At this moment, both sides stood at the brink of drawing blades against one another. In that instant, everyone present—including the knights and ministers—froze instinctively. The civil officials even staggered back half a step in fright. Under normal circumstances, they would not have reacted so reflexively, but the power of that previous strike had been far too exaggerated.
The proof lay in the distance. The once resplendent golden wall had been carved open by a massive gash several meters tall. From the cross-section, corrosive purple energy intermittently seeped out. Through the opening, one could even see sunlight and the town beyond.
"Wah! W-wait—! Self-defense is one thing, but isn't this a bit over the top~?!"
Standing in front of Priscilla, Al found both hands trembling on the hilt of his sword. Beneath his helmet, cold sweat trickled down his forehead. That blade of light had brushed past him just moments ago—he could still feel the residual heat against his skin.
"Al~? You look dreadful."
Priscilla scoffed at him, then cast a sidelong glance at the sliced-open wall behind her. She frowned slightly before looking back at the Shogun.
"You truly did not disappoint me, Mio~. However, following that silver-haired half-elf—is that not somewhat a waste of your talents?"
She smiled, covering her lips with her folding fan as she gently fanned herself. There was not a trace of fear in her voice, only her usual peculiar tone of teasing amusement.
"..."
The Shogun offered no reply.
"Well~? Mio~ Would you care to join my camp?"
Priscilla asked.
"I must refuse. This vessel has no desire to associate with someone who refuses to eat apple peels and has been thoroughly pampered."
The Shogun returned the mockery with a hint of playful amusement.
"!"
Hearing the obvious jab at herself, Priscilla's slender brows furrowed in rare chilliness. Her fingers tightened around the folding fan.
"..."
Noticing the shift in her expression, the Shogun revealed a faint, breathtaking smile—as if to say, Was I wrong, Miss Priscilla?
"So, does this mean you intend to become my enemy now, Mio?"
Unlike her earlier tone, Priscilla's voice finally turned cold. Her wine-red eyes narrowed dangerously as she stared at her.
"I believe you misunderstand, Miss Priscilla. From the very beginning, we have been enemies."
She corrected her calmly, then glanced at Emilia beside her and gave a subtle signal.
"(Nod)"
Emilia understood her intent and nodded in agreement.
"Hehe~ I see~ Al~?"
Priscilla called out to the knight before her.
"At your service!"
He responded.
"I will deal with that half-elf."
A simple instruction.
"Understood, I—"
"You will deal with her."
She gestured toward the Shogun.
"Uh... Princess, that's a bit..."
You're asking the impossible!!
That previous strike had already terrified him!
"Useless~! Even if you cannot win, at least have some spirit~!"
Priscilla loudly berated her subordinate.
"Priscilla, that's enough!"
At that moment, Crusch stepped in from behind her. The heroic woman in men's attire coldly reprimanded the troublemaking noble princess.
"Who allowed you to contradict me, vulgar woman?!"
Already in a foul mood, Priscilla erupted once more upon hearing the defiance. Brilliant red particles burst from her body. Her golden hair billowed, and her crimson eyes flared as she glared icily at Crusch behind her.
Whoosh!!
Her folding fan glowed with sharp scarlet light as she swung it toward her opponent.
Bang!
In that instant, Crusch read her movement perfectly. Drawing her treasured sword in one swift motion, wind-element radiance surged around her body and gathered upon the blade, precisely blocking Priscilla's attack.
Boom! Boom!
"Ugh!" ×N
The scattered sparks from Priscilla's burst of flames were instantly amplified by Crusch's wind power into scorching gusts that swept toward the surrounding ministers, forcing them to shield their faces with their sleeves in disarray.
"Princess!"
Al reacted at once, intending to assist his master, but Felix had already appeared at his side.
"Don't move, meow..."
The cat-eared knight raised a hand, gathering water-like particles in his palm and aiming them at Al's temple. His voice was cold as he warned him, immediately halting his movement.
"Tch..."
Al clicked his tongue unwillingly.
"I may not be a combat-oriented knight, but when it comes to support... I'm fairly capable, meow. So don't try anything funny."
Felix warned him again, expression frosty.
The scene had grown increasingly chaotic. The surrounding ministers panicked, as did the council members at the front, each wiping sweat from their brows.
"Hey~! You people! How many times have I said it? Time is money! Don't waste my money!!"
Having reached her limit, Anastasia stamped her foot angrily while shouting at the group on the verge of breaking into full combat.
"Julius!"
After speaking, she glanced at the half-scorched shawl over her shoulder, burned by that earlier blade of light. The more she thought about it, the more she felt at a loss. Her gaze sharpened toward the culprit—the purple-haired woman—and she loudly called out to her subordinate.
"At once!!"
Julius, who had not yet joined the fray, immediately fixed his eyes on Emilia's position—more precisely, on the Shogun beside her. Regardless of the near injury to the lady he served, yesterday's slap alone was enough to strip away his patience. A surge of suppressed fury erupted within him.
He wanted to return it.
Bang!
With that thought, he kicked off the ground and lunged forward like a beast, drawing his sword and slashing straight toward the purple-haired woman's chest. But unexpectedly—
"...?"
The Shogun merely flicked her gaze toward him before vanishing in a flash and colliding with him head-on.
Bang!
A shockwave instantly spread outward, once again capturing the attention of the onlookers.
When the smoke cleared, the sight before them was this—
The Shogun held his blade effortlessly in one hand, bending it aside with ease, while her other hand pressed the long shaft of her naginata against Julius's throat. A thin line of blood had already been drawn.
"!!"
Julius had not even reacted in that instant. By the time he came to his senses, his face had already gone deathly pale. He looked at the sword in his hand—it had been caught barehanded and forcibly twisted aside without drawing even a drop of blood. He could hear the blade creaking under the pressure of her grip.
This monster!!!
Yes. If this were the battlefield, he would already be dead. The cold blade pressed beneath his jaw was proof enough.
"Still not behaving, are you, boy...? Perhaps that slap was too light~?"
Using the flat of her naginata like a teasing palm, the Shogun lightly patted his cheek back and forth, her tone thick with mockery.
"Wh—! Julius—!!"
Crash!!
Seeing Julius subdued in a single, decisive instant, Anastasia moved to step forward—only to suddenly feel her legs encased in solid ice, frozen to the ground. Crystalline icicles shimmered into existence around her, all pointing in her direction.
"!!"
Her body trembled as she looked toward Emilia, who was staring at her coldly from afar.
"...Lady Anastasia!!"
Witnessing this, Julius instantly panicked and shouted.
"Julius, stand down."
Emilia warned him. She had acted purely because he had attacked the Shogun first, and that displeased her greatly.
"...!!"
Julius found himself in a dilemma. He glanced at his master, then shot a resentful glare at the Shogun's blade at his throat before casting a complicated look toward Emilia.
Lady Emilia...
His expression was strained.
The Shogun and Emilia restrained Anastasia and Julius respectively. Priscilla remained locked in confrontation with Crusch. Al was held in check by Felix. As for Felt and Reinhard, they maintained neutrality, provoking no one.
Chaos among the five camps had erupted in an instant. No one had fully processed what had happened. The parties involved stood in rigid stalemate, unwilling to concede first.
Perhaps this was the true content of the Royal Selection.
Just then—
Bang! Bang! ×N
Several heavy knocks against the table drew their attention. It was the elderly councilor, who had remained silent until now.
"Silence!!!"
He barked sharply at those below.
"The meeting has not yet concluded! You will not disrupt the order of the court!"