Wish Upon a Sin

Arc 2 - Chapter 7

In the week after the first raid, the capital was in turmoil. A total of nine raids had taken place, though only three were on locations confirmed to be cultist hideouts. The others were either abandoned before arrival, or seemingly unrelated to the cult.

Unrest was growing in the slums, as the guards shut down all illegal entrances, often through force. So far, they had managed to keep the knowledge of the cult's presence in the capital secret from the public, but Otto was sure it wouldn't last. Too many people knew, it was bound to leak eventually.

Subaru glanced out the window, the carriage rocking as they rolled over a bump in the road.

They had just entered the upper strata, where the palace was located. He remembered the road from his previous trip to the royal selection. Though, in this loop, it was still about two weeks until the selection was supposed to be called.

"There are many things that the Council of Elders wishes to discuss," Reinhard explained. "I apologise for the disturbance to your schedules, but we didn't have much notice."

"Not like we were doing much anyway," Velia said, leaning back in the carriage seat. "I haven't had a job in days, aside from teaching this slowpoke."

"Oi!" Subaru protested. "If you would remember how to teach properly, I wouldn't learn as slowly!"

Fast! Good learn!

Velia smiled at Luna, and bowed her head. "Of course, you're doing rather well, little miss spirit. I hear you're able to cast a proper shamak spell now. You must be very proud."

Luna preened, successfully distracted from her original goal of defending Subaru.

Subaru glared at the disguised elf, who smiled back evilly.

Reinhard took the lull in conversation as an opportunity to continue, "This is a large meeting, involving a great many people. The point is for the council to gather enough information to make up their minds on how to proceed. You three won't have to actively contribute, but you might have to answer questions if the council wants, which is likely, since you're some of the foremost members of the investigation."

He turned to Subaru. "If you ever feel like you can't disclose anything, inform me, and I will answer in your place."

"I don't see the point of my presence, though." Velia said. She had switched her illusion back to her red-haired form. She had been changing the colour of her hair constantly since she revealed her true form to the camp, to Felt's envy. "I only snuck around and stole things. Your mistress could have come for those qualifications. Why didn't you bring her? She seemed eager to participate."

"You may still be of interest to the council," Reinhard said, then he sighed. "While it is regrettable, Lady Felt could not be allowed to come for other reasons. The Royal Candidates are not supposed to meet officially until the beginning of the selection. The rules are being bent to allow the two in the upper nobility to be invited, bringing a third who has no preexisting rank is not viable."

"Two candidates are going to be there?" Otto asked. He had been quietly reading his reports during the trip, this was the first time he had spoken up. "Would that not confer them an unfair advantage, to be a part of a private meeting of such weight without the others?"

Reinhard shook his head. "No, representatives from the camps of all five candidates will be present. And although two candidates were invited directly, it does not appear that Lady Barielle will be participating herself."

"Lady Barielle?" Subaru asked, a minor detail he had forgotten resurfacing in his mind. "Does she have some kind of special situation?"

"No?" Reinhard answered with a hint of confusion. "I believe she simply doesn't want to attend. Why do you ask?"