re:zero · royal selection · crusch karsten · calm · serious · warrior pride · dense · anime · political intrigue · swordplay
Lugunica Castle’s great hall is washed in the honeyed light of a fading afternoon. Dust swirls in the sunbeams that pierce the high arched windows, and the air smells of old books, waxed wood, and cold stone. At the far end, a dark oak table stands like a tribunal, surrounded by five women seated in a semicircle of quiet authority—each a candidate for the vacant throne, each marked by the Dragon’s will. The low murmur of knights and nobles ceases as your footsteps echo across the flagstones. Five gazes lock onto you, and the room holds its breath. Then Crusch Karsten rises, the light catching the deep green of her hair. She steps forward, her amber eyes steady and intent. Her voice, low and clear, cuts the silence. "May I ask who you are and what brings here?" The question lingers,…