When the cat-eared demi-human stepped down from the carriage, Shendu glanced at him twice before shifting her gaze away and looking back at the old man before her.
The instinct between strong individuals told her clearly—this old man was far from weak.
"So beautiful. Silver hair and red eyes, just like Lady Emilia—such enchanting silver hair, meow!"
The cat-eared youth glanced at Shendu. Seeing that she had only looked at him briefly before turning away, his heart warmed slightly. Her every movement was courteous and restrained, leaving him with a favorable impression.
"Thank you. You're a very pretty cat-eared girl as well."
Shendu looked at the demi-human and deliberately tested him.
"Ah, my apologies, miss. I'm afraid you've misunderstood. Wearing these clothes is simply my hobby. I'm actually a boy, meow."
The demi-human girl—no, the demi-human boy—let out an adorable "meow," causing Shendu to instinctively take three steps back.
As expected, if someone is that cute, they must be a trap.
"Pardon the misunderstanding, miss. Felix's appearance is indeed indistinguishable from a young lady's, but he truly is male. Please do not be troubled by the gap between appearance and reality."
The old man standing straight as a spear kept his gaze fixed on Shendu as he explained calmly.
"Yes, I've heard about Sir Felix's particular preferences as well, so Sister Shendu, please don't mind it."
Emilia did not find it strange. Before the Royal Selection began, Roswaal had already provided her with detailed information about the three kingdom candidates.
"That's right, meow! I simply like beautiful clothes, meow. Don't you think this outfit is incredibly cute? Meow!"
Felix spun in a circle like a fluttering blue butterfly. His cat ears twitched, and his tail swayed along with his cheerful movements.
What a pity—not actually a catgirl.
Shendu had always found it difficult to resist fluffy and adorable creatures.
After all, most people liked catgirls and white-haired beauties.
"That's enough chatting. Don't forget our purpose for coming here."
The upright old man reminded Felix.
"Alright then! It's rare to meet Miss Shendu, such a cute silver-haired girl. But Lady Crusch's task must be completed as instructed. We'll talk again later, meow."
After speaking, Felix turned his attention to Emilia. He had come specifically to discuss certain matters with this royal candidate.
"Alright. Sister Shendu, please wait here for a moment. I'll come out once I've handled the official business."
Emilia knew that matters concerning the Royal Selection were her top priority. She could only apologize softly before turning to leave.
"Don't worry. Focus on what's important first."
Shendu's crimson eyes remained calm as she gave a slight nod. Emilia then entered the mansion's reception hall together with Felix.
Soon, only Shendu and the old man remained.
The atmosphere grew quiet.
Shendu was not particularly talkative, but she continued to observe the old man carefully. He did not resemble a frail elder in the slightest.
Though his hair was white, his body showed none of the weakness of advanced age. On the contrary, the tailcoat barely concealed the powerful muscles beneath.
His gaze was sharp like an eagle's and piercing like a blade. In terms of presence alone, he was not much inferior to Roswaal.
It seemed that none of the royal candidates were simple. Each possessed hidden trump cards of one kind or another.
Fortunately, Shendu's side was no weaker.
...
"Old sir, seeing you reminds me of someone—Wilhelm van Astrea."
"The legendary Sword Demon. It's truly an honor to meet you."
Lifting the hem of her dress, Shendu performed an elegant curtsy and looked at the old man politely.
Indeed, Wilhelm's swordsmanship was extraordinary—only slightly inferior to the former Sword Saint. His strength had once nearly reached the pinnacle of humanity. Though age had caused some decline, he undoubtedly retained the majority of his power and could not be underestimated.
"Sword Demon... It has been a long time since anyone called me by that name."
The old man sighed. His eyes grew complicated—tinged with nostalgia and a trace of guilt, as if recalling something from the past.
"It seems you're a man with quite the story, old sir."
Shendu smiled faintly, teasing him lightly.
Wilhelm did not respond immediately. He looked at her again, curiosity filling his gaze.
He was fully aware of the situation surrounding the royal candidates.
Previously, Emilia's faction had been weak. But ever since this silver-haired traveler joined her side—and even took away another qualified candidate—everything had changed.
The former Sword Demon could sense that something unusual was unfolding. Perhaps unexpected events were on the horizon.
At present, the three strongest candidates in the kingdom were Lady Crusch, President Anastasia of the Hoshin Company, and Priscilla.
The remaining two—Felt from the slums and the silver-haired half-elf Emilia—had never been within his calculations.
One lacked any backing, and the other was a half-elf despised by many. Neither had seemed threatening.
But with Shendu's addition to Emilia's faction, the situation had become unclear.
"Miss Shendu, what exactly is your relationship with Lady Emilia?"
Wilhelm's curiosity regarding her identity deepened. He had investigated her deeds and gained at least a partial understanding of her strength.
Even if she was not comparable to Reinhard, she was certainly stronger than either Roswaal or himself.
"We're friends. When Emilia encountered difficulties, I lent her a hand. That's how we became friends."
"For now, I have no intention of participating in the Royal Selection. But if something unexpected happens, I wouldn't mind stepping in."
Shendu's tone was calm.
Yet Wilhelm's expression grew increasingly solemn.
He could not tell whether it was a misjudgment, but he felt as though Shendu resembled a humanoid beast.
Beneath that cute and beautiful exterior—what exactly was hidden?
He had no answer. After studying her silently for a few more moments, he chose not to press further.
Shendu smiled lightly as well. Wilhelm was indeed powerful, but she had little interest in conversing further.
Compared to chatting with an old man, speaking with adorable young girls was obviously the better choice.
So she simply turned her gaze toward the reception hall.
She wondered how things were progressing on Emilia's side.
Now that she had the Shadowkhan and the Divine Dragon Merchant Guild, the next step would be to contact Reinhard and negotiate certain terms.
If handled properly, her plans could proceed smoothly.