Relatives Mean Chaos: 01

As they reached the city square, the two prepared to go their separate ways. Emilia turned to Subaru with a smile. "I guess this is goodbye, then."

But before Subaru could reply, her stomach growled loudly, echoing through the square.

Subaru froze, her face turning beet red. "Uh… sorry about that."

Emilia chuckled, snapping her fingers. "Oh! That reminds me. You don't have any money, do you?"

Subaru shook her head vigorously. "Hey, don't worry about it. I can manage—"

"I don't have any money either," Emilia interrupted with a sheepish smile.

"Huh?" Subaru blinked, caught off guard.

Emilia's expression turned thoughtful. "But… as repayment for everything you did, how about this? You can stay at my manor until you figure things out. It's the least I can do after you saved me."

Subaru waved her hands frantically. "Oh no, no, no! I couldn't impose like that!"

Emilia tilted her head, her tone firm yet kind. "I insist."

Seeing no way out of it, Subaru finally relented. "Okay… if you're sure."

"Great!" Emilia said, her smile bright. She led Subaru to a carriage waiting near the edge of the square.

A short, pink-haired girl in a maid outfit stood by the carriage, her face impassive and unreadable. She gave Emilia a respectful bow. "Emilia-sama." Her sharp pink eyes then flicked to Subaru. "And…"

"I am Natsuki Subaru, the Hero!" Subaru declared, striking a dramatic pose.

The maid's blank stare didn't falter, but her subtle, unimpressed look spoke volumes. Subaru could clearly read… 'and an idiot'.

"This is Ram," Emilia explained, smiling warmly at the maid. "Ram, Subaru will be staying at the manor with us. She helped me a lot today."

Ram's gaze lingered on Subaru for a moment before she gave a curt nod. "As you wish, Emilia-sama."

With that, Subaru and Emilia climbed into the carriage, settling in as Ram took the reins. The cart began to move, leaving the bustling city behind as they headed toward Emilia's manor.

Ö~Ö

Twilight painted the sky in hues of orange and purple as Reinhard von Astrea prepared to return to the barracks. His search for the elusive fifth Royal candidate had proven fruitless yet again. The streets were quieter now, the city winding down for the day.

Just as he was about to mount his horse, a younger knight approached him, his face alight with curiosity. "Sir Reinhard, may I ask… do you have any other relatives with red hair beside your father?"

Reinhard tilted his head, intrigued. "No, none that I'm aware of. Why do you ask?"

The junior knight scratched the back of his head, looking slightly embarrassed. "Well, it's just… I heard about this new knight. A teenage woman in white armour, with red hair. Looks like you, but, uh, smaller. And, you know… female."

Red hair? Smaller? Reinhard's brows furrowed as he processed the information. "Where did you see her?"

"Oh, I haven't seen her myself, but people are talking. They say she was with a silver-haired girl, and they went to the slums."

Thanking the knight, Reinhard mounted his horse, curiosity gnawing at him. A red-haired knight resembling him? It was an odd coincidence, if nothing else.

The slums were as grim as ever, a stark contrast to the bustling city above. As Reinhard ventured deeper, he noticed a trio of men nursing fresh bruises and looking thoroughly disheveled.

He dismounted and approached them, his presence commanding immediate attention. "Excuse me, I'm looking for a red-haired knight. Have you seen her?"

One of the thugs groaned, holding his side. "You mean Boss?"

Reinhard blinked. "Boss?"

"Yeah, that's what we're calling her now," another thug muttered, wincing as he adjusted his position. "She and some silver-haired girl went to the Loot House."

Reinhard's intrigue deepened. "Thank you."

With that, he continued on foot, the path to the Loot House becoming clearer with each step.

The sight that greeted him was nothing short of chaos. The Loot House, notorious for its questionable dealings, looked as if a whirlwind had torn through it. Broken furniture and splintered wood littered the area, and the faint scent of scorched air lingered.

Near the entrance, an old, hulking man and a young blonde girl were busy patching things up. The man, with his broad shoulders and weathered face, was grumbling under his breath as he hammered a loose board back into place. The girl, nimble and sharp-eyed, darted around, trying to salvage what she could from the mess.

Reinhard stepped closer, his armour catching the fading light. "Excuse me."

Seeing Reinhard approach, the giant and the blonde girl visibly flinched. Reinhard's piercing blue eyes scanned the destruction around them before he asked, "What happened here?"

The blonde girl scoffed, crossing her arms defiantly. "Why? What's it to you?"

"I'm a knight," Reinhard answered simply, his calm tone underpinned with authority.

Her lips curled into a mocking smirk. "Nice try. If you're a knight, then I'm a damn noble." She jabbed a thumb over her shoulder, her tone laced with sarcasm. "The only knight we saw here was that redhead in white armour. Superhuman strength, sure, but she's just a fake."

Reinhard blinked, processing her words. "A fake?"

"Yeah, fake," she repeated with a snort. "Real knights don't go around breaking people's homes and picking fights with the Bowl Hunter."

With a flick of his wrist, Reinhard produced his badge and held it up for them to see. The polished insignia gleamed in the fading light, unmistakable in its authenticity.

The girl's smirk vanished. Her eyes widened as she stiffened, nudging the giant beside her. "O-Oh, uh… I mean…"

Reinhard's serene smile remained. "Now, care to explain properly?"

The old giant sighed, setting his hammer aside. "Well, if you're really a knight… that redhead and a silver-haired girl came here looking for something. Then Elsa, the Bowl Hunter, showed up."

"Yeah," the blonde cut in, nodding rapidly. "It was chaos! Swords, ice, blood—you name it. The redhead was stupidly strong, but she's no knight, I swear. Anyway, they left after getting that stupid insignia thing back."

Reinhard's smile faded slightly. "Insignia?"

"Yeah, some fancy trinket," the girl added. "The silver-haired chick was freaking out over it. Apparently, Elsa stole it from her. Your 'redhead' helped get it back."

Reinhard's jaw tightened, his mind racing. A silver-haired girl and a red-haired knight, tangled in a confrontation with Elsa… There was no mistaking it. The silver-haired girl was Emilia-sama.

And the redhead?

The pieces fell into place with alarming clarity. He straightened, his resolve sharpening. "Thank you for your help."

As he turned to leave, his gaze lingered on the blonde girl. Something about her presence felt… significant.

"What?" she snapped, clearly uncomfortable under his scrutiny.

Reinhard reached into his pouch and pulled out a small, ornate insignia. It was engraved with symbols of the Sage Council, a tool designed to detect latent candidates for the Royal Selection. Without a word, he extended it to her.

She hesitated, eyeing the object with suspicion. "What's this supposed to be?"

"Take it," Reinhard said, his voice soft but firm.

The girl scowled but snatched it from his hand. The moment her fingers closed around it, the insignia glowed a brilliant red, illuminating the darkened room.

The old man's jaw dropped, and the girl's eyes widened in sheer disbelief. "W-What the hell?"

Reinhard's lips curved into a grin, his tone light yet brimming with purpose. "Felt-sama, how good are your etiquette lessons?"

Felt gulped, the glow of the insignia reflecting her rising panic.

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