Player's Journey In Anime World

Five days flew by in the blink of an eye.

Early that morning, a modestly decorated dragon carriage arrived at the capital's main gate. Inside it was Emilia, a participant in the royal selection. Strangely, aside from Emilia, the only other passengers were Rem, who was driving the carriage, and the usually silent Anastasia. Missing from the group was Ryou, Emilia's teacher and half her strategist. The atmosphere between Emilia and Anastasia had been heavy throughout the journey.

Emilia tried to build rapport with Anastasia, but aside from Ryou, Anastasia treated everyone else coldly. Despite several attempts to strike up a conversation, Emilia was met with nothing but curt responses like "Mm" or "Ah." If Emilia had been naturally talkative, she might have carried the conversation herself, but she was not. Under such circumstances, any effort to connect fell flat. Emilia didn't take the coldness personally, but Puck, ever the doting father figure, was displeased by Anastasia's attitude and leaped out to protest. Unfortunately for him, might make right; Anastasia immediately silenced him with an ice spell.

With this subtle tension lingering, the carriage moved steadily toward the capital. Fortunately, the Witch Cult had already been severely weakened, ensuring a smooth and uneventful journey.

However, just as Rem was about to drive the carriage through the city gates, an unexpected event occurred.

"Hey! Stop that dragon carriage!"

Though the journey had been peaceful, the carriage was abruptly halted by a guard at the gate.

"You people look suspicious! Where are you from? Speak up!" one of the soldiers barked, brandishing his spear in an imposing manner.

At first glance, the soldier appeared righteous, but as soon as his eyes landed on the passengers—Emilia and Anastasia—his gaze lingered, betraying his interest. When he finally noticed Emilia's distinctive silver hair and pointed elf ears, he snapped back to his senses, startled. Still, the exchange was enough for Rem to narrow her eyes in quiet disgust.

Pointing to the noble crest on the carriage, she replied coldly, "This is the dragon carriage of the Margrave of Roswaal. We've come from the Mathers territory."

Normally, the Mathers family crest was enough to avoid scrutiny, but this time was different. Rem assumed the heightened security was due to the royal selection. To her surprise, the soldier showed no regard for their crest.

"Roswaal? Mathers?"

The soldier scoffed.

"You probably don't know this yet, but the Mathers family has already been stripped of their noble title by a joint decision of the Council of Wise Men and the House of Nobles. Didn't you know? Are you spies sent by the Vollachia Empire? Speak up!"

This revelation took Rem and Emilia by surprise. They had anticipated opposition after Roswaal's fall from grace, but not such insidious accusations.

The soldier noted their hesitation, and a glint of triumph flashed in his eyes. Straightening up, he declared, "Speechless, huh? Spies surrender now!"

His loud proclamation drew the attention of others waiting to enter the city. Whispers spread quickly, with most comments focused on Emilia, whose resemblance to the infamous Witch of Envy had not gone unnoticed.

In the past, such scrutiny would have unnerved Emilia. Without the training she'd undergone under Ryou and Semiramis, she might have faltered. But now, Emilia remained composed, as if the onlookers were no more than a field of potatoes. Their stares and murmurs didn't faze her in the slightest.

This level of grace and confidence was a far cry from her earlier self, and even the twins, Ram and Rem, who had watched her grow, felt admiration. Emilia had worked tirelessly to realize her cherished dream.

While Emilia maintained her calm, Rem struggled to restrain herself in the face of the soldier's baseless accusations.

"Enough!" she snapped.

"We've come to participate in the royal selection, and Lady Emilia is one of the five candidates chosen by the Divine Dragon!"

The soldier's confidence wavered for a moment, but he quickly steeled himself, recalling a certain lord's promise.

"You say you're here for the royal selection? Do you have any proof? And besides, how could she—" he jabbed a finger at Emilia, "—a half-demon, be one of the five candidates chosen by the Divine Dragon? There must be some mistake!"

"You—!"

Rem gritted her teeth at his insolence, her hand inching toward the hem of her skirt where her Morningstar lay hidden. She was on the verge of striking him when the commotion escalated further, causing the gate to grow increasingly congested.

Then, a clear male voice rang out.

"What's going on here?"

A man with purple hair and golden eyes, dressed in knightly attire, approached.

"It's Lord Julius!" someone in the crowd exclaimed.

This man was none other than Julius Juukulius, the vice-captain of the Royal Guard and widely known as the Finest Knight.

The soldier harassing Rem quickly pointed at her and said, "Lord Julius, you've arrived just in time! These people are acting suspiciously, and I suspect they're spies from another country. They even tried to force their way into the city!"

"You're lying!"

Rem glared furiously at the soldier, realizing he was trying to twist the situation.

Julius's golden eyes surveyed the scene, observing everyone's reactions. Coupled with recent intelligence, he swiftly pieced together the truth. It was clear someone was targeting their allies from the shadows.

Although the alliance was tenuous and the treaty not yet broken, Julius, as a knight and a man of honor, had no intention of betraying his allies.

"The lady in the carriage is indeed Emilia, one of the five candidates participating in the royal selection. I vouch for her in my capacity as the vice-captain of the Royal Guard."

The soldier's eyes briefly flashed with disappointment and frustration. But with someone of Julius's stature backing them, he had no choice but to relent.

"Well, since Lord Julius is vouching for you, I'll let it slide this time. Hey! Aren't you going to thank Lord Julius?"

The soldier maintained an air of superiority, waving them through as if doing them a favor.

Rem tugged on the reins, and the carriage rolled into the capital.

At Emilia's invitation, Julius joined them in the carriage. As it disappeared from view, the soldier spat in their direction.

"That half-demon thinks she's all high and mighty. Does she believe she can win the royal selection and become queen?"

Noticing the wary looks from the people around him, the soldier snarled, "What are you staring at? Keep it up, and I'll arrest you all!"

The crowd—peasants, hunters, and itinerant merchants of low status—quickly averted their gazes. Satisfied, the soldier puffed out his chest and strutted around like a king among dogs.

After a brief patrol, he slipped into a nearby house.

Inside, a middle-aged man in a refined butler's uniform sat calmly. Upon seeing him, the soldier broke into a fawning smile and hurried over.

"My lord, I followed your instructions... but the vice-captain of the Royal Guard, Julius, showed up, and I couldn't do anything."

The butler regarded him coldly.

"You did well enough. When His Highness ascends the throne, you'll be rewarded."

The soldier's face lit up.

"I'll serve His Highness with all my strength!"

"See that you do. His Highness won't forget your efforts."

The butler patted the soldier's shoulder with an encouraging smile.

"Thank you, my lord! Thank you!"

"Now leave."

"Yes, my lord!"

The soldier retreated with a humble grin, closing the door behind him. Alone, the butler's expression turned sinister, his lips curling into a mockery-laden smirk.

"Fool."

He stood and gazed out the window in the direction of Emilia's carriage.

"A half-demon competing for the throne? This is only the appetizer."

...

In the carriage, Emilia exchanged pleasantries with Julius.

"Thank you for your assistance, Lord Julius," she said with a gentle smile.

"No thanks are necessary. It's my duty," Julius replied, though a flicker of confusion crossed his face.

Something about Emilia had changed, but he couldn't pinpoint what. Burying his doubts, he hesitated before speaking again.

"If I may speak frankly, Lady Emilia, many forces are targeting you and trying to eliminate you from the royal selection early."

Emilia, however, remained composed.

"Thank you for the warning, Lord Julius. But once the royal selection officially begins, they'll have less time to trouble us."

Her calmness surprised Julius. Though targeted, she seemed unfazed. Her demeanor made him regard her in a new light.

Still, since she wasn't his lord—and might even become an enemy—he held back further words. Finding an excuse, Julius eventually left the carriage.

Upon arriving at their destination, they were met with unwelcome news.

"What do you mean everything's been confiscated?!"

After a long day of travel, they'd hoped to rest. Instead, they were informed that all the Mathers family properties in the capital had been seized.

"This is outright bullying!"

Rem fumed, glaring at the middle-aged man before them. He was dressed in fine attire with a monocle and exuded the air of a bureaucrat.

In reality, he held a high position in the Council of Wise Men, overseeing land matters in the capital.

"It's exactly as I said," he replied, producing an official document sealed by the Council of Wise Men.

"If you wish to file a complaint, submit it through proper channels. The minimum processing time is two months."

His tone was official, but the smugness in his eyes was unmistakable.

Rem clenched her fists, tempted to strike him with her Morningstar, but Emilia's gentle voice stopped her.

"Rem, let it go for now. We'll find an inn to stay in."

Despite the injustice, Emilia's calm demeanor helped soothe Rem's anger. Over time, Emilia's training had transformed her into someone radiating serenity and kindness.

As the carriage drove away, the bureaucrat scoffed.

"A half-demon in an inn? Not if the Council has anything to say about it."

And so it proved.

Every inn they visited turned them away, citing ridiculous excuses. Rooms were "full," inns were "under renovation," or the owner was conveniently "on vacation."

It became evident: no one would house them while Emilia was with them.