Reinhard coughed as he regained his composure. He asked respectfully, "Mordred-sama, were you concealing your bloodline earlier today during your registration?"
"Concealing my bloodline? I guess. I have an ability that conceals my bloodline and I probably had it active at that time," Mordred said, recalling.
The Secret of Pedigree helmet that he owns has a special function that conceals the user's identity, lineage and true name when it's part of his magic armor. However, it has a little trick to it, because the concealment effect is also active even when the armor is not worn and only stored inside the subspace as long as the helmet is a part of the armor.
In other words, all this time Mordred wore his casual clothes, but his armor was in a complete set hidden away, so it was concealing his royal lineage.
"I see. So that's how it was. Mordred-sama, how much do you know about the Royal Selection?" Reinhard asked, his attitude becoming a lot more humble and respectful.
"I know a little, but not much. Can you explain in detail?" Mordred asked curiously.
"Then I will start from the beginning," Reinhard said. "Some time ago our king had died due to a mysterious illness, along with the rest of the royal family. It isn't a secret that at this moment Lugnica is without a king. The council that ruled the country after that decided to use the prophetic Dragon Tablet in order to select a new king. As told by the Dragon Tablet, six candidates referred to as five priestesses and one knight were to be found across the Kingdom, possessing the right and qualifications to rule. After a year of searching only four of the five priestesses were found and the knight was also yet to be discovered."
"That is, until today," Reinhard added, looking at Mordred with a solemn expression. (I have rewritten the last chapter, so there are 6 candidates now and Felt is one of them as she should be, as I felt it's more fair.)
"Wait. You said one knight?" Mordred asked, his heart thumping. He was really already prophesied?
"That's right." Reinhard nodded. "The five priestesses were to be female, while the knight was prophesied to be a male. Mordred-sama, I will be honest with you. I have an important mission to find the last two missing candidates for the throne, so that the selection could begin as soon as possible, and I have been searching for a while now. From the beginning when I met you by chance I believed that you were the prophesied Knight candidate. It is just that you have been concealing your bloodline, causing me to be unable to detect it."
"I see…" Mordred murmured. 'I was already expecting to be a candidate and not a new addition and anomaly? Then what about Subaru - why did he come to this world?'
Just as the two were chatting, many footsteps were heard and a bunch of people entered the building. They immediately put their hands on their swords when they noticed Mordred in his heavy armor.
"Reinhard-sama," a well-built middle-aged man called out, wearing a knight's armor, before turning to Mordred. "Who is that person?"
"You are here," Reinhard said. Turning to Mordred, he introduced, "This is Mordred-sama. He's the prophesied Knight Candidate for the throne."
The guards' expression immediately turned to ones of shock as they murmured quietly, discussing among themselves.
Some of the guards then seemed to have noticed Emilia on the floor.
"Is this the half-witch girl?"
"Is the witch dead?"
"Hmph. It's good she's dead."
Mordred frowned, but stayed silent.
Reinhard coughed and then pointed at Subaru and Old Man Rom, he said, "The situation is already under control. The Bowel Hunter was here and murdered these two people, but she's already gone."
"The Bowel Hunter?" the middle-aged knight gulped in fear. The Bowel Hunter's reputation was still quite frightening. "I see. Sir Reinhard, what are your orders?"
Reinhard looked at the guards sternly and then gave them orders to secure Old Man Rom's and Subar's corpses, as well as to secure and search the parameter.
"There might also be the Bowel Hunter's lower body lying somewhere around here," Mordred then added.
Everyone present frowned and looked at Mordred strangely. Bowel Hunter's 'lower body'?
"I cut her in half and kicked away her legs when we fought. She regenerated, so I'm not sure if her lower body disappeared or if it's still somewhere there," Mordred explained.
After a while the guards started reacting with admiration on their faces.
"Mordred-sama cut the Bowel Hunter in half!"
"Indeed, as expected of the knight candidate…"
"So that's it," Reinhard said and then turned to guards. "Then try to find the Bowel Hunter's 'lower body' as well. It might give us a clue to her strengths and weaknesses."
A while later, Reinhard and Mordred left the place and were both walking back through the slums. Reinhard carried the unconscious Felt in his arms, while Mordred held Emillia.
Perhaps Mordred should feel sad or otherwise moved by Subaru's death, but he did not. The excitement of being the sole possessor of Return by Death and not being bound to Subaru overshadowed the shock of his first real experience of seeing a murdered person, and Mordred was secretly even glad that Subar died, feeling no regrets.
With Subaru being dead and Mordred having Return by Death didn't that mean that he was now the Protagonist?
It isn't that Mordred hated Subaru or anything; he was quite neutral toward him and even slightly pitied him. It is simply that, in his own selfish pursuit and self-ambitions, Mordred had no problems with taking things from others to get ahead. Perhaps such attitide was due to his Mordred persona.
Everyone wants to have a decent life and not suffer, everyone has self-ambitions, struggling to grasp the opportunities. Among all the wars, killing and stealing, just what is there to not be understood? It's all just a conflict of interest.
While others might sugarcoat their selfish desires as grand aspirations, putting on airs, hiding or suppressing them, Mordred was honest with himself.
Subaru, a stranger, dying and not having Return by Death meant that Mordred had it, being able to have a better life and achieve his dreams, so how could he not be happy and excited? Furthermore, it turned out that Mordred wasn't bound to Subaru for life, so that was also a huge relief.
As they walked, Reinhard looked at Mordred and said, "Mordred-sama, the Royal Insignia lit up in your hand which means that you have the qualifications to become the future king of Lugnica. Now that you have been discovered, you have no choice but to participate in the Royal Selection."
'No choice?' Mordred raised his eyebrows in amusement.
Thinking about something, Mordred said, "Reinhard, I am not from Lugnica. Is it a problem?"
Reinhard shook his head. "No. While your origins might affect the public's opinion, it doesn't disqualify you from being able to compete."
"I see." Mordred lightly nodded.
"Mordred-sama, I know that it's your first day in Lugnica, so it's all new to you. You can take your time and think about it carefully before you make your decision. You are forced to participate in the Royal Selection, but after it begins you are also able to resign if you wish," Reinhard continued his explanation as they walked. Looking at Mordred seriously, he added, "But I would urge you to participate. I believe that you have the qualities necessary to be a good king, Mordred-sama."
Mordred only hummed, but a moment later his gaze hardened. He paused his footsteps. After briefly glancing at the sleeping Emilia in his arms, he looked at Reinhard. He proudly announced, "No, I have already made up my mind. I will become the next king of Lugnica!"
Reinhard's expression turned a little stunned. Hearing Mordred's confident words and seeing his determined expression, he couldn't help but be influenced by Mordred's charisma, believing that Mordred could indeed accomplish whatever he says.
"That's good…" Reinhard said, slowly resuming walking.
After seeing Mordred glancing at Emilia from time to time and with how Mordred seemed to show special concern to Emilia earlier, Reinhard asked curiously, "By the way, Mordred-sama, what is your relation to Emilia-sama?"
"It's the first time I met her today. We haven't even talked yet. But…" Mordred answered absentmindedly.
"But?" Reinhard inquired.
Mordred faintly smiled. He glanced at Emilie for a moment, before he turned to Reinhard. "It's nothing. It's just I couldn't let her die when I could help her, right?"
Reinhard was silent for a moment, before he nodded. "Right. It's the right thing to do."
Following that, the two continued walking in silence, before at one point Reinhard suddenly froze in place. He had a realization.
Mordred was one of the two final candidates, two undiscovered candidates for the throne that Reinhard has been searching for for so long fruitlessly.
Finally, today Mordred suddenly appeared near him by pure chance, being teleported to the capital from beyond the Great Waterfall, his first day in Lugnica. On the very same day, Mordred even helped him to find the fifth Priestess Candidate in the slums and the last member of the Royal Family, and he also saved the life of one of the other candidates. With all of their interactions and numerous coincidences, Reinhard firmly believed that their meeting was fated; there was no doubt about it.
Looking around through the darkness of the night, Reinhard's visage was thoroughly stunned as he realized the place that they were in right now.
"This place…" Reinhard murmured.
"What's wrong?" Mordred asked, looking at Reinhard with a puzzled expression.
Reinhard recalled - this random place in the slums that they're in right now should be the same place where his grandfather Wilhelm Trias and the previous Sword Saint Theresia van Astrea first met 40 years ago! It was the same place!
Reinhard stared in disbelief. After a moment, his expression hardened as he turned to Mordred and asked, "Mordred-sama, can you tell me what would you do if you were to become the king of Lugnica?"
"What would I do?" Mordred parroted and pondered for a while. Looking at Reinhard, he answered, "Well, I don't know much about Lugnica, but one of the things that I hate the most is hopelessness and the inability to change one's fate. I would make it so that all citizens, even commoners and demihumans, receive basic public education and learn how to read and write. Then I would want to at least give a chance to everyone who is talented and hardworking to become a mage, a knight or an expert craftsman. I'm sure that there are a lot of talented people among the lower class that don't even have a chance to raise just because of the divide between the commoners and the nobles, and because some useless nobles want to keep the power to themselves."
As Rinhard's appearance was shell-shocked, Mordred continued, "Apart from that, it seems like there is quite a mess in the kingdom in general, so that would be the priority, I guess."
Mordred then raised his eyebrows seeing Reinhard's shocked expression.
But Reinhard knew - Mordred fully believed in everything that he said, it was all the truth, and Reinhard was stumped by it.
Providing public education to everyone - just how absurd was this? Interfering in the long-established system of commoners and nobility - just who would dare to do that? Among any of the previous kings of Lugnica, the royal candidates and nobles, where could someone like Mordred be found? And with everything that happened between the two of them, how could their meeting not be anything but fated?
"Why the shocked face, Reinhard? Wanna support me?" Mordred asked, suddenly grinning and showing off his canines.
Reinhard turned to one full of determination as he knelt to one knee and crossed his one hand over his chest. He had already made up his mind. Speaking solemnly, Reinhard called out, "Mordred-sama, I might still be lacking, but should you accept me as your knight I swear to offer you my utmost support in your campaign and help you to become the 42nd king of Lugnica!"
Mordred felt his throat dry up upon hearing Reinhard's sudden pledge.
Reinhard had pledged his allegiance to him! Reinhard van Astrea, the Sword Saint and the strongest character in this world was on his side!
Thinking back, it wasn't actually that surprising.
Ever since Mordred heard that he was a prophesied candidate he really hoped that Reinhard would choose to support him. The interactions that Mordred and Reinhard had today made it simply too likely for Reinhard to take his side! It was nearly inevitable!
Mordred even considered using his new powers to try looping in order to gain Reinhard's loyalty if it didn't happen.
Nonetheless, it still positively surprised Mordred that Reinhard made his decision so quickly and really decided to be his knight.
Through the shock, Mordred's heart filled with pride and determination.
While Mordred was thinking all that, Reinhard continued kneeling and bowing down his head, waiting for Mordred's response.
After a long time of silence, Mordred finally opened his mouth, saying, "Alright then. From now on you will be my first knight, Reinhard. I promise to you that you didn't make a wrong choice!"
"Yes!" Reinhard said, fully believing Mordred's words and feeling relieved in his heart. "I will make sure that you'll become the next King, Mordred-sama."
***
(AN: Convenient? Well, it was quite inevitable. In fact, the MC (with his future knowledge and RbD) would be a bit of a failure if he didn't try to poach Reinhard before he picked a side, so it isn't that surprising.)
Trivia: The japanese word King used here means "Monarch" with no differentiation for the sex. There can only be one "King of Lugnica" and the King's spouse is not a "Queen", for example, but a consort. During the selection the candidates are forbidden to marry.