Aldebaran/Synopsis

Synopsis for the enigmatic former gladiator Aldebaran from Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World.
==Synopsis==
===History===
One day, a young adult man from the nation of Japan on Earth was suddenly and inexplicably summoned to another planet. The planet in question was very similar to Earth, yet with some key differences. The new world relied far less on technology than Earth, as it had the power of magic to imitate many modern devices such as street lights and communication devices, although the latter was a rare commodity. This world, which shared many tropes with worlds featured in fantasy fiction, had a variety of mystical creatures including anthrompohpic creatures that appeared like hybrids between humans and animals and had an intelligence. The planet was mostly governed over by four great nations—the Dragonfriend Kingdom of Lugunica, the Empire of Volakia, the Holy Kingdom of Gusteko, and the city-state Kararagi. Of these four nations, the Japanese man found himself in Volakia, a harsh meritocracy that revered a creed of Social Darwinism.
In this new world, the Japanese man became known as "Aldebaran," although he much preferred to be called "Al" for short. Shortly after arriving in the new world, Al visited a Gladiator Island in Volakia to learn how to fight with a sword. Unfortunately, due to unspecified circumstances, Aldebaran lost his left forearm and was forced to fight on the island as a gladiator. For years, Al fought for his life as a sword slave, however, despite the harsh conditions he lived through, the Japanese man never lost his drive to live. At some point, he learned how to use the magical energy in his body to manipulate the earth around him. He also became a hardened warrior as a result of his experiences, boasting a multitude of scars across his body which left his face disfigured. One day, after spending nearly ten years in the arena, one of the Island's gaolers saw potential in Al and helped him escape. Before parting with Aldebaran, the gaoler gave him a black helmet, which Al began to wear over his scarred face at all times.
Over the next few years, Aldebaran had some form of contact with the Witch Cult, an ancient order of religious extremists allegedly dedicated to the return of the Witch of Envy Satella, a powerful woman who destroyed half of the world four centuries ago and had been eternally imprisoned as a result. Although his exact relationship with the Cult remains unknown, such as whether they shared a friendly or hostile relationship, he was acquainted with at least one Sin Archbishop. The Sin Archbishops were the leaders of the Cult who each possessed a power known as an Authority which was directly linked to one of the seven deadly sins. Al had knowledge of the Authorities wielded by the Archbishops, as he was aware that the Authority of Gluttony allowed its user to steal the name and memories of their victims if the user knew their target's name. Additionally, he had knowledge of the Witches of Sin, the group of Authority wielders who preceded the Sin Archbishops four centuries prior. For instance, he knew the circumstances of the death of the Witch of Pride Typhon, despite it not being common knowledge. He also had some sort of connection to the twin demon sisters Ram & Rem, although neither of them recalled meeting Al.
===Escape from Ginonhive===
====Unwanted Dreams of Freedom====
Just over ten years after arriving on Ginonhive, Aldebaran faced an unarmed bald man in the arena. Al was killed by his opponent, though he survived thanks to his Authority and was labelled the victim. He surmised through trial and error that his opponent was a Shinobi, a type of physically augmented warrior typically hired by the Volakian elite. The Shinobi in question was using a technique known as the Poison Hand, which consisted of using poison coated on one's own hand to kill an enemy by simply scratching them. The Shinobi killed Al by kicking him, revealing in the process that his trump card was that his legs were also poisonous.
Aldebaran tried to reason with the Shinobi that they could both survive if they could hold out until the crowds grew bored, though his opponent turned down his plan. The Shinobi went in for the kill, only for Al to predict his movements and decapitate him. Heading out of the arena following his victory, Al was greeted by Orlan who told the one-armed man some dark rumors surrounding the Shinobi he had just killed. Much to Al's annoyance, the Hornet entered the chamber in preparation for an upcoming battle and began accosting him like normal. Aldebaran acted dismissively towards her and headed back to the living area.
That night, as Al was trying to get some rest, Ubirk told him that a large influx of spectators could be expected due to an event being held in celebration of the coronation of Vincent Volakia, the new Emperor of Volakia. Ubirk revealed that the sword slaves were planning to take one of the visiting nobles hostage and use them as a bargaining chip to acquire freedom and independence for the island. Ubirk wanted Al to use the Hornet's fondness for him to convince her to join their cause, though Al declined as he thought the rebellion was nothing more than a foolish dream and that the Hornet would never agree to overthrow the jailers.
Later on, Aldebaran awoke from a nightmare and decided to get some fresh air. His talk with Ubirk about a potential rebellion was nagging at him because, despite himself, he couldn't help sharing in the desire to be free as he gazed up at the stars. On the day of the celebration, Ubirk tried again to convince Al to join their uprising. Ubirk pointed out that Al should take a chance at freedom, because otherwise nothing would change and Al would inevitably die in the arena at some point down the line. Though he found Ubirk's point convincing, Al nevertheless rejected the offer and headed to the arena with Orlan for his next battle.
====Rebellion on the Sword Slave Island====
Entering into the arena, Al noticed that the crowds were far larger than usual. Deciding it would be wise to win the spectators over, Al began showboating. His opponent, a large veteran sword slave with dual broadswords, emerged from the other side of the ring. His opponent proved to be a skilled fighter, as he became the first sword slave in a while to kill Al over ten times. Eventually, Al was able to use his Authority to predict the larger sword slave's moves and behead him. Mentally and physically exhausted, Al returned to the living quarters to sleep and was shocked to discover that Ubirk had murdered Orlan with a knife.
===Knighthood===
Roughly seven years later, Aldebaran participated in a fighting tournament held within the Kingdom of Lugunica. The victor of the tournament would receive the reward of becoming the official knight of Priscilla Barielle, the young wife of the Lugunican nobleman Lyp Barielle. Becoming the knight of Lyp's wife was considered a prestigious prize, considering the nobleman was of high-standing within Lugunica. The fifty or so competitors were led into an arena where they brutally battled one another for the right of knighthood. Every now and again, Priscilla would observe the proceedings from a balcony, captivating the warriors below with her heavenly beauty. All of the spectators and other fighters were shocked by Al's appearance upon his arrival, as they failed to comprehend why a man with only one arm was participating in a combative tournament. It didn't take long for one combatant to shake away his surprise and sprint at Al with murderous intent. With a relaxed disposition, Al cracked his bones and drew his sword, leaping into the fray while tossing jokes.
Although he fought valiantly, Al failed to make it into the top four contestants. However, regardless of his shortcomings as a warrior, all of the other fighters including the victor were sent away with the exception of Aldebaran. Al was escorted by a youthful butler in his early teens to a room where Lyp Barielle and his wife Priscilla awaited him. The Japanese man thanked Lyp and Priscilla for receiving him and asked them if they wished him to bow before them. Priscilla impatiently told him she cared not for such trivialities, as she was only interested in the worth he could prove to her. Hearing Priscilla's brazing words, Al worried that it was wrong for him to have come considering how intimidating the woman sitting before him was. Lyp, severely insulted by Al's disrespect towards his wife, walked up to him and threatened to have him executed for his behaviour and for neglecting to remove his helmet. Before Lyp could do anything, Priscilla knocked him unconscious with her fan. After having the youthful butler carry Lyp's body out of the room, Priscilla faced Al alone in the room.
Al commented on the noble lady's eccentric attitude and lack of self-preservation, considering she was now by herself in a room with a man of suspicious character. After listening to more of Priscilla's arrogant prattle, the former gladiator asked her with a heavy sigh what he could do to earn the woman's approval. Barielle informed him that to earn her approval he would need to survive. Before Al could register her words, Priscilla quickly distracted him with her fan and stole the man's sword that rested in its sheath. The Japanese man was barely able to avoid having his neck sliced by a lethal swing from the sword. Pausing momentarily, Al fearfully asked the woman if she was going to try that again. Much to Aldebaran's relief, she conveyed that she no intention of attacking him any further, as his survival had impressed her well enough. Expecting him to catch it, Barielle tossed Al's sword into the air, however, instead of finding itself in the hands of its owner, it wedged itself into the carpet on the floor. Priscilla revealed that as long as Aldebaran continued to prove more valuable than the carpet his negligence had damaged, he had her approval.
The conversation then veered to the topic of Al's helmet, which the former gladiator explained was to obscure his disfigured visage. The youthful noblewoman agreed to allow him to keep his helmet on and to call him in "Al" rather than the more formal "Aldebaran." As Al pulled his blade from the carpet, Priscilla divulged an important secret to him—that she was one of the five candidates to become the forty-second ruler of Lugunica. As her first order as Al's master, Priscilla instructed her new knight to help pave the way for her victory in the oncoming three-year-long election campaign. With a quiet murmur, Al agreed to his mistress's first command. Over the next few months, Al grew fond of his mistress, always taking her prideful insults in stride and treating her like a troublesome daughter of sorts. Al learned that the youthful butler-in-training, named Schult, was originally a street orphan that Priscilla had saved from starvation because he had the same color eyes as her. Since then, Schult had been Barielle's most devoted servant. Priscilla herself often doted on the young boy, a fact that made Al slightly jealous at times.
===Meeting a maid===
Months after becoming a knight, Al, Schult, and Priscilla took up temporary residence in an opulent mansion located in Lugunica's capital city. The reason for their visit to the capital was due to an upcoming ceremony that would herald the official beginning of the three-year-long Royal Selection to decide which candidate would become the ruler of Lugunica. One day, Al was walking the streets of the capital alone in search of his mistress who had wandered off. It was during this search that he encountered a young pink-haired woman in a maid uniform who he knew to be the demon Ram. He tried beckoning to the woman several times, only to be ignored by her. Finally relenting, Ram turned to face Al, bearing a disgusted look on her face after seeing the suspicious appearance of her beckoner. The maid expressed distaste at the one-armed warrior's attitude and prepared to call for the guards.
Before Ram could get ahead of herself, Al explained that he was searching for someone. Ram didn't seem to want to make time for Al, as she too was searching for a lost person. When the demon maid tried to walk away, Al begged her to tell him if she had seen a girl with Priscilla's description. Although Ram hadn't seen Barielle, Al showed curiosity regarding who the maid was searching for. Ram denied to answer his question and, having grown bored of the tedious conversation, began disappearing into the crowds. As she left, Al apologised for troubling her and called her name as he said goodbye. Ram stopped and turned around at his words, as she had zero recollection of giving her name to the stranger. However, the man from another world had already vanished from her view.
===Snowfall in the capital===
One night around a month later, Priscilla opened the window of the mansion and stared up at the beautiful dim sky with complete mesmerisation while muttering words under her breath. Aldebaran cared little for whatever had his mistress so captivated, as the figure of Priscilla enchanted him so much that he was unable to take his eyes off of her. The burly attendant soon lost his concentration when a powerful blow struck him square in the face. The attack had come from none other than Priscilla, who had hit him with her fan.
Al bewilderingly asked Barielle why she had struck him as he laid on the floor grimacing over the pain. The princess explained that his gawking had been the source of her attack, although if it had been Schult who had been captivated by her form, she would've merely blown on his ear to bring the youthful butler back to his senses. Naturally, Al proceeded to complain about the unnecessary favouritism Barielle showed towards Schult, asking why he never received any kind of erotic award for his loyalty. Barielle reminded him that if he were a commoner, she likely would've taken his head. Hearing her threat, Al quickly changed his attitude, saying that he was happy to be struck by her fan anytime she wanted. Getting back on track, Al once again asked Priscilla why she had struck him, considering the mess her strike had caused on the room. Priscilla revealed that the words she had muttered under her breath while observing the snowfall was Al's name, and, upon being ignored by him twice, she had struck him to gain his attention. Puzzled by her actions, Al let out a fake laugh in an attempt to lighten the atmosphere, only to receive a cold glare from his mistress.
Standing up, Al moved over to his mistress and handed her her fan back while mentally thanking the man who had given him his helmet years ago for saving his skull. The man from Japan apologized to Barielle before being asked why he thought she might've personally stood up and opened the window. Al correctly assumed it was because she wanted to gaze at the dazzling night sky. Nodding at his answer, Priscilla told him he was correct and ordered him to take a look at the sky himself. Standing beside his mistress, Al was surprised to witness a magical snowfall descending from the sky above that blanketed the capital in a veil of white. As master and servant watched the snow with shining smiles, a breeze of cold air and snow blew in through the window, although neither of them paid it much heed. With the snow reflected in her eyes, Priscilla expressed joy at the snow, which, considering how out of season it was, was likely an unnatural phenomena.
Al asked Schult about the snow, considering the butler-in-training was more familiar with the area. Schult revealed that it was a very rare occurrence, as he himself had never seen snow before in his life. Hearing the boy's words of excitement, Al began to think about how the difficult past Schult had suffered wasn't stopping him from slowly forming into a good man. The former gladiator expressed such a belief to Priscilla, who agreed with him in a roundabout way. Turning to face his mistress, Al was once again captivated by the figure of Priscilla seated on the windowsill observing the snow. He apologized in advance, considering that he knew his rude gaze would earn Barielle's ire sooner rather than later. Much to Al's surprise, noble Priscilla didn't care about his stare, as she believed it was only natural for men to gaze at her body with indecent thoughts. If she took offense to men lusting after her, then she would have to behead every man in the world to satisfy her disgust.
Fiddling with his helmet, Al asked his mistress why she was so enchanted by a simple snowfall. Much to both Al and Schult's astonishment, the woman revealed that it was also her first time seeing snow in real life. Schult immediately told Priscilla how happy he was that they could share their first snowfall together, earning him a stroke on the head from his beloved mistress for his cuteness. Watching the adorable scene, Al sighed and said how surprised he was at such an unexpected revelation, as he had always seen Priscilla as someone who had experienced practically everything. The thought that Barielle had never experienced certain common occurrences genuinely baffled Al. Aldebaran's words also surprised Priscilla a little, who expressed her curiosity towards Al's opinion of her in a sweet voice that sent shivers down the knight's spine.
Priscilla began prattling about the snow, explaining the intricacies of snow and how snowflakes formed. Al was impressed by his master's knowledge, considering that it was her first time seeing snow. Priscilla reminded him that, although it was her first time seeing snow, everything in the world was tailored to her whim, meaning that she inherently had an understanding of things she encountered for the first time. Indeed, Barielle could be described as a woman on the cusp of omniscience and omnipotence. When Al expressed doubt that his mistress was truly as gifted as she believed herself to be, Priscilla asked him to tell her what stood out the most about her when they first met. Before he could say anything in response, Barielle herself correctly reached the conclusion that it was her intelligence rather than her beauty or elegance.
Her imposing presence made Al bite his lip and hold his silence, urging Priscilla to form a sadistic smile on her face. Barielle went on to explain that there were no differences between man and beast, as she believed that beasts had the capability to learn and exhibit intelligence like humans did. Al tried to make light of Priscilla's serious idealism, only to be stopped by Barielle who demanded to hear Al's opinion on her words with an intense gaze in her eyes. Seeing the intense emotions roiling in her eyes, Al realized that his life likely hinged on his answer to her question. Barielle asked again, this time also questioning what the difference between the two of them was. After much deliberation, Al gave his answer—the ability to to refine oneself thanks to the presence of opportunities.
Al's response satisfied Priscilla, allowing the burly knight to relax and wipe the cold sweat off his back. She went on to explain that Al was a beast, because, unlike Barielle who took advantage of opportunities presented to her, Al only did what was necessary to survive, never showcasing any kind of ambition of his own. In response, Al told her that, although he would serve her, he wouldn't change on her whim, as the lack of change he exhibited was part of what made him who he was. The intensity between the pair was broken by Schult, who couldn't bare the scene unfolding before his eyes any longer. The trio then decided to go outside and play in the snow together. Before setting out, Schult asked Al if he had played in the snow before. Several distant memories of Japan played themselves in his mind, although the outsider thrust them aside and told the ecstatic Schult that it was his first time too. As the trio headed outside, Al briefly paused and gazed at the snow falling from the sky. To nobody in particular, Al expressed that he didn't have any memories of playing in the snow.
===The Royal Selection===
====Lost in the capital====
Later, a day before the Royal Selection ceremony, Al and Priscilla were wandering around the bustling streets of the capital when the knight lost track of his mistress once again. Aldebaran began frantically searching the capital for Barielle, even looking in bizarre places such as bins. It was during this time that a beautiful silver-haired young woman named Emilia approached him and asked him what he was doing. Upon learning that Al was searching for someone, Emilia offered to help him look, as she was also looking for a lost person. The peculiar pair wandered around the streets of the capital until they entered an alleyway and found the people they were looking for, who were coincidentally in each other's company. The young man accompanying Priscilla, whose name was Subaru Natsuki, went to greet Emilia, only to hesitate upon noticing Al, the suspicious looking man standing next to her.
Natsuki immediately yelled at Aldebaran to not try anything funny with Emilia while rushing between the burly knight and the silver-haired beauty. Instead of taking offense from Subaru's words, Al commented on how strange it was for Natsuki to be more worried about an interloper than glad to be reunited with the person he obviously had feelings for. Unable to think of a worthy retort, Subaru merely insulted Al's crude sense of dress. Subaru, who seemed to be unfamiliar with Lugunican culture, asked if the attire Aldebaran wore was a common choice in the capital. Emilia assured him that she found his mismatched clothing just as strange. Al, hearing the exchange, burst into a bout of laughter before filling Subaru and Priscilla in on how he and Emilia had met and what they were doing together.
Continuing with his rude attitude, Subaru remarked that Al looked like the kind of guy who child-minders in his homeland would be suspicious of. Turning to Emilia, Subaru warned her to watch out for creepy men in cars in the future. Butting in to the conversation for the first time, Priscilla commended Al for managing to find her in the bustling streets. As he laughed at his mistress's praise while ruffling her hair, Aldebaran attributed fate as the force that had guided all four of them to their intended destination so perfectly. In response, Subaru in turn attributed it to the guiding arm of karma and the red string of fate. These sayings made Al briefly pause in shock, as the last and only times he had heard them were in Japan back on Earth. Taking into consideration the physical appearance of Natsuki, who was of Asian ethnicity, Aldebaran privately came to the realization that the boy standing before him was also from Japan.
Without conveying his discovery, Al quickly returned to his normal chirpy self. With that being said, the two pairs decided to go their separate ways. Subaru, who had gotten over his initial suspicious judgement of Aldebaran, sympathised with him for the problems Priscilla posed, as Natsuki himself had had his hands full dealing with her earlier. Al reported that with his fairly advanced age, he had become more tolerant and patient with ill-mannered people and tried to picture Priscilla as a proud cat that wasn't housebroken. As Al and Priscilla went to leave the alleyway, Subaru gave a pair of fruits to Barielle as parting gift. Aldebaran, in kind, thanked Emilia with genuine gratitude for helping him find Priscilla before leaving the pair behind with his mistress in tow.
Later, Al and Priscilla were confronted by a group of thugs, the two leaders of which Barielle had managed to vex during her time with Subaru. The thugs laughed sadistically while they surrounded the knight and his mistress. Barielle, uninterested in the commotion around her, paid no heed to the thugs while she nibbled on the fruit Natsuki had given to her. Al brought up the obvious problem they were facing, as, considering Subaru had given her two fruits, the rough-looking bodyguard firmly believed he should have one of them, a request which Barielle naturally refused. Finding herself in a good mood, Priscilla, finally turning her attention to the thugs surrounding her, ordered her attendant to let them live. Hearing those words, Al gave an affirmative and drew his sword. With a fiercely vivid smile under his helm, the former gladiator Aldebaran engaged in combat once again.
====Journey into the Palace====
On the day of the Royal Selection ceremony, Priscilla instructed Al to wait at a fruit stand that she knew Natsuki frequented. The young noblewoman had been entertained by Subaru, and so believed that it would be a good idea to take him with her to the ceremony. Barielle, who planned to wait for Al's return in her opulent dragon carriage, warned Aldebaran that she would leave him behind and travel to the Lugunican Royal Palace by herself if he was late. Before he left, Priscilla told Al that he should reveal that he intended to take Subaru into the Royal Palace if Natsuki resisted too much. Eventually, Subaru arrived as Priscilla had predicted, albeit much later than Barielle had intended. Wrapping his arm around the displeased young man, Aldebaran told Subaru how lucky he was that Natsuki had arrived when he did, as Al was about to give up and return to the carriage. Subaru shook the arm off of him and hurriedly made distance between him and Aldebaran. Al explained that he had been instructed to wait at the stand by Priscilla, although why his mistress had demanded such a thing was unknown to him. With that said, Al instructed Natsuki to follow him back to the carriage. When Subaru refused, Aldebaran followed Barielle's advice and told him he could get him into the Palace. Upon hearing Al's words, Subaru decided to reluctantly take him up on his offer.
Walking out of the bustling merchant district, Al and Subaru returned to the road where the Barielle carriage lied in waiting. Subaru's first reaction upon seeing the elegancy of the transportation before him was one of surprise and awe at the vanity of the rich, a sentiment Aldebaran agreed with. Opening the door of the carriage, Al and Subaru were immediately met by a rude remark from Priscilla about how long they had made her wait. Al, as opposed to Subaru who stood outside the carriage and argued with Barielle, stepped into the carriage and sat in a vacant seat. Eventually, Al was able to sooth Natsuki's hot-headed attitude and convince him to seat himself in the carriage. The manservant took the time to formally introduce his mistress as a candidate to the throne of Lugunica, considering Subaru was previously unaware of her true identity. Upon this revelation, Subaru asked Priscilla if he knew who Emilia was, as the woman he had been with yesterday was in fact also a candidate for the throne. Barielle answered with an affirmative while insulting Emilia, prompting Subaru to jump from his seat with anger written across his face. Before Natsuki could do anything rash, Al drew his blade and placed it against Subaru's neck, instantly replacing the boy's aggression with caution.
With fear in his voice, Subaru backed down and commented on Al's handiness with a blade despite his lack of two arms. Seeing the light of hostility leave his Japanese brother's eyes, Aldebaran gave twirled his blade around before depositing it back in its sheath with a satisfied nod. Hoping to unsettle Al in some form, Natsuki asked the former Sword Slave how he had lost his arm. Al recounted his loss as a sort of baptism upon his arrival to a new world, essentially revealing to Subaru that he had also came from beyond the boundaries of the world. As Natsuki stared frozen at his elder with abject shock, Al told him how he had figured out Subaru was also Japanese and reported that he had personally been in the world for eighteen years at that point. After collecting his thoughts, the youthful reflection of Al asked the burly knight questions regarding the circumstances of his summoning. However, like Subaru, Al apparently had no idea why he was summoned. Priscilla butted into the tense conversation with her opinion that, while rumors of people originating from beyond the Great Waterfall at the edge of the world were usually untrue, her supernatural intuition dictated that both men were telling the truth.
Veering off topic, Priscilla and Subaru got into another verbal spat. Al tried to interject on the side of his kin, although his attempts were to no avail. After the fighting died down, the occupants of the carriage remained silent for the rest of the ride to the Royal Palace. Upon arriving at the Palace, both Al and Subaru shared the sentiment that they didn't belong in such a refined building. Regardless, the unusual party entered the elaborate structure and headed towards the Selection hall where they were stopped by Captain Marcus Gildark of the Knights of Lugunica. Marcus questioned Priscilla on her company, turning his gaze to the suspicious knight standing by her side. With his usual cool demeanour, Al jokingly assured Gildark that he would only use physical violence to deter any "moustache-twirling villains" that stowed into the castle. Ignoring Al's glib comment, the man permitted the trio to enter the Royal Selection ceremony. The large elaborate doors opened, revealing an enormous hall that the unlikely party stepped into.
====The ceremony itself====
Immediately after entering the hall, the trio were met by Emilia and her political backer Lord Roswaal L. Mathers. Lord Roswaal apologised to Priscilla for the behavior of his manservant Subaru, although she cared little. After brief bickering, Priscilla and Al left Subaru with his masters and headed towards the center of the room. The Council of Elders who governed over the country in the King's absence eventually arrived, marking the beginning of the event. Al, with Subaru in tow, joined the ranks of the Knights of the Royal Guard stationed on one side of the room. Priscilla and Emilia joined two other women at the center stage. An extraordinarily handsome red-haired knight greeted Subaru as he came over. This man was Reinhard van Astrea, undisputedly considered to be the strongest being to ever live. Al, Subaru, and Reinhard were soon joined by two more knights by the names of Felix Argyle and Julius Juukulius. The latter politely introduced himself to Al, only to receive an uncharacteristically cold response from the gruff attendant.
Marcus gained the attention of the people gathered in the room and began detailing the events preceding the election. Half a year ago, the entire Lugunican Royal Family had died of a mysterious illness. This caused a problem as Lugunica relied on a covenant that the Royal Family had made with the Holy Dragon Volcanica centuries prior to prosper. A new Dragon Priestess was required to form a new pact with Volcanica so that the Kingdom could flourish once again. The women gathered at the forefront of the hall were four of the five candidates to become the next Dragon Priestess, and by extension, Lugunica's next ruler. Before Marcus could finish his explanation, he was interrupted by one of the candidates—Anastasia Hoshin, who used a way of speech unique to the Kansai region of Japan. Seeing Subaru's surprise at Hoshin's strange method of speaking, Al explained that she likely came from the western-most region of Kararagi, where most people spoke in a similar way. Both Anastasia and the last candidate Duchess Crusch Karsten thought that such an explanation was pointless, as a majority of the room already knew the story.
When Emilia tried to butt in and deter the impatience of the pair, Hoshin insulted her, earning the ire of Natsuki. Before Subaru could speak up and make a fool of himself, Al moronically raised his hand and asked to hear the full explanation of the Selection. As numerous judgemental glares turned upon the mismatched knight, Al turned to his kin and reminded him that it was now twice that he owed him.
Category:Synopsis