From RE0, Sato Kazuma decided to cheat on food and drink

boy?

boys!

This guy is a man?!

Damn, he's definitely another pervert!

A perverted man dressed as a woman, I can't accept that!

If it's a girl, using "cat" as a verbal tic would definitely be very cute!

But if it's a guy, making a meowing sound is disgusting!

Even his breathing is wrong!

Are there really no truly normal, beautiful girls in this world?

While shouting in his heart, Kazuma Sato wiped Aqua's clothes with his hand, as if trying to wipe away something unclean.

Wilhelm narrowed his eyes slightly, staring intently at Kazuma Sato, seemingly lost in thought.

"Hey, Kazuma-sama, why did you run off all of a sudden, meow? Did something happen?"

Felix looked at Kazuma Sato with a puzzled expression and asked.

"No, it's nothing."

Kazuma Sato shook his head, but his body involuntarily leaned back at a slight angle.

Who are you looking for?

"We're here to see Lady Emilia and Lady Roswaal—and you and Lady Aqua."

Felix said with a smile.

Chapter Sixty: Returning to the Capital – Yes, this was just a test!

Ten minutes later, Kazuma Sato and the others arrived at the meeting room.

Roswaal invited Felix to sit down, while Kazuma Sato chose a seat furthest away from him.

"I wonder what brings Felix, a knight of Lord Crusch, here?"

Roswaal asked with a smile.

"Curshu...that name sounds familiar."

Kazuma Sato frantically tried to recall what Emilia had said about the royal selection when he had asked her earlier. Emilia had introduced the identities of the various candidates, including Crusch, who seemed to be the most powerful among them.

Judging from the appearance of their dragon carriages, they are very luxurious, indicating that they hold a very high status.

"I am here on the orders of Lady Crusch to convey instructions from the capital, meow."

Felix said politely.

The Karlsten family, to which she serves, is arguably the highest-ranking noble family in Lugnica. Crusch, as the head of the family, also assists the Sages in handling matters related to the royal selection.

"She's the head of a noble family, and generally she's not young. If she's also a candidate, then she's probably an old woman."

Kazuma Sato picked up the teacup next to him and took a small sip.

For some reason, he suddenly felt like crying.

That rare aroma of tea... an aroma untouched by Aqua's taint...

This guy claims he can purify any liquid he touches, but he wasn't purified at all when he drank alcohol!

How abominable!

Kazuma Sato suppressed his emotions and turned to look at Aqua.

Although he was feeling slightly uncomfortable about being in the same space and breathing the same air as Felix, it seemed to be an important occasion related to the King's selection, and he couldn't afford to reveal any flaws.

After all, Kazuma Sato still hoped to enjoy a comfortable life for a while longer by relying on Aqua's fake identity.

If a fifth candidate does emerge in the future, we can use some excuse like a misunderstanding to cover it up.

"Because the fifth candidate, Lady Aqua, has appeared, all five candidates predicted this time have appeared. Therefore, Lugnica's royal selection is about to begin, and the opening ceremony will be held the day after tomorrow."

Felix's expression gradually turned serious.

"Hey, is it earlier than originally planned?"

Emilia asked, somewhat surprised.

"That's right, because something special happened in the capital, and it's related to Lady Aqua."

Felix turned his head and fixed his gaze on Aqua.

Previously, it was because Aqua's touch of the emblem emitted an incredibly dazzling light that made her known to almost everyone in the city, which also made the Sages' Guild and various nobles aware of her existence.

Furthermore, many of them have already concluded that Aqua is the most unique among the five candidates.

It is the being most valued by the dragon.

"Lady Aqua is quite the celebrity in the capital now, and many powerful families are talking about you."

Felix said with a smile,

"After all, a miracle happened that night."

Upon hearing Felix's words, Kazuma Sato felt a jolt in his heart and immediately understood what had happened.

It's because Aqua caused such a commotion that this happened!

Oh no, oh no...

"Um, wait a minute, Phyllis, I wanted to ask, have the identities of the five candidates been confirmed so quickly?"

Kazuma Sato gave a slightly embarrassed smile and asked,

"Aren't you worried that someone might forge an identity and sneak in?"

"There's no need to worry about that. After all, the badge only reacts to the candidate, and there are usually other witnesses present, especially Lady Aqua. Almost the entire royal capital is your witness, meow!"

As Felix spoke, he gestured with his slender, pale fingers.

"Besides, most people would not choose to risk disguising their identity, since it is a serious crime that could lead to the extermination of nine generations of their family."

“Hahahaha, yeah.”

Kazuma Sato chuckled, scratching his head, though sweat was already beading on his forehead.

He knew very well that he absolutely could not let his pretense of being a candidate be exposed.

Otherwise, they would be making enemies of the entire kingdom...

Felix then explained to everyone the upcoming royal selection meeting. Almost everyone in the capital would be involved. According to the procedure, each candidate would have to make a declaration in front of everyone, explaining their political ideas and future action plans.

This gave Kazuma Sato a huge headache...

He hadn't considered political matters at all.

After all, the selection process was too troublesome, and Kazuma Sato was just happy to be able to eat and drink for free every day.

To recount these events in front of a large audience is practically impossible.

not to mention.....

These are things that Aqua should say.

Kazuma Sato turned his head and couldn't help but glance at the goddess next to him.

For some reason, he could already see Aqua turning the Royal Selection into a crazy banquet.

Not only that, but Sato Kazuma and Aqua don't have a definitive identity, so if someone asks about their background, they'll have a hard time answering...

But now they can't turn back.

Kazuma Sato only felt a slight headache.

"Now that I've told you everything, I should prepare to leave, meow."

Felix rose, bowed to everyone, and then left the mansion under the escort of Roswaal and Emilia. Sato Kazuma pondered what to do until she boarded the dragon carriage and left with Wilhelm.

"Are you going to pin everything on the 'useless goddess' and then run away pretending to be a victim?"

Kazuma Sato rested one hand on his chin and muttered to himself.

"You idiot, Kazuma, what are you doing?"

Beatrice, who was standing next to Sato Kazuna, looked worried and asked him curiously.

"I'm thinking about what to do when I go to the capital..."

Kazuma Sato sighed and turned to look in the direction where Aqua was not far away.

Aqua seemed completely oblivious to the gravity of the situation, holding a bottle of fine wine as if inviting Emilia to join her for a few more drinks.

He sighed helplessly again.

"Lord Kazuma, we all have to head to the capital tomorrow."

Just then, Roswaal's voice rang out from the side.

"Yes."

"While I am very grateful for everything you have done for Lady Emilia, we are not allies yet. If we go to the capital together, it may cause unnecessary misunderstandings among other forces. So tomorrow I will arrange a separate dragon carriage for you, and we will return to the capital separately."

"Oh, thank you very much."

Roswaal narrowed his eyes slightly and asked with a smile.

"Lord Kazuma, haven't you and Lady Aqua changed your minds yet? Forming an alliance would benefit both of us greatly—"

"No."

Kazuma Sato immediately shook his head and gave his answer without hesitation.

Their camp has been targeted by an assassination organization, and Kazuma Sato doesn't want to get himself involved.

"Really? That's a pity. I hope we'll have more opportunities to cooperate in the future."

. . . . . .

Meanwhile, inside the dragon carriage that was driving away from the Mezas mansion.

"Hey Heim, what do you think of that guy named Kazuma Sato?"

Felix sat in the back of the dragon carriage, asking Wilhelm, who was driving, a question with a curious look on his face.

"Although he looks thin, I can sense an unparalleled aura about that boy. And, Lord Phyllis, I don't know if you've noticed, but shortly after you met him, his attitude towards you seemed to have changed."

Wilhelm said with a serious expression.

"Oh? What's changed?"

"He has developed a hostility towards you."

Why are there hostile cats?

Felix's eyes flashed with surprise and confusion.

"He probably realizes that our purpose in coming here is not only to deliver the imperial edict, but also to investigate them, since no one in the capital has been able to find out their background and origins."

Wilhelm's gaze was fixed on the distance, sharp as an eagle's.

"It was precisely because he realized this that Sato Kazuma showed hostility at that moment, without any attempt to hide it, perhaps as a warning to us."

"So you make no attempt to hide anything from me in front of someone like you, a sword demon?"

"This shows that he is full of self-confidence, while Lady Aqua is completely different. I can't see through her at all. Her behavior seems very casual—even to an excessive degree. But I am sure that this is just her disguise. Even I can hardly tell what she is really like."

"I never expected the fifth person to be such a troublesome fellow—"

Felix's expression gradually became serious.

"I hope they won't become an obstacle for Lord Crusch."

. . . . . .

The next day, early in the morning.

Two dragon carriages had already stopped at the entrance of the mansion, just as everyone was preparing to depart for the capital.

"Then let's meet at the palace!"