, fine~" I chuckled, holding my hands up. "but you didn't den~y the loneliness pa~art~"
"HEY!" she barked, turning her head sharply and crossing her arms with a loud, pointed hmph. "Don't be a dumbass. As if."
"So you're denying my friendship, then? Oh, how miserable I am… Rejected! How shall I go on?" I clutched at my chest dramatically.
But out of the corner of my eye, I caught her sneaking a glance at me, lips twitching into an amused smile. "Hah! Maybe try harder next time."
Reinhard, still wearing that serene knightly smile, stepped forward. "If I may, I'd like to make a suggestion. I believe two friends might enjoy partaking in activities like sparring… or perhaps a walk through the shopping district," he smiled, trying to be friendly.
turning around, I said, "Huh, not a bad idea. Though I suppose I'll be unfit for combat for a while, so the better option is probably to hit the market for a bit. Of course, if you're paying. im broke as fu-hell."
Felt snorted. "That doesn't sound bad. But will he even let us out?" Her expression twitched into a faint scowl.
Reinhard nodded thoughtfully. "If it's the three of us, I see no issue. In fact, I intended to visit someone today anyway. Besides, I never said you couldn't go outside."
Felt's head snapped up. "Wait—so I can leave!?"
He shook his head. "It's… a little more complicated. Until the Royal Selection business is settled, I have to keep you within my custody."
Felt growled, stomping a foot. "I already told you, don't treat me like some kinda dog!"
Reinhard blinked, tilting his head like a puzzled puppy himself. "I'm sorry, Miss Felt, but I don't recall ever implying such a thing."
"Don't play dumb! You keep saying I gotta stay with you all the damn time, like some goddamn mutt!"
"That is correct, but i still don't see where you being compared to a dog was brought up?"
"That's correct," Reinhard said with an earnest nod. "But… I still don't see where a comparison to a dog was made."
I grinned. "Maybe it's 'cause she instinctively thinks of herself as one, you know, because of the bit—OW!?"
I barely got halfway through before Felt's teeth sank into my hand.
"IF I HEAR YOU SAY THAT AGAIN, I'LL SHOVE A DOG IN YOUR FACE!"
"Alright, alright! Sorry, sorry, I surrender!" I laughed, pulling my hand away and waving it in mock surrender. "How about we just go out already?"
.
.
.
A beat of quiet passed before Felt let out a sigh. "Yeah… yeah, that actually sounds kinda nice."
"A walk would do us good," Reinhard agreed with a calm smile.
Then, Felt kicked him in the shin. No warning, no reason, ok maybe reason. But the red-headed trauma weapon had no understanding of it.
A/N - hope you liked it. some life of slice before the plot realises that this is re:zero.