"Roswaal, I want to become Emilia's knight."
The moment those words left Subaru's mouth, the air in the entire dining room seemed to freeze.
Rewinding time slightly to ten minutes ago—
After reaching a consensus with Tsukasa, Subaru pondered for a moment before suddenly asking Roswaal, "Roswaal... just who are you to Lia? And what role are you playing?"
Sensing the sudden shift in Subaru's stance, Roswaal widened his eyes in a rare show of surprise.
He even doubted whether Tsukasa was the one controlling this body at the moment, but after careful sensing, he found that the mana fluctuations still belonged to Subaru herself. This meant that in those few short minutes, this young girl must have undergone some kind of transformation.
"My position is that of supporting Emilia-sama as a candidate."
No longer joking, Roswaal cautiously chose his words and continued, "If I had to make an analogy, I suppose I am an investor."
The word "investor" sparked infinite thoughts in Subaru's mind.
Since it was an investment, it meant Roswaal's support for Emilia's ascension must have an ulterior motive—perhaps not just an increase in family status, but a deeper purpose. She had to figure out that purpose.
Subaru turned to the Emilia, her tone filled with concern. "Lia, although it might be rude to say this, couldn't you find a more reliable ally than Roswaal?"
Suddenly being called out, Emilia was startled and replied timidly, "I'm sorry. Because of my unusual appearance, in the entire kingdom, no one except Roswaal is willing to support me."
"Appearance?" Subaru was even more confused.
In her eyes, Emilia's beauty was peerless and her personality so gentle. How could she fail to find supporters for such a reason?
"We'll talk about that later." Roswaal interjected at the right time to cut off their conversation. "Subaru-san, now it's time to state your request."
Subaru didn't answer immediately but turned to look at Tsukasa, who was leaning against the back of her chair and yawning.
If I were Tsukasa, what would I do? If I had his strength and boldness... acting with borrowed authority?
In an instant, Subaru's gaze became sharp as a blade. "My request is—'to have the same qualification and status as Roswaal to protect Emilia'."
"Pfft—"
Roswaal spat out a mouthful of tea. He looked at the young girl before him in disbelief, thinking to himself, 'Is this her idea, or is Tsukasa guiding her from behind?'
He had always believed that his opponent in this game of chess was Tsukasa, unaware that Subaru, bolstered by Tsukasa's energy, had reclaimed her own chess piece.
"Subaru?! What are you saying?" Emilia was unable to keep up with this sudden turn of events.
Subaru gave Emilia a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, everything will be fine."
At this moment, Roswaal finally caught his breath, his voice returning to its original magnetic tone. "When you say 'equal to Roswaal,' what specifically do you mean?"
Subaru stated her demand to Roswaal with absolute determination, "I don't mean a noble title, but that from now on, I will have the same qualification as you to protect Lia. All matters concerning Lia must be discussed with me, and information must be fully shared."
She had to bring Roswaal down to the same level as herself. Otherwise, the initiative would always be in his hands. This wasn't just about her own situation, but also about Emilia's future.
Emilia, on the side, grew more confused as she listened, but one thing was clear to her—Subaru truly wanted to help her.
Thinking of this, Emilia lowered her eyes. She wasn't entirely ignorant of the situation. In fact, there was a deal between her and Roswaal, a deal that had to be fulfilled even if she was treated as a puppet.
But seeing Subaru's firm expression, the words she originally wanted to use to stop her were swallowed back down, and her hand, which she had just reached out, dropped instinctively.
'Subaru must have thought deeply before making this decision, right? If I stop her now, she will definitely be very sad... and Tsukasa-san would also mock my weakness.'
This conflicting emotion left the girl in a daze, but at the same time, she felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity from Subaru.
"How about it, Roswaal? This request should be within your capabilities, right? After all, I'm doing this for Lia's sake."
Roswaal's voice was no longer exaggerated, and his mind was racing. He quickly found a possibility to break the deadlock. "How can I be sure you are truly doing this for Emilia-sama's sake? What if..."
"I believe in Subaru!"
Emilia suddenly stood up, slamming her hands on the table. "If she wanted to harm me, I'm afraid I would already be... so I believe in Subaru, just as I believe in you."
What?
All the counterarguments and bargaining chips Roswaal had prepared vanished in an instant. He had been shocked by Subaru too many times today, and now Emilia's intervention undoubtedly pushed him into a corner in this chess game.
After a long sigh, realizing that he might lose even more if he continued like this, Roswaal quickly put on his signature smile and ended the topic.
"Then... welcome, Subaru."
With those words, this game of chess ended with Roswaal's checkmate.
Subaru breathed a long sigh of relief.
To be honest, she wasn't entirely confident in playing against an old fox like Roswaal. As the Kingdom's Head Court Mage and the Margrave, Roswaal's experience far exceeded that of a novice girl like her. If not for Tsukasa, she might not have even had the courage to make this decision.
Thinking of this, the image of that figure, who was sometimes childish yet always unexpectedly reliable, couldn't help but surface in Subaru's mind.
The two maids who had been standing by the dining table for a long time also looked at Subaru with unconcealed surprise.
Although she couldn't fully understand the black-haired girl's intentions yet, a look of admiration had already appeared in Rem's eyes.
Rem praised softly in her heart, 'No... it's not just courage. This strategy is also quite brilliant.'
Having followed Roswaal to various occasions for years, she had long since developed an eye for identifying negotiation skills. If they were just ordinary maids, Roswaal would never have brought them along for important matters.
In this subtle atmosphere, Ram suddenly sneezed. "Achoo!"
And this unexpected interlude seemed to draw a curtain over this long breakfast.
Subaru's identity was also officially confirmed at this moment—since she had yet to establish any actual achievements, she was temporarily recognized as Emilia's "Associate Knight." However, within the mansion, she would enjoy rights and status equal to Roswaal's.
At this moment, a gentle smile appeared on Tsukasa's face as he leaned against the back of Subaru's chair.