Re: Zero - Dawn Eater

"Lady Felt!"

Gasps went off in the hall upon Reinhard's declaration.

Felt, dressed in a bright yellow evening gown with a wide skirt scanned the hall with her bright red eyes. Her hair was tied into a short tail that stopped just below her neck and a serene smile was on her face.

She closed her eyes momentarily and walked past the double doors under the scrutinous stares of everyone in the hall and walked over to Reinhard.

She nodded to the knight. "Reinhard."

And with that, she walked over to the forefront where the rest of the candidates were standing.

For a moment, her eyes caught the sight of Hedin. And she did not let it go.

"Oh! Big bro! You're here too!" Felt exclaimed, drawing closer with a toothy grin.

"Hello, Lady Felt." Hedin gave her a gentle smile. And apparently, one that she didn't appreciate - if the kick she threw at his abdomen was anything to go by.

"Don't you also start with that nonsense!"

Bam!

"I would advise against this, Lady Felt." Hedin chuckled, barely affected by the kick.

Though he would be lying if he said it was painless, the attacked seemed to be hurt more.

Felt stumbled back with a wry smile, looking to be in pain.

"O-oh come on! You don't have to bore me with all the Lady stuff big bro!" She shook her head. "I've been cooped up in that monster's mansion doing all this etiquette business. And apparently, he's convinced me to join this royal selection business or whatever." Felt explained her situation with an annoyed snarl.

"There's only so much of this stuck up nonsense I can bear with!"

"Lady Felt, please conduct yourself well." Reinhard chimed from the side, looking a bit concerned.

"Shut it!"

Her ruby coloured eyes looked right into Hedin's crimson dots and smirked.

"But hey! At least I'm getting something out of it!"

Having said that, she walked back over to the row of candidates. The others said nothing, choosing to watch silently, observing.

Behind him, Al tapped on his shoulder.

"You know the little Lady?"

"We've been... acquaintances." Hedin said. "But you can call us friends I suppose."

The hall turned silent again.

Miklotov eyed the candidates with his aged eyes and spoke.

"Then, as per the prophecy engraved into the dragon tablet, the five dragon priestesses have been gathered! The royal selection shall begin!"

A wave of murmurs went through the nobles that quieted down as soon as it came.

Miklotov's old voice sighed before booming out again, "Captain of the Knights! Conduct the rest of the conference!"

Marcos' jaw tightened as he said, "Very well! The royal candidates shall now step forward and share their ideals!"

First to go was none other than the bloody princess, Priscilla.

She walked a step forward and Al walked out of the line to stand behind her.

Unfurling her hand fan, she held it to her chest and exclaimed with a loud voice, "The world works in my favour!

"Everything is tailor made to turn out in the way I desire! I am the one with the most luck in the world!" She paused. "The selection is already pointless! The kingdom is already destined to be ruled by me! All you need to do is grovel and my feet and watch as I lead you to greatness!"

Having said that, she stepped back into line.

Hedin watched the expressions of the onlookers.

There wasn't much change in them, he observed - which made him puzzled. Was this their mindset towards a ruler? Is that how they envisioned their ruler to be?

Crusch stepped forward with a wide step and Felix moved to keep after her.

Meeting the eyes of the council, she called out in a clear voice, "This kingdom has lived on the words and wishes of the dragon for too long!"

She spread out her arms. "Everything is dictated by the dragon tablet, speaking out the words of a dragon not even here! Once I become a ruler, I will make this a nation without the dragon."

A string of murmurs travelled through the nobles and knights alike. Ridding a country called the 'Dragon Kingdom' of the dragon?

It was a laughable claim, and all too heretical.

"I shall make the dragon forget the covenant! And regain the nation meant for us! We are the ones meant to rule Lugunica!" Her virid eyes shone with intensity.

"This kingdom is not the dragon's to rule!"

The hall turned towards a pregnant silence as she took her place among the candidates again.

It was a silence filled with tension.

Curious. Hedin thought.

Anastasia was next. Julius stepped out of line to join her and her words began with-

"I am a greedy person!"

Self aware are we?

"I cannot be satisfied! There is no amount of wealth, no amount of commercial success that can satisfy me! It is to the extent that I want my own nation!

"Follow me! And I will turn Lugunica into the greatest trading hub ever seen!"

Julius stood behind her with a hand on his chest, smiling ever so brilliantly.

As they stepped back into line, there was no one giving them the stink eye.

And so, here was the moment.

Emilia stepped forward, and it was Hedin's turn to follow.

Tap! Tap!

He trailed behind her, his hat casting a shadow over his angled face, causing his red eyes to have an eerie glow.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

His boots somehow rang louder than the voice of any candidate before.

And so, he was behind her. His hands were held at his back appearing increasingly harmless. And yet, as he stood behind Emilia, the light in the hall seemed to seek them out, as if the world itself was giving them the natural spotlight.

Court attention at all costs... Hedin thought to himself.

Attention was a deadly tool. When they had it, they could use it.

And the best way to get attention? Hit first and hit hard.

Emilia took a deep breath.

"I have only one desire. And that is to create a nation where everyone is equal. Where people are discriminated against for their race, for their birth and for their status. I want a country where equality is above all!"

Hedin noticed how many of the nobles and knights, upon seeing the attention drawn to Emilia and seeing her speak, flinched.

He couldn't say he liked it, but it was a fact he needed to get used to. People were unreasonable.

But it was also this unreasonability that made them gullible. If Emilia's image could be flipped, it would snowball into a storm.

Emilia and Hedin stepped back.

The light left them, leaving them out of the spotlight now that their turn was done.

It was not something that Hedin had done by himself.

It was not even unconscious. It was his glory, working to elevate him to another level in the eyes of the people.

Often times, it had strange effects on the environment - adding visual flair.

And finally, Felt stepped forward.

"Listen up then! I want one and only one thing! And that is to tear this place to the ground!

"I hate this country! I hate the nobles and I hate everything! I will destroy everything and raise the slums out of their misery! And you can be sure that I'll be using the nobles' money to do it!"

A wave of murmurs passed through the crowd again, this time, more vocal.

They were hard pressed to say anything to Crusch or Anastasia or even Priscilla. Emilia was partly saved because she was endorsed by Roswaal, but also because of Hedin's glory elevating their status in everyone's eyes.

Felt? Her words grated on their nerves, targeting the nobles directly.

Reinhard stood behind her, ever dutifully standing with his hand placed on his chest.

And as she stepped back into line and the nobles realized that the introductions were done, one of them took the courage and spoke.

"Excuse me, but where does Lady Felt hail from?"

Reinhard had his eyes closed.

"From the slums." He said tersly.

"The slums?!"

"She's a gutter rat!"

"Preposterous!"

The silent murmurs turned into vocal complaints.

Felt's red eyes sharpened as she spread her arms.

"That's right! I come from the land that you've abandoned! The slums!"

"You!"

"Is this what passes for the candidates of the thrones?!"

"I cannot believe my eyes!"

"Not only is there a gutter rat! But also a half-devil in the candidates!"

Suddenly, a switch seemed to flip.

Hedin narrowed his eyes as the conversation suddenly switched to target Emilia.

"Half-Devil!"

"Witch!"

"You're a bad omen on the kingdom!"

"How can we possibly allow her to stand in the election?!"

"Half-Devil!"

Emilia flinched under the shouts.

"I'm not a devil!" She managed to say. And yet, the nobles shot back harder.

None of the knights spoke. Even the so called finest of the knights was quiet through the ordeal.

"Myyyyy~ it isn't good to call a half-elf as a half-devil."

Amid the chatter, Roswaal's sing song voice tried to placate the masses, but it only seemed to backfire.

"Well this is something..." Hedin found himself getting increasingly annoyed by the ordeal.

He saw how Emilia seemed to be shrinking back under the pressure. It would only give the others more edge during further struggles.

Man... I wanna go home. He thought. The surrounding voices seemed to form into a monotonous static. How the hell did I even get here?

'Become a knight.'

'Kind as always, Hedin.'

This is just disheartening.

"Half-devil!"

Now that I think about it, I don't really think I'm cut out to be in politics and stuff.

"Who would even vote for a half-devil!?"

"You should drop out!"

I'd much rather just cut down my adversaries...

"Witch!"

"Just die!"

"No one wants you here!"

'Just go out there a kill a few beasts will you?'

Sigh!

Silence.

Out of nowhere, silence descended in the hall.

The sound of a single sigh rang louder than all of the other shouts combined. Everyone turned to Hedin, their attention drawn away from Emilia.

Hedin looked calm. Eerily so.

His red eyes glinted in the shadows of his hat and a phantom light seemed to escape from his trench coat.

His white gloved hands were clenched behind his back.

"Man..." He muttered. Everyone heard it.

Hedin had heard enough.

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A/N: Enjoying yourself so far?

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