The moon hung brightly in the night sky, transforming the once vivid orange hues into a captivating shroud of darkness. Tiny, twinkling white dots, reminiscent of pearls, adorned the vast expanse above.
In the capital of Lugunica, a silver-haired half-elf stood in a stable filled with the carriages of nobles, her cute, analytical expression adorned her face, clearly searching for something.
Next to her, a white-haired man gazed up at the night sky, entranced by the beauty above. Subaru had always loved stargazing; as a child, he would sneak away to a secluded spot in the woods, lying on a cliff to soak in the view whenever he had a moment to spare.
'The constellations here are different. I don't think this world even has a North Star. When I get the chance, I'll sketch the stars; that should be fun,' he mused, a warm smile spreading across his face.
They remained in that tranquil moment for a few minutes until a voice broke the silence.
"Emilia-sama!"
Turning towards the sound, Subaru's eyes fell on a pink-haired woman dressed in a pink maid outfit. 'A French maid outfit? Why would that even exist here? weird…' he thought, then discreetly analyzed her with his Six Eyes.
Her mana reserves were less than impressive, nearly depleted, and while she could wield wind magic, what caught his attention was the mana in the atmosphere trying to enter through her head but failing to do so.
'Interesting. Shouldn't the mana flow through the gate? There's nothing unusual about that spot. More questions for later, I guess.' he pondered.
"Ram! There you are!" Emilia exclaimed, waving her hands with excitement as the aforementioned maid hurried over.
"Emilia-sama, I've been searching everywhere for you," Ram replied, a hint of irritation in her voice, though her demeanor remained professional. "Where did you wander off to this time?"
'This time? Looks like someone's been a bit naughty,' he smirked to himself.
"No, no! It was definitely different from last time! Something was stolen from me, but I managed to get it back," she explained, vague on purpose.
"I see. Please let me know if anything like this occurs again," she cautioned, her face serious, which made Emilia feel a bit sheepish. "The capital can be quite dangerous at this hour."
"But I wasn't alone! Subaru was with me," she said, pointing to Subaru, who was standing a little further away.
"Heya! name's Natsuki Subaru, just your average guy trying to live a normal life!" he exclaimed with a cheerful smile, gesturing to himself.
Ram scrutinized him, taking in his unique appearance and style. Then she turned to Emilia and asked a question that deflated Subaru's ego.
"Emilia-sama, who is this weird-looking man?" Why does everyone think he's weird?! Just because of his clothes? Ridiculous!
"Ram! Be kind! He helped me get back my stolen item and even saved my life," Emilia defended him.
"Is that so…" Ram replied, glancing at Subaru and giving a slight bow while lifting the edges of her skirt. "On behalf of Roswaal-sama, I appreciate your assistance with Emilia-sama."
"Oh, it was nothing really. Just happy to help," he said, dismissing her gratitude with a wave.
Ram straightened up and addressed the half-elf. "Emilia-sama, now that your matters are settled, should we head to the mansion? It's getting rather late."
'Mansion? Is she actually some kind of noble or something?' Subaru thought, feeling a headache coming on with so many questions and so few answers. 'Agh. Whatever, I'll think about it later.'
"Right, about that. I did mention that I'd let him stay at the mansion for a while," she said.
"Are you sure? You know we can't just allow mutts in; who knows what kind of fleas he might bring," she said with a serious expression.
"Oi! I'm not a dog, and I sure as hell take my personal hygiene very seriously ," he shouted. Veins popping on his head.
"Ram, please don't insult my friend. He really saved my life, and I want to repay him back," she said.
Ram simply nodded in response. "Understood, please follow me. The carriage is just ahead." She then began to walk, with Emilia and a scowling Subaru trailing behind.
Before long, they arrived at the carriage she mentioned. It was clearly designed for nobility, adorned with striking red paint and intricate patterns. At the front was an animal that was definitely not a horse.
'Wow, they really have dinosaurs here… I wonder if I could buy one as a pet?'
Ram opened the door and assisted both Emilia and Subaru inside. She took her place at the front, grasped the reins, and set off.
As Subaru gazed out the window, the scenery shifted from stone buildings to rows of trees, open fields, and shimmering bodies of water. The atmosphere inside was pleasantly quiet, which felt soothing.
Subaru began to reflect on the day—being summoned, saving a child, getting kicked out of a place, meeting Emilia, and all the chaos that followed.
That's when it hit him…
'An average guy doesn't experience half of what I've been through,' he sighed. In less than eight hours, he had already failed his goal before he could even begin..
'Well, starting tomorrow, I'll keep a low profile. I'll live my life the way I want, and no one can tell me otherwise.' He started to close his eyes, feeling his body relax.
'Oh yeah… Everything will be just fine,' he thought as he drifted off to sleep, his head leaning slightly to the side.
Emilia watched the scene unfold and smiled. "Dummy."
---------------------------------
In stark contrast to the serene atmosphere inside the carriage, a scene of utter turmoil was unfolding.
At the royal castle, located in the heart of the capital, one of its many rooms featured a large round table surrounded by several chairs.
This was the meeting room for the sage council, whose primary role was to advise the king and assist him in his efforts to govern the kingdom.
At this moment, however, the room was in disarray.
"This can't be happening! It just can't be—"
"But why now? With the royal selection—"
"Perhaps this is a sign of the end times—"
"Enough!" a powerful voice resonated through the chaos, bringing silence to the room.
The speaker was Bordeaux Zellgaf, an elderly man with a bald head and prominent blue eyebrows, draped in the purple cloak of the sage council.
"Why are you all behaving like children? You call yourselves 'Wise Men' yet can't even maintain your composure upon such news," he bellowed, casting a stern gaze at every member of the council except one.
"I must concur with Bordeaux. It would be unwise for us to lose our composure over such a significant prophecy," said Miklotov McMahon, an elderly figure with long white hair and a beard that nearly touched the floor. He served as the representative and de facto leader of the sage council.
"Now, Kael Frostbane, would you be so kind as to repeat what was inscribed on the dragon tablet and explain how you came to discover it?" he inquired.
The dragon tablet was an ancient stone gifted to the dragon kingdom of Lugunica by its guardian and deity, The Divine Dragon Volcanica. This tablet had guided Lugunica throughout its history by predicting events that helped the kingdom avoid calamities.
Kael Frostbane, the keeper of the stone, was a man with short gray hair and a goatee, tasked with maintaining the tablet and informing the council whenever it foretold a significant event.
"Certainly, Miklotov McMahon-san. It was late when I went to check on the dragon tablet to ensure its proper care, and that's when I noticed something new inscribed on it. It read,"
"The Sage Has Returned."